The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-06-02
NEW YORK, MONDAY MORNING, JUNE 2. 1915

burgh, which had been lying dormant during the
winter are again now In full activity, and the traffic
IN the streets, and numerous canals by which the
city is ntersected, more extensive than it was
before known at that period. The general improve
ment the traffic in merchandise ndisposes the pub
lie generally to share gambling. Their attention is
better occupied and long as this is the case the
railroad mania will be checked.
England and neutrality-suspicious. OF the
Newspaper Press.
From Winners Times May III
The probability of war with the Uni
ted States occupies the public mind on this
side of the Atlantic, to the exclusion of every
other topic The arrivals from the Western world
are looked to with absorbing interest, and the in
slant packet arrives, the news is conveyed, with
| all the potency and speed which steam can COM
mand, to the metropolitan journals. In this way,
Outlaw he ~ % I'M a.
Tuesday by the Caledonia" The previous arri-
val-the "Great Westem''-caused some stir, as it
was known that she would bring tdngs of the ct
feet which had been produced in America by the
| speeches of Sir Robert Peel and the Earl Of
Aberdeen, in Parliament, on the Oregon question
But as only sday or two had interviewed between
the receipt Of those. speeches and the return
Of tha steamer, which had not permitted pub
lie opinion to deyelope ITSELF the succeeding arrival
produced, possible still greater interest The pros
and cons OF the question, 1t IS needy to say, are
daily discussed; and this is certainly not the first
instance, of late, thar the spirit of American insu
tons has been analysed by British pens. The theory
Of the Federal Constitution has formed of recent
years, standing dish with the politicians Of Eng
the public men and their waywardness-the democ
racy and its elements-are all weighed with critical
skill, sometimes with friendly, often with adj
verse hand. But whatever diversity of opinion may
exist amongst Englishmen to the abstract merits
OF Republlcanism, war with America-the bare
contemplation of such possibilities abhorrent to
the national mind: war party, properly SO called
regards the United States, does not exist There
is nothing to mark its influence. The mooted point
the Oregon-is not generally believed to be worth
lighting for. tisnot point which appeals to national
pride, or prejudice orpower Every feels That
little island has territory enough, and colonies, and
subjects, which own its sway in every part Of the
habitable globe, that plume themselves on their iden-
LITIGATION with the British name, without measuring
miles of barren and proftess waste. No. The
sentiment which has taken deep root in the public
mind OF this country-which pervades all classes and
secs, and shades Of opinion, and unites them one
man, refers not to the value of the territory in
question, but to what they conceive to be the ar
rogant. overbearing, bullying style with which the
opposite claim, is advanced. It is with spirited
they resist if you lead, they may concede. Mr.
Polk must be crude Judge of human nature,
or he would not have put FORTH in his inaugural adj
dress about the Oregon, sentiments which werenot
merely indscreet-not merely uncalled for and out
of place, but which sneered at, and may be said to
have hurled defiance at the British claim. We say
nothing now as. to the justice of the claim ; all
nary unanimity which exists on this question-an
unanlmlty so surprising, that if we do 60 to war
about 1t, every hand will be held up, every purse
will be opened, every arm will be stretched, to
sustain it, and bring 1t to speedy and triumphant
issue. There are men who would tamely submit to
wrong, that would instantly resent an insult
The country feels itself insulted by the new Pre-
sidentt Is he not bunging tactiton that thus
gives his opponent such advantage-that places
himself in the wrong by his manner, while he is
probably right in his theory? Human ingenuity
could hardly have devised any means SO etfectual
elements of which public opinion IN every free
country is composed. Like the wand of an enchant-
err Mr. Polk has done this, and if there is any truth
in the saying Of Napoleon, that moral force, even in
war; far outstrps physical force it will be found that
his first will not be his last bunder.
Hasty men are generally obstinate men. The
President has committed himself-wil the Re-
matters that the question must now be, settled
He has thrown down the gauntlet and it has been
taken up; he has jeopardised the American claim,
and flung to the winds the "wse and mastery inacti
recommended as the best policy for the United
States to pursue. Back out he cannot, without per-
sonal compromise, for he has shown his cards to his
opponent, who will work, the game according
ly 1t is well understood this side of the
water-it is still better known at Washington, that
the British Cabinet have come TO the conclusion
that the present is the time for bringing this
matter to an issue. To let it slip would prove
them as arrant bunglers as their antagonist
Diplomacy, like the chess-board consists of a series
of successful moves, and skilfulplayer hardly
be blamed for check-mating his rival, The affair
might have remained in allegiance another quarter OF
century, as ii has done during the last half century
and every year would have increased the means, on
the part of America, of successful resisance-de
creased, In the same ratio, the power of Bril-
tain to sustain, or take forcble possession Of
the Oregon.-The tide of emigration, which is
daily flowing to the West, would have peopled il
in few years with the Anglo-American race, who
would have held their against all intruders
These advantages have been cast to the winds
and nothing appears to remain but mutual con-
cession, or the settlement of the question by the
strongest arm Here, again. the evil genius OF the
closed-we are at peace. with the world. Our
Indian empire is consoEdated-our colonies in
China are progressing The British Exchequer
is full to repetion-its navy is in admirable trim
Our steamers sweep every sea- our means of trans |
porting troops, whether from Europe or from ASIA
were never more compete-more perfect. There |
never was period in the history of this country |
when it was better prepared for war-never did |
question exist, not its abstract merits, but be-
cause of its concomltant swagger, on which less |
diversity of opinion prevails, and with heart and |
soul would the dernier resort be entered upon and
pursued. |
We do not write in a partzan spirit. Nothing |
Heaven knows, should we regard as a greater ma |
tonal calamity than rupture with the United States
and we should be sorry to say or do anything which
could in the remotes degree preciptate it, II pain
ful-harrowing-even to contemplate such contln- |
gency The elements Of society would be convu- |
sed, commerce would be swept from the ocean, and |
the ties ofinterest and even OF consanguinity, would
be rudey snapped asunder. Upon England it would |
inflct al but rreparabe injury, and America would
hardly suffer less intensely. May fearful con-
summation be averted
If the President is obstinate, and will concede no
thing, the party which elected may feel bound in |
consistency to sustain him, and the voice of the
more sober and discreet portion of the Union will |
probably be drowned in the avalanche. We sim
that nnd
that both Governments, conceding something for
the sake of peace, may bring the matter to a timely
and satisfactory adjustment. But it is folly to blink
the fact, that the black cloud in the West" to |
which Sir Robert Peel so portentousy alluded,
looks threatening, and may burst with devastating |
fury
In this crisis it is not unnatural that public |
feeling In America should be watched with some
~ Il