Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/217

 THE FEDERAL RELATIONS

OF OREGON

207

"So thoroughly was Mr. Polk convinced, that the American to the whole of Oregon was 'clear and unquestionable/ that if he alone had been responsible, he would have instantly declined to surrender any portion of the territory. But by former negotiations the government appeared to be committed to an equitable division, and a decided majority of Congress were avowedly favorable to a compromise. There was, too, a title

new

consideration connected with the question, one of policy and expediency, motives which always have, and which always should, with some limitations, control the actions of nations and individuals. Upper Oregon and the Island of Vancouver were

comparatively valueless, except for the excellent harbors within the Straits of Fuca, which were the only safe and easily accessible one in the whole territory. Those of the southern shore of the Straits were, indeed, to belong to the United States under the British proposition but war now existed with Mexico, and as that country was largely indebted to American citizens, and was confessedly bankrupt, Mr. Polk, as a wise and sagacious statesman, could not but have foreseen that the contest would terminate with the acquisition, as a satisfaction for the American claims and the expenses of the war, of a large portion of contiguous territory, in which was embraced the bay of San Francisco, the finest harbor on the Pacific

coast."

"Thus, by the firm determination of Mr. Polk, was this vexed question, which at one time threatened to interrupt the friendly relations subsisting between the two nations forever settled in a spirit of amity and concord; each party magnani.

.

.

mously surrendering part." If two contemporaries of Polk could reach such diverse conclusions as to Folk's conduct, contemporaries who supposedly were in touch with the political situation, it is not surprising that the contemporary man on the street was puzzled. The

explanation, then, cannot be found in the suggestion Polk was keeping up a campaign bluster for effect.

that

The

matter was overdone; it was not played skillfully to that end In any case someone for it disrupted the Democratic party. besides Polk himself

would have had

to

know

the real situa-

but political friend and foe alike came to the conclusion almost unanimously that Polk really intended to carry out the

tion,

Oregon plank

of the Baltimore convention.