The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-20
THE TREATY.

ia also stated that The ratification was adopted by
vote of Al to a. But the secrecy Of executive SEES
sion has not yet been removed either from the pro
ceedings of the Senate from the provisions of th'
treaty When these shall have been laid before The
country fully and officially shall take occasion to
express our own views upon the subject.
II rumor states the spulations Of the treaty cor
recy, they provide that its "bass shall be the 4s'
parallel of latitude from the Rocky mountains to
the straits of Physiological to retain possession Of
Vancouyer's island, and to enjoy the navigation oil
the Columbia river until me expiration OF the char
ter Of the Hudson Bay Company, which has some
seventeen years to rnn."
Assuming this to be true, or very nearly so, 1t is
manifest that the treaty settles our longyexed con-
troyersy upon terms far more advantageous TO US
than have ever before been offered by England.
Il is well known, indeed, that Great Britain has
claimed steadfaslly and from the first, her boun-
dairy line the channel of the Columbia river from
its mouth up to the parallel Of s9o and that she has
more than once proclaimed TIE inpOssibihiy Of re-
eedng from that basis of negotiation. The country
between the Columbia river and that par alel which
the present treaty is said to sdpulate has not yet
been carefully surveyed or measured. But no
doubt, we believe, is entertained that at least two
large States may be formed out oft. However this
may be, the treaty, as rumor describes il, gives US
about three degrees Of seaeoast on the Pacific with
the eventual exclusive navigation Of the chief river
on the western slope Of our continent The treaty
allows the common navigation of this river, not to
British subjects generally, but to the Hudson Bay
Company; and this, 1t Is umored, for a limited
period. But all these topics may be discussed much
more to the purpose, when the articles Of the treaty
shall have been fully made known to the country.
The wing presses, we observe, are attributing
to the course Of the Serate the formation Of the
treaty. Now, we venture to ar1sr that, when all
the facts of the shall be presented before the
public, the Of the President will appear clear
and consistent throughout. Had not the Senate
taken in part the negotiation out Of his hands,
have no doubt he would have obtained better terms
from Great Britain, even than those which are con-
tanned in the treaty But these TERMS such as they
are, would never have been conceded to US, had it
not been for the firm and energetic, though not Of
fensve stand taken by the President 1t was the
" HOhScb thV VI he
existing convention, and the other measures adopted
by the President which induced Great Britain 10
yield to the United States the great and valuable
territory between the Columbia and the 49th paral-
lei Of latitude, which she had often solemnly de-
clared she never would surrender and Of which
she was in actual possession.
Since writing the above, we have met the follow
ing article in yesterday mornings "Pennsylvanan, ;"
which exhibits some facts and views that may inter-
est our readers. They supersede the necessity Of
making, at this time, any remarks Of our own upon
these points. We therefore subjoin them, reserving
to ourselves the privilege of expanding them at
more seasoDable opportunity:
THE SUBMISSION OF THE OREGON QUESTION TO
THE SENATE BY THE PRESIDENT.
The Courier des Etats Unis, of New York, oil
the 18th instant, in an editorial remarkable for
nothing but abuse fthe President for submitting
the proposal of the British government the Senate
for their previous action, and the ignorance which il
betrays of the character of institutions, declares
cit is thus that Washington, Jefferson and above
all that Andrew Jackson, Of whom Mr.. Polk aspired
to be the grandson political we-suppose is meantl
would have acted. Decidedly, the Young Hickory
Il not made Of the same timber the DID,"
Now 1t so happens that Washington Jefferson,
and Jackson, the only Presidents who have ever
asked the Sen tie for their advice before concluding
treaties with foreign powers.
With Washington this occurred 30 frequenil,
that it may almost be said to have been his practice
That the constitution warrants if il does not enjoln
this course, is manifest from bare reference TO il
language 1t declares that the President shall have
power, by and toiH The adri and constni Of the Senate
to make treaties provided twothirds Of the senator
present concur"
II might originally have been argued with grea
force, that the advice and consent of the Senat,
ought to be obtained in all cases, before any treaty
could he made by the President. The practice OF
the government has, however, settled the construc-
ton, that either the course the other may be
pursued. Which should be adopted is always
question of expediency, depending on crcum-
stances.
But our chief Intention in this article, is merely
to point out for the information OF the Courier dcs
Eats Unis, one remarkable example from each OF
the three administrations of Washington, Jefferson
and Jackson, in which the Senate consulted in
advance regard to treaties with foreign powers
We take these examples frem the published jour
nails of the Senate:
"On the 7th of March, 1892, President Washing
ton asked the previous advice of the Senate on a
most important negotiation then pending with
Spain; and on the 18th of the same month the Sem
ate gave him their advice upon the subject ~ Vide
Executive Journal of the Senate, vol. pages LOG
and lis. ... .s
President Jefferson went still further, because he
con6dentially consulted not only the Senate, but
also the House Of Representatives, in regard to the
proprety of purchasing by treaty the Foridas from
Spain and settling the south western boundary of
Louisiana with that power. This done in 1906,
in confidential message to both houses Of Con-
grcss, to which they also responded.-Vide the
speech of Senator Benton on the annexation of
Texas delivered in the Senate of the United States
on the 10Th of June 1914, as il appears in the Con-
gressional Globe of that year, page 654.
General Jackson, on the 7th Of December, 1891
submitted to the Senate the award Of the king of the
Netherlands, on the Maine boundary question, for
their previous advice. In his message he declares
that he chad always determined, whatever might
have been the result Of the examination by the
sovereign arbiter to hare submitted the same to the
Senate for their advice before [hel executed or
Rejected it,"
This case is exceedingly strong, because it is
well known that General Jackson's own private
Judgment was in favor of executing the award
he might have done this, had he pleased, without
any reference whatever to the Senate, because the
award had been made in pursuance of treaty, and
1t rested with the President alone to decide wheth-
er II should DR. sboud~ not he exerute1 Rut he did