The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-26

opposition-hnay resistance. Is the whole cont
nent OF Europe, teeming with a superintendent pop
ulaon TO be told that the vast regions Of the west
ern world henceforward closed against them, un
ess they cast OF their national character and adop
The social Institutions and the political asoendeney
the United States Is emigration 10 become expatria
ion and Is no state 10 plant ts eolors on the Amer
lean coast without abjurng all that It's subjects
citizens hold dear Nay, we must even infer from
the language Of the President that existing rghts
and settlements are held by questionable tenure
and that all the various dependencies of Britain
Russia, Spain, France, Holland, Belgium, and the
Baltic powers, in and about tho soil Of NJ rth Amer
lea, await the application Of the grand principle OF
absorption, whilst the Independent governments Of a
purely American character, such as Mexico and
Guat emaa, are already condemned TO progressive
spoliation. We are not now pleading our own cause
In the question Of Oregon, or Writing with reference
To the eneroaehments Which must, ere long, be d.
fected against the Oldest British settlements in Amer
lea, II such principle as this be allowed 10 pre-
vail. For the maintenance Of those rights, look
confidently to the strength Of England, which in
spires secret dread even 10 those who have ceas-
cd TO acknowledge the bligsons Of good faith and
justice. II we arc ourselves AFTER Mexico, the most
open to these attacks, We are also by far the best
| prepared 70 repe them. But u cannot be too often
repeated that be the issue ofihis controversy what
II may, all Europe is more or less interested in the
duty Of moral AMI political resistance to this assump
ton Of universal dominion the part Of the United
States, which can only be compared 10 the arrogant
pretensions Of successful conquerer, when, his
triumph over, the Independence ofthe world is all
but complete. II such principles as these TO
regulate the policy Of America and the relations Of
states that continent how long will they be ex-
Guided from Europe The fashion Of attacking the
weak and plunderng the helpless, and exaltlng du-
bious claims into absolute rights, would soon hnd
its application here. IL Is the spirit Of the facous
minority which debaterates about and national
honor in the French chambers; II 10 the motive OF
unscrupuous politicians all over the world. In Eu-
rope we see 1t happily crushed and imprsonedi but
in the United States II speaks with the voice Of the
executive government, and threatens To WELD the
power Of a nation.
We have made these heightened extracts from
Successive numbers Of the Times" in the first
place, because Of the great importance OF that jour
nal, both the representative Of the national sen
men, in England, on questions Of foreign policy,
and the leading exponent OF the principles and the
policy of the new ministry, and especially Of Lord
Aberdeen. This statesman has, during his whole
administration Of the foreign Office, received the
constant and unwavering support Of the "leadins
journal"
But, apart from this, the articles themselves, APP
pearing as they do, in consecutive numbers Of the
paper, and becoming in each number more and more
pacific, show clearly that the Times is resoutely en-
gagged in what is, it, vocation wholly nec. 1t is
aboring to prepare the public mind in England for
an attitude, on the part Of the ministry, which IL
means to support, far more just and conciliatory
than any attitude which the British government has
yet assumed on the Oregon question.
The MoRsIsG CHRONICLE, representing the
wing anti-corn-aw movement, and in respect to
foreign affairs, the principles and spirit of Lord Pal
merston, has article on the Oregon controversy,
which, though modified by the position of that jour
nal, j, yet to be regarded as plainly pacific. The
Chronicle is Of opinion that concession the ques
ton should be territorial on SIDE and commercial
on the other Its advice to the British government is
"Buy of the Americans all that they will part with
Of Oregon, by opening British ports to American
corn" We give the substance of the article:
The more we contemplate the position in which
the Presidents message places the Oregon ques-
tion the more convinced are we that on ourselves
rest in great degree, the responsibilities of its
the tactics assumed by Mr.. Polk. He is hostile in
one BREATH and friendly in another. One paragraph
Of his message is filed with menace, another is cal
culated to inspire us with hope. The alternative
presented to us is not strictly one Of peace
While he threatens us with war; he brides US TO
peace. II We concede to him, the consideration for
the concession will be not simply peace but peace
with amity and q modified tariff. The bait is
tempting, but the power of offering it is not all on
one side. If the lowering Of the tariff be stimuli
taneous and equal both sides Of the Atlantic the
visions of territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT which now
dazzle the American mind will yield to the prospect
of more solid advantages the passion for exclusive
possession of the Pacific coast will subsde, and both
parties may again meet with every likelihood OF
in settling the irritating dispute, upon the
and off a
concession.
| If we refuse to make this concession to our own
necessities and to the wants Of American industry
and commerce. the people Of the United States will
make no concession to in respect to Oregon. II
we persist in meeting them with hostile tariffs on the
Atlantic, they will meet us with impracticable de-
mands on the Pacific. There is little time for delay
none for hesitation Whatever is to be done must
be done quickly. The difficulty can no longer be
once. The views of our present rulers it is as vel
not easy to fathom; but if they fall Short in their
practical devcopement, of broad and liberal CON
morcaI alliance with the United Setes, we musi
prepare for dsnoushent TO our present international
relations, which we do not fear, but which we
would earnestly avoid The issue is 49,. ~. us, lie, u.
'mn n".~ our opportunity. Too much confidence
should not be reposed in the forbearance Of the gov
ernmen, and people Of the United States. They will
forbear only if they can make bargain by 80 doing
They are alive to their interests, long after they
have become deaf TO the appeals of reason. Right
or wrong, they committed over and over again,
70 an aggressive policy On the northwest coast
Their pride is now committed, therefore, to the sue.
cess of all their territorial extravagances and the on
way by which that pride can be undermined is to
to make direct appeal to their pockets, and to put
the agricultural portion Of the population--that is
to say four-ffths Of the wboe4-in the way OF con.
verting into dollars the produce OF their fields The
government has now glorious Opportunity In its
hands Of redeemng the hoary Of its domestic
egislstion and thereby, at the tirie of dseu-
barrassipg ouf national opsfatiohs Of the difficulties
conjured DIP around them by the cohtinuance OF Al,
irritating dispute with foreign power. 1fthey le,
II slip unimproved, the responsibility which they
will incur can only be measured by the number and
extent Of the mischies which may ensue. II is pos
sibe, however, that it may he lost from the lnfaluu-
ton Of the protectionsts and The want of decision
and irmness on the part of Sir Robert Peel In
that case; how stands the question with respect to
Oregon, or how is Mr.. Folks government placed in
reference TO t--bscked as that government is by an
overwhelming majority in the one and by a work.
| ing majority in the other house Of legisature--by