The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-05-01
HIGHLY IMPORTANT FROM WASHINGTON
Position of the American Government towards
England and other Foreign Powers.

ington, in tune 10 forward TO Europe by the
steamer, which sails to day from Boston, highly
interesting and important advices relative to the
position and purposes OF the American govern
ment under the Presidency OF Mr.. Polk on the
subject OF our foreign relations, now III such an
interesting and menacng attitude, WIFI Enslaho
and Mexico in particular The last news rom
England, particularly that which conveyed 10 US
the extraorpinary declarations OF SIR Robert reel
in the House OF Commons, and OF Lord Aberdeen
in the House OF Lords, on the subject OF the oregon
territory and the inaugural address OF Mr. Folk,
has created feeling OF excitement throughout
this country. far it has gone that begins to be
exceedingly alarming. This feeling is also in.
creased by the begerent intelligence which we
are receiving every other day from Mexico on the
subject OF Texas annexation On all these matters,
every nlind has been looking anxously towards
Washington, endeavorlug to form some opinion oil
the sentiments and policy Of the President and his
Cabinet, and what they mean TO do, and what
course they intend to take in relation 10 these I'M
portant questions
In order to give our readers throughout America
and Europe mixing OF what the senti-
ments OF our government ere on these sub
]ects, we annex two important and Significant
articles from the two organs OF the administration
journal which has been formally recognised as
the organ of the government and the other from the
Washington Constitution, which is also side by
side with the Globe, occupying a similar attitude
with regard to our foreign affairs. We have no
doubt that the sentiments expressed by these jour
mails, published under the eye of the President and
his Cabinet, patronised by them and one actually
constituted the government organ-express the
views of the government, and may safely be
regarded as indicating the course and policy
which they intend TO pursue with regard to
England and Mexico on the question OF Ore
gon and Texas. There will be no retractation-
NO backing out-no recession from the position,
bold, independent and resolute, assumed by the
President IN his inaugural The tone OF defiance
which characteriZes the articles we have extracted
from these journals is no doubt the tone which
aninates The American government, and we have
every reason TO believe, from what we see taking
place around us, that the democracy-the party
the great mass of the people throughout the land,
will exhibit the same feeling and unite in the same
policy and action.
These sentiments OF popular enthusiasm in oppo-
sition to the policy and threats OF England, only
in their inception yet. The press only begins to
speak out But we have no doubt in a short time
the whole people will be inhamed on the subject,
taking the tone from the government journals al
Washington, and echoing the Presidents inaugu-
raj fully determined to oppose to the last exIemi-
ty any attempt of the British government, or any
other, to impede the victorious progress OF this re-
public to the accomplishment of the full measure
of its mighty destiny.
1t is true in opposition to this view Of the case,
we must acknowledge that there is a large portion
of the commercial interest, the banking interest,
and the stock obbing interest, utterly opposed to
any thing like war, and by whom the Impression
would gladly be made that there is no danger Of
any such termination of the present crisis of
tiopal affairs. II is very natural desire on the
part of the commercial interests to avert a war
War is, indeed, amelancholy alternative in nation
al controversies. But when you have the patriotic
passions of a whole people on one side, ard the
isolatedinte of the mere commercial and stock
jobbing classes on the other, the contest between
the war and anti war feeling must be very brief and
evanescent, indeed, when the great crisis comes
The patriotic impulses of the people will sweep over
every obstacle like the roaring and Numbering tor
rent that rushes from the mountains, and buries
the plain beneath its boiling and resistless tide.
In addition to this intelligence, we learn that
Geographic communication received at Balti-
more from Washington, stating that the President
our foreign relations and we have no doubt that
their deliberations partook very much Of the char
acter OF the developments made by the organs as
published in this journal. We hope for peace. War
is the last resort of nations. But we are clear In
the conviction that no government in this country
will ever venture TO give up the annexation of
Texas, provided the people of Texas are willing TO
come into this Union-that no government in this
ufrv will dar tor cloi1
foot of Oregon territory, RS indicated by the Pres
dents inaugural, notwithstanding all the menaces
of England and Mexico, and all the force that
they could bring against this country in
the event of any serious collision. This
is calm and resolute determination on the part of
the people of this country to fulfil their high dest-
ny. The movement has begun. They believe
and nothing can shake their belief, that the whole
OF this continent will be under the sway Of the
Anglo-Saxon race, and that the dawn of that move
ment, for subiugating the whole of the Mort hern
portion of this great division of the earth has al
ready manifested itself to the eye of all nations
Whilst we, therefore, Of this country, are deci-
dedly in favor of war rather than the cession of
rights the avoidance OF our destiny yet ii is
probable that before war takes place we shall be
true to the blood Of ancestry, and that as pre-
urinary step, general and State governments will
unite in paying to their British creditors the hundred
millions which they owe in the shape of State debts,
in order to clear our consciences and obtain per-
feet peace oe mind. After that, we can go to work
and give the British one Of the soundest drubbings
they have got within the last thousand years, or
since the time when the Romans scarrifed the
backs of the naked savages from whom they stole
their glorious island. We wont go 10 war with an
enemy, even for our own righs, TO whom we owe
money. We will procrastnate the negotiations,
and ward off the day of battle, out of pure sym
pathy for our British ancestry, till we have paid
the utermost farthing of what we owe them
Then, when all scores are settled, we will show
them that the day has, indeed, come, when the
lion must crouch before the eagle both ON Land