Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-07-12
NATIONAL lNTELLIGENCER.
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

NeBOuauons Oh oregon question and Othe
unsettled questions between the United States and Grea
Britain. BY RIcHARD RusH, Envoy Extraordinary an,
Minister Plenipoentay from the United States from 1871
1925. Philadelphia, Lea & Blanchard, ls45." svo
PIP. GAO.
More than once already have we found occasion
to cite from this very agreeable and sensible book
before yet we had half6nished the examination o.
it. Of course complete perusal has furnished us
an abundance of things and passages from it that will
yield our readers either pleasure or instruction.
From one of the political party to which Mr..
RUSH Is understood rather to ncline-a party adj
dicted 1--WE may be permitted to say toas little ofcon
sderation towards foreign nations of justice to-
wards fellow-citizens of an opposite party at home
we can recollect no book of tone and character SC
dispassionate and even amiable as this. Certainly
ne betrays at times the man of party opinions but
this in matters rather speculative than practical
His, indeed, is obviously Democracy much more
elevated and liberal, and therefore Of sincerer con
viction, than that which now raves in Senates ant
pours universal rancor and SANDER from the
Press. Mr.. RUSH appears to have felt that his mis-
sion abroad was for purposes which the system O.
thinking of his friends at home could in no manner
advance that the domestic idea of referring every
thing to party plan being of itself abundanty bad
TO add to 1t like method in affairs abroad is dan
gerous and foolish in the extreme that, in word
one must, in going abroad the representative Of
the nation lberalize and elevate his views, and as
sumo, far he can, that spirit in which great ma
tions should look on each other-a spirit that will
(since the business of people with people is ever,
as far as possible, goodwill and peace) seek in for
eign institutions, manners, and persons, though diff
ferent from our own, such good they may be fit
peculiarly to produce. The opposite view of things
is, indeed, as narrow and false as it is unhappy.
EorC God has lfftla dasirnad that oil System nf
government but one should be of mischief unmixed
with good, as that all religions but should pro-
duce nothing but immortality. Some light of the
Divinity shines even in the darkest superstition
every faith has something of holy in it every form
Of society confers certain blessings proper TO it. If
as Christians we must be tolerant and respect what
ever of worth another creed has produced, how
much more must we, in the mere human matter of
Republicanism, learn to look with indulgence upon
the error, with approval upon the practical benefits,
which Institutions of different sort in many in
stances confer!
Thus far, our ambassadoral lterature-by no
means opulent in any thing-has been little rich in
that wise liberality and candor of which Mr.. RUSH
affords an example. Mr. CAss's little volume GER
tainly displays in point of general temper, the same
characteristic; but by no means attended with a
like extent of public and personal information.
But to proceed to the analysis of Mr.. Rush's book
we design TO extract much from its diversified and
often very interesting pages. Our main purpose
will be one proper to own special duty of sup
plying to the public whatever can throw any impor-
tant lights on political questions of moment now
pending. But such, we design in the regular or
der of the book. We have, then-snce the mass
and main particulars of what relates to the Oregon
negotiation lie towards the close of the volume-to
reach them across much miscellaneous matter worthy
IF md There 10 oft
that cannot fail greatly interest readers and so
10 protract our notice, that shall not be able in
single paper to arrive at what is to US the chief
object of the book. Meantime, the character of what
we shall give will serve to win for what is to ensue
last of all curiosity and confidence.
To what party the convictions and the political
fortunes Of Mr.. RUSH have inclined we have already
animated. That, amid the general fairness of
volume written for far higher purposes than to dis
play them, he yet gives sufficient token of them in
his book, the following passage will show. He is
relating conversation with politician of note,
mot named,) who seeks him to talk of a change of
Ministry, of which there was just then some expec-
taton on foot Thereupon, they reason as follows,
(pp. 1903, l04:)
said Also that to my speculative observation Tory
Administration seemed rather the in unison with
Try the institutions Of which essentially arstocracal
monarchica Just in the United States where consti
tulions began with the words We the People, where su
frlgs nearly universal and nearly every Office elective,
depending the issue Of elections Democratic admnistra-
tions seemed the natural and added that Tory adj
administrations in England had been found best NV
vsie and dscoursed Of these things good par he as
monarchst as a republican"
There is much discrimination in that part Of
these remarks which relates to parties in England
and the rest is perfectly decisive of the writer's i'm
pressions of what must be the general fortune of the
two great parties among ourselves. Without stop
ping TO discuss with him the soundness of his latter
position, we shall only suggest that the terms in
which he states it loose and deceptive. The
party Of popular pretences and of articiay excited
popular humors is not necessarily either the true
party Of the people, that which can lead them to
its own ends. 1t may rush. and il has been rush.
ing, to extremes that shall at last draw down upon
it an invncibe popular mistrust In free State,
if the people be indeed capable Of selfgovernment
they surely will settle at last into confidence in
those politicians whose methods and measures are
the soundest. There is, there can be, in this coun-
try no party that is not essentially popular one !;
and as, in England, the pretended Liberal the ultra
popular party, is not that which has ever performed
the public good about which it clamored- equal
lied representation, diminished taxes, relaxation
of the restrictive policy, Irish emancipation, &c
why should it not be las it isl the same thing in this
country The party acting in a conservative spirit
proves to be there, where changes are needed, the
snceres and the safest instruments Of those changes
Here, then, where changes are not needed how
should not the men who Withstand destructive