Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/187

 THE FEDERAL RELATIONS

OF OREGON

177

be a great object for England and she might be willing to surrender all of Oregon if the United States should pay a

round sum for the improvements made by the Hudson's Bay 8 This suggestion was not enthusiastically received Company. Buchanan for one saw in it, if carried out, a total loss of popua larity in his own state, for Pennsylvania was not even then

good place

in

which to talk about lowering

tariffs.

On

the fourth of February Buchanan formally rejected the British offer of arbitration, stating that if for no other a single

reason was sufficient basis for the rejection; the territorial rights of a nation were not properly a subject for arbitration, 9 especially if, as in this case, the amount involved was great. States was title of the United he did that the as best, Holding

the President could not jeopardize all the great interests involved with the possibility, however remote, of depriving the

United States of

all

the

good harbors on the

coast.

The

ter-

ritory was not of equal value to both nations, for it could at best be but a colonial possession of Great Britain while it would

be an integral part of the American Union.

Although these on the question, they were presented because they would explain why the President refused to adopt any measure which would withdraw the title from the control of the Government and the people of the United States. With this rejection of arbitration considerations, said Buchanan,

had no

direct bearing

the negotiation rested for a time. While it had under consideration the answer to the British

minister the Cabinet had before

it

the resolutions from both

houses asking for copies of correspondence between the two governments later than that submitted with the Annual Mes-

Again a carefully warded by the President.

sage.

McLane

selected It

about the warlike

list

was prepared and

for-

included Buchanan's inquiry of preparations in Great Britain;

8 J. Q. Adams, when he read of the revolution in Great Britain's commercial policy then taking place, wrote in his diary (Memoirs, XII, 248) : "It is evi-

dent that the Oregon question will be settled by the repeal of the corn laws and the sacrifice of the American tariff; a bargain, both sides of which will be for the benefit of England, and to our disadvantage; a purchase of peace, the value of which can only be tested by time." The date of the entry is 20 February. Folk's suggestion is in his Diary, I, 191-2. 9 Buchanan to Pakenham, Sen. Doc. No. 117.