The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-05-07
Our Foreign Relations.

Our Foreign Relations.
We have now reached crisis in our foreign re-
lations. In the matter of the Oregon question, the
controversy is brought within a very narrow space
The President has directed Mr. McLanc, the
1@ie.Icaa Minister in London, 10 give the notice
:, he British government, that the joint occuPa-
ton q lao territory shall be terminated, agreeably
% The treaty, at the end of the year. Whether the
notice be accompanied with any friendly over.
iure, we do not know. We suppose il may be-
On the giving of the notice, the two governments
must reopen negotiations for the settlement OF
this question, or make preparations for an ulti-
mate appeal TO the sword.
What now is the position of this question, and
what the prospects!
We conceive that they look difficult but not
insurmountable. They look gloomy, but not be-
yond the reach OF a bright sun, or a bracing at
mosphcrc.
According to the last intelligence from Europe,
the public mind i'll England as developed through
the press, TO be settling down on the pnral-
lei of 40, rs the basis of the new negoiiations-as
the fighting line" between the two countries
This is conceded by most of the British journals,
and particularly by the London Times, and other
papers of that ilk, which probably more III
the interest Of the Hudson Bay Company than Of
the British government itself. But this basis of
settlement is accompanied with certain conditions
of public nature, looking to English supremacy
IN the Pacific, and of private nature, looking to
the special interests of the Hudson Bay Company,
that seem to invest the negotiation with some diff
fculty, before Il successful termination DO
reached The English newspaper dipomatists-
and we suppose the government ones too-are viii
ling to concede the 49th parallel the Straits of
Fuca, and thence through those Straits southerly
TO the ocean, giving the whole of Vancouvers
Island to England. They also claim the free navi-
CATION OF the Columbia river to the source, and a
compensation TO the Hudson Bay Company Tor
what property they may give mp in that portion Of
the territory between the river and -. This would
appear TO be the Wfimatum of England, if we
Judge by the tone of the press.
The next question is, how would this be received
by the President and by the United States Senate
For, after all, the Senate, in this matter, to
possess the greatest amount Of power in our go
venment, and to carry things in their own way.
Mr.. Polk will hardly take the responsibility Of
forming treaty on such terms. His ultra claims
and previous concessions, exhibit SO much vacilla-
ton, and such desire to avoid responsibility that
u proposition Of that kind, if offered to him, would,
we believe, be thrown into the Senate for their
first approval. Now, how would such PROPOSE
ton be received by that body? We speak from
q perfect knowledge of the sentiments of many of
the democratic and wing members of that body,
and from information that can't mislead us,
when we say, that do not belierc such PROPOSE
ton conld receive constitutional majority of the
Senate A compensation to the Hudson Bay Com
pany for the property they would give up-the free
navigation of the Columbia to its source, through
the American territory, would be conceded, provid-
ed some similar concession was made to the United
States of the ST. Lawrence; but we doubt very
much whether the United States Senate would
ever agree to a treaty which would give the whole
of Vancouver's Island, Internationally to British
authority. That Island is the key to the navigation
IN that region II contains coal and various other
minerals of great value to navigation. The United
States government, in its present mind, we are very
sure, would not agree TO relinquish the whole OF
that island, although might to the parallel Of 49,
running through the Straits of Fuca, and across
that island to the Pacific. This would leave the
greater proportion of that island to England
Such, we. believe, is the position Of the Oregon
question, as II now stands, in its narrowest com
pass, between the two countries; and such difficult
ucs. we believe, are in the way of an adjustment.
Il would he well for both governments to reflect
seriously IN their positions, and the chances Of
terminating this question peaceably, or of resort
Ing - The alternative of war and its awful conse-
quences. OF one thing we may be certain and
positive, and that is, that if this question can't be
settled on the 10Th parallel with conditions similar
70 those we have mentioned, during the present
year, or previous to the termination Of the years
notice, very much afraid it nev can be settled
,rith the consent of any future government in this
country. The tendency of the popular mind is, to
claim the. whole territory, at oil hazards, and
10 to war sooner than to give up any portion
In the present incipient state of public opinion
that point, it is barely possible to make a
treaty on the 49th degree, through Vancouver's
Island, to the waters of the Pacific. ANY DELAY
will lead to difficulties which will result in war al
all hazards.
We speak of this matter in this way, because
we speak from facts and knowledge, collected
from every quarter, during residence Of three
months at the seat of government The war
feeling is just beginning to show itself in this coun-
try; and likely enough it is in the same incipen.
state in England. This has been brought about
by the laundering and pettfogging negotiators OF
the two countries, during the last year The vacil
latons of Mr.. Polk inclaiming, one day. the whole
territory to "a no. and the next offering to ac-
cept ~, has not presented greater degree of
laundering than the obstnacy and affectation dis
played by Mr. Pakenham in abruptly refusing the
offer made to him last summer, without submit
ting IT to his own government, or in renewing
the offer of arbitration, when he knew il would
not be accepted. We believe that the British gov.
eminent and Sir Robert Peel, and the present
ministry, are Of the same friendly and courteou.
temper rs we are sure the Congress of the United
Suites is, with the exception OF u few bellicose
members among the utras. We are also sure
that the British people and the American people,
descended from common stock, do not want
mady to rush into war on any of the point. of diff