Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-01-03

CATIONS as II WILL and teach men TO be cautious, above
all things of helping il: but let it at least have the
discretion TO chide its official press into silence,
til it shall itself have made adjustment of great
national difficulties equally wise and benefcent or,
at least, shown in the attempt some public discre-
tion,f not capacity Let us see rs treaty, and how
much better il will square with the denuncations
which il has encouraged, or with the opinions of its
own party, or with the worlds approval of the man
ner of conducting the thing, than does the reproba-
ted Tyler treaty
! But what is the decency, or fitness, or prudence
of the Administration press in thus dragging up
matter that sleeps in peace Is the Treaty of
Washington TO be abrogated? Ofcourse not Is it
the part of national honor, them to signify by denun-
Citations of our own compacts, that nothing can be
settled with US, and that they who have entered into
treaties with us are only to be that they will
for each act of amity and Cancellation be perpctu-
ally taxed as cheats Or does the present exped-
ency of either peace (f we can honorably preserve
it) or of acquisition f expect it from the good
temper of the adverse party invite us to stir ques
tons that can be stirred for no purpose but either
that of breach of faith or of mere irritation Is
the evil Of the day not sufficient therefor? Have
we need to call into the Oregon controversy other
heats besides those which it has already SO cause
lessly excited-ofher provocations besides those of
left-handed ambidexterity of diplomatic blunders
Or, suppose we wanta quarrel with Britan-shall
we not then want The peace or at least the charity,
of parties at home Nth each other? Really we
can no more understand this policy of propagatng
dissensions among our public men, with view to
Al. Al 4 n.
the tariff just when the sinews of war; the ma
tiona purse-srings, should be spread wide to pre-
pare supplies.
And now of Oregon. If the present dreams of
insatiate rapacty, threatening the peace of the
whole world and the independence of all this west
ern continent, had no place in the wise, Just, and
patriotic minds of our fathers and founders, who
only iftyeight years ago, framed for us system of
moderation, justice and faith, and condemned as sure
to be disastrous, these unhappy fancies of conquest
and dominion, fit only for the brains of regal or ipe
rial despots-why may not aman, holding the COM
mission of State to speak freely in the public coun-
ellis, repeat that which WASHINGTON and FRANKLIN
thought and said Nay, why may not zoe, humble
citizens but free ones, do the same under the liberty
of the press !! Has it become disoyal and the GER
tain sign of heart filled with traitors feelings to
entertain and to utter the ideas of the srcs OF our
| freedom! What pass is this we are coming to (?
In France, and under her vigorous King, citizen
may write or speak he likes against the conquest
of Algeria, as any thing but good to France: in
England, and under the Tories, with the Iron Duke
at their head, one might advocate polite the
emancipation of Canada and in neither monarchy
would the worst Ministry that ever stood, or their
most abandoned services and stpendares Of SLAM
der-in-power, dare by such insolent denunciations
as are poured on the best patriots of the land by the
| government press, to endeavor to throttle public
discussions terrfy Legislation into silence, and knock
on the head all debcration all examination of what
il may please an Administration, for purposes best
known to itself, to devise. Is this specimen OF
what Locofocoism boasts of sceking-the largest
liberty" Or docs it mean this for an example OF
its Wanted progress'"
Il What can be more fit, what more the part of the
high and serious statesman, than to examine with
all the lights which great mind can draw from the
past and from the conclusions of the WISE a ques-
ton like this grave one of the effect of magnitude
upon institutions and their permanency What
more mertorious than, after such an inquiry at what
ever danger of oreiting the popularity of the day,
to announce ones honest thoughts and utter ones
warning! Let the men in power ard their presses
be assured that of all the unhappy wars which
some of them seem bent waging, the most dis
astrous one for them will be that on Reason and
| Patriotism. To devise measures that can encoun-
ter the frcest discussion-and will need no pension
ed and poisonous archery of the press, no govern
mcnt artillery of abuse, TO protect them from CEN
sure-would seem to be, in their judgment, beyond
their duty or beyond their capacity but still they
might find it easier and safer TO mend their own
conduct than to rample on all opposition and de-
bate. The high-handed method cannot be taken in
Britain, cannot be thought Of in France possibly
therefore, it may fail, and fail wofully in Repub-
lican country.
Does Mons. GUIzoT, with a secure majority al
his back and the royal confidence, refuse to suffer
the opposition of THEIRS 10 assist him las it really
does to render his good measures better, and to
prevent the adoption of those ascertaned in their
progress to be unsafe ones Does Sir ROBERT PEEL
wisely and calmly look on RUSSELL and PALMER
sToN indispensable part of the counsel by
which nc is to profit Or does he contemn their