The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-31 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS' DAY.

LORD ASHBURTON'S MISSION TO THE

UNITED STATES.

TIMES.—It gives us much pleasure to announce,
that the Right Hon. Lord Ashburton, at the request
of her Majesty's Government, is about to proceed to the
United States on a special mission, with the object of
settling all existing differences between that country
and our own. His Lora.thip, who will sail in a few
weeks, had been tasked to iZndertake this service, and
had consented to do so, before the President's Message
• ha.been received, so that the mission in question,
whateve,' be its character or results, has been had re-
course to, whol ; irrespective of anything contained or
.:
omitted in that docui,:. • we think,
eat. The step itsen, .
is a wise one. Without at a:2 Presuming to imals.lne that
it has originated in any humble oiggestions of our::
we
may nevertheless remind our reader:: that only a fey,
weeks ago, we strenuously urged the pouliar propriety
of making a special effort, at the presieet time, to re-
move every remaining ground of dispute, inasmuch
as the introduction of new elements of irritation con-
tingent upon further delay, might eventually render an
amicable adjustment unattainable, and involve both
countries in all the horrors of war. We do not know
that any great expense will be incurred by this mission ;
but even if there should, the vast importance of its ob-
ject, which cannot possibly be overrated, is more than
sufficient, terminate how it may, to warrant the ex-
penditure of a much larger sum than is likely to
be required. Nor is it a trifling merit on the part
of her Majesty's present Ministers that they have
thus undertaken an enterprise which, be it success-
ful or not, is manifestly adopted on the most rational
data, with the best possible intentions. Two things,
at all events, are clearly demonstrated by the
appointment of this special mission —in the
first place, that the Conservative Government,
instead of imitating the Whigs in prosecuting a series
of speculative political experiments, are steadily address-
ing themselves to the repair of such practical evils as,
by engendering a
.want of mercantile confidence, ope-
rate injuriously upon British commerce ; and secondly,
that Sir Robert Peel's Ministry are intent, by all prac-
tical means, upon maintaining the blessings of peace.
Neither must it be supposed that Lord Ashburton's
mission necessarily implies any deficiency in the instruc-
tions or powers of the American Minister at her Ma-
jesty's Court. Those instructions and powers, we have
no reason to doubt, are of a plenary order ;
while, from the known discretion and ability of Mr.
Everett, as well as from the very short period
during which his Excellency has been in this country,
the presumption is, that, for various satisfactory
reasons, it has appeared to him that the disputed
points between America and ourselves had better be
entirely committed to Lord Ashburton and the Wash-
ington Cabinet. The appointment of a special Am-
bassador from this country, is, of itself, a piece of
marked respect to the United States Government,
which can hardly fail of being duly appreciated and of
paving the way for an amicable negotiation. A
friendly intercourse, too, between our special Envoy and
the leading statesmen of America, dictated by a
cordial anxiety to complete an infrangible bond of
amity, cannot but be attended with beneficial results.
All that both parties contend for, may not be im-
mediately secured ; but, by the reasonable conces-
sions likely to be yielded without dishonour on either
side, the main points in dispute may be so reduced
in importance as to rentier future surrenders more
advantageous to each than a dogged adherence to
mere unsubstantial punctilios. The selection of Lord
Ashburton for this delicate mission appears to us, upon
the whole, to be deserving of commendation. His
Lordship is, by universal acknowledgment, the prince
of British merchants. With immense mercantile inte-
rests extending over the whole world—interests which,
while peculiarly identified with America, cannot suffer
interruption in any quarter without incurring a serious
injury in their entire range, his Lordship has the ad-
vantage of proceeding to the United States, not only
with the highest claims upon the consideration of that
trading community, but with a direct personal con-
cern in the maintenance of general peace. Thus,
while the independence and integrity of Lord
Ashburton place him above the suspicion of unduly
yielding to extravagant demands which he can well
atiord to resist his Lordship's large and intimate con-
nexion with American commerce may naturally be sup-
posed to deter him from all such petty sticklings as
may obviously tend to interrupt it. The Noble Lord,
besides, is thoroughly acquainted with the whole ques-
tion touching the right of search, as affecting, among
all nations, the perfectly compatible interests of hu-
manity and trade. That Lord Ashburton's appoint-
ment will be acceptable to the United States Govern-
ment may be fairly inferred from Mr. Everett's concur-
rence ; and we certainly augur from it the most auspi-
cious results. Heaven grant that we be not disap-
pointed I
CHRONICLE,—With to-day, Eighteen hundred
and forty-one leaves us to join " the years beyond the
flood." Many years have quitted the world with a
more obvious parting benediction on humanity, and with
apparently brighter prospects for their successors. The
first light of Eighteen hundred and forty-two will dawn on
many a sad spectacle of want, wretchedness, and despair.
And it will shine on the selfish power which has caused
that suffering dreaming yet of resisting the claims of jus-
tice, Two legacies are bequeathed by the dying year
which will suffice to make it memorable. It has be-
stowed upon us the rather questionable boons of Toryism
in the State and Puseyism in the Church. We do not
regard either of them, considered in itself, as a " charter
and freehold of rejoicing," or desire them for ourselves
and our heirs to have and to hold for ever. Never-
theless, like other venomous things, there may be me-
dicinal virtue in them, and a jewel in the head of
the ugly toads. Each has probably work to do,
which could not be so well performed by better hands.
The Whig Ministry fell, not by the timidity with which
it had been reproached, but by the boldness of an
attack in which the people were not ready to sustain it
vigorously at the moment. Preparation is always re-
quired for the public mind, to enable it to bring the
knowledge it may long have possessed, and the feelings
it may long have experienced, to bear upon a legislative
question. Sir Robert Peel knows this, and therefore
keeps back his plans, that the least possible opportunity
may be afforded the nation for their full discussion and
just appreciation. The Whigs were, doubtless, aware
of it too ; but they wanted to secure the discussion
which he desires to preclude. Their resignation must
have been foreseen and determined on from the moment
they chose their measures. It was, and is, their only
path to the triumph of their principles of commercial
refoirn. Already the effect is evident. A general
election has been carried triumphantly in favour of
monopoly ; and before Parliament has assembled for
any other purpose save that of the seizure of office by the
victorious party, it is confessed that the principle which
carried the election must undergo modification. The
election banners of Corn-law immutability arc scarcely
furled, when its champions declare that change is in-
evitable. 'The old year has put in the Tories ; but it
has put them in for the work of commencing, if not of
completing the break up of the food monopoly. The
new year, before it is very much advanced, will see
them coming, with laggard step, wry faces, and unwill-
ing hands, to their enforced task. Come to it they
must. They are the slaves of fate. They have ex-