Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-02-20
DAILY WING.
THE ARMY OF OREGON.
FRIDAY noaNINe, rEBsUARY 20. Is.s.

W. feel SONS desire To know the manner in
which Mr.. Polk proposes to bring Oregon under
his administration, If England should be disposed
20 resist the operation. The idea does not seem
Co be entertained in any quarter that we can oPe-
rate by sea that is the height OF absurdity.
We must send an army, il Mr.. Polk really wants
Oregon. We must sond an army, and the ques-
ton is, how is that army TO be sustained
We suppose that to render it at all effective, or
equal to the objects of the expedition, tins army
should consist Of at least twenty thousand men.
Great Britain, We arc constantly told by the friends
of annexation. has a strong foot hold in the ter
rtory. They even assert that the Hudson's Bay
Company have twenty or thirty forts. They
speak of the Indians rs being under British infu-
encc, and ready to take sides with England IN a
war with the United States. There is also a
large British squadron at this time off the coast,
ready TO act efficiently in time Of need. In addi-
ton to this, az som as the notice is given, Great
Britain viii avail herself of the intervening year,
To throw immense bodies Of troops into Oregon,
and thus render her possession completely impreg-
nable. But. formidable a. are these difficulties,
they are as nothing compared with the obstacles
which nature herself presents to the march OF an
invading army. Rendezvouzing at independence
or some other point in Western Missouri, they
have before them n march OF Two THOUSAND
MILES, over immense deserts, barren rocks, and
ice bpund mountains. Even supPosing their ad-
vance to he unob>tructed by an enemy, SIX months
will be consumed before they arrive at their
iourney'e end. The country over which they
pass will afford them no subsistence. Their flour,
beef. pork, &c. must be purchased in the
United States. Here is n chance for contractors
Here, no doubt, is the secret of much of the war
spirit Of the land!
The Washington Times, in it's upon
a late article Of ours, on the expense OF war, calls
it "a pocket appeal and says, 1.-The pocket-thc
pocket-therc is the soul of Wing honor. Il the
soil ur the country is claimed, before we prepare
for the contest, WI must run our hands into the
pocket. If our nations honor is insultcd. we can
not yindica,c il till we have felt the pocket" EX-
actly so, neighbor. Does not the good Book as
sert that no man should go on n warfare without
first counting the cost Would you have US 60
10 war, without knowing whether we shall be able
Co paw its expenses Can a man live upon pa
triotism7 Can an army be fed on glory Or,
will they consent to take their pay IN hard knocks
and epic neral renown For ourselves, we would
advise uncle Sam, fine contemPlatesa war, ito run
his hands into his pocket" If for no other purpose
than to keep other peoples out. He will need all
he has, and untold millions more, to pay the le-
glon of Democratic Contractors, who, actuat,d
onIu hy PATRIOTISM, and without the slightest regard
for 1.-The pockei," will fan the fame OF war, and
supply the fuel to keep it in a devouring blaze.
The expense of this Oregon expedition. is but
q single item in the catalogue of ills, yet would
e. -. H.. ...lI ,,. mako snsnp estimate nf n ? Va
will allow for the march, for the occupation of the
country. and for the return, eighteen months, a
time sufficiently short, when it is recolleoted, that
a peaceful party of emigranis usually occupy SIX
months in passing from Independence to the vii.
lamette. The pay alone, of twenty thousand
men, at the rate OF eight dollars per month, would
be nearly two millions of dollars. The pay of
officers would be nearly a half a million more.
And then come the supplies, for the expense of
which we shall have To look to the improred me.
thod adopted in the Florida war. Flour at ten,
fifteen, or twenty dollars a barrel, beef, pork, and
other provisions in proportion baggage wagons
and other means Of conveyance purchased at the
highest rates the Oregon expedition would cost
us fifteen millions of dollars at least. Such would
he tho lowest estimate, even If the progress of our
army should he undisputed by a single foe.
But such will not he the case. Every inch of
that weary march, after the flag Of invasion is
unfurled, will be harassed by a cloud of hostile
savagcs, lowering like Cossacks about its front,
its flank, its rear and when exhausted with the
enormous journey, with constant priyalion, with
perpetual warfare, it approaches the object Of its
tolls, it will be confronted by the disciplined lie.
gions of treat Britain, fresh, prepared, in full vi.
gor. and having the choice of position. 1t needs
no prophet to predict the result, either a total rout,
or victory won at such an expense Of life, as to
be worse than n defeat.
Let US be wise in time. Let us count the cost,
before we expend millions on an object so difficult
to gain. and one which, if achieved, would be
worthless.
III TrNANN