Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-04-09
GRESSIONAI DEBATE.
From the National lnlelligrncer.
In SENATE-MoDday, March 30.
THE OREGON QUESTION


requested TO communicate 10 the Senate copies OF NJ
correspondence that nhy have taken place between II
authorities Of the uniied States and those OF Gre
Britain since the lasi document transmitted o Congres
IN relation 10 the subject ofihe Oregon territory,
much thereof as may he communicated without tetf
menl to the public Interest,"
Il MIR. Webster rose and said: | shall advis
my honorable friend, the member from Della
ware, to forbear from pressing this resolution
for few days.
4 There is no doubt that thc,c are letter
from Mr.. McLane but, as the chairman q
/ The committee on foreign relations oppos e.
! tins motion, am 10 presume that the Execu
tive Government finds II inconvenic n, to com
muncute those letters 10 The Senate at tn,
present moment
Yet, 1t is obvious, that rs the Senate i.
called on to perform legislative act, it ought
before the lhur of lts decision comes, 10 be
pnt in possession of every thing likely to in
nuence its judgment otherwise, it would be
required TO perform high legislative functions
on mere confidence. There is certainly some
embarrassment in the case. II the Executive
Government deems the communication of the
correspondence lnconvenleni, II can only be
because negotiation is still going on, or, il
suspended, fs expected to be resumed. So
far as negotiation is concerned, the commu
nicatlon Of the correspondence, may very
properly be thought inconvenient But, then,
the President has recommended the passage
OF law, or resolution, by The two houses of
Congress ln support OF this recommenda
tioD, he himself sent US, unasked, at the COM
mencement Of the session, the correspondence
up to that time. Now, if that was necessary,
the rest was necessary. II we arc entitled
TO part, we are entitled to the whole.
In.
on Congress to authorize notice to Englsnd
Of the dlscontinuance of what has been called
the joint occupation until negotiation has been
exhausted. Negotiation should have been
tried first, and when that had failed and
finally failed. then, and not tlll then, should
Congress have been called upon.
] now 90 on the ground of course, that the
notice for dIsconlinuIng the joint occupancy
is properly 10 be given by authority Of Con-
gross point which do not now discuss.
IL is said, indeed, that notice is to be used
az a weapon, or an instrument, IN negotiation.
| hardly understand this. 1t is q metaphor of
not very obvious application. A weapon.
seems to imply, not a facility or mere aid, bu,
the means either of defence against attack
or of making an attack. 1t sounds not alto
geihcr friendly and pac fc. doubt exceed
notice would haste negotiation and yet such
are these circumstances that there may be- a.
much Inconvenience in standing still as IN
going forward,
The truth is, that grcnt embarrassment
arises from the extreme pretenslons and opn-
ions put forward by the President, IN hs IN
augurnl address, year ago, and IN his mes
sage last December. But for these, notice
would have been harmless, and perhaps would
have been authorized by both houses without
much opposition, and received by England
without dissatisfaction. Bat the roc0mmen.
datioD Of the notice, coupled with the Prcs.
dents repeated declarations that he held our
tile to the whole of the territory to be ''cIcar
and unqucstonabIe," alarmed the county,
And well it might. And II notice were re-
CURED IN order To enable the President to
push these extreme claims 10 any md every
result. then notice ought to be refused by
Congress, unless Congress is ready to sup
port these pretensiuBs at all hazards. Here
hes the difficulty. Congress is not prepared,
1nd the country 10 not prepared, rs believe,
10 make the Presidents opinion Of cIenr
,nd nnQuestionabe rIgh, TO the whole terri.
tory an ultimatum. II he wants notice for
such purpose, he ccrtnInly must see that it
will grant II.
1t was great, very great mistake, To ac-
company the recommendation Of notice with
so positive an assertion of our right To the
" hole territory. Did the President mean to
adhere TO that, even to the extremity Of war?
II so, he should have known that, after what
has happened in many years past. The country
was not likely 10 sustain him. Did he mean
In ait
so, why say it at oil? Surely The President
could not be guilty Of playing so small part
~ to cndeavor 10 show himself To possess (.
spirit, md boldncss, and fenrlessncss of
England, more than his predecessors, or his
rountrymen, and yet do all this in the conf
dent hope that no serious collision would
nrise between the Two countries.
So low an ambition, such pnrry motives,
ought moi to BE- imputed. When the Presi.
dent declared that, IN his Judgment. our title
10 the whole Of Oregon was "clear and IN.
questionable" did he mean to express an Off
,Ial or mere personal opinion? lfthe lat
Ter, it certainly had no place in an official
the former-ii he intended
solemn official opinion, upon which he was
resolved to act officially, then !: is a verv
grave question how far he is justified, with \
out new lights, or any change of clrcumslan.
res, 10 place the claims OF this country, IN
his respect, on other grounds than those On
which they had stood under hls predecessors.
md with the concurrence OF all branches OF
he Government, for so many years for it is
not To be doubted that the United States
Government has admitted, through n long
series OF years. that England has rights IN
he northwestern parts of this continent which
,rc entitled to he rrsDcctcd '
Mr. President, one who has observed At.
enilvcly whit has trnnsprcd here and in
England, within the last three months, must,
think, perceive that public opinion, III both
countries, IS coming To n conclusion that this
ought To be settled ard is not
very diverse. ~ the one country and the +
other, ~ 10 the general basis of such settle
mcui. That bnsls Is The offer made by the
United Sintrs tu England ~ 1876. "
There is no room I, doubt, think, that
lhls country is ready ~ stand by that offer
and IN ,hcct. Such is my opin-
ION ut hast. aud circumstances certainly m.
dlcnte that Great Britain would not, IN oil
probability would not, regard such proposl.
iiun M nnii 10 he considered. ! said, some
weeks hgo, That ! did not intend to discuss