The Sun.
London, England, 1846-04-10 00:00:00

IMPORTANT MOVEMENTS AT WASHINGTON.
WASIIINOTON, MARcia 15, 1846.—The Oregon ques-
tion is in, as confused and excitable a condition as ever.
What will be the result of the various motions before
the Senate no one seems to be able to tell. Some doubt
whether the " notice" will be given, and whether the
whole matter may not be laid on the table, by a com-
plete revolution in the attitude of the different sections
in the Senate. Many of the ultra-Oregon men, instead
of being favourable to the notice, have only turned right
round
in
favourofte action lhas been adopted, in
y
inactivity,' or no move-
ment This
is
atall.T
consequence of the belief in keeping the question open
for future contingency throughout the country. In the
meantime, Mr. Calhoun speaks to-morrow, and crowds
are collecting into this city for the purpose of hearing
of"
coarsemas
that distinguished man on the great question into which
the country is precipitated.
Last evening there was a caucus of the ultra-Oregon
Members, comprising ten Senators, and many Members
fia m the House. It is said they are against all negotia-
tion—against all compromise, and even against the
notice, if necessary--" that they will probably adopt
" masterly inactivity, and lay the whole subject on the
table, bringing forward measures for giving territorial
government to Oregon, within the provisions of a
treaty similar to that passed in 1821 by England.
It is the purpose of the sticklers for the whole of
Oregon to make it the political question of the day, and
withdraw it from all negotiation, and take the chance of
fighting for it, is 10, or 15, or 20 years hence. It is
even believed that Mr. Polk may be induced to adopt
this line of actioa, and thus be enabled to unite the whole
party on some policy in favour of the whole territory at
a future day, without opening the negotiation now, or
endangering the peace of the country. Such is the con-
fused condition of things that any result may be expected
as to the issue of the debate is the Senate on the nego-
tiation about Oregon.
(From the New York Herald, March 17.)
WASHINGTON, Mauls 17.—The sensation—for it was
a sensation—awakened by the rising of Mr. Calhoun in
the Senate, on Thursday last, as the visible sign that he
would speak to-day, caused the galleries, three hours
before the meeting of the Senate, to be filled.
Mr. Calhoun, with a short and concise preface, en-
tered into an examination of the expediency of the
notice. From the recommendations of the President, it
was thought, at the beginning of the session, that the
notice would, lead to a series of measures resulting
in war. Since that time the phase of affairs had materially
changed. There was no more an idea enteitained now of
war than that our title was " clear and unquestionable "
to the whole territory of Oregon. Ile opposed, not-
withstanding, the unequivocal notice ; be was opposed,
also, to the equivocal resolutions of the House ; and, if
he should advocate the notice in any shape, it would be
in the form of the senator from Georgia (Aar. Colquitt),
embracing a recommendation for the settlement of the
controversy by "compromise." 1 here were two alter.
natives, of settlement—war, or "compromise." In
every point of view the latter was the preferable mode.
War would involve us in an inextricable national debt-
-1 ad to the re-establishment of a rotten paper system
—concentrate all the powers of the States into a federal
government, and terminate in a central military des-
potism. Peace would give momentum to the great work
in progress—it would extend our commerce—it would
increase our internal wealth—it would erect our roads
and canals—it would relieve the States—it would extend
our borders—it would preserve us Oregon—it would
establish a beneficial fraternity of interest between the
great nations upon ulnae exertions the civilisation of
the
tai world mainly depends—the United States and Great
Brin.

Mr. Calhoun regretted the impatience of the senators
of the west, but he felt assured that they themsokres
were, perhaps, beginning
to think that our title to the
whole territory was not so c!eAr and unquestionable as
they had at first imagined, and that ear was not the
pastime of an hour. lie earnestly desired a speedy ad-
justment by compromise, because, among otter mea-
sures, the settlement of our controversy with Mexico
depended upon the adjustment or non-adjustment of the
conflicting claims to Oregon between us and Great
Britain. In the event of a war upon this question,
Mexico would at once act upon the offensive, and by
Mexico on the south, under the discipline of British
officers, and by British steamers along the sea-board,
the Csnadians on the north, a British fleet upon the
lakes, and the Indians on the west, we should be enfi-
laded on every side.

THE QUESTION OF THE DAY.
(From the .New Fork Herald, March 15.)
The debate on the Oregon question continues with
unabated interest in the United states Senate, while the
agitation spreads throughout the country. The points
in dispute may appear small—being a difference between
49 deg. and 54 deg. 40 min.—but on this very difference
the awful result of " peace" or " war" hangs. This is
the contingency which gives edge—force—interest, to the
debate in the Senat '. The last accounts show that Mr.
Evans, of Maine, has finished a speech of two days in
length. He went through the usual topics connected
with the title ; hut, as far as regarded his vote on the
various propositions beftire that body, he seemed to bo
in a state of bewilderment and confusion. "I do not
knew," says Mr. Evans, " as to whether I shall vote for
notice, or no Notice—l can't tell if it be peaceful, or not
pcaceful-1 do hot understand the motive of the Presi-
dent. Here is the great difficulty—the deep embarrass-
ment—the awful mystery— which hangs over the Oregon
question, inv. lying, in its consequence, the foreign rela-
tions of the country, to the most unexampled extent, and
all the alternatives of peace or war."
While this state of agitation is increasing—widening
from its centre in Washington—it is not possible for the
people of this great metropolis to look calmly and stand
idly upon it, and to take no int-rest in such a question.
hdeayy,awreeanhxaivoeusthtoe
The President and Congress appear to be surrounded with
They seem not to know
embarrassment and doubt.
ascertain the sentiments of the people, and from the in-
Etiveientr andoeapvnoe and agitating
i Cysaognia:rteisnsg,
every dications presenting
vpireoeg-sraeussdpurposerns
strongest reasons for believing that the people, from this
ensuing
what to do in theprtehseemn tselcvreissise.
time forward, will take this question7siionnleir own hands,
of this great
an,drhg election.iisv e s
ftohrethnatural
and radiating gradually through the whole country, until
the whole masses of the population become fermented and agitated. The Oregon question, therefore holds in its
question, commencing with
hands the momentous issues of Peace and war.
mi to
rpere siemnptsortmontthetoppiecopolef ofdistchui
and far
than mere local reforms, or kcal iti decision
volved, usually, in our charter elections ons?
It is ob-
vious that tho interests hanging upon this
question, as
connected with this metropolis, are mightier
and broader, than the mere corporate interestsand deeper,
city. Such being the case, it is very
minds of our citizens to take the earliest natural for the
presenting this question to the people
at the of
the polls, in
order to turnish some light as to their fur
views, as soon as possible. The distributio
pa() soefs city
offices, or the value of a few local reforms, or thes
cendancy of any political sect of politicians, all dwindles into insignificauce when compared with the vast foreign
commerce of this large and city, populous
, which is he
ginning already to ton affectedi by the portentous aspect of
things at Washing, by tie embarrassed position of
our foreign relations, by the mysteries of the executive
mansion, and by the agitations of the capitol.
In this broad aspect of the present position of our
Government and the people, connected with our foreign
relations, we should not he at all surprised to see this
new and important issue involved in our approaching
election ; neither should we be su.rprised torte "ininicipal
reform"—the ascendancy of this clique or that cliqe
the strength of this party or that party, compelled
cont to give way to this new division, this distracting
oversy on the subject of the foreign relations
of the country. A new and important question is forced
upon this community by the action of the Executive and
the Congress•—a question in which is involved the vital
prosperity of this city for years to come, beyond the
value of twenty corporations, and the existence of all the
parties heretofore in being. Are the people for 49 deg.
or 54 deg. 40
win: ? Will they give up five degrees on

We have received, vid Havre, New York papers to tke
18th of March. Their contents are important.
The 'latest speech in the Senate mas that of Mr. Cal-
houn, on the 12th of March. He objected to the en
quivocal noti.:e respecting the Dragon question, but was
opposed also to the equivocal resolution of the Senate.
Of the two questions, " compromise" or " war," he ad-
vocat-cl the former. The reasons which he gave for this
conclusion will be found in the abstract of his speech,
given below.
The papers by this arrival are full of accounts of the
disasters and destruction of property caused by the
breaking up of the ice on the river, and the sudden rise
of the weters. Numerous shipwrecks had also occurred;
the details of some of which will be found amongst our
extracts.
Tue Hibernia steamer had not arrived at New York
on the 18th ult. • -
The money market was much depressed.
The news from Texas is that the Bill for delivering
the public property to the United States had passed the
Senate without opposition.
From Canada we have accounts to the 9th of March.
The intelligence is only of local interest.
For our shipping, news by this arrival we refer to the
usual head. The following are our political and com-
mercial extracts:—
"THE OREGON TERRITORY.
"We understand that negctiations are on foot At
Washington, among the seve-al sections of the demo-
cracy, for the purpose ->f f.tr: king a union on a certain
of,--polieyLeat-tive Oregon question—ana tharirlt
probable that all negotiation will be suspended—the
policy of masterly inactivity' adopted—and a trial
made of the sense of the country on 49 and 54 40. A
few days will tell the secrets."