Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-12-19
vrrtragv ASPECT OF EHGLAHp.

need 10 The Pres!.tUItoI
Or his selfish love OF n~u;or'e'y. IN Que Cut
Of events, lac Message cane ou'. a''"e =.
blush, before toey could catch 'he cue OF 'n'i'
erca. fueleman OF The National in!eiise"'e
nany OF them we're so struck win asloh'sh'hen'
al Inc moderate tone and impreguable pos'lon
maintained bv our Government, that they lhvo-
UNFAIRLY did Nj Polk the justice, 10 ''ea' ~
views with some little fairness. lheysa"'"
while oor rich, 10 The 1chos Of Oregon was
clearly establishes, still The President ielt oouoa
10 make one more effort 10 adjust ms continued
controversy. and 10 show 10 the Brush 1o'efn'
ment how ,rulv iesirous he was TO cuIl'a'e
friendly relations between the two countries ~
attain this desirable end, The Presioen', lnous"
satisfied upon every ground that our llle - y
whole Of Oregon is impregnable, ohers u s"
render one half al the territory. This IS Pfonp'-
IL declined b. tie British Minister, who, WIN
out even consulting his own Government as Is
usual in such important affairs, iaun'insiy cans
upon the President for q proposition more Gun
sonant with "di,ncM and equity" Inc flcsi-
DENT. conscious al having made concessions
enough TO secure peace, was fully %Justlled IN
wi,hdra wing .. offers and falling back upon our
perfect title. ;,
AS we said above, this wise, and dieniheo, ana
temperate course Of the President, lookihe wing
press BY surprise, and many Of them gave Out
limitations Of a desire not 10 disappro"e Of a po-
licy, which so well projected The good NAME no
nor and interests OF the nation, and winch le
whole country would sustain.
Bnt. after the first "shock" Of lie message, me
\. Inlelligencer aimed its insidious blows al the
tone and temper Of The message, which, harSaeu'
clearly indicated a desire 10 emt!oil the t"o couh-
tries in war, Tor the personal and polItlcal au-
vantage OF The administration. The minor mig
presses throughout the Union (wIih some homo
rable exceplions) caught up The strain, ana as
sailed the President with violence and ililbeIellty,
for his bullying, clustering language and style
Fortunately for these factious prints, The steamer
Cambria reached our shores, announcing the IN
creased naval ard military preparations N pro-
sress in Great Britain, as all directed against IS,
in the probable contingency Of a war for Oregon.
All these animated movements in England were
paradei, in the darkest co.ors, TO fright our GOV
ernmen! "irom IL proprieiy," and alarm our peo'
pe into farther concessions 10 The grasping de-
signs of England. But is itlrue, that these naval
and military preparations are intended Tor u.s.
Ii is true, the Wings say so, and from their more
intimate acquaintance with The anti-American
movements OF England, they ought TO he better
informed than the Democratic parry. But is not
British testimony at least as good as that OF The
American Wing press2
The y. Y. Albion, a journal conducted with
ability and dignity BY an Eng!Ishman, and re-
aecting properly, We have no doubt, The feelings
Of the people ofGreat Britain, completely upseis
this Wing argument, In The following article,
i, expresses lis decided belief that, in putting in
order her Notifications and navy, Grea, Britain
has an eve, no, 10 tbs country, butto her expio-
size n~eishbor, France, with whom she is not now
united on the very bss, ierms-Louis Philippe
is growing Old, and his death and The minority Of
tie young Duke Of Orleans, may furnish a s'imu-
lus 10 the Republican spirit. 10 rear lis head and
involve all Europe in a long and destructive war.
/, is then, most probably, 10 watch France, that
England is now Furnishing her weapons. This
opinion we expressed some TING since, SO we still
,hink, aud he Albion confirms our opinion. Hear
that authority
"Warlike preparations continue TO be made;
but, as we have said on a former occasion, they
are chiefly oil Il defensive character, and imdu
rarrQnied by The threats held out in the pamphlet
Of the Prince de Joinville. Notifications along
The coast, and The construction oil steam vessels,
seem 10 comprise the bulk OF The preparations.
The powerful steam navy Of France leaves The
coas, Of England particularly open 10 their al
tackS. Steam, indeed, has almost Jitdgcd The
Channel, and England IS no longer safe in heT
insnlar position as formerly, unless she conform
10 The new state Of things. Twenty steamers
nigh, sail from Brest, having on board twenty
regiments, which might cross The Channel in a
single long and dark night, and land The troops
on The soil Of Britain IN time Tor breakfast. For
liica,ions and numerous steam ships OF war are
me Two remedies for providing agains, this new
danger. The preparations, then, Tor war, are for
home ratafY than for foreign serrlce-they are tor
defensive, and not for aggressive purposes. What
change Mr.. Folks Message may produce, we do
not pretend 10 say"
With The Albion, We agree that il IS proper 10
wait until we hear OF the effec, produced in Eng
land BY the Presidents Message. Unless we are
deceived, the English people will see in that DO
cumcnt SO much more moderation and pacific
spirit than the rabid Wing press OF this country
and their own journals led them 10 expect, that
the esacerbaled British feeling will be somewha,
softened. Al all events, until We hear of The ef-
feet ci the message, let us not unnecessarily work
ourselves into alarm, and predict dreadful evils.
The next news from England may shape our fu-
ture conduct, and indicate our course. In The
mean time, let US not, by denouncing our own
Government, and deprecia,ing our own rig ms and
dignity, give any encouragement 10 the designs
Of our great rival. To secure peace, The world
mus, see that we are united as one man, willing
10 pay all proper respect 10 the rights and feelings
Of other nations, bul resolved 10 maintain ouI
own honor.
But, say the Wings, The measures recommend
ed BY Mr.. Polk, il adopted BY Congress, will
certainly produce war. One OF these measures
is the notice to put an end 10 the joint occupan
cy. Does The New York Albion look for wal as
a certain consequence of such a movement Or
the contrary, j, advises This very course; and i
is plain, that. if We do not give the notice, Eng
land will. Hear the Albion, pretty good British
authority
"As the case now stands, VIC concur in the
opinion, that The sooner the notice is given 10 puI
an end 10 the joint occupancy convention the bel
ter, for then The influential men, and the true
friends of The two countries, will see the approach
ing tanger, and arouse themselves TO bring abou
a settlement. 1t is really 100 bad that the two
countries should continue 10 quarrel on such s
question"
The Albion, then, refers TO a proposition fol
compromise, which itself had suggested, anc
which had met the favorable views of The Jour
nal OF Commerce and other papers. II is the ex'
tension Of The 49th degree TO The Northern branch
Of the Columbia river, thence in a Soulh-Eas,erly
direction 10 Pugel's Sound, about the 10th degree
and a half of latitude. This line Of deInarcation
while j, would give TO England The whole o