The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-06

or three years, for the FIRST time, distinctly brough,
into notice. ..n...
During this period, Great Britain and Russia
have been constantly acquiring large accessions Of
power-teritorial, financial, naval and militia
ry-while France and Austria, having remained
in great measure stationary, have proportion
ally sunk in relative importance, as COM
pared with their two allies la the mean time, the
United States, having entered the family of nations
as new member towards the close of the last CEN
fury, have been making still more rapid strides in
territorial extent population wealth, power and po-
liticAl importance, than either England or Russia.
Despised at first by the mighty monarchies of Eu-
rope, essentially feeble and unhealthy creation,
foredoomed by the mare fact of the republican char
acter Of their institutions to ignoble existence,
followed by premature dissolution; they have nobly
beed these sinister predictions with unparal
leed rapidity to the rank Of first rate State, and
may now be said TO constitute with Great Britain and
Russia, the three great powers Of Chnstendom. We
remember have this change in the form Of the
international relations Of Christsndom from Direc-
tory Of Five to a Council Of Three, foretold some
years since by American, who remarked at the
same time, that, however bold the prediction might
then appear, it would become an acknowledged
truth before the lapse OF another half century TWEEN
ty years only had passed away, when the recent
rivals from Europe brought US the emphatic, though
probably rather reluctant assent OF all the leading
Statesmen of France, to this innovation on the pre-
existing code of public law. "Great Britain,
Russia, and the United States" says M. Guizot,
in the course Of the debates in the French House Of
Deputies on the Oregon question, "are the three
predominant powers Of the civilized world" His
great competitor and opponent, Theirs, differing
with him entirely the subject in debate, neyerthe
leSs repeats with emphasis his remark, that "Rus-
sa, Great Britain and the United States, are the
three predominant powers ofthe civilized world. So
completely, in fact had this important and, to them
startling truth taken possession Of the minds Of both
these statesmen, that they SEEM for the Moment to
have forgotten the existence OF their own country,
and left to the celebrated Carst advocate Berry
en- to assert the claims Of France to an equal rank in
the scale Of greatness. "The orators who have
preceded me-" says Beryer shave not done justice
to their own country. There are now four prcdom-
nant powers in the Christian world, Great Britain,
Russia, France, and the United States."
With all proper Difference to the opinion of this
disting uished statesman must however say, that
while France continues to move, she has done for
some years past in the wake Of England, she ceases
to maintain truly independent position, the elevated
position which she is entitled and Notwithstanding
her immense resources and capacities, can only be
ranked, for the present, a secondary power. BY
.Jo a pnlcu har
however, at any time restore her to her true posi-
ton, and place her. at least upon par in immediate
efficiency prospects Of future greatness with any
of her rivals.
Such, however, appears to be, at present. the out
line Of the great political system Of Christendom
We proceed to offer few observations made from
the point Of view occupied by the United States
upon the international relations of the leading pow
ers, and the manner in which they would be affect
ed by a war upon the Oregon question between
Great Britain and this country.
FOREIGN RELATIONS OF TINE UNITED STATES.
The basis Of the foreign policy Of the United
States is, was correctly remarked by Mr.. Jefer-
son in his inaugural address as President, "peace
and friendship with all nations, entangling al
liances with nonc." The only power with which
are, by the force Of circumstances brought into
contact in a way to modify in some degree the APP
plication Of this principle, is Great Britain. Our
relations with Great Britain are, for this reason, the
key to whole foreign policy, and determine our
relations to other foreign powers, far they de-
part in any degree from the general type alluded to
above.
No two nations ever existed, or probably ever
will exist, so well situated for an extensive and
mutually profitable intercourse as Great Britain and
the United States. Their common origin and con-
sequent similarity of language literature, laws man.
ners and religion, render the association Of indvd
uals easy and delightful; while their respective
economical pursuits precisely those best fitted to
encourage beneficial trade. Agriculture is, and
for century or two to como will continue to be,
the predominant branch Of industry in the United
States. At least fourfhs Of the people engaged
in it, and the strong tendency Of the increasing
population Of the old States to seek new homes in
the West, rather than remain in the densey
peopled parts of the country and employ themselves
in manufactures nsures the duration Of this state
ofthngs for long time to come. In Great Britain,
on the other hand, third part only of the popula-
ton is employed in agriculture the other twothirds
derive their subsistence from manufactures and
commerce. The proportional amount Of the capital
invested in these latter occupations is still greater
being az FIVE to one. Great Britain produces annu-
allya large amount Of manufactured articles beyond
the quantity wanted for her own consumption,
while the United States, their side furnish annually
an immense surplus of agricultural products, incud-
ing the great staples of cotton tobacco and the various
sorts of grain, which enter so largely into the
sumption Of the world. Great as the scope for in
,ercoursc now is, it is, nevertheless, nothing, com
pared with what it will be within a century, should
the prosperity and amicable relations of the two
countries be maintained. When our vast territory
shall contain, as il will within that time, more than
one hundred millions ofinhabitnnts-whent the work.
shops Of England shall swarm, as they might, and
probably WILL with population of fifty millions, aid
ed by machinery equal to the laber Of hundreds Of
millions more, the intercourse of the two countries
will reach degree Of ENTHUSIASTICALLY on