American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-01-13

PROCEEDINGS or Preparation for y ar
BY the proceedings of Congress yesterday, 1t Will be
seen that the committee on Naval Affairs in the Sen
ate has reported bill a9piopr atng $5,625OOo for
building steamships oi-war-thrce to be first class
frgaes five sloopso-war, and two of smaller size.
Also appsopria;ne - 900 600 for Completing all the
National vessels On the stocks 8 800 COO for re
pairs; $500 900 or Ordnance; and .675 600 for Naval
supplies.
SHALL WE HAVE WAR; We published on
Saturday last, part of letter from the Wash.
ington correspondent Of the New York Herald,
IN which the writer insisted that negotiations
on the Oregon question had been renewed be-
tween the American and English governments,
and that treaty would probably be submitted /
TO the Senate on or about the Goth inst. Al
though we supposed it possible, notwithsand-
ing the positive terms used by the writer, that
he had been misiniormed, yet we confess that
we placed great reliance on the convictions
heretofore expressed by the National intelli-
gencor that peace would be prcservcd-tor we
knew that the editors of that paper would not
hastily or rashly advance opinions, especially
on SO momentous a subject. We read their ar
ticles attentiyely, and were satisfied by the rea-
sons given, that, whatever clustering there
might be among fiery politicians, there would be
no war. We regret to SEQ by the lntelgencer
Of Yesterday, that the editors waver in the
opinions heretofore expressed; because, being
At the source Of information, and having every
opportunity to examine attcntivGly and care
fully the ''sgus Of the times, it is not to be
supposed, that they would contradict or with
draw their former sentiments without having
substantial grouudsior their course-hence our
confidence in the continuance of peace is con-
sderably diminished. Some of the debates IN
Congress have been of an unnecessarily inham-
matory character, still we entertained the
hope, that the feeling in favor of war was not
so extensive among members, as to leopard the
peace of the country. Wesupposod that many
speeches were made "lor Buncomb, - or to let
off extra steam and make show of patriotism
where none in reality existed-but the Intelli-
gencer apprehends that the indications in the
House of Representatives are adverse to a
peaceful termination of the controversy. The
following is the article to which we have allud-
ed; and it certainly shakes the confidence which
we had in the preservation of peace.
Our FoREIGN RELATIONS. Our readers
have been made aware of our desire and our
purpose, the subject having been fairly taken
in hand by both Houses OF Congress, to refrain
from any further discussion, on our part, ofthe
merits of the Oregon question. From that
purpose we shall not now depart, albeit strong
ly tempted to do So
1t has, however, become our duty to put our
readers, and especially those who are engaged
in commercial and maritime pursuits, (and
therefore most likely to be affected by change
in the present prosperous circumstances OF the /
country,) upon their guard against too great
reliance upon our predications, by stating that
recent occurrences have shaken the confidence |
which we have heretofore expressed in the
peaceful termination of the Oregon controver-
sy. We refer, OF course, to the indications
which the debate in the House of Representa-
tives has furnished upon the subject
Our avoWed confidence in peaceful terml- .
nation of the controversy was founded upon
conviction, derived from the Annual Message |
of the President of the United States (takng .
all its parts together,) that he looked forward
10 pacific result, which, we DO not doubt, he
still expects. This confidence was fortified by |
the information which has reached this coun- |
try in different ways, unofficial but credible, /,
that the British Government has anXiously de- |
sired, and yet desires, to maintain peaceful! re-
lations with the United States. And when,
added to these considerations, we saw MIR.
Calhoun, a leading member of the Democrat
ic ma iorty in the Senate, availing himself of
the earliest opportunity after taking his seat to
declare himself for peace, we felt justified in ,
congratuatng our readers on the fact ct 50
Id, ,g,l'
legislators "who think that peace may yet be
preserved with honor, and who are not, at any
rate, disposed to incur the hazards and horrors
Of war until all efforts for Il pacific and honor
able adjustment of the dispute shall be eX
hausted."
We cannot, even now that the course of the
debate in the House has unsealed our eyes,
and shown us how near we stand to the edge
Of pre2piCe, persuade ourselves that a ma .
iority in either House OF Congress would, all
things else being equal, prefer war to peace; /
but we must confess our apprehcnsions that
the tone Of the debate IN tie House Of Repre-
sentativos, connected, as it must be, in the cs
timation of all the foreign world, with the
claim to ''the whole of Oregon" set up in the
Presidents message, cannot but be of the worst
augury for the maintenance OF peace.
We desire, therefore, 90 recall any express
sions Of confidence which we have heretofore .
felt ourselves authorized to use in regard TO the
peaceful termination of this Oregon dispute,
hoping, at the same time, that counsels wiser
than those which now seem in the ascendant,
may yet avert the dire catastrophe of War.
Our TITLE TO OkEGoN. There is one claim
which has been urged on our part to Oregon,
which the British government will find to be
unanswerable, viz that Destiny has decreed
this country to US. If the territory has been
decreed to us, it will be in vain for England, or