The Somerset Herald And Farmers' And Mechanics' Register

For the Herald.

Mr. Row:-

"The more haste, the more speed."

This homely adage has been wofully exemplified in the settlement of the Oregon question—a question wholly useless and gratuitous, got up in obedience to the dictation of the Baltimore Convention. But the demagogues and war-dogs seized hold of it as a beautiful theme for declamation, and one by which a war spirit could be aroused in the country, and an agitation kept up, calculated to secure them in the power they knew they had filched from the people by the most unblushing falsehoods, put forth by their idols. The speeches of the 54 40's resounded in the capitol: "The whole of Oregon," they proclaim, "or war; our title is clear and unquestionable; the British dare not contend with us; they dare not go to war with us." This was the cry of the demagogues in Congress, and the hireling presses of the Executive. Ignorance and impudence were their sole resources; upon these they confidently relied, and not one foot of Oregon would they relinquish; not they. But lo! and behold Benton, cunning old Benton, well knowing the extent to which ignorance and impudence could carry those war demagogues towards the contest of 1848, collected his artillery from undeniable sources, and wholly demolished the structure they had erected, and brought them down to 49°, with a flea in their ear, and they slunk out of the contest like dogs wanting a tail. And thus the Oregon bubble burst, and they gladly accepted terms of settlement dictated by the British minister. "Oh! what a falling off was there, Mr. Polk!" But the spirit of havoc and destruction still predominates with the spoilers. The Whig Tariff has produced a large surplus in the Treasury. This must be got rid of, that the people may no longer feel or think of the blessings they enjoy from a Whig measure. Texas is annexed, and sworn by the demagogues to be peaceably annexed; that no war should grow out of it, but they feel that their strength is increased by four votes from Texas—all of the true genuine black spirit. Texas, fine market for negroes!—glorious chance for old Virginia—hurrah for liberty! We are true democrats, but the Treasury must be emptied—Mexico is in default—installments unpaid—glorious chance for war! The annexation resolutions left the boundary question open for peaceable settlement. Great mistake this; but might overrides right. We feel no restraint by constitution or laws; we have leaped over them both often, to give strength to our party. A war with Mexico; come on boys! We shall fix the boundary at the point of the sword! Twenty two millions of spoils—worth contending for!—Stop at Corpus Christi a breathing spell—now we feel our might—rush on the Rio Grande—hurrah for California! But stop a moment and consider. This war will create an immense debt. Have you no bowels of compassion for poor Pennsylvania? Ye war dogs, of the West in particular, consider she has made canals and railways to facilitate transportation, to fill up your great Valley with emigrants; and for this she owes forty millions of dollars, which requires a million every six months to pay the interest; and you have wrested from her the means of converting the iron and coal of her mountains into cash, by the repeal of the Tariff. All a humbug, you say. Curse Pennsylvania and the fools, the white slaves they send to Harrisburg to rule over them! Did they not at last session there resolve not to receive any portion of the proceeds of the sale of the public lands, to assist them in paying that interest? This shows plainly that this debt they talk of is all a humbug: and as for Polk and Dallas, they would have these to rule over them, and what more do they want? Hurrah for the black spirit, that now so gloriously rules over our land! Five more negro States in Texas and California, and then the jig's up with poor Pennsylvania and the North; they can live on beach nests and hemlock tea.

LOOM & ANVIL.