The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-22
THE NEWS BY THE CALEDONIA.


The copous summary Of the foreign news, to
which we have given up 30 much space in our col
umns, prevents US from laying before our readers
this evening more than very brief extracts from the
editorial articles Of the foreign journals. We shall
| il possible, do something to supply this omission
in to-morows paper
From the very cursory examination which we
have been able to make cur foreign files received by
this arrival we incline to promo opinion strong
err than that of most OF contemporaries to the
pacific tenor Of these last advices. In proof Of this
we refer to the report in another column Of the con-
versation upon the Oregon question which occurred
in the House OF Commons the Goth utmo. The
disposition Of the mot ion for the production Of pa
pers, and the language Of the premier in response
10 it, seemed to u.s. confess, to indicate, in some
degree that the spirit the British government is not
at present beligerent. The decided expressions in
which Sir Robert Peel rejected the idea which some
Of the British journals had set aaoat, and which Mr.
| Brothwick brought bsfore the Houss--thst the
American government had regarded the calmness Of
the British statesmen as the result Of timidity-the
terms, we say, in which Sir Robert Peel saw fit to
reject this idea, appeared to US to breathe spirit
congenia to the pacific declarations of Lord Aber-
deem in the House Of Lords, which we quoted yes
terday Lord w. Bsntinck raved little, to be sure,
about sending the British sailors to attack
sea board; but then he was speaking on the Canada
timber question: and speaking in spirit Of despera-
ton, arising naturally enough from his conviction
that he was soon to be voted down by an immense
ministerial majority. His illusions to the naval
prowess Of England, and to the use which might be
made of it, were the cheapest way Of getting cheer
The House gave him his cheer, and voted him
down, and that was the end Of it.
We find an article of marked interest on this sub
of April 4th The view which the News takes Of
our rejection of the offer of arbitration is mani
testify erroneous that we need not stop to refute it.
But there is great force in the opinion expressed by
this English Journal that the possession Of Oregon
is to us matter Of far greater Importance and con.
sideration than it is, or ever can be, to England
Certainly such a fact does not Of itself settle the
question of right in favor, but it is, practically
speaking, an element of the highest Importance in
the settlement of the question: and the News can
didly admits that it is so. The language of the
| News is rs follows:
The hope was not to be entertained, that the pres.
ent Americaa Executive would consent to refer the
Oregon dispute to arbitration. That Executive EVIL
IDENTIFY does not look upon as question of right.
It may have good opinion of its country's right
but it has, moreover the fixed opinion that the pos
session Of the Columbia river-that great outlet
from the middle States to the Paci6c--s point Of
vital importance to the Union in its future interests,
power, and development, and to its mastery of the
northern continent. Impressed with this, although
il puts forward the plea of right it forbds that right
to be questioned. The American government evil
IDENTIFY stands upon ground higher in its own esti-
nation than righ-the vital interest Of the country.
At the same tme it that the river and the ter
ritory in dispute never be of the nnety-ninth
part of the value to England that it must be to the
limited States And considers rather these inter-
es,s than the rights contained in treaties, Of the
scope and purport Of which those who signed them
evidently knew little.
Of rights or of discussing them. When the Ameri
can government refuses all arbitration, it admits that
is not upon right that it bases its resolves The
possession Of the Columbia is worth a war, and we
will rather run the risk of that war than cede the
river. This is the position, and the argument of
the American government, which we can no longer
meet by pleading rights. Indeed, we think it would
be at once sensible and dgnifed for dplomatists
to state that they would no longer advance any
question Of right to government which, by refusing
all arbitrage, sets aside all such question; and that
henceforth their sole effort would be how to AVOID
war, by the English ceding all that could be eeded
consistently with the national interest, IN order TO
meet and satisfy the unreasonable and unrghteous
demands Of the Americans.
"There may in this be some lowering in dignity,
and a certain lowering down Of the national pride.
But deprecating all wars, we deprecate more than
snv other war with the United States; and this,
moi ony from community Of origin, and tongue, and
IDEAS and commerce. in the past, but because, even
in the present il would be war carried on against
ne by our own blood, our own sons, our own sun
ews Fifty thousand emigrants yearly leave our
shores for the United States, each with some wealth
and almost all with strength and youth AND II Is
with country into which is thus transfused oar
hes, blood and our surplus life, that we are to 60 to
war. And in that war, who are the hrst, the chief,
the most formidable combatants whom we are to
encounter and kilp English seameu, men born,
nurured, taught amongst u.s. even to their formida,
HE art of s,amsnshp and naval STRIFE and snticed
from us by the natural cause Of the high price Of
labor in America. Surely war with such foes s
, civil war
"There may be, in these considerations, no good
and valid for sacrificing the solid interest,