Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1846-01-15
Correspondence Of the NJ Y. Express.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 2.
IMPORTANT DEBATE IN THE HOUSE,
SPEECH FROM J. @. ADAMS.


SPEECH FROM J. @. ADAMS.
have but a moment or two before the de.
parture OF the cars to acquaint You with the de-
tined position Of John Quincy Adams upon the
Oregon Question.
Al nearly the close Of the days proceedings
Mr.. HARRISON Of Ga, from the Military COM
mittee, reported bill Tor raising two regiments
OF mounted rIflemen, and also "a section OF the
same bill, giving discretionary power 10 the
President 10 add NUMBER OF men TO the exist
ing regiments OF in iantry, r1emen and artillery.
4 motion was made to make the bill a special
order OF the day t,r Tuesday next, and upon
this motion the debate arose. Mr.. Houston Of
Illinois advocating it, and the whole merits Of
the Oregon and war questions gradually enter
ing into the discussion.
Mr. e. J. ingersoll, Chairman of the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, Appreciated that
no such consequence as war would result from
the notice; and in the course of MIR. Adams's
speech, which followed, he said that no one
was authorized to Say that his Committee did
not contemplate giving the notice.
Mr.. Houston, OF s. e., argued that the one
years notice, if now & wen, would be war
measure, and thatit world be- necessary at once
to appropriate $40 ,DOO,UOO for the defence Of
the country If il passed.
Mr.. Adams took the floor, and the House
ment hushed into silence. lie apologized to
the House for rising to speak at all. remarking
that his physical lnablIlty would not enable
him to speak more than briefly. The measure
before the House was but one Of great variety
of subjects which ought to be brought to the
attention OF the body, and all be considered to-,
gether.
They were all measures which would add
very materially TO the expenses OF the country,
and none OF them, he thought, ought be Dig
cussed at this time During the two, three aud
ioul years past, we had gradually been reduc.
ing the army, and in his apprehension, there is J
no more danger OF war now than there was
when the reduction was made. With great en-
phasls, and with all eyesupon him. MIR Adams
then went on TO say, 81 do not believe at all
il any apprehension Of wal at this time
/ do not see any TESTIMONIALS that there
is danger of war at this time, and | CAM
not now, therefore, consent to vote for any in--
crease Of the Army. am ready to give notice
to Great Britain, that we mean 10 terminate the
treaty between us, and at the end OF Twelve
months am ready to take possession of the
territory. | declared my readiness TO give this
notice at the last session Of Congress, ard q.
VOW my readiness to give it now. (Great ap-.
plause ON the floor and suppressed applause
from the crowded galleries This notice ought
TO be given at once, this day if il could lie done,
but such was the value that lie placed upon
treaties, and so much did he regard the nation
al consc fence concerned in this matter that he
would not vote for an additional soldier, sailor;
for any fortihcation, or even foF the sappers and
miners that have been asked, until this notice
was given. This done, at the end of twelve
months he was ready to extend jurisdiction o.
yer the whole territory, but from such a result
he did not believe that war could come-he had
Il k.>k. "a
which God forbid, let it come with all hearts
bound together upon the subject, and all hands
united in the defence Of the country. War, he
repeated, need not follow from the notice, or
from occupation, we would negotiate still. and
his belief was, he repe ated again and again,
that war would not be the consequence Of the
notice. But If war came he was sure that it
would soon be terminated, and terminated in a.
manner forever to prevent England from inter-
tering with the United States. MIR. Douglass
of illinois had previously said that England
| would commence war upon us at once ii We
would guarantee to her the safety OF her pos
sessions in Canada.
Of the effect of Mr.. Adams's speech have
only time TO add that 1t produced great sensa-
tion,-gving great delight to the Western
members generally, and particularly to the Adj
ministration members, while it impaired the
greatest sadness to his more immediate friends
and from those representing the Atlantic
States What its effect may be upon the coun-
try, il ~ not easy to say. The House adjourned
as soon as he had closed, and the debate wilt
be resumed tomorrow His speech will be-
answered by the friends of both political PAT
ties T. "
On the 9Th, Mr.. C J. Tngersoll, chairman Of
the Committee on Foreign Relations, reported
resolution. advising the President to give no.
tlce to Great Britain, of the termination Of the
Joint Occupancy of the Oregon Territory.
The resolution having been read, Mr.. Inger-
soil moved its reference to a committee of the
whole, and that it be made the special order
for first Monday in February.
Pending the motion, Mr.. Davis, from the MI
nority ofthe committee, made report, accom-
panied by resolution, denying the power of
the House to act in the matter.
A motion was made by Mr.. Kennedy to strike,
out the words "first Monday in February" and
insert 'to-morrow," wherein long, split.ha
discussion arose on points of order.
Mr. .Giddngs got the floor, and gave his views
in favor of war rather than for the Free States
to remain within the power of a slayeholding
oligarchy.
Mr.. Mcdowell OF Ohio, spoke in favor of the
notice, and Of all Of Oregon.
Mr.: Sims. of Missouri, goes further than any
one else. His motto is, "For Oregon, and the
whole of it, now or never"
Mr.. Rhett, of S. c., said that a war would
not gain Oregon, but would lose it forever; ana
that the notice would lead to war. He did not
beileve that the negotiation was ended NOR that
the matter could not be settled The conven-
ton, he maintained, was operating favorably
to us, and Great Britain had more reason to-
complain of it than we had. We could not get
Oregon by war until we had humbled the Bit,
sh lion in the dust-no easy task The. war
would not be in Oregon. After the first gun
was fred, we should hear no more Of Oregon
The people there would have the sense TO leave
all the fighting to the United States and GreaA|
Britain. He spoke Of rumoFs that this quel
rants. The ground taken by some that