It is not certainly the interest of Great Britain to wage war against the United States, and it may be fairly presumed that the British Government has no such wish. But England is, as well as the United States, a great, powerful, sensitive, and proud nation. Every effusion of the British press which displays hostility to the United States, produces an analogous sentiment, and adds new fuel to excitement in America. A moment's reflection will enable us to judge of the inevitable effect of an offensive and threatening act, emanating from our Government; an act which throws, in the face of the world, the gauntlet of defiance to Great Britain. Her claims and views, as laid down in her statement of December, 1826, remove every doubt respecting the steps she will take. "Great Britain claims no exclusive sovereignty over any portion of that territory. Her present claim, not in respect to any part, but to the whole, is limited to a right of joint occupancy in common with other States, leaving the right of exclusive dominion in abeyance. * * * * The pretensions of Great Britain tend to the mere maintenance of her own rights, _in resistance to the exclusive character_ of the pretensions of the United States. * * * * These rights embrace the right to navigate the waters of those countries, _the right to settle in and over any part of them_, and the right freely to trade with the inhabitants and occupiers of the same. It is fully _admitted_ that the _United States possess the same rights_. But beyond these rights, they possess none. To the interests and establishments which British industry and enterprise have created Great Britain owes protection. _That protection will be given_, both as regards settlement and freedom of trade and navigation, with every attention not to infringe the co-ordinate rights of the United States." Thus, the United States declare that they give notice of the abrogation of the convention, with the avowed determination of asserting their assumed right of absolute and _exclusive sovereignty_ over the whole territory of Oregon. And Great Britain has explicitly declared that her pretensions were, _in resistance_ to the _exclusive_ character of those of the United States; and that protection will be given both as regards settlement and freedom of trade and navigation to the interests and establishments which British industry and enterprise have created. How war can be avoided, if both Powers persist in their conflicting determinations, is incomprehensible. Under such circumstances negotiation is morally impossible during the year following the notice. To give that notice, with the avowed determination to assume exclusive sovereignty at the end of the year, is a decisive, most probably an irretrievable, step. "After that period the United States cannot abandon their right of sovereignty without a sacrifice of national honor."