The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-30 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1845.

The intelligence from the United States, though
comprising much information on a great variety of
topics interesting to this country, leaves us nearly
as much in the dark as ever respecting the dispute
on the Oregon question. No decided steps had
been taken by Congress; the PRESIDENT'S
Message had been referred to Committees, and
till a report was made the feelings of the two
Houses could not be accurately ascertained.
In the meantime preparations were in progress for
putting the country in a state of defence. The
Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs
was to propose a Bill for the immediate
organisation and equipment of 200,000 mi-
litia, and demand a vote of 10,000,000 dollars
for these purposes. General CAss, notorious for his
political intrigues at Paris some two years ago, bad
in the Senate moved for returns of the military con-
dition of the country, and its means of defending itself
in case of an attack. Similar steps -were to be taken
also with respect to the navy. Many new
ships, it was said, would be made ready
for service ; the weaker points on the coasts
and in the various harbours were to receive addi-
tional fortifications, and every symptom, in fact, ap-
peared of a determination on the part of the Govern-
ment to carry things with a high hand. A report
prevailed that the negotiations between Mr.
PAKENIIAP4, the British Minister, and Mr.BUCHANAN,
respecting the Oregon territory, had been resumed,
on the proposition of the former, but we cannot trace
the report to any good authority. Our Government
will make every honourable attempt to settle the
differences, but they will yield none of our rights,
and we confidently believe will adhere to the ultima-
tum given by the British Minister at Washington.
The aggressive spirit of the Republic is too manifest
and the principles avowed by President Pons in his
Message with regard to European powers, chiefly
England and France, are too insolent to admit of any
compromise either of the claims or the dignity of this
empire. The Government of the Unites States
make it no secret, that they are hemming
in Mexico on every side. Texas has already
been swallowed up, the whole of Oregon is to be
extorted from this country, and California is to be
extorted also from Mexico by what is called a bar-
gain—in other words, by America setting up claims
for some doubtful arrears, and promising to let
Mexico off at a cheap rate, by surrendering Cali-
fornia. " The intelligence from Mexico," says the
New York Her.ld, " assumes additional im-
portance by every arrival. It will be interesting
to learn the progress of the negotiations between the
Mexicans and the new American Minister to that
rvpublic. It is expected that the result will be a
satisfactory settlement of all our claims against Mexico;
the Rio del Norte as the boundary line of Texas and
Mexico ; and the acquisition of California, including
the ports of San Pedro and Monterey, and the mag-
nificent bay of San Francisco. There will probably
be a vast deal of bluster from the Mexican press be-
fore all this is accomplished; but as it is perhaps ne-
cessary for the good health of those philosophers who
write for the papers, to get rid of a good deal of their
angry feelings, no one will care what they
may say." 'We are afraid this brief extract expresses
the feelings of a vast portion of the population,
and that the Government, unless restrained by those
European powers which it puts to the ban, will per-
severe in its aggressions on this weak arid,idivleinidroen-
public, till the whole is brought under lie d
of the United States. Canada ill be the next prize
to be contended for, and •aiready the people of that
colony begin to 1,3:-Ac with anxiety, though not
ith fear to the threatening in Powes Message
One of the Montreal journals says the style of im

pudent bravado adopted by him towards the Euro-
pean Governments are intended, no doubt, to
irritate, and show that if he can possibly ex-

cite a war during his administration he hill
certainly do it. It adds, "We much tear
that the control of the affairs of the Unitud States
has fallen into the hands of bad men." On this truth
the New York paper referred to makes the following
friendly comment :—" The 'control of public affairs'

in this country has indeed fallen into the hands of bad
men—decidedly too bad for England or Canada."
Several of the other journals write in a more peace-

able spirit, but, unfortunately, their conclusions

seem founded on the assumption that America
is to get all she demands. "We are

happy," says the Courier and Enquirer, "to renew•

our congratulations to our readers upon the convic-
tion which we have arrived at, from evidence which

we deem satisfactory, that war, as a means of 'adjust-
ing' the difficulty with England, is not within any
rational calculation of probabilities." But further
remarks on the subject at present are not required.
We must wait the course of events, am in the mean-
tune be prepared for the worst.

We are not likely to know before the meeting of
Parliament what Sir R. PEEL means to do with the
corn-laws, and we must know soon after. Specula-
tion, under these circumstances, as to the course
which he will take may seem idle ; but, when the
corn-laws are the one single subject of interest in
connexion with the meeting of Parliament, when no
topic divides public attention with the corn-laws, it is
impossible not to speculate on what the Minister
means to do. We believe that his policy will be tots