Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-02-21


brief notice OF the rejection Of tile Arbitration pro-
posed by the British Government. In the paper Of
Saturday dated Friday tight) instead Of one
long" one, we find two Of Indifferent length
aud quality; the one entitled, "The Arbitration
Scheme"--the other /" The acknowledgements
ly from different hands. We have read them both
through with attention, thinking 10 receive from
them some light as TO the motives Of the Admins
traton in rejecting the liberal offer on the part Of
the British Government and as to their further pnr
pose in reference to this question. But we have
looked in vain. We find in them not single fact
u Argument going sustain the late pct Of tile Ex
cc6ye, but in lieu OF it. perfect sluice OF coarse
and rude aspersion upon the friends Of the honor
and true interests of this country, which are COM
promitted and put in jeopardy by that act.
The first article of the "Union'' is mere fam
faronade, disgracelul to the Administrations and UNI
worthy of any notice whatever. The second, though
less exceptionabe, is in spirit unworthy of a
good canse-clearly indicative, indeed, of bad
one, or at least very weak one. For instead of re-
futing or attempting to refute, our objections and
those Of nearly every independent journal in the
country, and among those the Journal of Com.
merce--a paper which has been claimed to have
elected Mr.. Polk to. the Presdency-the gov
eminent editor undertakes to say, of that paper
and of this, that it has arrayed itself against the
United States in the of Oregon, and thorough
sly taken the British side, as much so as the Ma
tiona lntelligencer has done, in relation to our
rights an1boundaries, as well as in the measures
of adjustment" How wretched an evasion is this
ofo contoof upo,, ,,,J ho,, III
in fact these assertions, need not say to those
who are acquainted with the ground which we have
taken on this question, and know that it is denti-
cally the same that has been taken by every Admi-
nstration Of this Government, and by every Ameri-
can Minister who has ever been employed in nego-
tiatioh concerning it, and which has even been
taken by the very journal which now dishonors
itself by such imputations these Did not that
paper 1.-THE Union say, only twenty days ago,
that such proposal on the part of the British Co
vemment as that which this Administration has
heretofore made to Great Britain (neary the same
that lately suggested by Mr. GALLATINl would
mskessUery friend or Just and Honorcble peace y
IN fbis country and throughout the world breathe
freer and deeper -: Did not that paper then and
It that time furthersay that il would not be unreal
sonable, such proposition being made, and car:
ried out to more; ample recognition Of our just
claims TO hope that further negotiation f" might yet
build a. peaceful monument TO. the e,,tighfeaed
smoderafion and justice mot Of the United States
alone, but Of fDo great nations ~ III
And what has the National Intelligencer, or the
Journal Of Commerce, or any other honest and
truthful journal in our country, ever said more
:. British" or more g against the United States :
tnan ms e e <. :, \
But we waste time in taking any serious NOTICE
Of ts idle and reprehensible substitution OF vague
impuiatiod forsuchreply as il would become theAd
ministratpnto make, if it have any thing say for
itself TO the almost universal blame which it has in
Cured in placing the United States in an unfayorable
and nvidious position before tfe world. We were.
prepared Cor missiles such as the mere slaves OF
party are always ready to hurl at those who think
it their duty to resist the madness or expose the
errors Of any Administration that has its control
the power and patronage Of this great Government,
and especially Of such vast extent Of power and
patronage as war would add to that which is al
ready too great to be welded by any one man, and
almost too great to be resisted We have been FORE
warned, indeed, from different quarters, of what we
had right to expect, il we dared be honest and
TO show TO the Government editor. as well as to our
readers, how fully all this matter is understood by
others beside ourselves, we transcribe from letter
received from gentleman Of high public station land
yetloser private character3 in the State of Virginia,
the subjoined extract4-he letter itself having been
written before the meeting Of Congress, and be-
fore this foreign question had assumed its present
critical aspects:
81 am apPrehensive that we shall be foolishly
and wickediy involved in. war about this Oregon
territory, (which would not accept if annexation
were gratutously offered, without opposition from
any qUarter.) For if il suits the views and inte
rests Of The party to have war for it, the cues
ton of title will, fear be of not the leas, conse
squence in deciding on it. A large portion of DO
pulation are incompetent to form correct opinion
upon subjects Of such nature as are governed by
the law Of nations; another large portion will not
Mke the trouble. to investigate, and will go with
a Ahe party right or wrong. The leaders will in
squire only how much party capital and how much
public plumber can. be made or obtained by the
war and then they will exhort the masses to
stick to their country right or wrong taking
care TO- sxpunge from Decatur's toast the first
member. Nav she be always right ~ They