The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-01-15
CONGRESS,
IN SENATE.
TUESDAY, December 80, ls45
OREGON.

OREGON
Mr. HANNEeAN called up the following re-
solutions, submitted by him yesterday, viz:
Resolued, That the country included
within the parallels Of 42 and 81 degrees 40
minutes north latitude, and extending from
the Rocky mountains to the Pacific ocean,
known as the territory of Oregon, is the pro-
perty, and part and parcel of the United
States.
Resolped, That there exists no power in
this government 10 transfer its soil, and the
allegiance of IT'D citizens, TO the dominion,
authority, control, and subsection Of any
foreign prince, state, or sovereignty.
Resolred, That the abandonment or sur
render Of any portion Of the territory Of Ore
gon, would be an abandonment Of the honor,
the character, and the best Interests of the
American people.
Mr.. H. said that his object in calling up
these resolutions was, to move to make them
the order of the day for next week, or the
week after He would name Monday week.
Mr.. CALHOUN was, although he could not
give his support to the resolution, much gra-
ti6ed that they emanated from the Senator
from Indiana. Whatever were his objections
TO them, they had the merit of being direct,
open, and manly. They denied, in direct
terms, the authority of this government TO
make a treaty with regard to the Oregon ter
ritery, and denounced, as he understood, by
Implication, the proposition already made by
our government TO settle by the forty-ninth
degree of latitude. If the Senate should
support the resolutions, it was clear that the
question could only be settled by force; and
that no peace, should war result, could ever
take place between the two countries, but
by our dctation, and at the cannon's mouth.
He took the occasion to avow the course
which he should pursue. He was for peace,
if it could be honorable preserved. He was
in favor of adjustment by negotiation, if it
could be settled by negotiation. If it could
not be adjusted Lby negotiation, he was in
favor Of such course as shall throw the
onus of wat from our shoulders to those oi
Great Britain. He approved of the course
Of the administration in offering to adjust the
question on the parallel of forty-nine degrees,
under all the circumstances; and it should
be his wish 10 cooperate with the Executive
on this question, as he believed the Execu-
tive's desire to be for peace, if peace can
be honorably preserved. lfpeace cannot be
honorabIy preserved, and if we are to have
war, he would never be found antagonistic to
our country. He offered the following reso.
lutions, which were read, viz:
Strike out all after the word resoIoed, and
insert.
That the President of the United States
has the power by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate to make treaties, pro-
vided two-thirds of the Senate present con
cur.
Resolped, That the power Of making
treaties embraces that of settling and fixing
boundaries between the territories and pos
sessions of the United States and those o
f other powers, in cases of conflicting claims
between them in reference TO the same.
Resolaed, That however clear their claim
} may be, in their opinion, 10 the country in
, cluded within the parallels of 40 degrees AM
81 degrees DO minutes north latitude, an
> extending from the Rocky mountains to tn
: Pacific ocean, known as the Territory c
3 Oregon, there now exists, and have lon
: existed, conflicting claims to the possessio
of the same between them and Great Britain
the adjustment of which has been frequentl
the subject of negotiation between tho res
pective governments.
Resolped, therefore, That the President {
the United States has rightfully the powe
under the constitution, by and with the az
vice and consent of the Senate, provide
that two-thirds of the members present col
o cur, TO adjust by treaty the claims of the tN
b countries to the said territory, by fixing
!, boundary between their respective posse
!, sions.
- Resolred, That the President of the Unite
'e States, in renewing the offer in the spirit
;" peace and compromise, to establish the 49t
If degree of north latitude as line betwee
'a the two countries to the said territory, d
% not abandon the honor, the character, or tt
70 best interests of the American people,
n exceed the power vested in him by the col
lie stitution TO make treaties.
ty Mr.. HANNEGAN. THE senator would not d.
is, ny that the whole aspect Of the question ha
ic changed since the proposition of the Pres
ne dent, and since the peremptory and almo
e, contemptuous refusal of the British ministe
Is, If it were not so, he was a freeman as we
he as the President of the United States; an
ID, although his political friend, and ever expec
in, ed to be, yet, if the President on any occ
es sion or occasions assumed a position whlt
ut he could not endorse, he had the right, al
ur would maintain it, as well here as at hom