The daily union., 1846-05-04
Correspondence Of the wsshingtOn UnionI
From Paris, rsesiUsd By the last steamer.
THE OREGON QUESTION IN EUROPE
FRANCE AND ENGLAND


fresh spirit of hostility into the British press Judg
ing from the peaceabe disposition OF the Senate, and
the notes Of concessions struck by the Mercantile
press Of New York and Boston, our efforts to pre-
serve peace are construed into aPPrehenslons Of
We must not be astonshed at this considering that
our own mercantile men abroad are the interpreters
Of public opinion at home; and that by American
opinions" Englishmen seldom understand ythng
else than the opinion Of 'the respectable casses" of
our Atlantic cities. | have good reason TO suppose
that many Of the Arguments against, and abuses of,
our government and institutions are furnished not
only by the anti-natonsl portion OF our own press,
but also by some Of our most respectable ctzens
abroad-oDe of whom, was eredibly informed
furnished, even at the commencement Of the
newspaper war against our country, the
points" of Sydney Smiths letter TO the
d drab-eolored gentry Of Pennsylvania" II the
British government through It's Official agents were
not better informed about the true character and
| disposition Of our people than the press It would
be difficult to foresee how far these gratuitous med
dlers in our international affairs might involve the
two countries. There would be threats on one
side and responses on the other, which would tie
both parties hands 10 any ehectual and honora-
BILE peace-arrangement-as men who quarrel IN pub
lie find il more difficult TO adjust their differences
than those who have avoided the presence Of wit
| nesses. The former have 10 satisfy the world; the
latter need only suit themselves. Were England To
know that in Of war all parties In the United
States would instantly collapse, and that even those
who now appear most opposed TO an appeal TO
arms, would, If that appeal were once made, sup
port the war equally well with those who would be
considered its immediate chalengers, neither the
Times nor the "Chroniele" would be so forward
| in propoaing the joint navigation OF the Columbia
| river as the ultimatum Of British concessions. As
long as nothing was known IN England OF the dis
position Of Congress, exeept that's very large ma
Iority in the House Of Representatives shared the
opinions Of the President, war was decred as the
worst of evils and the whole territory OF Oregon
not worth fighting for; but no sooner are they led
| 10 suppose that good part Of 1t may perhaps be
had t0iihOm fighting, than the natural instinct Of
| John Bull becomes again manifest in his laying
claims 10 all that is valuable. II these American
men of peace in the United States and abroad
| only knew how their conduct 10 leading
| the country TO the very calamity they
wish To avoid and how the only means Of steering
clear Of the rocks is to be firm and united, they
| would | feel assured adopt different line Of con-
duet. Let those who assume positions priOTi,
and afterwards rack their ingenuity to find facts and
arguments TO sustain them think OF this before they
hold out fresh hopes to Great Britain which they
themselves would not in the end be disposed To
realize The English are great and manly nation,
who must be addressed in a manly, dlgnihed style,
without ambiguous clauses and reserves. They are
old enough and powerful enough TO hear the naked
truth and may yield what is Just without the Impu-
Laton Of cowardice. The true danger consists in
deceiying England TO disposition TO yield up
our rights 80 as to commit her to insisting on
| tain demands which America would never concede,
| and from which she could not afterwards honorably
recede. This is the only difficulty now in the way
Of honorable settlement after the mastery elucida
ton of all the points at issue Of our able Secretary OF
State; and it depends the Of the real or
| fegned opposition to the views Of the President,
whether it shall become great one. do not intend
| this as vulgar brag or defiance Of England but
| r.thar N cOmnliment her real and
good sense. Faith in ourselves does not necessarily
imply depreciation Of Others and for the means
of defence thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel
just" The whole world knows that England is a
brave and powerful nation; and there is, therefore,
no fear of her making a ridiculous stand on diplo-
matte etiquette. The English, like ourselves, hold
fast the substance Of things, and leave the discus
sion of empty formalities to the hyperbocal refine
ments of despotc governments. England may be
better prepared for than ourselves but this is no
reason to suppose she is better able to carry
A Isng war would PROSTATE her commerce and her
industry, the great sources Of wealth on which her
prosperity depends, and for which she can find no
substitute in cultivatng new acres. She has no in
land commerce, compared to our own, and her peo-
pie do not possess the faculty of turning from one
occupation in life to another without any apparent
inconvenience to themselves or their families Eng
land therefore, will make any reasonable and just
concession rather than involve herself IN long
for comparatively trfng object. Nothing but the
hope Of strengthening the "peaee party" so called,
in the United States, will induce her to appeal to the
| awful and uncertain alternative Of war. Were she
to know the real disposition Of all parties to unite
and stand by the government when the worst comes
to the worst-were she convinced that in proportion
to the injury done US, would be less disposed to
yield single ioa, the British government would not
be obliged to set the British press at this moment
| the example of urbanity.
Here, in Paris, the public is much divided
he az we ourselyea Dnsslhlv lac n
homes but no party believes in a war. The Presse,
| Steele, National Democratic, Pacifque, Patris, as
well as the journals in favor Of the elder line ot
Bourbons, "La Quotdisnne' and "La France" are
of opinion that we shall have all that we insist
on with frmness and decision; while the government
papers, LIE Journal des Debals and L'Epoque, rep
resent us sr Qtfeio as ga grasping nation" Fortu-
nately for us, this double expression of M. Guzot's
sympathy for our rapidly increasing prosperity and
power, will soon become single, as the Epoques
| financial condition, notwithstanding the support II
receives from the secret service money, is apparently
| such as will not survive this summer. But the min
sterial press Of France is far from representing the
opinion of the nation; and the pentrues Of the cham
ber begin themselves to be concerned for the course
which ministers--that is, M. Guizot-has thought
proper to adoptin regard to There is not sensible
man in Paris, to whatever party he may belong, who
does not admit that a war between England and the
United States would at once overthrow the cabinet
ofthe 29th October, and this alone would be hint
to England not to venture on it unnecessarily. Were
the French opposition national ard less per-
sonal, M. Guizot would long ago have been cut off
from his hired support. But he finds meass Of
maintaining himself in power by the want of fixed
purpose in the opposition. The latter has no prin.
ciple inscribed it's standard and cannot, therefore,
hope to make proselytes. 1t lives by excitement,
i and becomes most powerful when ministers have
made palpable bunder in their foreign relations.
Almost all the changes of ministry have had their
origin in the foreign policy Of France; but this
very fact renders the majority Of the possessing
classes averse to a change
As regards the feelings of France towards us, we
ought not to deceive ourselves Those who have
power and property do not like us; and yet have not
the courage to break with us. In proportion as
Louis Philippe grows old, the desire to leave the
crown to his offspring becomes the al-absorbng pas
sion of his life To this he subordnates every other
consideration; SO that though have no reason to
suppose that he is less fond of Americans than OF
Enslishmen, he WILL in case of emergency, person
ally rather incline towards that country which may
be instrumental in perpetuating his dynasty. From
the King Of the French personally, America has
nothing to hope but circumstances plead very much
in our favor. First our commerce s indispen able