American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-03-02
american Republic
AND
BALTIMORE CLIPPER.
MONDAY MORNING, M,Rcu 2, Is46,

MONDAY MORNING, MsRcH 2, 1916
WHAT IS 70 NE DoNE2 In relation to the
a,;stn, drift ,ultics between this country and
Great Britain, the question IS universally |
asked. what is to DO done? and No one Is
able to respond to it satisfactorily, 1t Isl
true, that the impression is very general, that
7 COMPROMISE will be elTected but this is mere
opinion-in fact guess work. The intentions
of the President are wrapt in impenetrable mys-
terry, even his friends being ignorant whe =,
ther he means to persist, in claiming the whole
of Oregon, or s disposed to compromise for
part only. We see that Mr. Allen either could
not, or would not, reply to question put by
Mr.. johnson, Of Maryland, in reference to the
views Of the President-and hence the Senate
has to grope its way completely in the dark
As the matter now stands, we claim the whole
of the Oregon territory up to ID 40. THIS
embraces all the land in dispute, and 1t persist
ed in, war becomes "ncvtabe," and yet the
President has not recommended single mea-
sure of preparation for such an event. This is
extraordinary, If it be his intention to maintain
the stand which he has taken. The inference
from his course in negccting all preparation is,
that he does MT autiC pate war; but his official
language has the direct tendency to produce
that result. Why is so much mystery obsery-
cd? If it be the desire Of government, as we
are sure it is of the people, that war shall be
avoided, if it can be done with honor, why not
adopt plain, straightforward course? Why
keep the country in an unsettled condition, at
an immense sacrifice Whilst affairs remain in
their present position, business Of all kinds must
be measurably paralyzed; it is therefore highly
desirable that the dispute be brought TO an is
sue one way or other. If we are resolved to
have tho "whole of Oregon or none," let our
intention be boldly proclaimed, and our coun-
try be at once placed in condition of defence,
as far as practicable: but if We mean, on the
contrary, to yield portion of the land, we
should deal with frankness and candour,s 50 as to
have a speedy settlement of the question.
How is Congress to act3 The giving notice
to England of our intention to discontinue the
Joint occupancy under the convent on, would,
of itself, be no cause of offence; but coupled
with our claim to the whole territory, and the
discontnuance of negotiation, it may afford
just ground to suspect, that it will be followed
by other measures to enforce our claim; hence
we shall not be surprised if the notice be met
by England with active measures TO fortify her
self in Oregon, Should things reach this point
it will be found a difficult matter to avoid war.
Under present circumstances it strikes us that
it " ould be prudent in Congress to provide
ways and means to support war should it oc-
cur. For this purpose some twenty or thirty
millions of dollars should be borrowed without
delay, and taxes be at once levied to discharge
the interest. 1t would be better to make this
provision even should the money not be want
ed, than to be plugged into war without due
preparation. In the mean time the effort to-
reduce the tariff should be abandoned; for, in
case Of war, we shall require every dollar that
can be raised from all sources. If it be just
maxim, Gin peace prepare for war;" it is an in
dspensible duty to do it when the clouds off
war are gathering around u.s. we see that
England is armng herself at all points, 50 as to
BIO prepared for any exgencY, whilst we are
Dragging and threatening, and yet making ITO
more preparation, than if the war which some
of our members seem DESTROYS to invite, were to
BIO "war of words" instead of blows. We
say, procure the "slnews of war;" money, and
lay the taxes which may be required; so that if
we are TO fight, we may have the weapons
wherewith to combat.