Oregon Question, The

DESCRIPTION: "Good evening folks -- it's old Dan Rice, Just come to give you good advice, And tell the Senate to be sure Like Polk, to go for fifty-four." Listeners are urged to take an aggressive line with Britain on the Oregon boundary
AUTHOR: Dan Rice?
EARLIEST DATE: c. 1846 (Book of 1001 songs, according to Cohen)
KEYWORDS: political patriotic
FOUND IN:
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Cohen-AmericanFolkSongsARegionalEncyclopedia2, pp. 631-632, "The Oregon Question" (1 text)
NOTES [80 words]: In 1844, James K. Polk campaigned for President on the basis of annexation of Texas and demanding a large Oregon country -- that the U. S. should take the entire Oregon region up to latitude 54 degrees 40 minutes (hence the slogan "fifty four-forty or fight"). Polk was elected, and he did start a war with Mexico over Texas (or, rather, over California, which is what he really wanted) -- but he compromised over the Oregon boundary, knowing he could not fight two wars at once. - RBW
Last updated in version 2.7
File: CAFS2631

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