The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-08 00:00:00

AMERICAN NEWS.

THE OREGON QUESTION.
THE NOTICE.

We have received, vid Havre, most important advices from
Washington, to the 16th ult. inclusive. They bring the re-
sult of the debate in the Senate upon the Oregon questi,n.
WASHINGTON CITY (TJNITED STATES),
MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1846.

In the Senate this morning there was a conversational de-
bate between Mr. Allen, Mr. Crittenden, Mr. Morehead, Mr.
Clayton, and others, which resulted in an understanding (in-
formally) that the vote on the resolu,ions respecting the
twelve months' notice to terminate the joint convention rela-
tive to the Oregon territory should be taken on Thursday.
Mr. Huntington, of Connecticut, addressed the Senate
to-day at length in favour of a settlement of the Oregon
controversy by a compromise on the 49th degree.
A message was also received from the President, in reply
to Mr. Clayton's resolution of inquiry, which stated that
no furth :r correspondence on the subject of Oregon had
passed between the Governments of the United States and
Great Britain since the 4th of February (the arbitration
correspondence).

TUESDAY, APRIL 14.
Mr. Westcott, of Florida, addressed the Senate in support
of the title of the United States up to 54 deg. 40 min., but
in opposition to notice, which, he believed, if it did not
bring on a war immediately, would at the expiration of
twelve months; and as the United States were not prepared
for war, he should vote against the notice in all its shapes
and forms.

Mr. 514 Duffie, of South Carolina, said a few words by
way of addenda to Mr. Westcott's speech, as that gentle-
man had attempted by appealing to " Hansard" to show
that Great Britain had admitted the ti le of Spain to the
territory in dispute. Mr. M'Duffie showed, by quotations
from the following page of the same volume from which
Mr. Westcott has been quoting, that Great Britain had al-
ways denied :he right of Spain to exclusive jurisdiction in
Oregon.
WHortEspai', APRIL 15.—Mr. Samuel Houston, of Texas,
addressed the Senate to-day in a speech in favour of 'the
American title to 54 degrees 40, and advocating the "naked
notice" as it is called, or a simple resolution giving the no-
tice without preamble or qualification of any kind. He in-
timated in the course of his speech, however, th 4 a treats
which settled the matter on the 49th degree would receive
his vote.

TnunsnAr, APRIL 16.—The Senate Chamber and gal-
leries were very much crowded this morning by persons
anxious to see and hear the closing scenes of this long pro-
tracted debate, which has extended over nine weeks, and
also to see to what results it would lead.

--- -----
Mr. Crittenden, of Kentucky, led off in a very able and
eloquent speech, in support of the preamble and resolutions
which he had offered, authorising the President to give the
notice at his discretion.

Mr. Reverdy Johnson, of Maryland, moved the adoption,
as a substitute, of the following preamble and resolution,
which is the same as that offered by Mr. Crittenden, with
the insertion of the word " amicable" before the word " set-
tlement" at the conclusion of the preamble, and the omission
of the following proviso at the end of the resolution :—" Pro-
vided, however, that in order to afford ampler time and op-
portunity for the amicable settlement and adjustment of all
their differences and disputes in respect to the said territory,
said notice ought not to be given until after the close of the
present session of Congress."
hereas, by the convention concluded the 20th day of
October, 1818, between the United States of America end
the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-
land, for the period of ten 3 ears, and afterwards indefinitely
extended and continued in force by another convention of
the same parties concluded the 6th day of August, in the
year of our Lord 1827, it was agreed that any country that
may be claimed by either party on the north-west coast of
America westward of the Stony or Rocky Mountains, now
commonly called the Oregon territory, should, together with
its harbours, bays, and creeks, and the navigation of all ri-
vers within the same, be 'free and open' to the vessels, citi-
zens, and subjects of the two powers, but without prejudice
to any claim which either of the parties might have to any
part of the said country; and with this further provision, in
the second article of the said convention of the 6th of August,
1827, that either party might abrogate and annul said con-
vention on giving due notice of twelve months to the other
contracting party.
" And whereas it has now become desirable that the re-
spective claims of the United States and Great Britain should
be definitely settled, and that said territory may no longer
than need be remain subject to the evil consequences of the
divided allegiance of its American and British population,
and of the confusion and conflict of national jurisdictions,
dangerous to the cherished peace and good understanding of
the two countries:

" With a.view, therefore, that steps be taken for the abro-
gation of the said convention of the 6th of August, 1827, in
the mode prescribed in its second article, and that the at-
tention of the Governments of both countries may be the
-more earnestly and Imaiediately directed to renewed efforts
for the amicable settlement of their differences and disputes
in respect to the said territory;
"t
he
Resolved
Stateslevedbv ther A
oSenatie
Senate and
in CongressnedHouseo
of Representatives
of h u
assembled,
That the President of the United States br, and he is hereby
authorised, at his discretion,• to give to the British Govern-
ment the notice required by its said article for the abrogation
of the 6th of August, 1827."
Mr. Allen moved to amend this substitute by striking out
the second and third paragraphs of the preamble. and
in-
serting,4Aisrdni .v.pa,
whereas
en ernexyatbsr
aai
ek
extract t
hasefrr o,
nnooft
wh
Virginia,
becomeirg i President'sn ia,
tht ea Nnul
terysosoaefg,
and spoke at
some length in explanation of his reason for opposing the
substitute.
The question being taken on the amendment proposed by
Mr. Allen, it was decided in the negative by a vote of—
yeas `h2, noes 32. Congress," commencing
Mr. Allen moved to lay the resolution reported by the
Senate Committee on foreign affairs on the table, in order
that the resolutions adopted by the House of Representatives
might be taken up and and acted upon, which was agreed to.
Mr. Breese, of Illinois, then 'roved to amend the substi-
tute by striking out the words '" at his discretion" in the.
resolution. The question being taken, the motion was de-
cided in the negative by a vote of—yeas 22, noes 32.
The question was then taken on the adoption of the sub-
stitute, and decided in the affirmative by a vote of—yeas 30,
noes 24.

Mr. Allen then spoke at some length in opposition to the
re solution as thus modified, declaring his intention to vote
agsinst it even if he voted alone.
Mr. Crittenden replied to ➢ir. Allen, who rejoined, and Mr.
Crittenden sur-rejoined in a strain of great severity towards
Mr. Allen.

The Committee of the whole having reported the amend-
ment to the Senate, it was concurred in.
The question then recurred on Ordering the joint resolution
to be engrossed and read a third time, which was decided in
the affirmative by a vote of—yeas 40, noes t 4.
So the Senate agreed by a majority of 26 out of 54 votes
to adopt the resolution as amended, which will now have
to be sent back to the House of Representatives for its con
currence.

WASIIINGTON, APRIL 16.
Mr. Slidell has returned from his mission to Mexico with-
out having accomplished anything whatever, Paretes posi•
tive!y refusing to receive him as a Minister Plenipotentiary,
though, it is said, they are wiiling to receive a special com-
missioner to settle pending difficuliies.
Simultaneous as it would appear with the orders for Mr.
Slidell to return to the United States, General Taylor re-
ceived orders to march the troops under hi.- command from
Corpus Christie to the Rio Grande, and they are now oppo-
site the city of %latamoras, having put the Mexicans into a
tremendous fright, so that the Government official there set
fire to the Custom-house, and ran off as fast as he could.
It is said that the Semee will not act upon any measures
of importance sent to it by the !louse until that body has
acted definitely upon the resolutions of notice, which the
Senate passed yesterday.
The Tariff Bill, which has been riported by the Committee
of Ways and Means, is-hardly expected to pass Congress this
session, nor perhaps the next either.