The Express.
London, England, 1848-02-01 00:00:00

git

MAILS

----
The Wed India Matt' including Bermuda, Nassau,lirl Hondurse, New Orleans Vera Cruz, Tampico, and Porto fti4
excluding Mae for Mldeira, Jaamel, Cartbagraa, sort. aunt.
O heerer, Panama, West Coast of Booth America, and St. Janda.
Nicaragua, wilt be made up on the morning of the 2nd February.
The overland mails for Gibraltar, Malta, Orme, the lonian Lam*
3ltAden, Ceylon, India, Hong-Kong, and China, on Southampton.
made up on the morning of the 3rd February.
The mail for the Brazils, the Rim Plate, Monte Video, Pawn,
Saw, Bade, Madeira, and Buenos Ayres, will be made up au the
arming of the 4th February.
The .aails for Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Madeira, Cache, and Wheeler
will be made ap en the mormne of the 7th February.
The oveiliosd eloaod maths, no alatacqles, to the Mediterranean,
Egypt, Aden, Ceylon, India, Hong Kong, P.c., will be made up en the
evening of the 7th February.
The mail for British North America, Bermuda, and th. Num
+tate& will be made up on the erring of the lilt February.
The mails for New South Water, Van themeiPs laud, eat mi.
7.ea4nd will be made up on the evening of the 24th February
The malls for the Wee Coast of Africa and Madraa will be men
up on the evening of the 29th February.

TO CORIUMPON DANT&
• Ah••IIBMWS teetotal 1.. • TIN !Apes,. Iced. erobisg
'be at die did, 10. lloineflownr. UT Two eelack us Wel

HIGH MAYES AT LONDON 111311,013.
D•l—Noraing. 3 W. NM II ; Memo., 37 3313. imam
3•3313-1133slai osak pat U c

LONDON, TUESDAY, FEB. 1.
Tne Americans, as well as the English and
the French, are discussing the great question of
peace or war, with the relative profits and expenses
of both. Whilst Mr. Comae was addressing the
merchants of Manchester on the inexpediency
of paying too many soldiers, M. TRIERS WM
pointing out to the French chambers how im-
politich
ar, p ew
ea no
iuny pdneoi ita:vubt
power
ehl was,rei r
t t yoywfie.sa rml el
millions
luyel
tipnoo exceedingn theinsult
t:dfir atici
invsew,o income,eiaoapparentodaw floating
rniwing:h thedi Itosbta shapetliboszakss,
to ministers, " you could not raise or dispose of a
franc to avenge it The very war party amongst
our neighbours thus exclaims against military expen.
diture, and holds up financial economy as the wised
meesure of " national defence."
The Americans have followed up the same vein of
reflection and argument. It is not merely Mr. WEB-
STER or Mr. CLAY, who repeat their old objections
by denouncing the madness of the Mexican war, bet
the Titiens of Washington, Mr. CALHOLN himself
who exclaims againstthe 40 millions of dollars already
sunk in the conquest of Mexico, to be followed by
GO millions more, which Mr. POLK proposes to spend
in letS. We have seldom read a more convincing speech
in favour of peace than that of Mr. CALHOUN'S. Notonly
does he point out the weakening, prodigal, effects of
war, its dangers to a free constitution, and its in-
evitable results in the putting the heads of the middle
and industrious classes under the water, whilst the
class of those who enjoy government employ rise
above the surface, but Mr. CALHOUN shows the im-
possibility of war at the pr• sent day obtaining any of
of its great objects. Conquest in our age is an
absurdity. If any nation could ever hope to conquer
another nation, it would cost them ,more
to hold it than the subdued country wee
worth. To exterminate a people is impondie
in these days, and anything. short of it will saw
make a 'population content with foreign rule. "Them
fore," says Mr. CALHOUN," take indemnity in the shape
of unoccupied territory, in woods or wastes, but let us
have nothing to do with any regions containing the
cultivated houses of the Mexicans."
Mr. CALHOUN declared that there never existed a
eountry possessed of such powers and facilities for
dominating other countries and colonies as Great
Britain, without injuring herself. Rome had not
this power, he said, and the United States certainly
had not. Yet Great Britain had failed in making the
dependence of other countries and other populations
profitable to her. To say nothing of India, what
had Ireland not cost England ? What does
Canada not cost England ?—yet Irish and Canadian
were both hostile to England, and becoming more so
every day—more hostile and less profitable. Mr.
CALIIOI N entreated the Senate to pass no vote en-
couraging the United States government to form an
Ireland or a Canada in Mexico.
These doctrines of Mr. CALHOUN are most impor-
tant, and are, indeed, but the counterpart of the opi-
nions now rising and spreading amongst us, not only
of the impossibility and disadvantage of con-
quest and of military domination, but even
of supremacy and political influence abroad.
A great portion of our military and naval
expenditure has taken place for the sake of uphold-
ing what we call British influence, a secondary kind
of empire ; and our entire struggle with Emcee, for
the last eight or nine years, has been for this influ-
ence. We have struggled hard and paid dearly for
it in Egypt, in Syria, in Greece, in Madrid, and in
Lisbon. When this influence is really exerted for
the development of liberal principles and institutions
we do not object to it; but how has it been
turned in a contrary direction, as at Lisbon,
or in no direction at all, as in Syria ? The
beginning of the struggle in Mexico was, whether
the Americans or English should have most
influence there and in Texas. We see where it has
ended. We might, therefore, follow up the argument
in which Mr. CALHOUN proses conquest to be perni-
cious, and not worth its cost, by an argument, show-
ing that the semi-conquest, which is the acquirement
of superior influence in other countries, such as
France has attained in Spain, is equally pernicious
and not worth its cost. The more, in fact, one
country dominates and influences the government of
another, the more hostility and repulsion does this
very influence create, until it ends in the expulsion
of the dominator. English over-influenoe has
rendered England detested in Portugal, and
will end by our utter expulsion from any
power in that country. French over-influence in
Spain will do the same for France; nay, would unseat
the Duchess of MONTI'ENSIER from her filched
throne, provided we leave the French alone in the
task of ruining themselves, for our interference will
but delay the catastrophe.
With respect to the United States, it is to be feared
that the population in that country are not yet wise
and temperate enough to refrain from a conquest
and military occupation of Mexico. All, indeed,
admit the folly, but say at the Fame time
that the country is in for it, and cannot
draw back without dishonour. The more pro-
, mising effort of opposition is, therefore, to give
to the war and to military preparations as little of a
permanent character as possible. Mr. Pont; has
mended ten new regiments of regular troopa. Mr.
carrreenee leads the opposition to the proposal,
and says the troops already in Mexico are quite suf-
ficient to triumph over it; but, if more be required,
let them be raised as volunteers, paid for the days
they serve, without efficers of a regular stand-
ing army, with all the expense of generale, staff,
and paraphernalia. Mr. POLK, however, is for
a large standing army stationed in Mexico,
not living at free quarters, as volunteers would be
apt to do, but maintained regularly out of Mexican
resources, if such can be re's-ed. General CASS supports
this idea, which Mr. CALHOUN justly stigmatiees as
placing in the:Paestueev'e hand a more than imperial
power, endowing him with a patronage as large u
that wielded by a European monarch, and conse-
quently overthrowing that balance and limitation
of power on which depend the freedom and perma-
nence of the American constitution. The war party
in America hue in fact, though originally democratic,
become a high government tory party, attrl
are not surprised to see the real republican joining
with the whig in deprecation of it.

THE Premier, it appears, has told the gentlemen
who waited upon him wit!: a representation respect-
ing the tea duth a that their proposition cannot be
entertained at present. The CIIANCCLLOR OF TUE
EXCIIEQUER is said to have told the depatatioa
which waited upon him last year for the same pur-
pose, in still more pithy language, that he would
rather consent to loee his right arm than to surrender
any branch of the revenue at such a time. We should
be sorry to force such en unpleasant alternative
upon either of our ministers of finance, but tray
the very exigency of the crisis, the very mr-
cumstance that unwonted difficulty will be experi-
enced in providing for the necessary national expen-
diture, is a reason for instituting a calm and searcng
inquiry into the affairs and capabilities of the nation.
Such an inquiry was promised by ministers in parlia-
ment at the close of last session, and good use bee
since been made of that promise by various mmudenal
members on the hustings.
It is to be hoped that the ministerial memory will
be refreshed on the subject of these promises by our