The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-30

calmly see their minister joining with The British
cabinet, and attacking in tender point their San
cient ally" of IS years. can that ally be entirely ST.
lent under the aggression Or what will MIR. Polk,
or what will the American people care for the
'tusks" Of the foreign minister, who has been foil
ed in his efforts to deprive us Of Texas. We care
not for "cprsas," however vigorous" where
truth and victory are both on our side
And against whom, or at least to whose preju-
dice, in the first instance, was the commission ofths
crime attempted Against whom but the people Of
the United States, and the people Of Texas' And
to whom, then, than to them, can belong the
right to denounce it to the world' Is this
sion ON which the exercise Of this right can be i'm
puted 10 them as a crime, or on which any true
Frenchman, loving liberty, and loving justice, will
feel disposed to chime in with the rebuke precipi-
lately uttered in the article before us and repeat
after its writer, whether the policy adopted by the
French cabinet in the Texas question were good
or bad, they only answerable therefor TO their
concences and their country, and il is not for ,-
eign government TO constitute Itself their Judge 7" Is
any such pretenson an this fairly imputable OH this
occasion to the American people or to their govern
ment'
Translated for the Union from the Courier des Etas
Unis Of December %.
On resuming our editorial labors il is proper that
we should glance retrospectvely at those political
events which have taken place during the interval
between our last letter and arrival and that we
| should make few remarks concerning the most
important of those evens-that is to say, the Pres-
dents message, and the diplomatic correspondence
relative to the Oregon question.
The message Of MIR. Polk is one of the most re-
| xa.
from the popular magistrates occupying the hi e
House. 1t is destined vastly TO elevate Mr. Polk in
the eyes Of Europeans, who have not, rs yet duly
appreciated him, and who have only seen in him a
second rate mana fortunate ribune--but one who
was rather beneath than above his fortune. Mr..
Polk, by his message, has attained station among
the master spirits Of intellect and courage. His pro-
duction is destined to cause profound sensation III
Europe by its distinguishing traits, and ALSO per-
haps, by its defects
certain portions of his message, all the received rules
of diplomacy and of international etiquette. He
has violated them, particularly in the passage where
| he accuses before the world, the French govern
| rnent of having been unjust to the ancient alliance
which united them to the American cause Ii is the
first time that cabinet has been thus accused at the
| bar of public opnion---that an official reproach of
| falthlessness has been made by one government
against another. Heretofore, such instances Of in
constancy have been blinked Of sight in politics
ticaed manner, has exposed all the secrets of COURT
and has called spade apade. For our part we
| love vastly this downright irankness; mote
disposed laugh than to weep this abrupt rend-
ing asunder of the veil in which diplomacy and ETH
| quete are shrouded. But il will not probably
be thus at the Tullcries; and the French gov
eminent will surely be deeply wounded by the
accusation OF ~e"t of Faith. and of s'intrgues''
| Uhe word is literally used) which is hurled
| at. them from the presidential chair. And,
Ve mi he cahi will mt he
| wounded without reason. Whether the policy
| adopted by them in the Texas question was good
or bad, they only answerabe therefor to their
consciences and to their country, and it is not for
foreign government to constitute itself their Judge
The accusation brought by Mr.. Polk against the
policy Of M. Guizot must tend SO much the moro
to irritate the latter because it will afford to the
French opposition an effective weapon Of which
they will not fail avail themselves. In the hands
Of the members Of the left, (gauche) the message
Of Mr.. Polk will become a bloody scourge with
which the ministerial policy will be dashed u the
| utmost. But M. Guizot is not patient subject,
and when he turns towards his enemies, the gashes
inflicted by his tusks never fail TO leave many VIC
| tim on the earth. We much deceived, or Mr.
Polk will have his share in these vigorous repri
SAILS
| Among the ordinations addressed by Mr.. Polk
to M. Guizot, there is one which, we think, the
French minister will retalate against him with ad-
vantage; it is that which relates to the celebrated
| "balance Of power" which has much displeased
American politicians We are able to assert (speak-
ing with knowledge on the subject,) that the idea
Of M. Guzot, in this respect, has never been prop
erly understood this side the Atlantic, and has
been distorted and msrepresened by the interpreta-
ton Of the journals it still is in the message Of
Mr.. Polk. Both have assumed in their arguments
and in their dcnuncations, the fact that the French
minister aimed to establish in North America an
equilibrium of rival powers-a "balance Of power"
as the phrase and the idea have been rendered in
English. There is in this double error M Gui.
got never spoke Of establishing real equilibrium
among the powers which govern the North
American continent, but of maintaining the exist
ing equbrum-that is to say, Of respecting the
present condition of things. Now, since this desire
| could not have been addressed to England, who is
of strength sufficient to mako herself respected in
her Canadian and other possessions, the great crime
of the French minister is that Of having uttered
wish that the Americans would respect the Next
can nationality. There was nothing in this which,
in fact, ought 10 offend the American people and
government, who every day renew TO Mexico assu-
Of their friendship and Of their entire dsin-
terestedness.
Mr.. Polk has proved himself more powerful
and Just logician in that portion of his message
where he sets forth the rights Of his country and
the offers of his cabinet, in relation to Oregon His
assertions on this subject have received brilliant
confirmation in the correspondence between Mr..
Pakenham and Mr.. Buchanan. In analysing this
voluminous correspondence, the able writer who,
during absence, has supplied editorial chair,
has not thought it incumbent upon him TO express
an opinion the relative merits Of the two cham
pions engaged in this epistolary combat We be-
lieve we say nothing which has not already been
| sanctioned by public opinion, when we accord to the
defender Of the rights Of the United States signal
and decisive piciory In this claim which he asserts
to the territory belonging to his country, Mr.. Bu-
chanan places himself on level with Mr.. Polk; ard
these two statesmen nobly inspired each by the
other. Among the arguments adduced by the skill
full Secretary Of State there is which should be
stated more fully than it has been in the rapid anay
sis of our colaborer, and is that which Mr. Buchan
an sums up in these simple words:
1.-THE treaty peace concluded at Ghent in December
1874 provided that all territory, places and possessions
taken by either party from the other during the
war, shall be restored without delay"
Conformaby to this article Of the treaty, Great
Britain restored Astoria to the United States, and
thus acknowledged, in the most solemn manner, not
only that this had been American territory or