The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-04-27
News from Europe.


We are hourly expecting the Great Western, but
she has not yet arrived. She will probably arrive
either to-day or tomorrow. When she does arrive
we shall issue an extra
The Oregon Question.-What will the
President Dot
The passage OF the resolutions by the Senate and
House OF Representatives, empower ng the Pres-
dent to give the twelve months notice .of te rmina-
ling the Joint occupancy of The Oregon Territory,
has thrown upon the President responsibility of
the most momentous Importance. With moral
weapon of such magnitude in his hands, he will be
able to control the peace of the world, and the
destiny OF the United States. The question Of
peace or war hangs, emphancally, on the "discre-
on" of the President. Being in possession OF this
great moral weapon, on the discretionary use of
which depends such mighty consequences to the
welfare OF the United States and OF the whole
world, all eyes are naturally turned on Mr.. Polk,
and on every hand the question is proposed, as to
what course he will pursue; or, in other words,
what effects will result from his discretionary use
of this great weapon?
II is very difficult matter to say what course
Mr.. Polk will take, for there are no certain data
by which we can even form a conjecture. II, how
ever, conjecture at all be hazarded it must be
based On the course he took on former occasion,
when he was negotiating with England tor settle
men. by compromise; and if we cannot deduce one
from that, then we must have recourse to the organ
OF Mr.. Polk, in Washington, and see whether we
viii not have better luck with that
The conduct OF Mr.. Polk on the Oregon negota-
ton, is admitted by all to have been bold, blunder-
lag and vacilating. In his inaugural address, he
to'dly ard bravely threw down the glove to the
British government, and made a considerable
sensation and fuss about the unquestionable
right of the United States to the whole ter
ritory, meaning to the 54th degree. Notwith-
standing all this sound and fury, and after work
ing himself up into a sublime passion unneces-
sarily, the same Mr.. Polk, the author of the war
inaugural, very quietly and coolly offered to COM
promise on the fortyninth parallel, thereby jumping
five degrees, without much apparent exertion or
trouble in an incredibly short time. This fact was
known at the time, but it was denied by the Presi-
dents organ. This unparalleled exhibition of weak
ness and vaciation divided the administration par
ty into two parties-the forynine party and the fifty
four party-and impaired the confidence that the
people had reposed in the President. This bunder
was only equalled by that of the British Minister,
Mr.. Pakenham, who obstinately refused the offer Of
fortynne, without submitting the same to his own
government.
Thus, then, 1t appears that Mr.. Polk has been in
consistent, in his professions and his acts when the
Oregon subject was first negotiated upon. He was
at one time an irreconcilable ffty-four forty man
and afterwards forty-nne man, and so he has
been represented alternately during all this session
We therefore cannot form conjecture as TO the
course he will take, glancing at his previous con-
duct.
We will next take up the organ of the Pres-
dent and which, il is alleged reflects the thoughts
of The administration, and speaks by authority, and
Try and extract something by which an opinion
might be hazarded In that paper of Thursday last,
we see a long leading article on the "Deed of the
Day." and we extract such portions Of il as aude to
the President.
from the Union Of April AL
And who doubt in this regard that the future will
be a. the past Who can doubt that the Presdent hav
- momentous matter with such decided Judgment
having OWNED beforehand with spirit prophetic the
ment would Recorded in advance cs' in h
message the whole popular idea this question which
utterance-who doubt that the President entering
upon his thus attended with all the radiant
OF success will approve himself through its whole
course and to suspicious close true altogether true
10 that deliberate and sober popular thought which,
claim dstrust q that Executive discretion in which,
its and character alresdy ndcatedboth houses
OF Congress have, the most mature deliberate in
view Of all difficulties and by their vote Of conf
dence reposted for safe keeping the rights and the
dignity and the peace of the country /.
GIVE me authority, fsaid the President to Congress,
70 tell Great Britain, firmly, positively, not rude
~, put very plainly, that Oregon must longer be
history tells lucky accident the appropriate com
mitee oltne popular branch-the Committee on Foreign
Relauons-originany reported naked notice But a Va.
rety Of views and multitude Of speeches in the lapse
OF nve month"; Wen nigh disarmed the executive and
There were some fears entertained about thu rasult
The country, our party the President evsrvth;nS vss
at the mefcy Of no doubt honorable rentlsmens lint
welded to judgments Of their The rssuits ~ ths
proracted movement Of Congress seen in ths
inQs of the two Houses Of to-day, which are
preceding columns The reader will see the rssc,
ton as il passed He will that the ~ ,hs
Senate wore changed, so to convert the 6rst resoiu
ton into preamble, with Whereas" thus maxim \,
like tbs preface Of book instead Of the gst Of the book
itself II will also appear that the expression Of re.
newed efforts In the preamble changed into ali
proper measures for speedy and amicable adjustment
to mean that the President to make his part
tner another oferto Great Britain, and oe
the same proposition which had been rejected before
80 9gnosous was this expression to the committee from
the boue that they would have broken up the confer
ence sooner than yeldto It. The Committee from the
ne'e O. pted with good hbe raj feeling thu
suosntu .on OF the phrase ell proper measures, &c
;ns ~ cnnS.rs snmously proposed By the Com
other ameniments made nv ths " IA
ths discretion" Of the President was rsss,nsd and al
though was IN one view OF the case desirsbe 10 ar
pulse ~, III announcer view, Il expresses the conf
rs'Iaaoa % stands end y carries ostth notice sub