The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-02 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1845.

The House of Commons met at Four o'clock.

In answer to Dr. BOWRING, Sir G. CLERK said
that the negotiations with France and Austria on the
subject of the Quarantine Laws were in the same
state they were in July last.
A long conversation ensued on the subject of the
decisions of the Railway Committee of the Board of
Trade, in the case of the North Kent Railway.
Mr. AGLIONSY gave notice that he would on Fri-
day call the attention of the House to a letter which
had appeared in the Times, written by Mr. CAR*
RINGTON, and reflecting on his (Mr. AGLIONRY'S)
conduct. He would at once state that the assertions
in that letter had no foundation in truth.

Dr. BowRING then brought forward his motion for
the appointment of a Select Committee to consider
the subject of Colonial accounts, which, after a short
discussion, was agreed to.

Mr. SUELL then moved the following resolution :
"That this House expresses its regret that letters
addressed to a foreigner residing in this country
should have been opened without his knowledge, and
that information in reference to disturbances in the
Papal States, obtained by such means, should have
been communicated to a foreign Power."

Sir J. GRAHAM opposed the motion, and defended
the conduct of the Government.

The House was subsequently addressed by Mr. T.
DUNCOMBE, and ultimately the motion was negatived
by a majority of 14.

The House then went into Committee on the
Excise duties, and the CHANCELLOR of the Ex-
CHEQUER moved a resolution for the remission of the
duties on glass, which, after a short discussion, was
agreed to.

The other orders of the day were disposed of, and
the House adjourned at a Quarter past Nine o'Clock.

The experience of American—that is, of United
States'—good faith and political probity ; of their
moderation, equity, and magnanimity in dealing
with the political rights and relations of feeble and
disorganised States such as Mexico ;—of their inflexi-
bility in adhering to the spirit and letter of their
own Constitution, which especially disavows and dis-
courages a policy of territorial aggrandisement;—this
experience has been wonderfully enlightened by the
recent vote of the Senate for the annexation of Texas.
But we are much inclined to suspect that this is but
the first act of a serious drama, the combinations of
which having been long rehearsed, will be speedily
produced for the edification of the world. The tone
which the leading organ of the new President's party
assumes, in respect of the Oregon question, has been
on former occasions, as it now is, sufficiently me-
nacing towards this country, and arrogant and ridi-
culous. But the Texas affair imparts to it a point
and emphasis which should fix the attention of every
irpoQl;le, an attempt upon the interests
and honour of this country, which may be meditated
by the s^ me party on some other question. Now, it
would be idle to affect, after the language used in
Mr. PoLies inaugural address, to doubt the intention
of the United States to carry their pretensions upon
the Oregon Territory, after their usual fashion, by
hard swearing and big words—if they can. It would
be still more absurd to argue at this time of day
the duty as well as the right of every independent
State to withstand, at the earliest available oppor-
tunity, any meditated aggression upon its dominion,
its honour, or its authority. But a State of the
paramount rank and grandeur of Great Britain has
no option in the matter. If it could be once
base enough to permit such aggressions to be made
with impunity, it would, ipso facto, fall from its
pride of place, and out of its rank in the majestic
career of those nations with whose welfare are bound
up the destinies of civilisation. We have great
doubts, indeed, whether all the vaunting of the land
of stripes and stars will not evaporate before the
consideration of dollars to be spent and taxes to be
raised—by a Government of bankrupt credit. But
as democracies are always liable to the uncontrol,..
Table action of popular feeling and passion, in de.tance
of palpable danger, and inevitably disaetrous re-
sults, we shall do well to accustom ourselves to a
consideration of the extreme probability that the
attempt at the Oregon occur::ation may be forced
upon that Government, wlyleh, not having had virtue
enough to discourage the agitation of the project,
will not have strength enough to restrain the po-
litical fanaticism, that may rashly endeavour to faci-
litate so iniquitous an enterprise. In the meanwhile,
as the " Oregon question" is one of many details, the
succession and connection of which it is necessary for.
those to bear in mind who would master its elements,
we propose to consider it under three heads. 1. What
the question at issue between the two Governments (of
the United States and Great Britain) really is? 2. What
are the known received principles of national law which
apply to the territorial rights of discovery and occu-
pation of lands, as regards the authority of the Parent
State, through whose subjects the discovery and
occupation have been effected ? 3. What are the de-
rivative and possessory rights to the territory of
Oregon, now respectively vested in Great Britain and
in the United States, through France or through
Spain ?
We are confident that we shall demonstrate, in an
ensuing article, and upon a recapitulation of the facts
and details, and evidence of treaties and IT:t.olic acts
which we shall have to submit N t'ne considers.
tion of the reader, that the claim d the United States
to the Oregon cannot be mai-ntained upon any of the
principles above adverted to.
That the United states cannot establish any such

derivative and. possessory rights to that territory,
through any title either from France or from Spain,
or under treaty with Great Britain :
That in all respects, and on all the principles as to
which the United States cannot establish their pre-
tensions to the Oregon, the title of Great Britain is
continuous, corroborated, valid, and inexpugnable.
1. The Oregon question is the validity or invalidity
of the claim of the United States Government to the
whole of the Oregon territory, or full and sovereign
and to
Oregon territorytheexclusional is
altogether
possession,
occupancy. The
vol s
t track
of North Western America, extend;*ig from about
42
a out
42 deg. to 49 deg. N. lat., inelPiling the course of the
Columbia River (whon embouchure
is about
46 deg. N.), which waters acountry
fertile, but earteially valuable for iti
su moderately
P l'l9 off the
fur animals, whose peltry supplies
one
most valuable of all staples for the ma ritthe
of China. It has other natural and geo-
graphical advantages, into which we shall not now
enter. The question of right must be traced through
a chain of many links in the composition of legiti-
mate title. First of all, and as the shortest method
of propounding the question, it may be said that the
foundation of the United States' claim to the Oregon
territory rests on the recognised geographical extent
and boundaries of ,Louisiana, when tint vast tract
of country was purchased by the American Govern-
ment in 1803, and the effect of a treaty made by
that Government with Spain in 1819. For this