Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-09-04
How the British Got Frazer River.


How the British Got Frazer River.
Mr.. Buchanan then Secretary Of State under Polk,
conducted the negotiations on the subject and the
most strenuous asscrer Of Onr rights TO the whole of
Oregon. lie readicst 10 maintain them at all baz-
ards, and was the last and most unwilling TO recede
from them. AHas.
Although the Frazer's River Territory was
surrendered to Great Britain by Democratic
President with the consent of Democratic Con-
gross, the Atlas endeavms to make it appear
that "the opposition" and not "the Democracy"
are responsible for the loss of that Gold bearing
Region to the Union. A retrospect at the his
tory of events in 1876 will settle the question
of responsibility.
The Administration in 1915 repeatedly ox-
pressed . determination 10 maintain our claims
to the whole of Oregon, up to "a deg. 40 min,
and if necessary, resort TO arms. The Union,
then as now the official paper ct Washington,
spoke thus bclligerently on October 9Th, 1915:
When that word goes forth from the constituted au-
thores Of the Nation "Our right to Oregon is clear
and unqucstiouable who doubts that it will 60 the
whole length and breadth Of the land, aud that It will
be hailed as it goes, by the Democratic Party with
one unanimous AMEN And what thenY We an
swer-ths, then-the Democracy Of this country will
stand to It's word. n WILL NOT FLISCm
This warlike language the Union enforced
by quoting with approval the sentiment "No
compromise but at the lannon's mouth" When
Congress met, similar iloIrishcs were made by
the Democrats in both Houses. Atchison pro-
posed to organize the Oregon Militia. Cass of
fered resolutions to put the Army and Navy on
War footing. flanagan introduced others,
asserting our claim TO all Oregon, and declaring
the surrender of any portion Of it would be IAN
abandonment of the honor, character and best
interests of the American people" Allen pro-
posed to give notice to terminate the joint oc-
cupancy Dix and Dickinson pledged the De
mocracy OF this State to support the claim ofji
deg 40 minutes.
But here matters took an unexpected turn.
John Quincy Adams, Messrs. Joshua X. Gid
dings Darragh, Baker, billiard and other pro-
minent Wings, and Preston King and other
Free Soil Democrats-inSead of holding back
and opposing, as the Administration confident
ly expected they would-lid them Ego ahead -
They had the sagacity to perceive that the Adj
ministraiion was merely paying game to get
the glory Of c(oimiHg Oregon. and to throw the
responsibility Of giving itup, upon its oppon-
ents. Nor did they see in the contemplated
preservation of so much Free Territory, any
damage likely to ensue to the Union SO the
Wings voted for Gen. Cass's Resolutions. Mr..
Adams, whose name was first called on the
vote to claim the whole Of Oregon, CJan. I'd,
1850 produced marked sensation in the
House by responding Aye. He declared he
hoped the notice would b. given and followed
by real occupation Of the whOle Territory. He
wanted no more negotiation. We could nego-
tate after taking possession. "If War shall
come"-remarked the old man eloquent
(which God forbid, and of which | entertain no
fears at all-thc whole country will have but
one heart and bat one united hand And of
this, am very sure, that in that case, Great
Britain will no longer occupy Oregon. nor any,
thing else. north of Canada Line" Preston
King said the whole OF Oregon was ours, and
showed that the Administration was already
contemplating a compromise. Mr.. Giddngs
was in favor of Oregon u counterbalance Tex
as. He would rather risk the chances of war in
just cause, than endure the supremacy of a
Slavehoding Oigarchy. He predicted howev-
er, that Mr.. Polk. TO save the apprehensions of
the South, would back down from his high pre-
tensions and surrender all Oregon North of the
10th degree.
So it turned out. The South had been tim
orous from the first Southern Congressman
exhibited none of the braggadocio spirit toward
England that they had towards Mexico. Nor
were their apprehensions at all allayed BY the
attitude of Messrs Adams and Gddings They
iorcsaw an unpleasant dilemma before them. in
case OF Il War with Great Britain for Oregon.
II we beat Great Britain, there would be an i'm
mense gain of Northern Free Soil Territory
If Great Britain beat us, there would be an end
put to Slavery. Moved by these considerations.
the Hotspurs of Virginia and Carolina became
as mid as lambs and as peaceable as doves
They implored calmness. They were for peace,
for compromise, for negotiation. They did not
want the notice given. They did not want war
they did not want Oregon; they did not want
Frazer's River Mr.. Rhett, of S. c., deprecated
any action which would leopard the National
peace and which bore the sembance of a war
of conquest" Mr.. Calhoun was brought from
his retirement back to the Senate to propose
that we should give up all north Of 400, and in
troduced resolutions to that effect
When did Democratic President and a Dem
ocratlc Congress ever refuse to truckle to South
ern dctation? Our Government incontinently
backed down. The Democratic Party instantly
changed front. We neither claimed 10 "Eiftv-
-Four Forty nor did we Flight" The COM
promise which was only to be made "at the can
mons mouth wac ingloriously conceded with
out firing gun. Intelligence presently arriv-
ed from England showing that while the war
thunder was still reyerberating in the Senate
Chamber, Mr. Buchanan, then our Secretary of
State, had been silly and secretly negotiating an
arrangement with Mr. Pakenham by which we
conceded to Great Britain, Frazers River, Van
couver's Island and every inch of American soil
north of 40 degrees!
That was the way the British came BY Fra
zers River, and that was the share "our respec-
ted President had in it. 1t is hardly necessa-
ry to add that this Journal sustained and defen-
ded the course of Mr. Adams and the Wings
throughout the controyersy.-Ai6dny Ereninq
journal.