The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-03-24


Foreign Correspondence.
We give in this mornings Herald. a very impor-
tant and interesting letter from our London cores
pendent. II should be read by every one.
Arbitration-The N feet OF its Refusal.
II is the general impression that the next news
from England in political point OF view will be Of
the most unfavorabe character. The effect OF this
anticipation is already showing itself in the financial
md commercial circles. II cannot pe disputed but
that the government and people Of Great Britain
have cause TO complain OF the pursued by our
government, IN relation to this question. The re-
fusai to arbitraie, because an acceptance OF that
offer would amount to acknowledgment OF
claim OF Great Britain TO a portion OF the Oregon
territory, cannot but create feeling, not only IN
England, but throughout Europe, very uniavorable
the position and claims OF the United States
The position taken by the President in all his public
documents gives Us 10 understand that title to
the whole Of Oregon is indisputable and the last
letter of Mr. Buchanan, in the last correspondence,
gives us TO understand that the government will not
in any way admit that Great Britain has the slightest
claim to inch OF the territory south Of fity-four
forty. Every act Of the administration, since il
came into power, IN relation to this question: ( we
except the offer made to compromise on the forty
ninth degree, which was made merely out Of re-
spect to the previous President and withdrawn i'm.
mediately after its refusal,) has plainly pointed
10 81 10, and nothing less. Notwithstanding these
things, Senators, pretending to be in the confidence
OF the executive, state that he does not claim
the whole of the territory-that he is in favor Of
compromising the matter, and that he will continue
to make every effort to settle the question amicably
and satisfactorily
1t 10 impossible TO reconcile these things. Either
Mr. Polk is opposed TO giving up single foot OF the
Northwestern territory south oil 81 40, or his public
documents, and the letters OF his Secretary Of State,
are intended to humbug the people Of this country.
He has committed himself on the whole of Oregon,
and cannot consistently compromise in any way
The claim Of the United States to the whole terri
tory may be- in the mind OF the Presiden ndisputa-
be-his public documents say so but, as Senator
torHaywood says, the President does not say In his
inaugural, or In his message to Congress, that he
intended to clam the whole, or that he should not
acknowledge or admit the claim Of Great Britain to
portion-but he says through his Secretary OF
State, more than that. Mr.. Buchanan, in his last
letter to Mr.. Pakenham, refuses to admit the claim
ofthe English government in any shape, and refuses
arbitration, principally, because II might be con-
strued into an acknowledgment that Great Britain
had osme shadow of a claim upon the territory
below 81 40. II the messages OF the President
were not perfectly explicit upon this point, the cor
respondence between the Secretary Of State and
the British Minister has committed the Governn ent,
and Mr.. Polk stands before the world an uncompro-
missing advocate Of the American claim to the whole
OF Oregon. We cannot see any loop hole by which
he can esc1e, from that position. He cannot,
after taking such stand, submit to compromise If
the President conscientiously considers our claims
60 clear and indisputable as his public documents
assert, and avoids SO eagerly every movement cal
culated TO weaken our claims there is no alterna-
tive. Concessions must be made on the part of
our Government, or the peace of the two countries
is not OF long duration. The Executive is certain.
ly placed in very peculiar and delicate position,
and twill, without doubt, be great relief to him
if the Senate assume the responsibility of compro-
missing the matter.
ERIE CANAL-A person who has never travelled
on this grand achievement Of enterprise, can have
no idea OF the busy scene, the business season,
from Schenectady to Buffalo. A few years since,
the country through which the canal runs, was a
dense forest, trod only by the red men and few
struggling white settlers. What difference it now
presents. Towns and villages meet the traveller at
almost every mile, and the large number of boats
and packets eternally passing and repasslng, adds
cheerfulness to the scene.
The unexampled strides OF the West, since the
opening OF this canal have been Of great advantage
to it and to this State The greater part of the pro-
duce raised In the region OF country bordering on
the great Lakes, is transported this canal to tide
water, thence to be transhipped TO foreign countries
TO feed the hungry, whose climate is not SO propi.
tious as our own.
The increase Of business on this canal bears out
the predictions and proves the farseeing sagacy of
Its protector, De Witt Clinton To hi b people
OF the Empire State are indebted for the construc.
non and projection OF this great avenue of wealth.
and az long as the Erie Canal is in existence, his
memory will not die.
From the amount of business done on the canal
last year, and the great preparations now being
made, there is no doubt that gre alter business will
be done this year than before. In all the boat
building yards on its banks, see the workmen at
work, Knight and man," constructing new boats
nd repairing old ones. In Rochester alone, iftv
new boats valued at SIS OOO are building; and this
10 only an index to the great preparations for this
years business
PRIMARY ELEcTIoN-The democrats hold their
primary election to day. They elect delegates to
the mayoralty convention.
OCEAN STEAM NAvIGATIoN.-There seems be a
ot OF fsror, at the present time for ocean steam
ship lines There will probably be five lines in ope.
ration In less than year-the Cunard line, the
Great Western line, French line, the Screw line,
from Liverpool, and an American line These
steamers will touch at Liverpool, Cowes, Havre,
and probably Bremen, in Europe; and Boston and
New York in the United States. In addition TO
these, there will be increase in the English lines
10 South America and the West Indies, and the or.
ganization OF French line to the latter section.
with side lines to run elsewher re-