Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-03-07

friend would find that on this point Of act he had fallen into
sad msske. Great Britain bad been quiet and passive
she had been up wide awake and had kepfa wachfu eye
upon and alour proceedings Andmore
been awake too and unfortunately for
had admitted the rights Of England that at that time
On this subject Mr. D. did not consider himself compro-
hitting the interests Of his country when referring conf
Dental dccutent of the ID session Of the 18th Congress-
document from which the injunction Of secrecy had not
yet been removed but he puposed TO only much Of it
related to facts already within the knowledge Of Greet B
tain and thus far he believed himself authorized go.
Here sort Of yde-r Conversation took place between
Mr. DAfrcS and Mr.. WEBSTER, Mr.. Evans, Mr.. BER-
Rh and several other Senators in his neghbohood under
stood be his right refer TO the document in question
Mr.. DAYTON said it his impression that the fact he
wished to state had been referred 70 already Z was mse
and had been pubishef undsuoc4 Both Ia that cou-
try and ~ MI. Rush Ia this. ,ss s 1900,
Mr. SEWER faiIed ii point Of ORDER that Mr. D. could
not read from document respecting which the injunction Of
Mr. DAYTON said he had no, tie slightest wish % violate
any rule Of the Senate
Some Senator here inquired how the document referred to
had been Obtained
from the Secearys room and from among the records Of
negotiations between the United States and Russia touching
our boundary sf
Mr.. SEWER said the Senator appeared 70 hAse in hit
hand the Secret Journal Of the Senate and 70 be about TO read
from part Of respecting which HE Injunction Of secrecy
had never been removed This WAS quite contrary to any
thing Mr. s. had seen since he was member Of the body
If the Senator read at ALL Mr. s. should insist on having the
whole read. 4 ,8e ss3s
Mr. DAYTON said what he held in His hand was not the
Secret Journal OF the Senate but the recorded correspondence
between our own hegoato and Count Nessclrode the Min
lister Of TIE Emperor Of Russia.
Mr. SEWER insisted on his objection.
Mr.. DAYTON, resumng, said he would pass over
without the slightest hesitation. He would account
violate the rules of the Senate he had alluded fact area
dy fully known the British Government He would say
his friend however, historically that he was mistaken in the
position he had taken on the point In question.
Passing from this, and returning TO the position he had been
aadeavoing 10 maintain, VIZ thai this controversy with Great
Britain must be settled BY compromise, he had referred to the
Russian Boundary question merely for the purpose
Our settlement with Spain furnished another. After get
ting Louisiana from France, Mr. Livingston and Mr. Monroe
insisted that the treaty conveyed to West Florida Also
They the American Government that they had tho
roughly examined the whole question: and were fully salts
fed that the cession covered West Florida and advised
take possession OF IT. as constituting part Of Louisiana
Mr. Pnckhey took the ground, and insisted that they
could demonstrate the fact conclusive manner as would
leave doubt of the fact any intelligent mind Unfortu
natey, however, Don Ons OF different opinion and the
parties might have been arguing their respective claims to this
day had argument been relied on. Mr.. DIS own
opinion was that the weight of evidence and argument
seemed rather against claim Our however,
adhered resoluey its opinion declined " all Interior dis
cuson the facts but asked that arrangement be
made In reference to the aggregate preensons and mutual
accommodation Of the parties As as this was agreed
the parties got together and the thing easily settled But
they might have remained apart till If the other course
had been persisted in.
Need he remind gentlemen of the adopted in
gard the northeastern boundary That was finally settled
in the way. AAer course of correspondence which
occupied paper enough to have covered the whole territory IN
dispute and coming nearer agreement two
together and went to work principles Of common sense
and told each other that further continuance Of these dplo
matte formaies farce, and could end only IN
repetition Of the arguments either side. They
thereupon proceeded TO settle the dispute grounds of
tual accommodation They threw aside questions of
abstract right and settled the matter like Of business and
Of Without that the boundary would never
have been agreed s@
There was instance within Mr. DIS recollection where
nation had debated another nation out Of its teo-
y. We had argued this Oregon question long enough TO
settle to mere consideration Of rights Il was time to
bring to close principles OF mutual accommodation
But here he met by the friends of $40 40, and by the
resolutions of Illinois, which declared that title up to that
line was not obscured by single doubt Think Of that
not obscured by single doubt And then brought up
the resolution Of the Baltimore Conventions miscellaneous
tumuuous political assembage, Of whom not in thou
sand knew any thing about the question He sorry that
this had been alluded to- The introduction Of such refer
of the signs Of the times His friend said,
when this question had been under discussion in the Senate
years ago, that Senators all agreed in the
opinion that title clear and unquesionable IN this
the gentlcmans recollection little at fault, for If he
might he excused he would remind him that Mr. d. himself
had that time made humble effort to state the grounds OF
title claimed by both sides in the controversy but had then
declared that question which could not here be dis
cussed for obvious The Senator from Delaware
(Mr CLAYTON under similar impression, had declared
day since that he should not in open Senate, attempt
to speak the question Of title, but should that sub
what he had for the secret session. In the
spirit the Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. WEBsTER
had said the other day that his tongue should be bered be-
fore should speak word against title, long
the question under negotiation. And yet gentlemen sec
ing this and perfectly understanding the motives Of such
duct cried out "You have not answered our argumsnts
We have argued and argued and demonstrated title to
be good the whole of Oregon and not has dared 70
argument" Mr. ID. did not think this treat
ing mutual friend very kindly. Gentlemen on the other
side of the chamber well knew the why Mr. d. and
his friends held their peace that subject and he would put
to their candor to whether, the intelligence Of the
Senate should be brought bear the question Of title it
might not very quickly appear that title beyond the a
tude Of 400 very far indeed from not being obscured by
single doubt" the Illinois resolutions and all the gentle
mans arguments to the contrary notwithstanding
He would ask the members of the Senate both sides
whether they had followed the lucid able, and convincing
gumcnt Of the Senator from New York, (Mr. DIx in the
deduction Of title, and whether they had marked the point
where that Senator had passed from the language Of strict and
clear logical inference into loose generaes If they
had, he would further ask whether the point where that great
change took place had been Nooa which, he believed
lay far from the latitude Of 400 And he put il again
the candor of Senators the other side whether
doubt could possibly be raised obscure the cleancss Of
title beyond the parallel Of 400
But said the Senator from Illinois, had not all negota-
tors said that title good up to $40 40 , And were
gentlemen going back and admit that II not
Mr. d. would the question by another Did not
ncgoaors stand souy for the parallel of 60 against
the claim Of Russia Did they insist just strongly
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