The New York herald., 1846-04-19


the delusions OF the opposite party
Mr. Polk stands IN fearful predicament He has
endeavored to persuade the people Of America that
England will yield without much further difficulty
to the demands he has reiterated in 80 peremptory
a manner; and il he has tailed 10 inumdsting us,
he has succeeded in decevlng them. Hence his
own organs and his own declarations have made
him powerIess to negotiate. How can he negotiate,
who assures the country that England Is about to
abandon TO him the sum tota! OF his demands! What
concessions can he make to avoid war, when he
that il is by refusing all concessions that Eng
land will be brought to yield 7 Such policy ls oil
the shortsghted and perilous kind; for In the
position in which he now stands, the President OF
the United States must either make CONCESSIONS
perfectly reasonable in themselves but perfectly IN
consistent with all his declarations, or ne must run
all the risk of plunging the country into contest
which he has pretended to avoid but which ne alone
may render inevitable.
From the London Times March Iel
The language OF Lord Clarendon and Lord Aber-
deem, in the short discussion which took place last
night in the House OF Lords, motion for the
correspondence relating to the last Oregon negota-
ton, reflects honor on the temper, Judgment, and
good feeling OF those eminent persons. Thai every
exertion consistent with the national honor will be
ration made by her Majesty from the throne, and
IN this country has entertained the least doubt
that il will be strictly adhered 10. That assurance
scarcely needed to be emphatcaly repepated for no
distrust has ever been expressed upon the subject.
But we have now abundant evidence from the UNI
ted States that the moderation OF this sentence In
the speech from the throne, and OF the brief remarks
made on the subject the first night of the session.
have been grossly misconstrued by the party in
power in America. Their demands and their ex-
pectations have risen, because we scarcely conde-
soended 10 give an answer to them, or 10 put in
counter plea. lncredul0us OF their extravagant pas
sion for this territory OF Oregon convinced OF our
own right, and unable to believe IN propensity to
war, we have been supposed to ac as IT we intended
to surrender the territory to shun the contest.
This excessive moderation OF language has deceived
the Americans more efectually than If we had en-
ployed all the arts;of diplomacy. OF the members
OF the Senate who will vote tor the abrogatlon OF
the convention, large proportion are convinced
that England will not onlv now accept the terms
she rejected before, but that she will accept terms
even less favorable, and they have taken up their
position In consequence.
They are grossly and dangerously mistaken.
Whatever reserve may be imposed upon peers Of
Parliament by courtesy or by official prudence, we
are confident that not one OF the English statesmen
who spoke last night upon this subject, contemplaes
the abandonment OF territory in which our rights
are equal to those Of any power. The time and tho
place might not be fitted to more precise and en-
phatic declaration OF the views and intentions OF
England but would be absurd TO suppose that they
are whit below the level which the interests and
the dignity OF the country prescribe II would be
foolish Overstate our just pretenslons, but 1t ls
dangerous and unwise to allow them to be thought
less than they We have offered to submit them
to any fair arbitration; we are ready to assent TO
terms of equitable partition, on principle OF equali-
y. But arbitration has been rejected, and partition
itself is scarcely compatible with the claims ad-
vanced on the other side, since they are absolute
and paramount. Nothing IN fact remains for US TO
concede, since divided right is all we are con-
tending tor and the very principle OF division il not
yet admitted by the American COVE nnent.
The declaration which II now becomes US empha-
ticay TO repeat is, that we have rights in the Orc
gon territory which we are resolved and prepared
TO maintain" That expression of Sir Robert Peel
| and Lord Aberdeen was certainly not intemperats
and ill.consIdered; and we have doubt that SUBJ
sequent events have not in the slightest degree d
m I'm lahP n 1
that It was understood to imply We see nothing in
the present posture OF affairs which calls for,
jnstify, more subdued language the part Of the
English government; and we are persuaded that
the false construction which has been put upon tho
very guarded declarations OF the English Ministers
is one O the circumstances most calculated TO mis-
lead public opinion in the United States, and poBsi
bly, to enhance the unwarrantabe presumption Of
the American government.
From the London Mercantile Journal March III
| Last evening crowded meeting Of traders, man
facurers, and others held at the Kings Arms ta-
vern, Philip lane, to take into consideration the qucs
ton, which has 80 long been subject Of painful con-
tention between Great Britain and the United
States, relative to Oregon The resolution was in
troduced by Mr.. Wilkinson, and supported by Mr..
Webber, Mr. Lee, and others. The mover dwelt
with much force and effect on the injurious
qnences ofa rupture between the two nations to
commerce, manufactures and civilization, indepen-
dent OF the horrors OF such war; and aluding to
the ability and zeal disp aged by Sir Henry POttin-
ger, in the East Indies, and particularly his accom-
comprehensive mind ioresaw the necessity Of OBJ
tainingtor the whole world the benefits Of univer-
sal commerce, thus shlvenng 10 the winds the false
statements OF those persons who are always accu-
sing the United Kingdom OF self-nterest alone, re-
commended that distinguished individual az the per-
son best able to settle the question with Mr.. Folk.
An amendment was moved by DIR. Dawson to the
effect that the question should remain as at present.
and that any change took place that Lord Ash
burton should be substituted. The meeting, how
ever, taking into consideration the settlement OF the
China question by Sir Henry Pottlneer, when all
other efforts had failed, and the confidence which
itie that the honor Of the British nation would be
best supported BY him, adopted the resolution, In
which the seconder of the amendment joined
Proposed by Mr. James Wilkinson, Leadenhall
street; seconded by Mr.. Thomas Weber, Lombard
Resolved. That II s the opinion Of this meeting that
the country called Oregon, lying between the - and
America, to :he Pacific Ocean, and claimed By the go
venment Of the United States as belonging that coun
That ccodns to The s.nsd sta s~. 81 Dssen. @ soh
countries have claims which not difficult to dehne,
settled long sso bad Il. wo ss
honestly and with good feeling That has not been 30
:esd 70 os 70 the .sn o. y
Foreign Affairs who have been In power during the
period 2! dispute. BY appointing n.sos!ors yso made
procrastinsion That Sir Henry Pottinssr when me
service of the East India Company, displayed such
OF India always seec ed him whenever great diAsulties
were to be surmouned and he Jailed IN ssccsed
thst il was the knowledge Of his tried abilities
that he was appointed plenipoonfisry to China the re-
20 enc s s and
time had been considered almost impossible BAT even
more 'na1 n p, % s,s g s
Of good faith 10 Treaties and converted snemies Into
friends That Is he opinion q thi: meeting q. Henry
the Of tho United sstes Of America the di
puts. between the two nation: vo.la Be .sui.biy and