The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-20
THE ARRIyAL OF THE CAMBRIA.

comes 10 us by the last steamer. The complete
and fnal establishment OF the free commercial policy
Of England-ths news Of the joyful assent which is
given by the British government to the adjustment
of the Oregon question-snd finally, the retirement
from power Of tho ministry which has achieved
these great results, and which, after having welded
for Eve years past an amount OF power upon the
public mind in England almost unexamped, now
seems to have retired from that power upon oeca-
sion of its own seeking and selection, (fOr so We
regard the Irish coercion biIi,) on which the minis
ter surely anticipated II he did not invite defeat
all these events, together with the formation Of a
new wing ministry, coming into power, as II were,
upon disclaimer Of the ancient unfriendliness tow
ard this country, which has been more than suspect
ed heretofore in some Of its members-these events
constitute certainly an amount Of important and
gratifying intelligence by single arrival which must
attract and hx the attention Of our country.
The intelligent observer Of these events, and es-
pecialy the reader Of the foreign journals, cannot
fail to remark the change Of tone, both in England
and France toward this country since the accession
Of the present administration to power. The faetis
indisputable, Whatever may be its cause The case
of the Mexican is a striking instance of this
SO far rs We have been able to gather the indications
Of public sentiment in England, (and the remark is
true to a great extent Of France also) il must be
admitted that the present tone and attitude Of these
governments form a strong contrast TO tho Texan
intrgues, and the American balance-of-power de-
claratons which occurred in the winter Of l54t-5,
and which so promptly and properly rebuked
in the first message Of the President to Congress
. r.. h. Rrtf, ~. II
late shown, and is now showing, no more than
natural and proper desire that our differences with
Mexico should be reconciled If possible and just
willingness to nterpose, when satisfactory opportu.
nifty may arise her good Offices to bring about such an
adjustment with consent ON the basis Of mutual
satisfaction to the Mexican government and to our
own, and with the most perfect respect to all our
national and beigerent rights, in any controversy
with any Of the American powers on this continent.
That France and England have not always shown
such "A spirit towards us-that a different spirit has
been manifested very recently and at the outset
Of this administration, is beyond all question. We
content ourselves, for the present, with merely no.
ting and recording the fact We postpone what We
may have to say Of the causes and the policy which
have produced II.
The declarations made by Sir Robert Peel in Par
lament and the views taken by the leading London
journals, of the settlement OF the Oregon question,
already attracting among us much attention.
We regard discussion Of these views and declsra-
tons at this moment premature. The treaty with
its accompanying documents is not yet published.
The case is not automatically and fully before the
mind Of either country. When the official publics-
hall taE. 10 ~ t;n,as
for US to determine precisely what the treaty con-
cedes, and what it secures TO us-how il compares
with the previous offers Of our government and the
previous claims Of England, from the basis Of which
any departure had in previous years, time after time,
been proclaimed by that government to be wholly
inadmissible.
But there is point in connexion with this sub
ect which it may be proper to notice briefly now.
The London Times, in the course of very remark
able article, which we hope to lay before readers
tomorrow, has fit to say: "TAe terms upon
,ohieh i, treaty ha, been negotiated and concluded are
our They the deliberate proposal Of he British
government" more monstrous misstaement than
this-a statement more wholly at variance with es-
tablished facts Of the largest notoriety has not re-
Gently been our fortune to meet in any journal of
credit and character No man who knows anything
about the Oregon question fail to know tina, the
parallel of 40 degrees, has been for the last thirty
years, and from the commencement of the Oregon
discussion the established basis of all American nego.
tiaion and compromise on the subject. Everybody
knows that in Difference to this fact alone, Mr. Polk
felt constrained to make offer of compromise on the
same basis. Everybody knows, moreover, that
r. l.. ID
ment had constantly proclaimed the parallel Of 40
degrees, from the Columbia to the Pacific, to be
tcholIy inadmissible as a basis Of compromise and
partition; and finally, everybody knows that in
June, 1886, England, having in view the whole se.
ries of previous offers by government did pro-
pc" compromise upon the line ,ohiel had all along,
by preriou, administrations been our established ba,
Of compromise, and osn rejected by Great Britain
No man doubts any one Of these facts; yet the
London Times now comes forward to assert that
the treaty has been concluded on the terms Of Eng
land! The force Of efrontery in public journal can
go no further.
How was the matter regarded in France by the
most eminent French statesmen of different parties
Messrs. Berger and Thiers-neither of them in
clined, either by ancient political creed or recent po
itical excitement, to be the advocates of America
Both these statesmen said-Berryer in terms, and
Theirs in Observation-Disclosures will not concede;
England will eoncede, and the adjustment will take
place on the basis of the parallel of 40 degrees This
the judgment and the declaration Of competent
and dsinterested Witnesses and this is plainly, and
to the inevitable perception of any mans common
sense, the substantial truth Of the matter. But we
repeat after the treaty shall have been officially
published it viii be time enough to discuss the de.
tails of its supulatens, and the various influences
which have entered into and controlled its negoia-
ton.
Meantime, in the news brought by this arrival
: there is, in our view, ample cause of oonsraula
} ton. 1t shows that the hope of peace between
I the two nations has become an assurance
1t shows tina, England-the leading commercial