American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-03-28
Amrritan Republican,
AND
BALTIMORE CLIPPER.
SATURDAY MORNING, MAR. %, ls46.

N.r,ovN. HoNoR. Much has been said !
and written about national honor, which, it is |
said by some persons, cannot be preserved but
bv insisting upon having the whole of Oregon
but this idea is equally new as false. Prior
to the meeting of the Baltimore Convention
which issued the declaration, that "our title to
the whole Of Oregon is clear and in6isputabe," W
the whole efforts of our Government had been
directed to effect compromise with England
on the 49th parallel Of north latitude; and the
wisest and best statesmen Of the country
thought it no sacrifice of national honor TO
yield to England the whole territory beyond
that degree of latitude; and much less coulu
they have supposed, that, by offering such
settlement, they were subiecting themselves to
DO stgmatized as partizans of Great Britain
But from the time of the declaration OF the
Baltimore Conventional at least from the
period of its reiteration in the Presidents mes
sage, a new light appears to have been shed
upon our claims, at least in the eyes of some oil
our public men, and tbs now attempted to BIO
made point of national honor to grasp the
whole of Oregon if we can. But national
honor does not consist in adopting and adher-
ing to the declaration of an irresponsible body
of men, not one in ten of whom probably
knew on what portion of the globe Oregon was
located To preserve our honor unsullied we
must deal Justly and honestly towards all other
powers. We have offered over and over again
to take the 49th degree as the basis of com
promise, thus waving whatever of RICH: we
might be supposed to have had to any portion
ofterrtory north of that latitude; but our right
to the extent heretofore claimed has been de-
MED by Great Britain, whatever may be her
present disposition. In this she was wrong;
and should she still persist in rejecting our
claims, war we think must ensue. We should
then be careful to keep ourselves in the right,
by urging no claim which is not founded IN
strict Justice; and then, should war ensue, we
can fight with greater confidence and with a
more perfect reliance upon the protection of
Heaven-for, think as we may, and self-confi-
dent as we may be, we must look to that pro-
hCNblOh 40 Jul hO pc III NuSC Vi huij uhH
to deserve it must act righteously as a nation.
To advance false claim, and then to make it
a point of honor not TO recede from it, would
be unbecomiDg a civilized and christian nation,
and we trust that we shall not be guilty of the
error We believe that three intelligent and
conscientious men could arrange and settle the
whole difficulty between this country and Eng
land in one week; and we cannot see why the
controversy is not at once put in position to
be closed. We hope that the Senate will ad-
wise the renewal of negotiations, that the sus-
pense which is harrassng the people and de-
stroying business may be removed.
We "look to the Senate" with entire conf
dence that it will save the country from the
impending horrors of war. Humanity, JUS
the continuance Of peace; and upon the Senate
the people must mainly rely for its preserva-
ton. 1t is stated that four-ffths of the Sena-
tors are in favor ofadoptng the 49th degree as
the basis of settlement; and we cannot believe
otherwise than that the President entertains the
same opinion--where then is the difficulty? Why
not come forward frankly with our PROPOSE
tions' 1t isapprehended that England will re-
fuse to accept the offer heretofore made? Let
the trial be made, and if she decline TO accede
to us our just rights, then an appeal to arms
may be safely taken, for the whole country
would present an united front.