The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-07-03
The Oregon Treaty.

.
us with a synopsis of the treaty recently
signed By the British and American nego-
tia,ors. and now before the Senate. 1t
consists of five articles, as follows
"A erlcIe |. Fixes the territorial boundary
between the United States and Great Britain,
West Of the Rocky mountains, on Tie line OF ~
degrees. till il reaches Queen Charlotte's sound
and then through the Straits OF f1ca 10 the
ocean, which gives to Great Britain Van Cow
ef's Island.
AR. 2 Declares the navigation OF the Go
lumbia river, up to where II strikes the line ot
40 deg. 10 be free TO the IIudson's Bay Compa-
ny, during the continuance OF its charter.
AR ;. The rivers. ports and harhors nof'n
Of the 49lh deg. 10 DO free to tue commerce OF
both nations
AR a. Indemnity for the forts aud trading
stations Of tho Iiudson's Bay Company south OF
40 deg and OF the Americans north Of The same
if any there be.
art 5. Indemnity for private property oi
citizens or subjects who may be south OF north
Of 10 deg, if they wish to retire within Their own
territory"
The Washington Union copies s'nhlar
statement Of the p,oslslsns Of the treaty
from Philadelphia paper, with the re.
mntk, that, if the version be correct one
"Gieat Britain has now yielded much
more, aud much better terms, than she mas
ever shown any disposition 10 offer or 10
accept" The obvious reply 10 this remhrN'
which is evidently thrown out rs pfetnhl.
nary TO the future laudaion Of the Presi'
dent for bringing I" the Oregon conlfoNef'
sy, by neu policy, 10 close, =, thai g
accepting the proposition, Mr., FOLK Nields
to Great Britain "much more, and much
better terms" tlnn he "has ever shown
any disposition to offer or accept" Sothat
the two parties 10 the compact stand upon
tquul ground, IN tins Judlclous compromise
by mutual concessions, OF an old aud com
plicated controversy, which, Tor pallfy
patty purposes, had been unnecessarily and
prcnaturely forced 10 a crsts, leading
them 10 the very verge OF long and bloody
var which would have been, according to
General Cass, the leader OF lhc Fliy.lour
Foftics, inevitable" If the "rhoie or
ronen doctrine Of The Organ had been al.
Eered 10, or ii our "olear and urqucsllna.
able" title TO the territory now leiinqnt-h-
ed To Great Britain, embracing SIX degrees
Of latitude, had not been abandoned. What
credit the President deserves for thus bfns,
ING the Oregon controversy 10 close by
his new policy which, according 70 a
letter from New York to the editor Of the
Union, was to insist upon "a 40, 10 order
to ensure 40, which ae nre graseiy told
was all that he ever really wanted, and
which, il il be true, shows that the Pfesi.
dent il admirably qualified for tie station
of a petty huckster, but wholly dIscfed,ts
lis character as high. minded Statesman,
(" asking nothing that ia mol right, we
say y hat credit the President deserves for
relfenting, at the last moment, from his cx'
trclne position, and assuming Wing ground
for occupying which, originally, that party
were almost denounced as traitors, We sub
init chccrfui!y 10 the decision Of an en-
lighlened people. The Presidents new
policy" would have brought the contruScr'
81 to a close no doubt; but il would have
been catastrophe of blood, had II been
lnnrNrhly adhered to--tor we will not be.
leyc thai he was guilty Of the can!emPti
bic and unworthy equyoqne Of demanding
settlement upon tho hoe OF 81 10 as
matter Of clear and uuquestlonahlU' right
while ia truth he i" really udnftd ouly the
line Of 70 We will not believe It, not
1i,hstaudlng we find no assertion 10 hat
effect admitted INTO the columns ol his own
organ because an admission ut that klnd
is even more dlscredHablc to bis honesty
II. l. 4
his Judgment; and We prefer to question
the uccuacy 0f his information rather than
to be compelled 10 lmpagn the integrity Of
his character.
Again Ifup IA tie reception ii! tho pro
position Of the Buush Government Mr..
Polk had promptly accepted ii, ayewlng
that hi, opinion, as originally expressed, IT
regard to the validity OF the American IT,
tie to 1.-THE whole had undergone nc
change, but that, IA sFtttt OF compromise
and tor The sake Of peace, he Was wiling
10 waive a part ct cur just ptetc0stons, so
should not be disposed 10 withhold from
him all praise for his wisdom aud madcra
ton. Even if III his appeal to The Senate
1t shall appear that he recommended the nc
ceptance Of the British proposition by tina
body, We shall not deny that IN 50 dor 9 he
deserves his full share Of the applause
which is richly due tc oil who may have
participated 10 The pacific termination oI
the Oregon controversy. But If, on the
other hand it be true, and II is said To be,
That, in his Message to the Senate, Mr
Polk declared that while, if two.lbirds o
that body should advise the acceptance D
the BRUSH offer, he would Weld Ills assent
he nevertheless was individually avrrse tc
1t, and that IN HE judgment II ought 10 b.
r,iected ii this be SO, we ask emnhatt
Gully with what grace will his friends CLAIM
for him the credit of nm act to which ht
thus ayowed his hostility, and which hi
reluctantly assented to under the pressure
of public sentiment too powerful for his re
sistunce
Just as We took up our pen, VIC opcne,
tho Mlledsesllle " Federal Uniou," th,
leading Locoioco paper in Georgio, con
tanning letter from Washington giving
tulerably accurate outline Of tho Brits
proposition, as il has since been more fuIl