The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-29 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1846.

Another rapid passage of little more than eleven
days has brought us intelligence of singular import-
ance from the United States. This intelligence—
conveyed across the Atlantic by the steam-ship
Hibernia—may be briefly catalogued, but each of the
facts hereafter enumerated affords food for endless
meditation, and presents an opportunity for innu-
merable conjectures.

The summary of the news contained in our dis-
patches is to thafollowing effect :—The Oregon treaty
ratified by Viscount PALMERSTON and Mr. M'LANE,
had arrived at Washington, and elicited a proclama-
tion from the President calling upon the citizens of
the United States to fulfil the articles thereof. The
American Government had tendered a proposition to
the Mexicans with the view of re-establishing amity
between the two countries, and of bringing their
quarrel to a definite and permanent conclusion.
Beyond this, Congress had adjourned on
the tenth ultimo, after completing the com-

menial reformation by passing the Warehousing Bill.
It is peculiarly interesting to compare the re-
sults of the past sessions, just expired, of the British
and American Legislatures. Simultaneously with the
arrival of intelligence of the latter the fore er tran-
spires; the consequent comparison drawn from
them is in no trivial degree interesting, and in our
regard not altogether unsatisfactory. During the
session of 1846 the Government of Great Britain has
been triumphant in its operations ; victory has at-
tended its deliberations in St. Stephen's and its mili-
tary arrangements in the Seikh territories ; conces-
sions and submission on the part of its most malig-
nant antagonists have attested the efficacy of the
modesty, the calmness, and the dignity of its foreign
policy. The Government of America during the same
extraordinary interval has proved either unfortunate
in its operations, or its successes have been of a very
questionable and insufficient character : its modifica-
tions of the laws relating to commerce have aroused
the bile of its monopolists without wholly satisfying
those who are cordially attached to the principles of free
trade : its monetary regulations (we al'ude to the
Sub Treasury Bill, which takes effect on the first of
the approaching January), promise very considerable
future embarrassments, while they have kindled no
small indignation : its braggadocio about the occu-
pation of the whole of Oregon has ended in con-
cessions which would be humiliating, but for the cir-
cumstance that an error is always annihilated by its
acknowledgment ; and, lastly-0 vanity of vaunts!
—the Mexican warfare, commenced solely by the ra-
pacity and the spurious valour of the Government of
the United States, promises to close with the impor-
tunities of that same Government for a negotiation
between themselves and their beleaguered opponents.
This is a candid and honest enumeration of the prin-
cipal features in the recent sesions of the British
Parliament and of the United States Congress ; both
terminating within this present August ; both re-
markably protracted and eventful ; both enlivened by
recriminations, those of Lord G. BENTINCK and his
colleagues against their previous leader, and those of
Mr. QUINCY ADAMS against the mother country of
his native land! For ourselves the session has been
fraught with consolations and triumphs ; for our
brothers across the Atlantic it has produced scarcely
anything but discomfiture and disappointment. The
termination of this session in Great Britain has been
the alpha of exultation and victory; its conclusion
in the United States has been the very omega of dis-
satisfaction and defeat. It would be curious, more-
over, to draw a comparison between the recent beha-
viour and present position of Sir ROBERT PEEL
and Mr. JAMES K. POLK. How PEEL acknowledged
his blunders in seeking the preservation of the
protective system, and how POLY persisted in main•
tainine. his audacious demand of the entire of the
Oregon territories ; how the former has triumphed
throughout, and retired from office with a glory never
vouchsafeii before to any statesman, and how the
latter has sustained an overthrow in almost
all directions, been compelled to eat his own
vainglorious boast, and continued in office with
a power almost powerless, and an influence almost
contemptible. We cannot, however, expend either
time or ingenious contrasts upon individuals, when
the interests of nations are so precariously balanced
as those of Mexico and the United States.

Although the military operations of the American
invaders have been so far successful, the Executive
has determined upon drawing the contest to a close
if possible and that, moreover, immediately. Twenty-
six millions of dollars have already been applied by
Congress to the expenses of this expedition ; the war
was voluntarily undertaken by the Americans ; nine
hundred and fifty men have already perished in
consequence of that enterprise; and at the precise
moment when the Mexican troops are pre-
pared to repel the invaders, tho-e invaders step
forward with an offer of a negotiation for an amicable
adjustment of difficulties. Nor is this all ; it is very
comprehensible from the proceedings of Mr. Presi-
dent POLK, that a reserve compensation will be
coupled with that adjustment, supposing the Mexi-
cans consent to listen to the proposals for peace, that
compensation being the relinquishment of California
by the Mexican Government and its annexation to
the American Republic—in return for a boon of cer-
tain moneys ! If this arrangement be made, Mr.
President POLK will, of course, be satisfied. Il is
only apparent object will be realised —the extension
of the territories of the United States. The coinci-
dence of the proposal for peace being simul-
taneous with the marshalling of the Mexican soldiers
would almost justify us in hinting at pusillanimity as
an actuating sentiment in the mind of Mr. POLK.
Nevertheless, the proposal has been made, and we
must tarry for the response. Whether the
Mexicans will acquiesce in the proposition
when her armies are in readiness, when their
nationality, and consequently their courage is be-
ginning to evince itself, when her greatest statesmen
are all vociferous in their demands for wreaking ven-
geance upon the assailants, and when SANTA ANNA
offers his sword and his council to aid the endea-
vours of PAREDES, is a very doubtful matter. We
long to hear that peace has been restored to the
western hemisphere, but we are loath to hear that
any peace has been purchased by American lust of
aggrandisement, and Mexican submission to ex-
tortion.

According to the New Hanzburgh Gazette of the
22d of August the Prince of AUGUSTENBURG has
sent to the King of DENMARK his resignation as
Governor and Commandant-General of the Duchies
of Schleswig and Holstein. The Duke of GLUCKSBURG
also has resigned the commission which he held as
Colonel of the sth Regiment of Danish Sappers and
Miners. •
It would appear that, taking advantage of the ex-
perience of England, the German states are about to
adopt an uniform system of postage. A letter from
Carlsruhe, of the 23d, says :
"The second Chamber of the States of Baden has just
adopted a unanimous resolution to recommend the Go-
vernment to enter into negotiations with the .w;her states
of Germany for the establishment of a uniform rate of
postage. The Budget Committee proposed the reduc-
tion of the present rates of postage in the Grand Duchy
to three kreutz.rs (about three sous), but on a repro sen-
tation from the Government that the treasury could
not bear the deficit, the Chamber did not adopt the re-
port. Yesterday the Chamber adopted the following
resolution upon the proceedings of the Prussian Govern-
ment with regard to the Deputies D'lzstein and Hecker:
The Grand Ducal Government is requested to de-
clare to the Prussian Government that the measures
adopted towards the Deputies D'lzstein and Hecker,
who are forbidden to reside within the states of Prus,is,
are considered as a violation of the rights guaranteed
by the federal compact to the citizens of Baden.
Therefore the Chamber hopes that the Government will
use its utmost endeavours to obtain a revocation of these
measures."

Intelligence has been received at St. Petersburgh
that the greater part of the town of Berdiansk, in
Southern Russia, was destroyed in the month of
July by fire. It is only eleven years since the town
was founded.

We find in the Frankfort Journal the following
extract from a letter from Geneva, dated Aug. 18 :
"The French Government has just taken possession
of the Valley des Dappes, on the southern side of the
principal chain of the Jura, on the confines of the de-
partment of that name and of the Canton de Vaud, the
right to which has been long disputed. Men employ ed
by the Canton de Vaud, in altering the road brtween
St. Cergues and Rousses, have been ordered not to pro-
ceed with their work beyond the litigated line, and the
owners of land in the valley, who have been hitherto
considered as Vaudoii, and paid their taxes at Nyon,
are now called upon to pay them to the French collectors
of the Jura. France attaches a greater importance than
it did formerly to the possession of this valley, on ac-
count of the fortifications she is raising on this part of
her frontier."

Letters have been received from Rome to the 17th
inst. The POPE is becoming every day more popular.
At his weekly audiences he admits to his presence all
classes of his subjects who have any complaints to
make, even those of the lowest orders of society. In
order to avoid all appearance of nepotism, he has sent
all such of his relations as held offices under his pre-
decessors into the provinces.
It is said the Pope's Vicar, Cardinal PATNIE, is to
be replaced by Cardinal FALCONIERI, Archbishop of
Ravenna, a prelate remarkable for his liberal ideas.

Intelligence from Lisbon to the 20th inst. has been
received by the Royal Tar steam-ship, which arrived
at Southampton yesterday afternoon. The Govern-
ment of the Duke of PALMELLA appears to be con-
solidating itself. The only difficulties at pre-
sent experienced were of a financial nature—difficul-
ties bequeathed to them by the peculations and gross
mismanagement of their predecessors, the CABE