Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-08-27
SPrioe Two Gents
G5e 5]1Ig spp.
. ow lhe Rriti.h go, Frnznr,. Rirer

How the British got Frazer,s River,
"Mr. Buchanan, then Secretary of State IN
der Polk, conducted the negotiations on the
subject, and was the most strenuous asserter
of our rights to the whole Of Oregon. He was
the readiest to maintain them at all hazards,
and was the last and most unwilling to re-
cede from them. Albany atlas.
Although the Frazer's river territory was
surrendered to Great Britain by Democratic
President, with the consent of Democratic
Congress, the Atlas endeavors to make it ap4
pear that "the opposition" and not tthe De-
mocracY," are responsible for the loss of that
goid-b bearing region to the Union. A retro
spect at the history of events in 1856 will
settle the question of responsibility.
The administration in 1916 repeatedly ex-
pressed determination to 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 organ at
Washington, spoke thus belligerently on Oc-
tober 9th, 1916:
"When that word goes forth from the con-
stitutional authorities of the nation, sOur
right to Oregon is clear and unquestionable,
who doubts that it will go the whole length
and breadth OF the land, and that it will be
hailed, as 1t goes, by the Democratic party,
with one unanimous Ane,i And what
then We answer this, then, the Democracy
of this country will stand to its word. IL toiH
not fiach.'
This warlike language the Union enforced
by quoting with approval the sentiment, "No
compromise but at the cannon's MONTH"
When Congress met, similar hourishes were
made by the Democrats in both houses. Atch-
ison proposed to organize the Oregon militia
Cass offered resolutions to put the army and
navy on a war footing. Hanuegan intro
duced others, asserting our claim to all Ore
gon and declaring the surrender of any por-
ton of 1t would be San abandonment of the
honor, character, and best interests Of the
American people," Allen proposed to give
notice to terminate the joint occupancy. Dix
and Dickinson pledged the Democracy of this
State to support the claim of "a degrees 40
minutes.
But here matters took an unexpected turn.
John Quincy Adams, Messrs Joshua r. Gid
dings, Darragh, Baker, Hilard, and other
prominent Wings, and Preston King, and
other Free Soil Democrats instead of hold
ing back and opposing, as the administration
confidently expected they would-bid them
Ego ahead !" They had the sagacity to per-
ceive that the administration was merely
playing game to get the glory Of claiming
Oregon, and to throw the responsibility of
giving it up upon its opponents. 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 far
Gen. Cass's resolutions. Mr. Adams, whose
name was first called on the vote to claim the
whole of Oregon, (January I'd, 1861 pro-
duced marked sensation in the House by re-
spending dye. He declared that he hoped
the notice would be given, and followed By real
occupation Of the wAoIe Territory. He want
ed no more negotiation. We could negotiate
after taking possession. "If war shall GOMEZ"
remarked the old man eloquent, (which God
forbid, and of which l entertain no fears at
all, the whole country will have but one
heart and but one united hand. And Of this
am very sure, that in that case, Great Brit
ain 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 compromise. Mr.. Giddings
was in favor of Oregon to counterbalance
Texas. He would rather risk the chances of
war in just cause, than endure the suprem-
acy of slaveholdihg oIigarchy. He predict
ed, however, that Mr.. Polk, to save the ap-
prehensions of the South, would back down
from his high pretensions and surrender all
Oregon North of the 18th degree.
So it turned out. The South had been
timorous from the first. Southern Congress
men exhibited none Of the braggadoca spirit
towards England that they had towards Mex
leo. Nor were their apprehensions at all al
layed by the attitude of Messrs. Adams and
Giddings. They foresaw an unpleasant di-
lemma before thsm, in case of war with
Great Britain for Oregon. If we beat Great
Britain, there would be an immense 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 mild as
lambs and as peaceable as doves. They i'm
plored calmness. They were for peace, for
compromise, for negotiation. They did not
want Oregon; they did not want Frazer's
River. Mr. Rhett of South Carolina depre-
Gated any action which would leopard the
national peace" and which i" bore the SEM
blance of war of conquest" Mr.. Calhoun
was brought from his retirement back to the
Senate to propose that we should give up all
North of 40 degrees, and introduced resolu-
tons to that effect.
When did Democratic President and a
Democratic Congress ever refuse to truckle to
Southern dictation? Our Government in
continently backed down. The Democratic
party instantly changed front. We neither
claimed to Fifty-four Forty" nor did we
slight" The compromise which was only
to be made sat the cannons mouth" was in
goriousy conceded without firing a gun.
Intelligence presently arrived from England,
showing that while the g war thunder" was
still reverberatng in the Senate Chamber, Mr..
Buchanan, then our Secretary of State, had
been silly and secretly negotiating an arrange.
ment with Mr.. Pakenham, by which was
conceded to Great Britain, Frazer's River,
Vancouver's Island, and every inch of Amer
lean soil North of 40 degrees
That was the way the British came by Fra
GERS River, and that was the share " our re-
spected President" had IN it. 1t is hardly me-
eessary to add that this journal sustained and
defended the course of Mr.. Adams and the
Wings throughout the ntroversy.-Al5any