Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-04-23

States cannot submit their claim to arbitration
are equally coeent prove that their claim will no
even admit of negotiation. Mr.. Buchanan appears
to forget that the United States haze NEGOTIATED
that he himself by his last proposal, for the fourth
or NTH time conceded that point; that the House
OF Representatives, by their second resolution.
nave In Fact sanctioned the principle of nego,ia.
'ion' which is, in other words, the principle of
mutual concessions
"hen the American Secretary of State SAYS
"e cannon 90 what the manifest interest and dig-
MY OF the two countries require, he must either
mean that the Government to which he beIonos
,oiH not do 1t, or that that Government is acting
under the compulsion Of the party. excited 10
madness on this question, which carried Mr..
POLK election. The practical question for US is
10 ascertain the Intentions of the American Co
vernment. If Mr.. Polk and his advisers are sin.
cerely pacific, they cannot but succeed there is
no obstacle, no impeachment, no difficulty in the
way, except those which they have themselves
created. 10 bring about war with us under
such circumstances, they must be the worst
statesmen in the world il they do not seek it, or
the most rash and unprincipled if thew deliber
ately intend it. The time is, however. come
when we are forced to Judge of their real motives
oy their conduct, and. as they have not encour-
aged farther argument, 1t may not be premature
TO inquire into the amount of their forces.
we are informed by the prodigous volume of
American statistics recently prepared for both
1 .,S"SSS " uitdulcHt, ny OIllQenC0 OF Mr..
Macgregor, that the standing army Of the United
States consists Of one regiment Of dragons, one
regiment OF riflemen four companies OF artillery
and eight regiments of infantry. The whole
number OF troops now in the service is 9,S47,
exclusive of 79l commissioned officers. An act
OF Congress of 1912, reduced the rank and file of
the army $500 men; this reduction is now pro-
ceeding. and when it is completed the standing
army will consist of 1880 non-commissioned
| offcers. musicians, artifcers, and privates 1t is
true, that If this corps should appear rather small
for the defence of the United States. and the i'm
vasion OF region situated 1000 miles off, on the
side of the American continent, the militia force
OF the U. States might, by it's numbers at least,
have excited the envy of Xerxes or Bonaparte.
The Army Register for l843 contains the ap.
| palling announcement that this multtudinous
host is commanded by 627 Generals, 2,67O gene
raj staff officers, 1888 field officers Al 1928 COM
pany officers, being in all 62,2O6 officers nor are
these numbers at all excessive, when we learn
that the forces under their command consist of
l,3S5.645 men! For the purposes of defence a.
gainst foreign invasion we have no doubt that
these American citizens would exert themselves
| creditably. A considerable number of the young-
| er men may even volunteer to take part in often
sve operations. But we have no hesitation in
saying that to bring efficient army OF even
10000 men into the field, prepared to march be-
yond their own frontiers, is the most arduous task
which has ever devolved upon the Federal Co
vernment Of the United States, and with its pre-
sent powers and resources we believe it to be ab.
solutely impractcable.
The Navy of the United States consists of ii
ships OF the line, two of which are afloat, three
are receiving ships, and six on the stocks or un-
der repairs. The IA frst-class frigates of "A
guns are the best part of the fleet; of these four
are on the stocks and three in ordinary The
TWO sc gun frigates are old. The smaller vessels
are IL slooPs of war, briggs, schooners and 6
I,.s
"a commanders, 324 lieutenants, and 1873 passed
midshipmen. 40 mldshipmen, and 81 masters.
NO estimate can be formed of the real strength
OF the crews OF the American Navy, because II
Is well known that considerable portion of this
fleet Is manned by British seamen, who are at
tracted by the high pay Of the American Navy in
time OF peace. But that very circumstance shows
the extreme difficulty of manning an American
Meet In war, and especially in a war with Eng
iahd. !heIr ships are, in fact, worked to great
extent, oy English mercenaries, large proper
non OF whom would unquesiionably return to
thelr own colors on the outbreak of hostil,ies.
We content ourselves with this simple emu
meratlon OF the forces Of the United States by
land and by sea, which we hope is correct. We
KNOW not what course Mr.. Polk NAV intend to
pursue after the notice for the abrogation of the
treaty OF Joint occupation has been duly given
ana we snail await with more curiosity than a.
farm the enterprises which may be projected for
fS'fNoo VI CApeiIfhS DIltISn SUBJECTS from
district where we happen TO command the coast
and the interior, the Indians and the forts. The
world Is perfectly aware that England is not the
attacking party, and that are content to leave
matters in Oregon as they now are. If the Ame-
ricans mean any thing, they mean to dispossess
US OF what we hold. At the same time, if this
Intention be avowed by the Cabinet at WASHING
ton, or if it be disclosed by votes of money and
war'ike preparations which imply fixed deter
mination TO engage in this absurd and flagitious
contest, no State is bound 10 wait to be attacked.
Mr. Polk has already instructed the American
Minister In London 10 ask for an explanation of
'he activity in our dock-yards. His own con-
science might have given it to him his own
language has put us upon the defensive; and al
though the termination OF the convention of 1927
oy notice is no casus beh, yet the disposition in
dlcated by that notice, and the means which NAV
De taken to carry that disposition into effect NAV
hereafter furnish ample ground of suspicion, of
remonsirance and finally of hostiities. bold
and manly course on the par, Of the British Go.
vernment will probably not be without good
effect In the United States and il will undoubt-
eddy command the unanimous support of the peo.
pie Of England.
The Liverpool Courier thinks that the refusa,
10 arbi!rate amounts to a declaration OF war-
The Same paper says, San American invasion of
Oregon must be promptly resisted and severely
punished"
The London Sun calls our seizure of Texas "a
scandalous robbery;' and in alusion to our re-
lasions with Mexico, asks "Can England and
France look On with apathy -
VALUE OF OREGON
In his Memorial to Congress, asking a grant
OF means TO enable him 10 carry out his grand
project Of Rail Road 10 the Pacific, MIR. Whit
ney says that it sis the means, and the only
means, by which the vast wilderness hetween