The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-15 00:00:00

A. AI E 111 CAN N iii.-:' 'WS.

IMPORTANT NEWS FROM THE

UNITED STATES.
LIVERPOOL, THURSDAY MORNING.
The Royal Mail steamer Caledonia, Captain Lott, arrived
here this morning, with the mails from the United States
and Canada. She left Boston on the Ist, and Halifax on
the 3d instant, and has, therefore, made the voyage in
twelve and a-half days.
The news by this arrival is important and decisive upon
the long debated question of the Oregon. The Committee
of Conference, appointed by the two Houses, which at the
last previous accounts were in collision, had, without much
difficulty, resolved to adopt a notice almost identical with
that which had passed the Senate—the preamble only dif-
fering—the actual resolutions themselves being the same.
The passage of the notice in this form seems to have
riven general. satisfaction to the press, and to all
moderate men, and is considered and approved by them as a
necessary step to the amicable settlement of the dispute with
Great Britain. It is said that in this spirit Mr. M‘Lane will
be instructed immediately to deliver the notice required by
the existing treaty, and at the same time would invite or
offer himself a proposition for the renewal of negotia-
tions. A general expectation had existed both at Wash-
ington, and throughout the country, that th Caledonia
would have brought out fresh proposals from the British Go-
vernment, but none were received either by her or by the
Great Western.
The army in Texas, under General Taylor, was encamped
on the banks of the Rio Grande, and the squadron was at
Vera Cruz. No hostilities had taken place, the United
States army being instructed to act only on the defensive.
No further step had been taken in Washington as regards
the New Tariff Bill introduced by Mr. Secretary Walker, and
it was doubtful if it would pass this session.
The aspect of commercial affairs had improved. The
cotton market was firm ; still money was tight. The rate of
exchange on London was 10914 to 110.
The Great Western arrived at New York on the 28th ult.
(Correspondence of the Journal of commerce.)
PASSAGE OF THE OREGON RESOLUTIONS IN
BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Arnie 23.—1 n the Senate, after the recep-
tion of a message from the President, Mr. Berrien made a
report in behalf of the Committee of Conference on the part
of the Senate, recommending. as the unanimous result of the
Conference, that both Houses recede from their amendments
and adopt the resolution in the following form :
"JOINT RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE OREGON TERRITORY.
" Whereas, by the convention concluded the 20th day of
October, 1818, between the United States of America and the
King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
for the period of ten years, and afterwards indeti•
nitely extended and continued in force by another
convention of the same parties, concluded the 6th day
of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun-
dred and twenty-seven, 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 rivers
within the same, be ' free and open' to the vessels, citizens,
and subjects of the two Powers, but without prejudice tc
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 sixt h ofAugust,
eighteen hundred and twenty-seven, that either party might
abrogate and annul said convention, on giving due notice
of twelve months to the other contracting party—and
whereas it has now become desirable that the respective
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 abrogation of the said convention of the 6th
August, 1827, in the mode prescribed in its 2d article, and
that the attention of the Governments of both countries may
be the more earnestly directed to the adoption of all proper
measures for the speedy and amicable adjustment of the diffi-
culties and disputes in respect to said territory.
"Be it resolved—That the President of the United States
be, and he hereby is authorised, at his discretion, to give to
the British Governmentthe notice required by its said second
article, for the abrogation of the said convention of the 6th
of August, 1827."
Mr. Allen said the result of the labours of the Committee
was to restore in substance, though with some slight varia-
tion in form and phraseology, the resolutions as they origi-
nally passed the Senate. For reasons which he had hereto-
fore given, therefore, he would be compelled to record his
vote against the adoption of the report of the Committee.
After some conversation, the further consideration of the
report was postponed until one o'clock, several Senators not
having yet made their appearance.
The Senate then, on motion of Mr. Upham, took up the
Bill for the relief of John P. Skinner and others, which was
debated by Messrs. Sevier, Berrien, and Niles, until one
o'clock, when it was laid aside to take up the report of the
Committee of Conference.
The question being upon concurring in the report of the
Committee, Mr. Cameron stated the reason which should in-
fluence his vote in its favour, the substance of which was
that being unable to get the naked notice, and deeming the
notice of more importance than the form in which it was
authorised, he would go for it in its present shape rather
than run the risk of having no notice at all. He expressed
himself out and out for 54 40.
The question was then taken and the report concurred in,
42 to 10, as follows:
AYES—Messrs. Archer, Ashley, Atherton, Bagby, Barrow.
Renton, ,fievien, Calhoun, Cameron, T. citexpn,LA,glß
Haywood, Houston, Huntington, Jarnagin, Johnson, Lae,
Johnson, Md., Lewis, 111`Dullie, Mangum, ller, Morehead,
Niles, Pearce, Phelps, Pennybacher, Rusk, Sevier, Simmona,
Speight, Turney, Upham, Webster, Woodbridge, Vulee,
Noes.—Messrs. Allen, Atchison, Breese, Bright, Case.
Dickinson, Fairfield, Jenness, Semple, and Westcott.
The French Spoliation Bill was then taken up, and Mr. J.
M. Clayton resumed and concluded his remarks in behalf of
the justice of the claims.
In the House of Representatives, Mr. Boyd. of Ky., offered
a resolution to close the debate on the Smithsonian Bill, in
an hour and a half after taking it up in Committee of the
whole.
The resolution was laid on the table, and on motion of Mr.
Owen, the House went into Committee of whole, and the
Bill was taken up.
A motion was then made that the Committee rise for the
purpose of receiving the report of the Committee of Confer-
ence on the Notice resolutions.
Mr. C. J. Ingersoll said that according to the proper form
of legislative action, the report should not be made in the
House until it had been acted upon by the Senate, and there
was, therefore, no occasion for the Committee to rise.
The motion to rise was withdrawn.
Mr. Marsh, of Vermont, spoke for an hour, and advocated
the prompt application of the money to the purposes for
which it was designed by the donor. He also called the at-
tention of the House to the importance of a choice and exten-
sive library, which it would take many years to establish.
and which he thought had not been sufficiently estimated by
the framers of the Bill. The library of Congress he consi-
dered sadly deficient in some of the most necessary works of
history, astronomy, mechanics, and mathematics.
Mr. Morse, of La., defended the Bill as it stood, in pre-
ference to the plan recommended by Mr. Marsh. The insti-
tution woulel confer great benefits upon the people. The
money he regarded as having been held much too long by
the Government, and it was a shame that it haw not been
expended as was contemplated by the testator.
Mr. Chipman, of Mich., opposed the Bill with much vehe-
mence. It was an insult to make the offer of this money
and it was an act of degradation to have accepted it. Mr.
Chipman concluded Ins amusing tirade with threats of de-
nunciation upon the heads of the 54 40 men, if they dared
to
.yield one inch to British oppression and tyranny.
Mr. Bayly, of Va., moved that the Committee rise.
Mr. Owen offered a resolution to close the debate in half an
hour, which was laid en the table.
Mr. J. Q. Adams offered a substitute for the whole Bill,
the main object of which was to exact the payment of the
Arkansas, Michigan, and Illinois bonds, in which the legacy
had been invested in those States.
The Bill in relation to the tonnage duty on canal boats was
then briefly considered, when the Speaker resumed the chair
for the purpose of receiving a message from the Senate, an-
nouncing the concurrence of that body in the report of the
Committee of Conference.
Mr. C. J. Ingersoll then read the report at the Clerk's
desk, and moved that the House concur.
The previous question was demanded by Mr. Bayley and
Mr. Brodhead, which was seconded, and the main question
being put, the report of the Committee was concurred in.
Ayes, 142 ; noes, 46.
The following are the nays :—Messrs. Anderson, William
G. Brown, Cathcart, Chipman, Cobb, Cummins, Cunningham,
De Mott, Douglass, Faran, Ficklin, Fries, Gordon, Harman-
son, Henley, Hoge, George S. Houston, James B. Hunt,
James H. Johnson, Andrew Johnson, Kennedy, Preston
King, Leib, M'Clelland, M'Clelnand, Morris, Moulrou,
Norris, Parish, Perrill, Pettit, Rathbun, Reid, Relfe, Sawyer,
Scammon, Leonard H. Sims, Thomas Smith, Robert
Smith, Starkweather, St. John, Thurman, Tibbetts, Went-
worth, Wheaton and Wick-46.
A motion was made to reconsider, and the House refused
to reconsider, and at an early hour adjourned.
WASHINGTON, APRIL 25. It will be the fault of the
British Government if a treaty be not made on the Oregon
question question in sixty days from this time. If it is wise will
avail itself of the ebb tide here, and offer terms at once, while l
be accepted. Whatever
folVthhaetaedvvericteeromf sthmeasye,beateo.fferle, the
fdthey
are
t it ;
atnhde ,
after Senate t
hesa-til,l thereO S a V
will
undividedlhen nt n n front in
party
te. oppositionthe question in this country.
If the British Government wait, after the notice, for the
action of Congress on the Oregon Bill—if, for any reason
they continue their reserve, they may lose the opportunity
of a pacific and liberal adjustment. The present unexpect-
edly moderate policy and measures of the Senate on this sub-
ject cannot be expected to continue beyond the present
session. The temper- of the people would not permit it.
The Senate would now undoubtedly advise that the country
be divided by forty-nine and the Straits of Fuca; and they
might even be willing to consent to concede to Great Britain
the navigation of the Columbia river for half a century.
There are some reasons, as it is understood, for the opinion
that the British Government will make an overture or accept
one of a reasonable kind.
The President, it is understood, will send out the notice by
the packet of the Ist of May. He will not make an over-
ture,
for
a nb
amicable
cea-hNliel 1
anda cc o ma
ppaei
dn
yy iatdejvai
adjustment
t of
exi retehsei ognu oe
sft
ill his w irsel!
peating, perhaps, the assurance on that subject which he
gave through Mr. Buchanan, in the last correspondence
fer,FROM WASHINGTON,
with the Bnriitbsohßllfrlin
WASHINGTON, APRIL 28.—The British Minister paid the
Secretary of State a lorg visit to-day. The object of it has
not yet leaked out. There seems to be rather an unusual stir
among certain distinguished Senators belonging both to the
54 40 and 49 parties. 'We shall have the proclamation dis-
solving the joint occupancy, probably to-morrow or next day.
Should Mr. Bucaanan be unable t agreelifir
,tewhatever terms
i
the British Minister may offer tothe adjustment of
the matter, he will leave the department forthwith,
be succeeded by Andrew Stevenson, of Vir wills
is
already agreed upon. Mr. Buchanan will nevergl'l consent to
sign a treaty having less than the 49th parallel for its basis.
(From the New York licrotl.)
LATEST INTELLIGENCE.
Our private accounts from Washington are not of the most
encouraging character, as respects the early adjustment of
the Oregon controversy. Mr. vas is now placed in a most
embalming attitude between the two wings of his party..