Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-09-12
TItE OREGON NEGOTIATION.
The President and Mr. McLaue.

The Natoasl lntslligeneer has called pubic attention
20 one Of the remarkable revelations made by Mr.. NeLsnc
IN hi. late reply 20 the New York Chamber Of Commerce,
touching the vseeil.ting and unsteady mot to say deeep-
uve) course Of the Prsie,ni. in the progress OF the Oregon
nsgoiiatoo. IL Will be remembered that Mr.. Polk deemed
u necessary, when he informed Congress. that he had au-
ihotiEed the Secretary Of State to propose TO Mr.. Paken-
ham Le settlement of the question pn the basis OF the 4sth
dcgtec. 70 vindicsie TINS proposed relinquishmsni Of 4 per.
ton Of tho territory Of Oregon. while asserting our "clcar
aud unquestionablc tide" TO the "whOle" OF it. by citing
the sets Of previous Administrations, which hsd rendered
similar terms TO the British government. lie seemed, in
deed. to be Crauhed that the prompt rejection of that pro-
position by the British Minister afforded him an opportuni-
~, having made this concession 10 the authority of prece-
dent, to withdraw It, and to plan, himself firmly upon the
naked question Of RIGHT, which, only because OF the defer.
once due to his predecessors, he had Tor the moment con-
scented To waive. Hence, during the Protraeted discussion
which ensued in the House OF Representative, no, a friend
OF the Administration venutTed to express, tho slightest
doubt that the President had determined ~infexibly TO main.
tain, as he had broadly asserted, the validity Of the Ameri-
eau ulo 'jam up" as Mr.. Benton expressed it, TO the Rus.
sian line ana IL was not until after tbs final action Of that
body, responsive TO the Presidents supposed views, that a
doubt was created on the subject, by the remarkable ''ds-
monstraiion" in the Senate OF Mr.. Haywood, who was
known to be in habits OF close personal intimacy with that
funetonary, aud who prepared the public mind to expect
timely retreat from this extreme position. Even then,
however. the authority Of Mr.. Haywood To speak "by au-
ihoriiy," was contested by the famous Trio, Csss, Allen and
flanagan, the latter Of whom declared that tho President
would sink TO 4 depth Of iufnmy beyond all hope Of resur-
Iection, should he consent TO the slightest abatement Of tho
claim, no boldly asserted by him, 10 the line OF 81 20, and
the Justice Of which had been SO deliberately argued and
tnumphantly demonstrated by the Secretary Of State. His
Leading friends in the Senate differing thus widely in re-
gard tn his actual position, the country was compelled to
await until, in tho progress of events, some authentic de-
~VeIopment should be made Of the Presidents real opinions
a l-s,- -
hensinn or misconsuuction. But, up to this moment, the
same uncertainty hangs over the whole question and the
recent revelation of Mr.. McLanc, SO lar from Calculating,
only renders it tnore obscure. Sec, for example, what
MI. McLane says:
Having some knowledge, from my official position Al,
that time, OF the policy and objects Of the convention of
1928, | am quite persuaded that its main design was 10
lead, IN a future pariic Of the territory, TO the iecegui.
'ion OF our claim to the country, not north, but south Of
the 49th parallel, and between that and the Columbia nv
'er. A division ct The country upon that principle, with a
reasonable regard To rights grown up under the JOINT pos
session, always appeared to me TO afford a just and praeti-
cal basis for an amcabe and honorable adjustment Of the
subject. Such, also, ! was satisfied, were the views OF
our Government at the time | engaged IN my recent mis-.
sion and IN earnestly and steadily laboring u effect a
settlement upon that basis, | was but representing the DO.
hcy Of my own Government, and faithfully promoting
Ae intentions aud loishes Of he Presi9eHt."
Tits manifest either that Mr.. McLsne did not understand
the " intentions and wishes" Of Mr.. Polk, which, from
the peculiar relations, personal and official, subsis,ing be-
lEeeu teii, - hob " " suppusco, WlllOut uOlng great vO-
lenee 10 ell the probabilities Of the csse-or, il he did. that
Mr.. Polk held TO the country and TO The Senate language
very different from that which he addressed 10 his Envoy
nj the British Court. In each of his Off cial communications
10 Congress on the subject, including the very last-his
confidential Message to the Senate, enclosing the PROPOSE.
lion OF The British government, which, by the advice Of
that body, subsequently assumed the form Of n treaty-the
President distinctly minated his adherence 10 the opinion
expressed in his inaugural Address, that our title 10 "TuE
WHOLE" Of Oregon was " clear and unquestiona5le, +" and
his individual aversion, which nothing could overcome but
The advice Of the Senate, 10 any adjustment of the con,ro-
vesy which should ~reinquish oae inch Of American soil 10
the British government. And yet, in the teeth Of these re-.
iterated and official declarations, by the President, Of his
adherence TO his originally expressed opinion in favor of
the line OF 81 10, and his own purpose, unless ovenuled by
the Senate, TO reicc; the proposal Of Great Britain to adopt
the 49th parallel Of laUiude,-in The teeth, we say, of these
declarations. made under all tie formaliies and sanctions
of his high Office, we arc now told by Mr.. MeLano that in
himself "carnesuy and steadily laboring 10 effect a treaty
upon that basis, (hc) was but representing the policy Of
(his) Oisn government and faithfully promoting he rishes
and intentions Of The PisEideHf."
Is it not manifest, then, that the President, during the
progress Of this negotiation, pursued a doublc-dealing
course-just sS, when q candidate for The Presidency, Le
did upon tho Tariff The facts, thus developed, seem tc
MS 10 admit no other conclusion but, if his friends can ex.
ticate him from 4 dilemma 50 disgTaceiul to MIN alike Al
n man and ss a statesman, we shall not hesitate TO give HIN
the benefit OF any satisfactory explanation they may ofe
i'm ms behalf.