Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-01-09
rwESTY-EiGHrn coNGREss--rirsts Session.
Thursday, Jan A, 1874.
IN GEN ATE

hand circular issued by meeting at Baltimore OF
'the Friends of the Lords Day., which they had re-
quested him to read t. The Senate The crcul,r Was
from source respectable, and The objects OF It re
morally so laudeblc that he could net decline stating
their request The reading OF The paper was objected
TO, however, lis objects not appearing TO have any re1-
lion with the proper business of the Senate.
| TIE OREGON, &c.
/ Mr.. ARCHER rose to return E,s acknow Judgments
TO the Senator from Ohio MIR. Acn) for his ioraear-
ancc in not pressing resolution formerly submitted ny
him, daring the bad state of health under which iF
/ (Mr Arcncr) had been nborng for some days past
As tins was The first of his being able 10 pre-
sent himself, he would say that he lad no obJec
lion TO e resolution heing then taken up.
The resolution Of Mr.. Alien thea taken up and
read follows:
R:sOrcd, Tina! The President be requested to lay be-
fore the Senate, If in his judgment that may be done
without prejudice TO the public interests, copy oil
any instructions which may have been given by The
Executive TO the American Minister in England on
the subject OF the title II and the occupation oil the
Territory of Oregon since 4tE March, 1871. Also, .
copy OF any correspondence which may have passed
between this Government and that of Great Britain III
relation thereto since that time.
Mr.. MOREHEAD had no objection, he said, when
this resolution offered, TO the information propose
TO be obtained; but, since the Senator from Ohio had
submitted the resolution, some difficulty had arisen IN
HE mind on the subject He would submit whether
during The tendency OF negotiations, while they were
actually carrying on, should ask for disclosures as
10 the manner in which they conducted 1t was
true, the resolution left it discre onary with The Pre-
side mt OF the Unit ID States whether 10 give the nnf
nation not but he unwilling that the rcsru
ton should pass from US at this moment without some
further consideration. Whether should ESTABLISH! q
preceden, for snch proceeding, was matter fer Sc
rious consideration lie did not suppose that it was
the object OF the Senator from Ohio TO draw the Sc
nate into discussion Of the questions involved in the
subject Of the resolution at this time but he appre
Blended thai, by The adoption of the resolution, under
present circumstances, we should create difficulties
hereafter IL seemed 10 him, that TO establish rule by
which espondence relative 10 4 pending negotia-
ton may be called for would be very serious matter
He had risen TO call attention TO the subject, and net
with any view 10 oppose the object oil the resolution
lie would prefer il lie the table for the present, and
that its consideration be resumed al other time
but he would make motion on the subject, that would
preclude the Senator from Ohio from making any ex-
PLANTATION.
Mr. ALLEN said, he was we'll that the Sc.
naor from Kentucky felt, in common with the people
West Of the Allcghnnics, deep interest in the great
subject involved in this resolution, and that he would
not oppose lis object The Senator apprehended how
ever tina. the adoption of the tsouton would be an
improper interference with pending negotiation, and
might establish dangerous precedent. There was no
foundation for this apprehension of The Senator 1t Is
not proposed, Sir establish any precedent. Sir
the precedent is already established and has been for
a length of time. The resolution is in conformity
with the long settled practice Of this body, as the re
The President has the power said Mr.. Allen, TO mi
tiae negotiations leading 10 treaties, but they must be
consumInated here. The President has absolute
power their conclusion. The Senator from Ken
lucky asks Us why should call for information as t.
a neno,inon while that ne goation is pcndinga ask
why we should call for il after the negotiation is con
cuded' When the negotiation is brought TO close
for good FOR evil and the matter is concluded, so ia
as the President has power over 1t, why should we ash
for information then Ii is before the matter has
lint eta hat Mt IN n
with The grounds Of his proceeding. The late British
treaty should admonish us, Sir, that the Senate mus
act in tine and interfere while negotiations pend
ing The impending calamity must be arrested in time
The discussions Of the British treaty, which took place
in this body with closed doors, now before tht
public, and would be alluded 10 without improperly
lie would ask Senators what was the strongest argu
mcnt in favor Of the ratification of this treaty by us
The argument was, that the Executive had acted ant
that the country compromised, and thut The Gala
nifty Of a rejection o the treaty would he great a
of us ratification. That treaty negotiated almost
unter the eye Of the Senate certainly within reach o
its ARMAND yet it happened that il was not averted
treaty that rcpngnant TO the sense OF majority
of the Senate was ratified here by vote of twothrd5
Why did this happcn' II was because every Senato
fe, himse If bound 10 vote in compliance with the casa
that was made for them. Could it be supposed tim
Representatives of sovereign States would ngree to
t.ca,y BIZ which portion OF one Of their number wa:
thrown out of the Union, and given 10 foreign Power
We have had experience and warning enough in the
history Of that treaty, by which the Senate werf
forced 10 sacrifice the interests, and az believe, Isaac
Mr. A. the honnr of the country, 10 induce us to De
more watchu and prompt in the discharge of our du
ties hereafter How is il, sir with The Oregon negct'a
tom | have l,cly reply made by Sir Robert
Peel TO question proposed 10 m as to the state of th
nero,iaton Sir Robert PeeIs reply, which was made
in his place, though as ambiguous as snch replies usn
ov arc vet conve ycd the ida that the negotiation
ronr on in such manner would eiecually guard
The RIGHTS and promote the interests the British empire
II was now proposed II make this subject of eglsln
ton but vet n negotiation was going on that would
,hwart any Legislative action lie held that II was 'he
raht of the Senate mhnd OF the President to pnce
bore this body all the steps OF the negotiation rs II
advanced in order that the Senate might be well ac-
ouainted with il before tfeay was presented Tor rat-
fca,ion You (sad Mr. A. are the treaty making pc W.
or and you are exercise your power alter The fes
dents action has rendered It wholly migratory IL was
ssble that the powers of the Senate could be thus
90, aside This resolution we'll grounded in every
respect Il had all the guards that were usually re-
s,r,cd 10 in such The President had MADE MS
inilia,ory movement lie knew the state OF lne nego
alton. and could Judge OF The proprety OF making tue
correspondence public. Ii was matter addressed Ia
b;s own ;utoment entirely. II he ghtlhatlt would
no ruht and proper 10 send the information, he could do
so. and, if not, he could Withhold it, The resolution
ITSELF suggested that he should keep the mater 10 MN
self, if he thought 1t incompatible WIKI tue Puo''1 III
tcress TO promugate It
But IN, resolution was not only right on general
ptounds-it was particularly so, inasmuch as the sub
l.ct of the Oregon Territory wns 10 be made one OF le
gslative action How could we act on the Oregon b
without knowing the consequences of our action, We
might here act on one state OF things while the rres
dent had bound the country 10 another state of things
The question would thus become entangcd one branch
Of The Goyernmen, acting without the knowledge Of
the other What had II eady been the consequences OF
such course? lie had seen speech OF SIR Robert
PEEL in which tina, Min ser had declared, that II the
bill for The occupation Of The Oregon Territory, which
was before the Senate last winter, had passed INTO
law il would have bren The cause OF war The specla
object Of thai speech wa:for it was rot &c Presu
med that minister, speaking with the weight OF the
British empire on his shoulders, would speak without
an obiect-o admonish us 10 stand stl-'o warn inns
BODY that they must pass that BILL Thus was tina
territory mi ht be wreted from US by negotiation
territory larger than Great Britain three times multi
pled, Which was ours, might be taken from u.s.
If the Minister designed bis admonton to act on the
States and on The People OF this union' he would ma
himself mistaken in the result lie could not, IN any
way more efIcctuay the pride and the spirit Of
The American people than by such menace lie (Mr
AZ wanted the people TO see The state OF THIS question
the people who have covered our tables with peti,
lions for the occupation of the Oregon Territory, ano
who if they thought it necessary, would petition us
BY millions lie hoped the resolution would not be
Il 4 be should