The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-03-22


the trade OF the universe Will be conducted on the
most perfect equality; but as this revolution cannot
be contaminated without the fusion of every adverse
interest and feeling in common crucible, we will
have to wait for more favorable period to Join In
the general movement.
In the course of whatever public movements we
shall make, we ought always to bear in mind the
important destinies OF the United States, that nc
ia lse action shall mar our future usefulness
ing our policy by prudential and crcumspect rules
and nasmuch az we cannot control the conduct Of
European powers, our government, to be truly Anne.
ncan, ought to be ree and entirely disembarrassed
OF all transatlantic entanglements. This was the
valsdictory counsel of Washington; and such we
hold to be the sound and enlightened American
doctrine.
Posi- ROAD TO ORzooN-On the 9th of Decem-
Der last, resolution was passed by the Senate Of
The United States, insructng the Committee on the
Post Office and Post Roads, to collect facts and re.
port to the Senate, on the expediency Of establish
ing monthly mail route to the mouth of the Co.
lumbia river. We have received the report of the
Committee, and from the facts detailed in it, we
agree with the Committee in the expediency of i'm.
mediatey establishing route to Oregon.
The present population of American people in
Oregon, is estimated at ten thousand, independent
OF those attached to the Hudson Bay Company
While no number of people as large, in any part Of
the United States, are without post Office and ia
cilities for communication with their friends and
relatives, we cannot see why the pioneers of the
far West-those who have lett old associations be-
hind and gone fearlessy to the farthest extremity
OF our republic there to spread the influences of our
happy institutions, should be precluded from en-
oylng at least some OF the benefits which their less
enterprising countrymen enjoy.
But it is not these alone who would be benefited
by the establishment Of post route to the Colum
bia.
The trade of the people OF tn, United States in
the Pacific is very great The whaling fleet in the
Pacific, and the commerce OF the Columbia river,
form very important item of our business trans
actions. The whaling feet alone is estimated to
consist Of CTS vessels, employing 40 O0O men; and
the shipping Is valued at over thirty-six millions Of
dollars Here, then, We Fifty thousand citizens
cf the United States virtually deprived OF all parti-
clpahon in our Post Office benefits-virtualy, be-
Cause they cannot send or receive letters ia any
way except by the uncertain and tedious method at
present in use-that IT, by sailing vessels around
Cape Horn, voyage that frequently occupies
several months.
But there are other considerations that demand
more attention than even those we have mentioned.
The establishment Of post road to the Columbia
would attract shipping there, end if extended to the
islands in the Pacific, large trade would immed.
ately spring up. A great many of the difficulties
that have prevented the extension of our trade In
South America and the East, would be removed.
Merchants could correspond with each other, here
and It the far west, some four months in advance OF
the time now required we would become the mail
carriers Of the civilized world to Mexico Oregon,
&C., Guatemala, Chill, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia Chi.
ma, British India, Bumah, Siam, &C., Japan, Ma
lays and Polynesians, Arabia and Persia, Africa
the aggregate population of which, is over SIX
hundred millions of human souls. In fact, we look
upon the establishment Of post route to Oregon, as
a measure second only ia importance to the con-
structing Of railroad the same distance.
The committee who drew up the report, say =
produce, will be the immediate and ultimate effects
Tnlcn VIII have in the bonds Of friend
West in affordng the means Of acquiring information
Of the Oregon 90 promote to thoss
cifc ocean AZ an agricultural country whom compared
with the valley of the Missspp it Is probable that the
manufacturing country, with is unlimited water power
will when the population becomes dense DO Of more
importance but both these together are Of but little i'm
gigantic maritime and commercial power that must in
the nature soon grow up the shores Of the
people Of this country The trade and commerce Of six
hundred millions Of people about Of the
the mouth Of the Columbia as the trade Of Europe to
New York The centre Of the valley Of the Mississippi
nearly as convenient to the trade Of the Pacific as it is
to that Of the Atlantic The vast commerce that now ex
lists, and must grow much greater, will nurture
and support many hundreds seamen who
while they spread the Pacific with the commerce Of
three Of the world, will have their homes among
the high mountains Of Oregon and their affections placed
the people of the United States To this trade
and this great maritime power, the government OF the
United States should lose time in taking all the steps
necessary TO facilitate emigration and extend the pro-
Enlistment Of mail route to the Pacific will be Of
the incpent steps, and Of the most important that
can at this time be taken.
AFFAIRS OF THE GOVERNMENTAL New PRMcI-
rLE.-Quite a new principle in the elements Of our
republican government, has, for the first time since
our existence as an independent nation, been start
ed into existence during the exciting discussions
Oregon II this principle is not met at once, and
stifed at its very BIRTH it would beyond doubt, vi.
timately lead to the extinction and destruction Of
our liberties as free people. .
The principle we refer to is the following, viz =
That "the parie opinion of pure party assembly,
or meeting OF politicians, who are elected in q very
questionable manner and are by no MEANS either mo-
lutey and rrevocaby binding upon the President elect
ed subsequently, by the nation out Of the party with
which sand meeting sympathised."
We have stated the principle thus precisely, in
order that by just definition, its true character
may be more properly appreciated. Ths,s, when
closely looked into, principle pregnant with dan
ger. Should it become in any degree established,
we should then have new power in our govern
ment, which having at fret imperceptibly insnuat-
ed itself into surrepti.ious existence, would gradu-
ally 60 on extending itself, TIL at last it swallowed
NJ every constitutional power Of our government
President under the Incubus of such dangerous
principle, would become m,re machine--a me re
tool and instrument IN the hands Of an unknown