Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1846-02-14

leigh difficulties with which the Government
is surrounded.
The article from the London Spectator
on The Oregon portion Of President Folks
Message will be read with interest.
The Duke and Sir Robert Peel.-It is
no secret that the discussions between the
Duke and The Premier have been SO fire.
quent and violent as often TO place the
Sovereign in very disagreeable position,
and make her regret the more tranquil days
Of the Wing cabinet. During the many
councils that have been held within the last
month, the Dukes violence has been so
great, and his voice so loud, that the atten.
dants in the outer rooms have caught the
sound, and have learned secrets not inten.
ded for their hearing.
From the London Spectator.
| Claim Of the United States to exclusive
Colonization in North America.-In his
message to Congress Mr.. Polk assumes rs
incontrovertible a doctrine unknown to in.
ternational law, and utterly untenable.
though not entirely new in the mouths of
American statesmen. Mr.. Monroe assert.
ed it during his Presidency. when he de-
clared that "the American continents, bv
the free and independent condition which
they have assumed and maintain. are
henceforth not to be considered as subjects
for future colonization by any European
power"
1t is not in words alone that he rc-af1irms
the position Of Mr.. Monroe. The immc-
diate application Of the abstract principle
is made to Oregon; and he advises the Leg
islature to give England notice Of the ter
minaton of the joint occupancy--to estab.
fish an Indian agency in the Oregon-to
extend the laws and Jurisdiction of the T.
States over its citizens resident thereto
make liberal grants TO "the patriotic pion-
eers' who may choose TO open up "ths
vast wilderness intervening between our
frontier settlements and Oregon"-to con.
meet the north-w west territory with those
frontier settlements by chain of stock.
AIDES and block-houses and movable COL
umns of mounted rihemen-and to esiab-
lish monthly overland mail between the
States and the American squatters on the
Columbia.
In the same message which recommends
this system Of operations, the annexation Of
Texas is dwelt on with triumph: threats Of
an aggressive war are held in suspense
over the Mexican Republic: and. with a
side. glance to the North, it is affirmed that
"the people of this continent alone have tho
right to decide their own destiny
: "shoulh any portion Of them, constituting
an independent state, propose TO unite
themselves with our confederacy. this will
, be the question for them and US to deter
mine. without any foreign interposition"--
"the American system Of government is en-
tirely different from that Of Europe" In
short. the President Of the United States
advises Congress to arm and organise the
citizens in order that they may be prepared
to avail themselves Of any emergency, to
receive all communities already settled on
the North American continent into the DO.
som of the Union, and prevent the colon.
cation of any part of the continent by Eu-
ropean nations
. If Congress- adopt the principle cnun.
ciated by Messrs. Monroe and Polk, they
will arrogate 10 the Government Of the
United States the sole and exclusive right
to coonize the yet unoccupied portions of
I the North American continent. The mere
exparte declaration Of one Government
: cannot make any doctrine part of the law
Of nations; the common consent of all, or
a majority of governments, is required for
that purpose. But the doctrine recognized
by the majority Of civilized nations on this
head is that all tracts of country inhabited
r only by savage or nomade tribes not or
ganized into State, may be colonized by
the first government that sees fit to take
{ possession of them, and that government
may. by certain preliminary measures, es-
.. tablish an exclusive right TO colonize more
extensive tract of country that il is pre-
T pared to do at the moment. The Govern.
ment Of Washington is entitled TO insist
that all tracts Of land to which it has es-
tablishcd such an exclusive right shall DO
colonized either by its own or by indvid.
uals who agree to submit to its peculiar
laws and institutions; but any other gov
crnment in any part Of the world, is enti.
tied to do the same; and Russia and Grea,
Britain have done it,
Ii is possible. no doubt, that principle
which has not actually been recognised a.
I part of the law Of nations may deserve
TO be so recognised. The principle assert.
ed by Presidents Monroe and Polk, though
not law, may be so equitable that the Brit.
ish Government would do well to combine
with that Of the United States TO urge its
adoption upon all other Governments. Ii
: is worth while TO examine the proposition
of the American statesmen, with view TO
v ascertain whether, since it is not already,i it
ought not forthwith TO become law.
4 The claim, then, which they assert, is
= neither more nor less than exclusive right
n Of colonization over all the unoccupied
c,I,o shr