The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-09-13
THE DAILY UNION.

at sea- How this may turn out III the emu, we can
not at the present uncure say but - obvious that
scenes lie before martiIne affairs, and That
new results are at hand. Louis the Fourteenth
once condescended, all kingly as he was TO person.
the s'ocean god" before his courtiers IN the fret
entrse de ballet Of Moere's .4nanis JMagnflues, at
his palace Of Versailles. Even the Grand .uonarque
himself was thus as has lately been remarked, am.
bilious of threading measure under 'he disguise OF
Neptune, as typical of the aspirations OF France for
maritime ascendency. AT the present era, and UNI
der an entirely new creation in the maritime field,
she would seem to be winding herself up anew to
the proud hopes of that day, giving them some re-
ality at last. This may stand as one basis for Mon
seur Gulzops quiet yet signIhcant decree against
U.S. and the work of Nj. dc Mofras, one Of his en-
ployes, probably gives us key to understand it
the better Except some such hypothesis, II
were idle for France to talk of regulating political
balances in this hemisphere. Whilst we look with
natural jealousy to the plans OF England on this
continent, it seems not quite prudent to shut our
eyes against France What Sir Robert Peel said
about Oregon in the House Of Commons, (for
pass over all the ribadry and ferociousness of the
British press, as clearly TO lee detached from the
British government was at least limited to the case
IN hand Ii took post on an alleged British inter
est or claim, however unfounded we may judge It,
Nor were the petty manGuvres OF Captain Elliott,
on the annexation question, accompanied by any
sweeping declarations Of the British government,
made through minister of the. crown in Parlia-
ment, or made from the Foreign Office, far the
public know, that our power on this continent was
henceforth to be held in check, according to Mon
sieur Guzot's new system of misunderstanding.
Ii is said that France does not sanction this new
ant-Ameriean doctrine Of her government We
must be careful how we repose upon this. IL might
chance to mislead us--the more, as il comes over
us on our blind side. Nations are not to be sepa-
rated from their governments There is no other
rule by which to 80. How often, in our own coun-
4 I! A al,
did not speak the voice of the nation? When we
purchased Louisiana, party spirit, called Il the
act ola French party among us, headed by Mr. JEFF
fcrson, who wanted 10 put money into Bonapartes
pocket it was denounced unconstitutional, and
even as threatening to sever the Union. When
war was declared in 1912, again il was said by nu-
merous and powerful presses, and letter-wrters
without stint, to be against the voice of the nation,
and only urged on by tina. same French party,
grown more DESPERATE. Thirdly it is too recent for
Anybody to forget that the annexaon of Texas,
up to the last stage Of its effective completion, was
ascribed to mere faction, and desire to make presi-
DENTS against the sober opinion of almost the entire
country. Hundreds of letter-wri,ets said so, and
probably nine out Of ten of our newspapers most
read in Europe Yet these three great measures of
public administration will always stand out in our
history identified with the rights, prosperity and
glory of the nation when the party-sprit that sue
cessively opposed all three will be forgotten. More
ministry to be az strong IF hot stronger than
ever. That circunispect and apparently well-in-
trenched minister has also, in speech TO his con,
stuenls dwelt upon the .'merited ascendeDcy"
which France and her government exercise abroad.
Again, then, let us be careful how we too readily
separate nations from their governments. ! know
how kind and generous have been the feelings in
our country towards France have shared them
in common with all; and who does not see (except;
too often France hersel the lines in which ouf in
terests together But perhaps it is almost time
10 be upon our guard. Sentimenialism is an unsafe
guide TO national conduct. If ever we owed
France gratitude for stepping in after we cap
tured Burgoyne and his whole army, to hasten
the work Of crippling England, by striking
off the strongest portion of her colonial empire
she has tried hard under all the rulers she has
had since, to destroy gratitude; and in nothing
more, as one item, than by constantly reminding us
of il. To 40 back no farther who does not rciiiem
Der that, when the treaty Of indemnify was under
discussion in her legislative chambers, She trying
to escape from paying us the five millions of dollars
puated---which, by-the-by, she probably nevet
would have paid, but for the tone which Gen. jack
son took on the occaslon--who does not remember
that scarcely was there a speaker in either of her
chambers, but rang the changes on the United States
owing their independence to France What Amcri-
can would condescend to notice, except to reprobate
such Islander upon our iIlusrious and gallant fore
fathers! Yet have the French been saying it, in
thousand ways, ever since our revolution. Very
recently we have had fresh record of il from the
pen of her now most popular historian, Theirs; who,
in that part Of his history which embraces The con-
sulate and the empire, remarks that the United
States cove their birth and greatness nation I'd
the long struggle of France against Engahd-their
independence to the first period of that struggles their
territorial expansion to the second" This 'second
aludes to the fifteen millions paid for Louisiana
at time when Bonaperte said, through his Minis
ter of State, that "France wanted money, and must
have it," and when, if we had not bought il, Eng
land would certainly soon have taken it from her.
As the reflections have been obtrudng upon you,
Mr.. Editor have close connexion with our ac-
QUESTION of Texas, ] cannot conclude without con-
graduating you upon the seemingly suspicious state
Of that question at present. Up to the moment when
am writing, everything would seem TO promise
peaceful result. At this l greatly rejoice. We
shall owe it ID the forecast and energy of the aid
mnstration in concentrating sufficient land and
naval strength at all proper points, to deter Mexico
from striking rash blow at Texas, now that 1t is
ours by the highest and best of human tites--the
voluntary consent (for take leave repeat it from
my first communicauon) Of tiro independent countries
deliberately and soIennly oppressed IL; happily, the
result bc peaceful, President Polk will stand on
lofty eminencc when meeting Congress in December
He will have laid good basis for future fame, on
the very threshold of his administration, whatever
present party spirit may say. To have overawed
Mexico by preventive wisdom, is better than to
have gained twenty battles. On the other hand
had our forces, through any accidents, been at all
discounted by Mexico at the onset--and let us not
be iuiied by orer-confdence yd-the calamity
would have been great. The worst feature in it
would have been, that the feelings Of national pride
in the bosoms Of Americans would have been so lace
rated that nothing could have removed the pain but
an amount of retrbution that might have bordered
upon undue vengeance--to have been more deplored
than easily prevented.
r AW SCHOOL.-Having derived great adj