The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-01-10

they could do to strangle oregon. 80 tar as
Oregon is concerned, l, for one, representing
the people do, will never vote for any treaty
yielding all inch ofground below 81 degrees
and forty minutes North.
MIR Calhoun said he rose merely 10 allude
to single remark which applied to himself
personally. The Senator from mdiann had
endeavored to draw IL contrast between his
| (Mr C.'s) course upon the Texas question, and
his course upon this. The views which gov
erned me (said Mr. ca upon that question,
govern me also upon this. pursued III ref
erenoe 10 Texas what conceived To be the
best course. iii acted boldly and promptly
on that occasion; il was because boldness and
promptness were necessary 10 success u
was the golden opportunity ana one year
delay would have lost Texas To us forever
| If lam for more deliberate measures on tins
occasion, it is not because am not n friend To
Dragon. On the contrary, Oregon has no
better friend than myself: there is no one who
would venture more to save il. But il is ask
ed why do not pursue the same course of
action rs in regard to Texas. Ifthe gentle
man will refer to my remarks in 1913, lie VIII
| find that the views which governed me then
are the same as those which govern me now.
| believe that precipitancy will lose you Ore
gon torever--no not forever; but 1t will lose
you Oregon in the first struggle, and then II
will require another struggle hereafter, when
we become stronger, 10 regain IT.
| Twill not 90 into this question now; l am
prepared when il comes up for discussion, II
argument can show, that the principle n-
volved in these resolutions, so far from gain
ing Oregon, will for the present lose every
inch of that territory; and it is ON that ac-
count, as much from the fear of losing Ore
gon rs from the desire of avoiding war, that
| have proposed amendments To the Senator's
| resolutions. Sir, if my advice had been pur-
sued we should never have been involved i'll
this controversy at all. now act under cir
cumstances not produced by myself, and
will do the best ! can TO save the territory Of
| Oregon, which hold rs valuable rs the SEN
ator from Indiana himself can do. lfyou IN
stitute comparison between Oregon and
Texas, would say that the former is rs valu-
able to us as the latter, and would defend it.
If the Senator and myself disagree, we disa
gree only in the means of securing Oregon,
and not as TO its importance. Sir, intend TO
say nothing about censuring the President; !
simply said that, by implication, censurc
would be conveyed. | do not suppose that
the Senator intends 10 reflect upon the Pres
ident; but there can he no difference, rs far
as this question is concerned, between the
time when the proposition for division AT
the parallel of 40 degrees was made and
now. 1t was as sensible then as it would bc
to repeat the offer now
Mr. Calhoun dsclaimed any intention of
lauding the President, nor did he accuse the
gentleman from Indiana of any intention 10
censure him. 1t was very certain, however,
that the sense ofthc Senate, when taken up
on the original resolutions and the amend
ments, would show very clearly the views en-
tertained with reference 10 the settlement OF
the Oregon difficulty. Those who agreed
with the honorable mover Ofthe original res
olutions would reject all farther negotiations;
those on the opposite side would h" disposed
to continue the negotiations. That was the
whole amount Ofthc matter; and his sole rea-
son for moving the amendments was that the
sense ol'thc Senate might be fully taken.
! Mr. Archer said it seemed To him Ia he
matter Of no great importance what disposal
the Senate might finally make of the TWO
propositions now before them. He consider
ed it chiefly of consequence rs displaying
the views entertained by individual Senators;
and he merely rose ut this time for the pur-
pose ofexprcssing his profound satisfaction
| n the course taken by the distinguished Sen
ator from South Carolina. He had had occa-
sion To express his views upon the subject
heretofore. He came here imbucd with APP
prehension, but he hailed the attitude taken
| by the Senator us an undouhted omen of
/
ed the glad news. And why? They of that
side ofthc House found on the other side
members enough to sustain them in the
ground they were going 10 take.
Sir, (said Mr. Archer, )when speak ofpeacc
| disdain to say the word means no other
than an honorable peace.
Mr. John NJ. Clayton was in favor of laying
the resolutions on the table, and thought the
subject should be discussed in Executive SEES
| sion. lie trusted that the Senator from South
Carolina Mr. Calhoun would move to let the
resolutions lie over for the consideration of
the Executive branch ofthc Senate, to which
they more appropriately belonged; that was
the appropriate place for discussion, if it
should arise. But he Mr. c. deprecated ev-
cry attempt at discussion before the country,
lift be the intention ofany party thus TO pre-
pare the country for war.
The President of the United States had the
power otinitiating all these matters it was
their business to wait until he had informed
! them officially ifa treaty was made, and then
they could discuss the subject. He would
ask the Senate, ifby this discussion they did
not express opinions whilst the matter was
under negotiation, and would they not stand
committed to the country by the resolutions
which they should adopt? There was no
man who heard him on the resolutions and
the amendments which had been offered in
relation to the 10th parallel, or the whole of
| Oregon, but must say, that if he acted on
these resolutions before the Executive had
acted upon them, he (Mr C.) would by such Il
course, assume the negotiation of the ques-
i ton, which was now in the hands ofthe Prcsi
dent Suppose the resolutions or amend
ments offered by the Senator from South
Carolina, (Mr Calhoun,) were adopted in