Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-01-10

be- SO far concerns our statute law literally true,
being new to Us in the present discussion, may be
new also to many of our readers. They certainly
have an important bearing upon the question now
under debate in the House of Representatives. The
acts of Congress referred to will be found in the 9th
volume Of the Laws of the United States, or in
Appendix to Vol. X of the Register Of Debates,
pages 344, 345, 346, BAT, and 34S.
FROM coMMusrcA ALTON IN rHE ST. LOUIS "srw ERA
DECEMBER ~. Npe
Notwithstanding the vast Of discussion and the
great variety Of statements which have been made by the pub
lie press by members Of Congress- and by the President
the subject Of the joint occupation Of Oregon by England
and the United Stes under the conventions Of 1918 and
1927, some facts which appear bear upon the ques
ton have not far my reading goes been mentioned in
with the subject by any Of those engaged in the
discussion The act Of the British Pramest Of 1921 has
been referred in the Presidents Message and ct the last
session Of Congress sharply commented on by several
members showing grasping spirit the part Of England
and actual possession by her of the country legal and
judicial purposes that under that Of Parliament
justices Of the peace established the country with pow
en- TO adudge all ordinary causes and that in all capital
the offenders may be removed for trial into Canada But it
also appears that this British law and these British Justices
confined in their powers and operations to British subjects
This much has been often said in the press and Congress-
and is repeated in the Presidents Message but as far as
have SEEM Of them has advered our oo of
Congress Of 1884, under the provisions of which laws
guang Indian intercourse, and the criminal laws which APP
ply to places which the United States have exclusive u
rdiction, all extended that country confined in
their operation american subjects, but extending every
Of crime except offences committed by Indians against
I'll. ~. 49,
Indian tribes and the act to establish the Indian Department
One Of those acts calls all that part Of the United States
west Of the Mississippi and beyond the limits of the States and
Territory there, "the Indian country, and, amsng great
many things extends the United States criminal laws over it
For Judicial purposes small part Of the Indian country is
attached to Arkansas and all the Missouri And IN
der that act hare been tried for capital offences and con-
picted in the Circuit Court Of the United States at st. Louis
# it be doubted whether the Indian country and the
general description thereof given in act really extend to
the Pacific ocean, answer, the fixes toesten limit to
the sInian country" II does mention the Rocky
Mountains but says all that part of the United States lying
west Of the mississippi &c.
Besides by the second Of the act-that establishing
the Indian Deparmentprovision made for the appoint
ent of Indian agents for the district who may,
he discretion Of the President be freed from the supernten-
dency St. Louis and be made separate supernendency
And this power Of having Indian agents in that country has
beenexercsed by the Government for see by Oregon
petition presented to Congress, and other proceedings
Washington that United States Indian agent actually
resident in Oregon a public functionary.
The information contained in the following arti-
cle concurring with similar reports through other
channels of private letter said to have been re-
ceived in this city, may, we presume, be regarded
as authentic. The comment of the writer upon the
subject in so different vein from that of the cor
respondence Of the same paper for some months
past that knowing the party bias of the writer in
favor Of the Administration it deserves being copied
if only for the rarity of its complexion:
coRREsrosDEKcE JOURNAL COMMERCE..
"WAsHIseroS, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 81.
81 have seen letter from high official source
in London, brought by the last steamer to gentle
man in this city, which says: g Unless your Presi-
dent is the most unreasonable man alive there can
be no difficulty about Oregon p The same writer
says that the views of the British Government in re-
lation to America are pacific can be, and adds
that the repeal Of their laws and food taxes is
certain.
81 repeat that have seen and read this letter for
myself and that the official station and high charac-
desire preserve peace the part Of the British Govern
nen and certainty of repeal Of her laws and food
taxes what apology will the Western members give to their
constituents for their war speeches
W war increase our chances for the possession Of the
whole Of Oregon Will it facilitate acquisition Of Cali
foma Will market for provisions bread
stus viii rather place Mexico and especially Cali
ionia, under the protection Of England Will delay,
If it does not defeat possession of Oregon Will
close ports to the export of cotton and thus
compel the South produce their provisions Will
the gangowng States Of the West thus lose the Southern
market well forfeit forever the English market about
be opened them by the repeal Of the laws viii
the pork and beef Of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and
Missouri become valueless Win not their cadstus moul
der, be eaten up in their granaiesb by the wevi Will
our foreign be destroyed, and direct be the
inevitable consequence
But is this the feature Who the parties who
giving public opinion this question Are they
the candidates for the Presidency and the candidates for
commissions IN the army now call upon the country TO
note the men in and out Of Congress- and venture to say
that there single individual in out Of Congress who
clamors for war; endeavo drive the country into posi-
ton render inevitable who acting purely sell
fish considerations Every understands the factue ofhe
Presidential asprant but every does not understand the
field for them. Once drive the country war,
patronage then takes that direction and the Government her
changes character II will be military in all its aspects
Where will then be the refuge Of public liberty I"
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