The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-05-05

ucsPutcn ol the Gun Oh january you tOOk, anu u
the letter which you addressed to the American |
Secretary OF State, for the purpose of ascertainlng
clearly and authortatvely whether the United |
States Government would be disposed TO admit |
the application OF the principle of an arbitration
in the Oregon question on any other terms than |
those which they had already rejected
| In thus acting, you have, in the most judicious |
and satisfactory manner, anticipated the instruc- |
tons which was preparing TO forward you on |
| this subject
We have now nothing to do but to await Mr.
Bu ca reply to your appeal to him. although
will certainly be refused. Should that reply,
however, be of sucha nature as to give any ground
OF hope that the matter in dispute may be brought
ton, shall gladly avail myself of such an OPEN
ing lfnot, il will then be for her Malesty's GO
vernment to consider what measures II may be
expedient to adopt, in order TO meet any emcr-
gency which may arise. l am, &c.
(Sgned) ABERDEEN.
The Earl of aberdeen to Mr.. Pake,ltam.
FOREIGN OFFICE, March 3, 8 /. M. 1876.
Sir-Since my preceding despatch Of this days
date was written, have received your despatch
of the 9Th of February, with its inclosure, by
which you put me in possession OF the final re]ec-
ton by the United States government OF our pro-
posal of reference Of the Oregon question to ar
bitration.
There is, of course, no time before the depar-
mrc OF the mail of this evening for the considera-
ton of SO serious question as that which IS m
volved in the Presidents decision as now an
nounced. am, Sc
(Signed) ABERDEEN.
The Oregon question continues to be fruitful
source CT discussion with the British journals.
The speech OF Mr. Webster, and the propriety oil
much commented on. The London Times, by
some called the organ of Lord Aberdeen, though
it is more probably the mouth piece of the Hud-
sons Bay Company-is as bitter as ever III derld-
ing and opposing the American title north OF Co
lumba river, and states that latitude 40 was as lar
as the original claim of the United States extend
ed, and that line had never been conceded by the
British statesmen. If conceded now, the Tunes
ella inns the freedom of the Columbia, the whole OF
Vancouver's Island and the Straits of Fuca, with
full indemnify to the Hudson Bay Company for
re signing their posts
From the London Sunday Tim we
1t is with extreme satisfaction that jour bserye
the prevalence of better spirit in the us mails of
the United States,as often as the relatioun eween
that country and Great Britain come der dis
cussion. Among those journals the Nev York
Herald stands honoraby distinguished. 1t de-
sires, as all upright men on this side the Atlantic
Enewlsc do, the continuance OF peace between the
two countries and not its continuance only but
its confirmation, by fresh acts of amty. In this
| desire at least most heartily concur. II must
not, however, be disguised that peace between
two great states can never be safely reckoned on
unless it be founded on consciousness of Justice
3 being the object Of both contracting parties So
far as appears, Great Britain makes no claim upon
the United States which she does not at least be-
eve to be just, as must be evident from her will
fngness to have recourse to arbitration This
in our opinion, shows that she entirely places her
reliance on the goodness OF her cause She says,
in fact, sLet select an honest and dsinterested
man who may examine the matter in dispute and
decide between us, and whatever his award may
be, we ready to abide by it,
This, at any rate, is not the language of con-
scious injustice, and we think that in order to
stand fairly with the world, the United States
should pursue the same course. Our friendly
disposition towards that country is proved by nu-
merous measures, but by none, perhaps, more
clearly than by the projected new tariff of Sir Ro-
bert Peel. 1t will place our commerce with the
States on the best possible footing for them. We
trade with us, and if ten advantages accrue to TO
reigners from the passing of Sir Robert PEEPS mca-
sure, nine of them, at least, will 60 to the United
States In its results, therefore, it NAV be called
an American bill, though we shall derive from it
. as many advantages as the United States them
selves, but assuredly not more. We think there
: fore, with the Netc York Herald, that it is now
: time for the American government to meet us in
the same spirit OF friendship and concliation and
to pass Mr. Walkers bill, which will, it is expect
|, ed, be regarded BY the commercial and manufac-
turing classes OF this country with the same favor
, that Sir Robert PeePs is regarded by the same
classes in the United States. This is u sort of RI
valry from which no evil can spring to any conn
try. Neither is it thing of which the most en-
lghtened nation ought to be ashamed, because to
be first inlsuch cause argues at once the most
enlarged philanthropy, and the most prudent APP
probation of the interests of mankind.
Let there be between us and the United States
a friendly war Of tariffs, and endeavors to sur
pass each other in liberality, commercial and po-
litical. It is the only war that ought ever to be
heard OF betwcen,the great Western democracy
and ourselves. They are, politically speaking,
our children, and have inherited our institutions,
our laws, our language, our manners, and our
religion. In some respects they have improved
upon us-in others, perhaps, they have detcrio-
rated but in whatever respects they may be bet
ter or worse than we, no reason on earth exists
why we should be enemies. Up to the very verge
of national honor we should go, in order to pre-
serve peace between states closely related ;
but further than that it would be an insult to soi
cit us to advance. We owe justice to all states
with which we may be in amity, and to the Uni
ted States we owe something more on account Of
the ties of consanguinity; but if we would COM
mand the respect of America, or of any other
country, we must preserve our honor intact.
Most persons in Europe believed that when the
knowledge ofour liberal commercial policy should
be circulated through the Southern and Western
States OF the Union, It would produce a very
powerful effect on the question OF peace or war,
and this too, is the expectation of the most rea-
sonablc and enlightened persons in the New Eng
land States. They appear to think with us, that
the destruction OF monopoly never could have
happened nj a more opportune moment; because
besides comforting contcntment and plenty on the
industrious classes of our own empire, it will
strengthen the hands of our friends in the New
World, and help very materially to enlarge the
external field of our industry. The citizens Of the
United States are among our best customers, and
will in all likelihood continue to be so, if we our
selves legslate wisely and thus compel rs it were
the Washington cabinet to adhere to the rules of
justice in its dealing with us.
All the educated and reasoning classes in the
Union are decidedly friendly to Great Britain, and
that not through any blind partially, but because
they understand that the best interests OF the two
countries are identical. On the other hand, the
Ignorant, the passionate, and the prciudiced are
filed with hostility towards us, because they per-
suadc themselves that we are too powerful, and
that il would, therefore, be worth while TO set
aside the eternal law Of justice, in order TO do us
injury, and thereby, as they imagine, weaken u.s.
Rut n unfortunate thing for state
when the ignorant permitted successfully to
intermedde with the concerns Of peace and war
If statesmen have any peculiar duties, deciding in
these matters is the chief Of them. None but