The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-06
THE OREGON QUESTION IN EUROPE.

friends, and to do justice to all parties.
THE OREGON QUESTION IN EUROPE.
| We have attempted to show in two preceding
articles that we possess under the Florida treaty
good tile to the whole Of the Oregon territory up
TO $40 40. The British contest our claim Of exclu-
sve sovereignty over the whole and every part OF
this territory; and il is not to be denied that there
may be some difficulty in reconciling these opposite
views in an amicable way. War, though not a
probable result Of the present differences is doubt
less possible one and cannot be left entirely out OF
sight in any general survey Of the subject. The
dangers and difficulties Of all sorts incident to war
in general, and particularly to war under present
circumstances, between the United States and Great
\ Britain, have accordingly been insisted on rea-
sons for closing the controversy on almost any
terms to which the adverse party may be willing to
agree. This topic, which is undoubtedly entitled to
great consideration, and has been handled, especial
ly under the financial point of view, by Mr.. Gala
tin with great ability, may be said to be exhausted
Another element Of equal importance, but which
has been much less adverted to in the discussion
the manner in which the interests Of Great Britain
would probably be affected by war with this
country. II is no doubt true that we should be sub.
ected, in this contingency to great inconvenience
but before we permit ourselves to be frightened
by this consideration into premature and unne-
cessary abandonment of our rights, it may not be
amiss to inquire whether Great Britain would no,
be exposed in that event to still more serious dan.
gers, the foreknowledge Of which would render i
grossly impolitic-we may almost. say politically
suicidal-in her to venture upon war with this
country.
On this view Of the subject, the first point tina
presents itself for consideration is the position in
which Great Britain would be placed by war with
this country in reference to the other powers o.
Europe. We conceive that she is in great danger
of being involved at once, by almost inevitable ne
cessity, in general European war, in which
nearly the whole continent would be arrayed agains
her. In support Of this opinion, we proceed to Of
fer few remarks upon the present international
relations of the Christian world, and the manner r
which they would be affected by the occurrence o.
war between Great Britain and the United States.
The relations between independent states are de
termined, in great measure, by causes beyond the
immediate control Of their governments and result
ing from the territorial and political condition of
the states themselves, The balance of pow
er, and with it the poty Of Chrstendom,
takes new form every two or three centuries
From the epoch Of Charlemagnc, which is general
ly regarded as the commencement of modern histo-
tory down to the age Of Louis XIV, France was, in
the main, the leading power. The Holy Roman
empire, which, originally elective, soon became an
| L.. H. Al.
was merely the shadow Of great name. Spain
assumed for short time, under Charles v, the die
atorshp of Europe, but sunk vary rapidly from her
high estate into comparative inferiorty. England
was still second or third-rate power. Prussia
was independent only in name, and Russia not YET
a member fthe Chrstrian commonwealth.
During the last century, various changes occur.
red, which substituted for the long sustained SUI
premacy of France over the rest Of Christcndom,
q sort of directory, composed Of FIVE powers, Of
which she was one. Great Britain, by the effect OF
her comparatively liberal institutions and world
extended commerce--Russia and Prussia, under the
impulse impaired to them respectively by Peter
and Frederick, placed themselves fully on level in
political importance with France Austria remain
ed very nearly as before. Through the greater part
of the century these Eve powers had no common
bond ofunion, and were arrayeda each other in
various wars occasonsd chiefly by disputes about the
right Of succession to vacant thrones. At length
came on the French revolution. A sense Of the
danger to which the established governments were
alexposod by the progress Of liberal political prn-
cipes especially az embodied in the person Of Ma
poleon, now melted them TO an actual alliance
which assumed at once the dictatorship of Europe,
and disposed Of the other nominalIy independent
powers without much regard any interest but their
own, The substance ofthese arrangements is en-
bodied, as wohsd occasion to remark before, in the
ample record ofthe proceedings Of the Congress Of
Vienna, and constitutes for the time the public law
Of Europe.
This state Of things has remained without any
change OF external form until the present day. In
the mean time, however, during the continuance
Of the long peace Of nearly thirty years, which has
since intervened-onc Of the longest in the whole