The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-05
THE SPECIAL MISSION.


In the brief remarks which we have deVo'e'
to the Special Mission from the Government o
Great Britain we have endeavored 10 ara" 'h'
attention of our readers TO the lwoIoia asPee
which il presents. Though It promises Peaee
it is also omnous of war. The mission itseil
and the person selected as the envoy, both ihui
cate a strong disposition on the part OF orea'
Britain to prevent collision between the TWO
nations, and TO perpetuate amlcable relations
between them Regarding this TACT Simply
without reference to the Irrigated points, winch
are to be the subjects Of negotiation, we per
ceive fair prospect Of permanent peace. y
seems to manifest that the dangerous projects
of policy attributed to the British Government
have been abandoned That its never ceasing
hostility to this Republic; It's far-fetchea
schemes and crafty intrgues to destroy our
| Union its invncible determination to invade al
every opportunity the rights of our citizens 10
heap aggression upon aggression, till foroear-
ance on our part could no longer endure. TO de-
| mand every thing and to yield nothing, until
war should become inevitable, are at present nc
longer cherished. So far we may hope that lhe
harmony existing between the two countries
will not be destroyed. The reasons for the
hope may prove delusive. Beyond this point
all the solace which the friends of peace may
derive from the mission of Lord Ashburton
speedily evaporates.
When we regard the questions which form
the subjects of the negotiation, we cannot trust
with equal confidence that it will succeed In
settling satisfactorily to both the parties all the
points at issue. We may suppose that the party
| now in power in Great Britain has abandoned
all the Interior objects, the desire to attain
| which, it is said, prompted preceding admins
trations to defer the final adjustment OF long
pending differences and to add new causes OF
offence with the intent that war should ensue,
and that therefore the wish for peace being sin.
cere on both sides, is guarantee for its perpetu-
alton. True, Britain may not desire war. She
may be, on the contrary extremely anxious to
avoid it-but difficulties yet remain which may
prove insuperable in the way of definite and
peaceful arrangement from the delicate nature OF
all the questions in dispute. What is the middle
ground on which the negotiating powers can
stand in friendly attitude, we are not able to
surmise Assumptions have been made by
Great Britain to which this Government can
not and will not yield. The indisputabe
rights of our citizens are involved in the
concession After pertinacious adhe-
renee, for years, to principles and practices,
against which this country has invariably
| protested has the British Government In
structed its envoy to waive any of its assumed
rights so long insisted on as such 2 In cases
where we can yield nothing, the concession
must be made by Great Britain. Will she do
| it2 If she does not-and both Governments
retain the position which they have long since
taken, war is ineyitable-and will come upon
us the more speedily-as we have already said
| in consequence of this Special Mission. One
| of its results must be TO simpl' he manGuvres
and contract the delays Of macy, The ne
gotiation might continue TO ltayel for years, to
come with the same tardy step with which il
has moved for years gone by The Specla
| Mission hastens its movements-and whether
there will be peace, or whether there VIII be
war, will at an early period most probably be de
fnitely determined We hope the former, ant
we have some reason for the hope; but reason:
still stronger induce US to prognosticate the lat
ter. We have but one motive for the hope anc
many for the apprehension.
But no matter in what light we may regarc
the position in which we stand with respect tt
Great Britain, we should be prepared for thu
worst contingency. If war should unfortunate
y prove to be the result of the Special Mission
it is now time to put the country in condition
to face the foe There is no time for delay
and the people expect that Congress VIII b'
prompt and energetic in taking the measures
demanded by the relations in which we stan'
with powerful foreign nation, with the probabll
ity Of a war now menacing US.
This is no time to agitate questions danger
Gus to our institutions. 1t is no time to enter
tain, for moment the faintest idea ofdssoutior
In our union is our strength There are sui
iects in abundance to engage all the faculties {
Congress-subjects in which the whole Unto
is deeply interested. Instead of wasting mol
time in discussions on the dissolution of tn
Union, we trust it will at once look to plans fc
the defence of the Union.
RATHER EQUIVOCAL.
friend in a letter, dated Washington, JAN j.
saws "I prepared you yesterday to expect gres
effort from Mr.. Benton in the Senate to-day on tn
reference of the Erchequer Fiscality. II would