Northwest boundary of the United States; Oregon question
period of fifteen years, near one million of souls are now added to the
population of the United States by migrations from the dominions of
Great Britain; yet, since permitted by both Powers, they may be presumed
to be beneficial to both. The emigrants to Oregon, whether Americans or
English, will be united together by the community of language and
literature, of the principles of law, and of all the fundamental
elements of a similar civilisation.
The establishment of a kindred and friendly Power on the North-west
Coast of America is all that England can expect, all perhaps that the
United States ought to desire. It seems almost incredible that, whilst
that object may be attained by simply not impeding the effect of natural
causes, two kindred nations, having such powerful motives to remain at
peace, and standing at the head of European and American civilisation,
should, in this enlightened age, give to the world the scandalous
spectacle, perhaps not unwelcome to some of the beholders, of an
unnatural and an unnecessary war; that they should apply all their
faculties and exhaust their resources in inflicting, each on the other,
every injury in their power, and for what purpose? The certain
consequence, independent of all the direct calamities and miseries of
war, will be a mutual increase of debt and taxation, and the ultimate
fate of Oregon will be the same as if the war had not taken place.
APPENDIX.
WAR EXPENSES.
Those expenses may be arranged under three heads: 1st. Such as are of a
permanent nature, and should be considered as belonging to the Peace
establishment of the country. 2dly. Those which should be adopted when
there is an impending danger of war. 3dly. Those which actual war
renders necessary.
To the first class belong all those, which provide for objects that
require considerable time to be executed, and cannot, without great
difficulty, be accomplished pending a war. Such are fortifications,
building ships of war including steamers, accumulating materials for the
same purpose, Navy Yards, providing a sufficient artillery, and other
important objects of the ordnance department. It may be taken for
granted, that Government has done, or will do all that is necessary and
practicable in that respect.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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