(Oregon) Coast at an early period in the Collingwood with a view to give a feeling of security to our own settlers in the country and to let the Americans see clearly that Her Majesty's Government are alive to their proceedings and prepared, in case of necessity, to oppose them." No hostile measure, however, was to be taken, until it should be seen how the Senate would act on the Oregon bill.[1]
The Senate, probably for lack of time, failed to pass the bill; but the same dispatch, of March 4, in which Pakenham reported this comforting fact to his government contained the aggravating and disquieting news that President Polk, in his inaugural of that date, had pronounced the American claim to the whole of Oregon "clear and unquestionable."[2] This seemed to confirm the worst suspicions based upon the attitude of the late Congress, and since the new Congress was pledged in advance to the President's policy, there seemed not much hope of escape from serious difficulty over the Oregon question.
The London newspapers struck a warlike note, the Government leaders in the two houses of Parliament spoke out in tones of clear defiance, declaring that Britain, too, had rights in Oregon which were "clear and unquestionable," which rights the Government could and would defend against the aggressions of the United States.
The discussion in Parliament occurred on the evening of April 4th; and so strong and unanimous was the sentiment revealed that it was deemed important to communicate promptly to the United States the news of what had passed; the royal mail steamer, due to sail that day, was detained 24 hours in order that a report of these proceedings might be included in the Government mail for America.[3]
On this mail steamer, sailing from England April 5th, went also Sir George Simpson, armed with the documents now----
