Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-02-06
From the Natic a luIelligeneer.
THE OREGON QUESTIONING. I.
Nav YoRK, January :, 1876.

aud staNhR the Cdse' Inc Only materials
within my reach consisted Of the accounts
of voyages previously published, tinclud-
ing that Of MaureIe, in Barrington's Mis-
cellanies,) Of the varied and important in
formation derived from Humhodt's New
Spain, and Of the voyage Of the Suli and
Mexicano, the introduction 10 which con-
tains brief official account of the Spanish
discoveries. The statement Of the case
was the best was able to make with the
materials on hand, and NAV be found de.
iective in many respects. Since thai lime
manuscript journals Of several Of the voy-
ages have been obtained at Madrid. New
facts have thus been added; others have
been better analysed, and some errors rec
tlded. Arguments which had heen only
Indicated have been enforced, and new
views have been suggested. The subject,
indeed, seems TO be exhausted; and il
would be difficult to add any thing to the
able correspondence between the two Gov
ernments which has been lately published
Ministers charged with diplomatic dis
cussions are not, however, in those official
papers intended Tor publication. to te con-
sldered as philosophers calmly investga,-
ing the questions with no other object but
to elicit truth. They are always, to a Ger.
tain extent, advocates, who use their best
endeavors to urge and even strain the rea-
sons that may he alleged in favor of the
claims set up by their Governments: and
IN the same manner to repel, if not to deny,
all that may be adduced by the other party.
Such official papers are in fact appeals to
public opinion, and generally published
when there remains no hope to conclude
for the present an amicable arrangement.
But, though acting in that respect as ad-
vocates, diPIomatists are essentially minis
= ers OF peace, whose constan t&primaly du ty
is mutually to devise conciliatory means for
the adjustment Of conflicting pretensions,
for the continuance of friendly relations,
for preventing war, or for the restoration
of peace. II has unfortunately happened
that on this occasion both Governments
have assumed such absolute and exclusive
grounds, as to have greatly increased, at
least for the present, the obstacles 10 an
amcable arrangement
1t is morally impossible for the bulk of
the people of any country thoroughly TO
Investigate a subject so complex as that of
the respective claims to the Oregon terrific
ry; and for obvious reasons, 1t is much less
understood by The great mass Of the popu-
latiOn in England thanin the United States
Every where, when the equestion is between
the country and foreign nation, the pco-
pie at large, 'mpeIIed by natural and patri-
otto feelings, will rally around their Gov
ernment For the consequences that may
ensue, those Who are entrusted with the
direction OF the foreign relations are alone
responsible. Whatever may he the cause,
to wtomsoever the result may be ascrbed
1t appears from the general style of the pc
riodical press, that, with few exceptions,
the people, both in Great Britain and in
the United States, are imbued with the be-
lief that the contested territory belongs eX-
ciusively 10 themselves, and that any COL
cession which might be made would he
boon 10 the other party. Such opinons, if.
sustained by either Government and ac.
companied by corresponding measures,
must necessarily lead TO immediate COLI
Flons, and probably to war. Yet, war so
caIamitous in itself, so fatal to the general
interest of both countries, is almost univer-
sally deprecated, without distinction of
parties, w all the rational men who are
not carried away by the warmth of their
feelings.
In the present state of excitement, an
immediate amicable arrangement is almost
hopeless; time is necessary before the two
Governments can be induced to recede
from their extreme pretensions. In the
mean while, nothing, as it seems to me,
should for the present be done, which
might increase the excitement, aggravate
the difficulties, or remove the only remain
ing barrier against immediate collision.
The United States claim a right of SOW
ereignty over the whole territory The
pretensons OF the British Government, so
far as they have been heretofore exhibited,
though not extending to a claim of abso-
lutte sovereignty over the whole, are yet
such as cannot ne admitted by the United
States, and, il persisted in, must lead to
similar result. ..i