The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-09-17
MR.. McLANE'S LETTER.

this country, the merchants of New York
wrote him letter congratulating him on the
success of his mission. Mr.. McLane, IN re-
ply, wrote very interesting letter, from
which we take the subjoined extracts:
certainly could not have been induced
10 return to political life as the representa-
tive of my country abroad, unless had been
persuaded that in the crisis to which you
have referred, the views of my own Gov
eminent had been entirely consistent with
such a settlement of the Oregon question as
ought TO have secured an honorable peace,
and unless had entertained the hope that |
might be enabled in some degree 10 coop
crate 10 that end
For myself after our several conventions
of 1918 and 1928, Ohe latter of which re-
ceived my support as Senator Of the Uni
ted Slates,) for the joint occupation of the
territory, had always regarded the Oregon
question as less dependent upon the force of
title, than upon the principles of an equit-
able PARTITION 1t would have been unrea-
sonable to expect, after such acknowledge
ments of the rights Of joint occupancy, that
either party would be permitted wholly TO
dispossess the other, without some regard
10 interests which had grown up during
their mutual possession. Ii appeared to me.
also, that all the previous acts OF our Gov
eminent had not only been consistent with,
but affirmatoIy of these views, and could
see nothing in the National honor that would
justify, much less demand, a departure from
it. Possessing before, in an equal degree
as after the treaty Nth Spain in 1919, all
the tile which on the ground Of discovery,
IRE could assert to The country, drained By
The acaters of the Columbia, and which, II
good for anything, trds ratid beyond the
SD parallel of latitude, our Government
at no time proposed q more northern bound
arg than the parallel Of 81, and neper de
some knowledge from my official position al
that time, Of the policy and objects Of the
contention Of 1923. l am quite persuaded
that its main design 1odS to lead IN a future
partition Of the territory to the recognition
of our claim to the country, not north, but
south of the 10Th parallel, and bet,Oeen that
and the Columbia rirer. A division of the
county upon that principle, with reason
able regard TO rights growing up under the
joint possessions, always appeared 10 me TO
afford a Just and practicable basis for an
Iamicable aud honorable adjustment OF The
subject. Such also, was satisfied, were
the views of my owh Government at the
time engaged in my recent mission, and,
in earnestly and steadily laborng 10 effect a
settlement upon that basis, was but repre-
senting The policy OF my own Government.
aud faithfully promoting the intentions aud
4 wishes of The President.
/ Ii must be very rare, if, in complicated
differences between great nations, peaceful
relations can be preserved without some
modification of extreme pretensions; and
upon the present occasion, from The length
of time for which the question had been de-
pending, together with the often repeated
propositions ON both sides, the two Govern
tueDts could not have been reasonably Elk
pected to come 10 an amicable arrangement
) without some mutual concession of their
former demands II, on our side, by divid
ing on the 49lb parallel and the Straits o
Fucia, we yielded the southern cape o
Vancouver's Island, Great Britain snrren
: dered her previous claim TO the navigation
and unoccupied territory between the furty
: ninth parallel and the Columbia river A
the same lime We have effected Il materia
modification of our former offer of the sur
render of The perpetual navigation of tht
Columbia river TO British-trade and British
subjects generally. Although from deferenc'
to the piers and opinions of others, ,rhici
it trds no less my ,piSh than my duty to res
pect, l earnestly endeaUored to effect a SET
tIcmeat upon the basis of allowing Tie mar
igdtion Of the rirer to the general trade TO
e period Of ticenty gears, lchen that, iron
# causes to 5chich I need not nor particular.
e refer. prored to be. imPracticabte, in neper