Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/46

 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE

38

by the introduction of Oregon issues. Lord Aberdeen was no less anxious to remove all menace to good understanding between the two nations and accordingly instructed Fox in Washington to propose to Webster that the American minister in London be furnished with instructions and full powers to negotiate, assuring the American Secretary of State that the British government was prepared to proceed in a spirit of fairness. 8 This suggestion met with the approval of President Tyler although the opening of Congress in December, 1842, came before anything was done to start negotiations. Tyler's Annual Message of this year, after stating that it became evident that nothing could be done with the Oregon Question during the negotiations conducted by Lord Ashburton and Secretary Webster, went on to say, 9 "Although the diffi-

not for several years to come involve countries, yet I shall not delay to urge on Great Britain the importance of its early settlement." Both

culty referred to the peace of the

may

two

and the matter of commercial adjustments he believed would soon be taken up since "it will comport with the policy of England, as it does with that of the United States, to seize upon this moment, when most of the causes of irritation have passed away, to cement the peace and amity of the two counthis

all grounds of probable future colliThis presentation of the matter did not agree with the notion the British government had of the preliminaries Fox

tries

by wisely removing

sion."



wrote Aberdeen 10 that he would be surprised at the "inexact manner in which the message describes the state of negotiations." Aberdeen, too, expressed his regret at the statement, but felt that the affair would be seen in its true light when the correspondence was laid before Congress; however, in view of the facts it would have been more candid, he thought,

had the President stated that he had already received from the British government a "pressing overture" for renewing 8 Fox to Webster, 15 Nov., deen read the dispatch to Everett 9 Richardson, Messages, IV, 10 Fox to Aberdeen, 12 Dec.

H. Ex. Doc. No. before it was sent.

i,

29th Cong,

ist

196.

1842, Br.

&

For. St. Papers, 34; 51.

Ses.

Aber-