Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-04-15


THE OREGoN-This is now the all-im-
portant subject for public speculation. and
every thing relating TO it is read with avn
dity. We have devoted large portion of
our paper TO the matter heretofore, and we
hope not without interest to our readers.
The question, though SO long debated,
is one of easy solution, were the potent ar
gument of powder and ball not held m the
back ground. Great Britain, with no pre-
tence of title, insists that on a division of
the country she shall be the owner of all
that portion of il lying north of the Co.
lumbla river, which would bring her pos
sessions down to nearly the 45th parallel
of latitude, and cut US of from all the
ports of the Pacific. The United States
government insists that by our own Disco
verles. by our title from Spain, by the
overpowering law of seIfpreseryation, we
are entitled to the whole country up to the
Russian boundary -54:40. Another par
ty, not inconsiderabe either in England
or America, are DESTROYS of settling the
boundary on the 49lh deg. of north lati-
lude or any where else, SO that no powder
may be burned, no ships captured, and
no old ladies in pantaloons frightened.
There are, then, three parties on the
Oregon question. The American party
the 81 40s; the British party-the 46s
and the compromisers, or 49s! The Anne
rican party claim the whole but offered to
divide for the sake of peace on line far
short of their right-rhe offer was con-
temptuously rejected, and, of course, with
drawn. The British party offered as "A
compromise that we should give them all
they claimed-which was with promptness
refused. There stands the question
there negotiation has stopped. Neither
The one nor the other will advance a new
proposition. But Great Britain is arming
fully, to assert her full claims-we are do
ing nothing, and our friends, the 49s, with
| a degree of blindness which no one with
out knowledge would nave imputed to them,
oppose the doing of anything under the ap-
parent belief that they can persuade the
most exacting government on earth TO re-
cede from nearly half It's claim when It is
by its own precaution and our remissness
in the best position 10 maintain the whole
It's the extent Of folly to believe that the
British government intends TO offer as a
line of compromise The same boundary
which i! has four times rejected when offer
ed by US, unless reasons are adduced so
potent as 10 convince it that the present
and future interest of the great aristocra-
CIV" imperatively demand such an otier.-
Such reasons, we apprehend cannot be
| found in the most eloquent speeches OF
our "never-to be-equaIled aud transcend
ant Senators The only means of work
! ing such conviction is TO be found in q
proper construction of the Grgarentunl nd
hominem, or as gentlemen of the "iancy"
would term-''to be on guard Tor the
knock down argument" and the lbs vii
soon find TO their cost that unless they I'm
mediately commence the framing Of the
proper sylogism, they will not only lose
their case but cover themselves with con
fusion. The only way to maintain peace
is to be ready for war-faIr compromise:
can never be made by nations who are
not prepared TO assert rights, and history
will, in lis stern judgments, never pro
nounce those great statesmen who wastes
time in wranghng which should have beer
devoted to action. IN. o. Delta.