New-York daily tribune., 1846-01-13
The oregon Question and the Duty of the
WhiRH.

among secret Societies. But enough
The Oregon Question and the Duty of the
Wings.
Col. Webb OF the Courier Enquirer has WIT
tan from Washington to his paper letter on the
state of the Oregon Question, in which ne states
.s positive fact within his knowledge that there
has been no negotiation between the Governments
of the u. States and Great Britain since Mr.. Bu'
chanan withdrew the Presidents offer OF com
nronose on the 4sh degree Of North latitude and
itiates that there is no prospect of any step being
taken by Great Britain in the premises until oui
Government shall have evinced more pacabie
disposition but that meantime she is making silent
bu: most vigorous preparations for the worst Ooi
Webb continues:
.EnRland then Is quietly awaiting the action o, our
Government and in my humble opinion me qHts'10n y
Peace or Var depends solely and ehetnsfrsty u ~ t
,,5.,L,r ~. do or do not 3re notice Of ne termination
I'e1e, I,;on - nj ;ofut occupancy. know there are
,sos ,Yho think differently. but they are very iew III
number and nine tenhs OF al VINO hoiu & sue. & s,;
Saye In their inmost souls that If we give tne nouce
Tbs massage Of tic resolution requiring the Execu-
tive to give notice of the termination OF the
1896 Is in itself an offensive act and mao IL oeen
given pending the citation last winter very prooaDy
no Injury would have resulted from IL But the "noie
ssnec. Of affairs longer the same and The crcum-
s.snces under which the notice would be now given en-
tirey change its pacific character All negotiations nave
heen abruptly suspended and not only has our propos
,on for compromise been withdrawn but the Executive
IN his annual Message virtually opoosi.es Tor having
made it. Under these circumsances the ffesiuept re-
commends termination Of the joint occupancy accom-
panied with declaration that we are enttied 20 eesy
I of Or,pon and that at the expiration Of the year
notice we are 10 take possession OF and govern as
part and parcel of the territory OF the uned ~
addition TO this. the Military Committee and proulnen'
members Of both Houses, ocairn from tnen piaCcs'
that M the expiration of the notice England 10 0eJV
cibiy driven from Oregon .L
Most sssuredy, all these circun stances axe V a @
notice t,s peaceful character and make it, as Mr. Adams
once truly said Vdr medsWe NO man In nis sclisc
certainly no honest who is capable oil reasoning
upon tho current events oi the day ana exercises m
resson-ether does or believe that the giving OF the
contemplated notice will not involve us in war MANY
doubtless desire think otherwise and that hey may
do so and have excuse for their conduct reuse 10
reason with themselves any other person upon the
subject and Is only these together with the Jo0s VINO
cannot and the kndres who desire war 10 make
money of It, who prepared TO vo'e or inc NOTICE.
True there in the House OF Representatives. men
both parties go weak that they will vote tor the noce
knowing to be rather than meet the cry OF BRIT
ish influence = but these the most cotcmpuoe anu
worthless creatures that ever crawled into puohc me-
and are despsed alike by al parties Their course is
not worth moments grave consideration
COL Webb proceeds 10 set forth that the twenty
four Wings in the Senate will all unite with Mr.
Calhouns squad in opposing and defeating the notice
to Great Britain and thus the country from war
and the Loco Foco party from ruin. In case the
notice Is given he thinks England mist ask our Gov
ernment ii il is our intention to take possession OF
all Oregon; and if we answer as we must, that
such is our purpose she viii wait for us to com
mence offensive operations al our leisure, but Will
instantly declare war sweep our commerce from the
ocean, cover our coast with her steamships and lay
our maritime cities in ashes before we shall have
fairly begun. He argues that if we refrain from
giving notice, Great Britain cannot give It, because
she claims no exclusive rights in Oregon, mistake !
but must be content see the whole region settled
and possessed by hardy emigran,s from this country
or ask US TO open the negotiation. He therefore
urgesa prompt rejection of the Joint Resolution 10
give notice, and concludes:
Buuies imagine that England is not in position to 20
10 war with u.s. and therefore resort TO bullying yet az
no period in the hundred has war been so ne
or desirable for her. at no previous periou IN
her history has it been universally demanded oy mel
people never before has she stood before the civilized
world as the injured party; and never since she was
nation abe thoroughly prepared and 30 capaoe o
bringing into action all her immense resources "af
would add but little her expenses it would restore
60 her the China and South American markets ior mel
manufactures whence We have driven her; II would
lessen her population divert public attention and revive
spirit of nationality the deadening OF which by thirty
years of Peace threatening all those institutions upor
!
with ua unless she can secure 10 herself the sympathie
Of Europe but give her theseanG they are now WIZ
her-ake her the injured party by threatening 10 ar'p:
her of Oregon after thirty years OF peaceaoe esi
dence there-and she will bless the Statesman who thu
forces her into hostiities But repeat-there c oe m
notice and, consequently no tdr. ;. W. w
We have thus made room for the substance anc
the more important portions OF Ccl Webbs article
although we cannot at all approve OF its dogmau'
Getting down rs knares, fools or contemplate ant
worthless creatures, of all who dissent from It's con
clusions. We hare entertained some views accord
ant with those here expressed by Col. w, which
argument and reflection have induced US TO modify
and we wish TO give our readers every means c
Judging whether our old or new views were In
more correct Loathing War and loving Peac
with an intensity which can hardly be surpassed
we have yet been driven to conclude that the his
would act unwisely for the cause of Peace and t'
Country if they were to prevent by unanimou
vote against nine, tenths of the LocoFocos the civ
ing years notice TO Great Britain Of the termins
sion of the Joint Occupancy. The moment It wa
done we should be denounced all over the land q
the Peace party IA glorious bat unpopular name
and as the tracking be,rayers OF our Country
rights The ,hriftless discontented and deprayed,-
mighty host-would rally as one man 10 the stan'
ard of Polk Oregon and War; trades again
British rapacity and Whig recreancy would reve
berate from every groggery in the land snd mi
jority of our People would be lashed into phrenz
Of hatred and passion which would render War il
evitable. But lei the Wings interpose no obs.acI
TO whatever course the majority may indicate; Ii
them unite in giving Mr.. Polk power TO terminal
the Joint Occupancy whenever he shall see fit' an
thus throw him the full responsibility of his prc
ceedings; and at once reflection and caution wi
lake the place of rashness and schemiug folly. Thu
we believe the Speeches of Messrs. ADAMS an
dipDisos have done more to prevent War abou
Oregon than those of Messrs CALHOUN and RRET1
Let the Wings in Congress pursue peaceful, con
soentious eou'oe DO, let them steadily refuse TO b
used to screen the Administration from the Legitimate
consequences OF the Baltimore pledge with regar,
10 Oregon and the buster concerning The ,rhol
of Oregon or noue' which has since been ken, q,
for the merrst and bases; marty eFa., 81 ::