The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-17 00:00:00

WEDNESDAY EVEN.ING DECEMBER 17, 1845.

LONDON,

A3II4:RICAN NEWS.

ARRIVAL OF TIIE BRITANNIA.

The British and North American royal mail
steam-ship Britannia, Captain Hewitt, arrived in the
Mersey at half-past five o'clock yesterday morning,
having on board Lord Metcalfe, who leaves his go-
vernment on account of ill-health. Bishop Hughes,
of :N ew York, is also a passenger. Lord Cathcart is
Governor of Canada till another is appointed. The
Britannia left Boston on the 2d instant, and Halifax
on the 4th. She met the Cambria when a few miles
from Boston, and brings 75 passengers.
The news by this steamer, especially the com-
mercial items, is interesting, though the public and
the press appeared to be rather at a standstill
till the receipt of the message of Mr. Polk. The
general impression appeared to be that, though
the President might perhaps reiterate his former
strong assertions, that his party in Congress
would take no action in the matter, but
that the affair would be negotiated in Washington.
The Union, published at Washington, and recog-
nised as the " organ," comes out in the strongest
terms for the "whole of Oregon or none ;" but
little attention had been excited by its remarks, as
it is known as one of the " alarmist" papers. The
negotiation, it was understood, is going on at Wash-
ingtcn, not in London. Congress was to meet on
Monday, the Ist of December, when the President
will at once deliver his oration, which will probably
be brought to London by the Ashburton, which was
to sail from New York on the Gth instant, or the
Europe packet-ship of the Ist, which might possibly
lay over two days for the news. Mr. Polk would
recommend a reduction cf the tariff to a revenue
standard, but whether Congress will pass such a
measure is somewhat doubtful.

Accounts from Mexico are of the most pacific
character, the southern republic thinking it best
policy to spare at once their dollars and their terri-
tory, both of which would, in case of hostilities with
their neighbours, be lost to them. The Mexican
Government now desires to have a boundary defined,
to acknowledge Texas as one of the United States,
and to continue on the best terms possible with the
sister republic.

The last advices from the " army of occupation "
in Texas represent the existence of a great anxiety
to return home, there being no fighting in prospect,
not much to eat, and no pay forthcoming. An im-
mediate recal was looked for.

Accounts from Havannah estimate the sugar crop
at 700,000 boxes. The crop of tobacco is also said to
be unprecedentedly large and fine. Business matters
were very thriving.
On the arrival of the Britannia, on the 20th, con-
firming the previous accounts of a short crop of
grain and potatoes throughout the United Kingdom,
the greatest excitement commenced in the corn mar-
kets at New York, and up throughout the interior of
New York State to Buffalo. Flour rose to 7 dolls.
25c., about 275. 6d. per barrel, but has since fallen
to 6 dolls. 88c., at which holders are very firm,
waiting advices by the Cambria. The quantity of
wheat and flour sent from Buffalo is unprecedented;
and:the list of vessels and their freights, from New
York to Liverpool, from the 24th to 30th of Novem-
ber, show that a considerable part of the increase is
destined for England. The wheat crop of the United
States is about 125 millions of bushels, the largest
ever known ; the crop of 1842, which was the largest
till this year, was 103 millions. The canals from
Buffalo to Albany were open on the 29th of Novem-
ber, and were expected to remain open perhaps a..
wee'c longer. In the meantime, the departures of
boats from Buffalo for klbany, all laden with flour,
averaged sixty a day! There were at the last ac-
counts 250,000 barrels of flour at Albany alone,
waiting shipments to New York or Boston.
The news from Liverpool by the steamer caused a
fall in cotton, at New York, of a quarter of a cent.
per lb. ; but since that time the market has been
gradually getting firmer, and prices had fully re-
sumed their previous level. Holders, however, looked
with some anxiety for the arrival of the news by the
Cambria.

Business generally at New York was good, parti-
cularly in all descriptions of provisions. Exchange
was lower, and still falling, being quoted, at the
sailing of the steamer, at 8 to 8i premium; on
Paris, 5 27k.
All was quiet at Monterey, in California, on the
30th of September. A new Governor, with troops,
was expected from Mexico.
Papers from Guatemala to the 10th of September,
received in the city of Mexico, state that that unfor—
tunate republic at last enjoys some repose. The
commanders of the troops at San Salvador and Hon-
duras enterel into an armistice on the 26th of August,
and commissioners were appointed under it to confer
upon the conditions of a general peace.
.

The accounts from Otaheite state that her Britannic
Majesty's ship Collingwood, Admiral Sir G. Sey-
mour, had arrived there and saluted the French pro-
tectorate fisg. Sir.G. Seymour has command of the
English fleet stationed on the North Pacific coast, and
t o operate on the shores of Oregon, if need be. It is
this fleet that Commodore Stockton has just been
dispatched in the frigate Congress to watch. The
United States ship Levant, Commander H. N. Page,
was at Oahu on,the sth of September, to sail next
day for California and the west coast of Mexico. The
United States ship Savannah, Commodore Sloat, was
daily expected at Oahu. The United States ship
Warren, Commander Hull, sailed from San Pedro,
California, September the 6th, 1845, for Oahu.

value—in which estimation, honour may be included—
cad of making his trial balance, with honour and the
value of the subject in controversy, on cne side, and
war on the other. But honour may be carried out,
blank.
Let us Fee, then, whether certain facts and probabi-
lities sufficient to guide the judgment, and decide the
course of every dispassionate friend to his country, are
not of public notoriety ? And first. everybody knows
that the question b:Aween the United States and

Great Britain is neither Morel Mr-less than a ques-
tion of title to land, either to be regarded as vacant,
or in the joint peaceable possession of both parties.
Consequently, no consideration of national honour is
involved in the nature of the claim. It belongs to a dif-
ferent category. Honour has no more to do with it than
in a dispute between John Doe and Richard Roe, tenants
in common of Black-acre or White-acre. As honour is
not at all, so interest is in a very limited degree, the
" subject of the story." In the immediate view, the
value of Oregon, as land, is considerably minus nil. It
will be a drain to population, which we want, and aug-
ment the quantity of land in mArket, of which we have
enough and to spare. II a prospective view of com-
mercial and other contingencies, it may he—though that
is doubtful—as valuable as a part of New Holland
would have been, if, perchance, we had acquired the
same sort of title to it. One country is, indeed, about
six thousand leagues distsnt, and the other not much
more than four thousand—by sea. But, for all the pur-
poses of final and ultimate jurisdiction, the ocean bar-
would be as effectual in one case as the other. South
Wales, if annexed to our glorious Republic, would be '
not less likely to remain a member, than Oregon. No-
thing can be n.ore attractise to the taste of the " young"
West, than the splendid galaxy of patriots and states-
men, who generally form the group of a Washington
Cabinet—and the congregated wisdom, purity, and pa-
triotism, which adores the. halls of Congress. Still, in
process of time, the charm would not resist the barrier
of the Rocky Mountains ; and the "village llampdens"
would set up for themselve, after Uncle Sam should have
paid roundly for building up the villages.
Secondly—lt is undeniable that offers have been re-
peatedly made, by our Government, to relinquish claim
to, and cede a portion of the debateable ground. There
is, also, good reason to presume that these offers, with,
possibly, some modifications not derogatory or injurious
to the United States, would be accepted.
Third—Each party has refused to cede its claim to
the entire territory. Hence, it plainly and inevitably,
results, that the only alternatives are—first, a Compro-
mise on the basis of continuing the joint possesion, or
otherwise ; second, Arbitration ; third, War.

Now, to suppose that a majority of the American
people are ready for the last of these alternatives—or
that they will plunge into and support a war for these
Siberian wilds, until the other alternatives are finally
and offensively rejected, would be to imagine the case
of a nation run mad. Instances of such delirious infatua-
tion in popular governments have sometimes occurred.
It is, then, the duty of every man and community,
within their respective spheres, to resist the
first symptoms of this tendency—although there
is little doubt that the delirium would be of
short duration, and find its cure in the excess
of suffering brought upon the nation. The ca-
lamities of a British war are fearfully inappreci-
able. The means of annoyance possessed by Great 'Bri-
tain are multiplied, ten-fold; by the agency of steam-
power ; and ours, of defence, are relatively impaired, in
the same ratio. Every harbour, river, creek, and inlet,
would be accessible to their various craft. Our whole
seaboard would be lighted up by successive fires—and
our commerce nearly annihilated. Such a war would
be terminated only by the exhaustion of our resources,
and the abandonment of its object ; and the country
would be driven back, in its career of prosperity,
quite beyond the point from which it started, at the
close of the last war. Great Britain, say our vapouring
statesmen, will not, dare not, cannot make war. No doubt
she will be extremely reluctant to draw the sword. No
doubt, a war would prove inconvenient, injurious, and, in
so far as it might tend to embroil her with other nations
—hazardous to her interests. But the ignorance of
those is an object of compassion, who can believe that
the sleeping lion will suffer our Government to tread on
his toes, without rousing him to action and to vengeance.
The true question is, whether, when the negotiation is
terminated, Great Britain will introduce, by sea and
land, an armed force into Oregon—under the pretence,
perhaps, of merely taking quiet possession. In that
event, our spirited Government and people can do no
less than attempt to follow suit—which, as respects an
expedition by sea, may be found no easy achievement.
Such a state of things would be, in its beginning, ex-
ceedingly like a war, but it would be only the " begin-
ning of the end."
If these considerations are well-founded, the time is
approaching—perhaps now is—when the people, espe-
cially of the Atlantic States, in every mode in which
their voices can be expressed and heard, should have it
understood, by the Government, that this war must not
be ; and that it is time for them to act under other
influence than that of the impassioned portions of the
Far West, who deceive themselves with the illusion
that national and individual glory consists in showing
fight, in every controversy; and that their local
and sectional interests may be promoted by a war,
whatever may befal their brethren on the seaboard.
The watchword of considerate men, of all parties, who
are in favour of peace, should be, compromise, or arbi-
tration—but no war. The distinguished statesmen, of
both parties, should rally their forces under this stan-
dard. The north and the south should pull together, and
form a coalition of parties, on this ground ; regarding it as
distinct from all party questions, which may be left to take
their course. It Is unimaginable, that the southern States
can be ready toprovoke a war, pregnant with every danger
to themselves, and without any just reason or occasion ; and
their senators and representatives will, it is believed,
have sufficient independence to resist thg first step, which
would be—notice to discontinue the joint occupation.
This step, if taken, must be followed up by military pos-
session, in seine form, or government will be regarded
as a mad dog, showing his teeth; and, with this position,
our western fire eaters would not be content, even if
Great Britain should not think fit to forestall us, by a
fort or two at the mouth of the Columbia, and a few
steamers to play on and off. In short, there is a moral
certainty that war would shortly follow the first change
in the state quo.

IRE' AND.
REPEAL ASSOCIATION.

DUBLIN, DEc. 15.—The weekly meeting of the asso-
ciation was held this day, Alderman O'Brien in the chair.
The CHAnorAN having expressed his gratitude to the
meeting for placing him in the position ho occupied on
such an important occasion as the present, observed that
he carcely ever remembered a period when a greater
anxiety pervaded the public mind to learn what would be
the policy adopted, and what the course pursued by their
illustrious Liberator in the present crisis. Whatever
that course might be, he (the Chairman) felt confident it
would meet with the universal approbation of the Irish
peop!e.
Mr. O'CoNNELL, having read a letter from the Right
Rev. Dr. Rake, Bishop of Dromore, observed that the
time had come for every man to double his subscription.
—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") He (Mr. O'Connell) and his
family were accustomed to pay 11. each per month; hence-
forth that sum should be doubled. He was impatient to
speak to them on the present posture of affairs. 'They
were too important to be postponed; but first he should
allude to his la:e visit to Waterford, and he was happy to
say that hit) mission had been crowned with the most
complete success, and the repeaters of that town were
determined to struggle, in perfect unity, for the object
fur which they were contending. Sir Winston Barren
had trifled with them too long. Neither he nor his col-
league, Mr. Wyse, were members of the confederation,
and they would therefore be relieved, at the next elec-
tion, from the trouble of representing the constituency of
Waterford. The electors of that town had two gentle-
men, who were identified with them in sentiment, ready
to stand at the next election—•he alluded to the present
mayor, Sir Benjamin Morris, and the late mayor, Mr.
Meagher.

whichi'it the late Govewmant remained in power, would
be spent in London. Ile had other demands on the new
Administration, and if they conceded them, they
should have the stiri,•9rt of the Irish people.—
(Cheers.) He required that the dismissed magistrates
should be • restored to their commissions ; he made.
that demand on the part of the dismissed Orange
magistrates, as well as on behalf of his friends. It was
rumoured that they proposed sending Lord Forteseue
here as a Viceroy, but he was entirely opposed to
that appointment, as his Lordship had endeavoured to
re-nationalize the youth of Ireland, by declaring that no
person who was friendly to a repeal of the union should
b promoted to any place of emolument under the Crown.
He did not think the Government would have the hardi •
hood to send that nobleman here. It was of the utmost
importance that the people should at once be set to work,
and to effect that desirable end he would require the
Government to advance sums to the different railway
companies equal to the present paid-up capital, not as a
gift but as a loan ; the interest to be one per cent. for
the three first years, and four per cent afterwards, the
railways to be mortgaged fur the amount advanced.
It were most desirable if such an arrangement could be
effected. Ire would also require that Ireland should be
placed on a perfect equality with England as regarded
the franchise and corporations, and that they„should
have a just proportion of representatives—he would not
take less than one hundred and fifty. In conclusion, lie
moved that a committee be appointed to watch over the
progress of registration throughout the country.
Mr. Caleb Powell, M.P., Mr. Henry Grattan, M.P.,
and other gentlemen having addressed the meeting, the
rent for the week was announci d to be 2071. 19s. 11d.
The meeting. then adjourned.