The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-23
FOREIGN SUMMARY.

bate in the House Of Commons in reference 10 The
Oregon negotiation. Compared with the tone OF
Lord John Russell, and even of Sir Robert Peel, on
the same subject in April last these recent speeches
appear upon the surface sngulary pacific and ami
cable. We trust they are as sincere as We desire
them to be. But it is impossible, at the same time,
not TO perceive the tone Of warke preparations
which Sir Robert indicates as becoming, even in
these times, the situation Of England. One remark
Of Sir Robert Peel seems worthy Of special atten-
ton, as denodng spirit and view IN the matter
which the English government has never before
shown. Speaking Of the proposal made to Mr.. Pa
kenham by Mr.. Buchanan, Sir Robert says: "Hhst'-
ar or not that proposal 0sght to haze been accepted,
cannot say" Mr.. Buchanan's proposal, which
the British prime minister "cannot say" should
have been declined, WINS less favorable to England
than Mr. Galatians, in 1927. This last, 1t will be
remembered, the Times recently advised should be
made TO us. We considered It's articles semi-ofi-
cial from the first The remark Of Sir Robert seems
somewhat to confirm that opinion. Time will,
however, show whether the British government in
tends. as these things would in some measure ndi-
cate 10 renew the negotiation on the basis Of the
18th parallel. Meantime the language of the Brit
ish press in view Of the proceedings Of Congress- is
somewhat less pacific than at first upon the receP-
ton of the Presidents message. The reasons for
tho sudden change may easily be OWNED SymP-
toms Of divided opinion in the House Of Repre-
sentatives had appeared. little timely buster IN
the British journals was at once resored to, to
aggravate them. Again: the matter had come
up in Parliament Sir Robert Peel and Lord
John Russel are cautious and pacific in their
general tone; and so, TO offset this, the Times"
and "Chronicl o" take their stand the "honor Of
England, and blow blast two on the war
trumpet. The inference from this state Of things
on American nerves. A firm, consistent adherence
10 the line of policy marked out by the message,
and already followed up by one House Of Congress
adherence without buster, without passion, and
without one token Of dread, or fear, or hesitation
il our only proper response To such course on the
part Of England.
Here is the opinion OF the "Times," given on
the 2sth of ia ,uary, the Oregon conversation in
the House Of Commons, and the course OF Mr..
Pakenham:
"The conversation which took place in the House
of Commons on Friday night, respecting the Oregon
question, was eminently satisfactory, evincing
the unanimous desire Of all parties to maintain
peace with the United States but their less unan-
imous determination that the peace maintained
should be consistent with the dignity Of grca,
country and rest upon the solid foundations OF
equity and self-respect. The regret expressed by
the premier at seeming precipiancy- on the part
of Mr.. Pakenham proves how sincere is the wish
OF the government that no undue occasion Of offence
no casual cause for war; be offered by this country TO
h.. repuhlic. while the hes
of Mr.. Hume, the accordant cheers of the House. and
the concurrent appreciation Of the opposition men,
bers, in affirming the prowitfy Of increasing mil.
ita,y resources less demonstrative Of the tone
and temper with which an un Just aggression will
be confronted, and an involuntary war will be pros
ecuted.
"With regard TO the alleged indiscretion Of Mr.
Pakenham it seems to US that he has snned rather
against the forms Of diplomatic etiquette than the
spirit and interest of diplomatic commission. 1t
appears that the last proposal submitted to him by
Mr.. Buchanan--viz: division of the territory-he
rejected at once. Now he urged that he should
have communicated with the home government be-
fore he took 30 summary course. 1t would require
fuller acquaintance with the circumstances Of the
case than is afforded by Sir R. Peel's explanation
conduct. II by the term ''dvision" be understood
division formed by line continued from the 49th
parallel, we can understand the motives which forced
him to reject the offer. This partition of territory
would have deprived as of the Columbia river in
fact of the most essential property-he only bene-
fetal interest in the disputed country. Excluding
this it excluded not only the important part OF
our claims, but that which previous conventions and
previous proposals had conceded to us. 1t would
have been impossible for any English cabinet to ac-
cept offers SO humiating, or rights SO truncated.
But would 1t not have been more prudent to wait for
the answer Of the home government, in order that
upon 1t future negotiations might be based2 This is
not selfevdent. If the home government could re-
turn but one answer to such a reference-the very
answer, in fact which was given by our minister at
Washlngton-we do not zee, prin,a facis, what good
could have resulted from the delay But it. in adj
diton to this it should be made clear that pending
these negotiations, previous to them the Presidents
message to the Senate had developed the policy of
the Washington cabinet, then Mr.. Pakenham's de-
csion must, we think, be pronounced not only not
preclpltae, but natural, reasonable and worthy of
his position; for be it remembered, that Mr. Bu-
chanan's proffers on the most attenuated scale
He receded considerably from the terms of his pre-
decessors. He offered TO the British minister far
less than was rejected by British minister when
Mr. Adams was President Of the republic And it.
after such an offer, the latter had deliberated-if he
had delayed-f he had even protested willingness
70 consult his government at home as to the expe-
d'ency of accepting conditions which he must, at
'ne une, have known to be derogatory to the lust
rights OF his country-it requires little more than
knowledge OF the transactions of the last few years
10 aver that such a hesitation would have been fol-
lowed by counter claims more ambitious and ag-
gressive than before. IL Mr. Pakcnhan had be-
trayed an undecided doubtful mind when called
upon to cede the navigation of the Columbia and
the rich soil upon it's banks, what would have been
said by the politicians of the United States, by the
mob-constituencics, by the mob-fat,erers, by the
panderers to bad passions, and the suors for popu-
lar favor What but this' 'See how these English
vapor and bluster!--how easily they Gun be bullied
They once secuted the notion Of accepting half the
territory, with the Columbia and Vancouver's isl
and; and now their representative is half ready to
yield the latter. Why should he have what we
have offered Why half, any of il Strike for
the whole country! The whole Of Oregon or nonel
His government fears TO go to war. For peace she
would surrender all that she has claimed. II will
be our own fault if we do not get more than we
once hoped for
Such would have been the cry; il would have
spread like wild6re-'the whole Of Oregon or none;
and whilst, relying the probity Of the American
government and the faith Of international inter
course, diplomatic notes were being exchanged an
American army might have been .encsmped on the
Columbia, and the Oregon proclaimed part of tho