The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-04-10

Inc trcssdenCs Nuessu Se---Pcucc or War.
On the first psge Of to-day's paper our readers
will hnl an important message from president
Polk to The senate Of The United States ia refer
ence 10 an increase OF the naval and military
farce of the county. This message is important
in several points of view. 1t shows in the first
place, that the statements so confidently made on
the floor of the senate by Mr.. Haywood and Mr..
Calhoun that the president is in favor Of compro-
missing the Oregon question on the 49lh degree.
ave without foundation. and that the president
still stands up to the position taken in his annual
message in favor OF the whole Of Oregon or none.
II also shows that in the view of the president,
our foreign relations are such, that wise pre-
caution imperatively demands an increase of the
means of national defence. This Of course at
one brush takes away every vestige OF iounda-
ton for all the rumors with which the public
have been amused, that the Oregon question
was about to be settled on the 49,h degree. thai,
England was willing To accept that line. &c,
and puts the question in the same position it oc-
copied at the opening of congress.
The question then recurs with renewed inter
est, will there be warl Confcssedly the only way
in whicd it can be avoided, is by compromise
on the A9lh degree. In favor of this step, i, is
asserted there is the requisite majority in the sen.
ate; hut even ii the president, in Difference to his
c. Institutional advisers, should consent 10 settle
the question on the 49th parallel, is there any
reason to believe England will acccp,it! The
Office was once made, and rejected almos, indig-
lnanily-wthout a hearing. Or course it will
never he renewed and is it likely England will
now come forward and ask what she bu, lately
SO promptly rejected! Every indication is against
the surposilicn, The last arrival from Europe
shows that military preparations are going on in
England on the largest scale, that she is arminc
herself for some great conflict. single para.
graph from London paper will give an idea Of
the extern, of these preparations. From the Lon.
DIN Globe:
"Preparafions for ,car.-Wheiher or no, we
are TO have war, great preparations are made iol
1t. The army is to be increased 10000 men
the militia ordnance corps are to receive an
accession of 1900 men; the royal marines SOC
men; aud the land regiments Of the line 5000
The increase in the navy will be about l,0OC
men,"
In Canada similar preparations are going for
ward. Old !o's arc being repaired, batteries cree
ted new regiments drafted, and the whole militia
recognized and equipped to be ready for scr,c,
at few days notice.
Add to all this the confession, openly made b,
Sir Robert Peel in parliament, that these sian
preparations all look to the contingency of a rup
ture with the United States on the Oregon diff
Guilty, ani the chances of war, 10 say the leas
oft, are more threatening than they have beer
at any time since the meeting Of congress.
Under these circumstances the rrcommenda
tons of the president. to prepare the country I,
meet any emergency that may arise, press them
selves upon congress with peculiar force, and i
is sincerely to be hoped tina! they will DO carrie,
out to the fullest extent without delay.