The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-05-12
VINDEX.
THE SESSION Of CONGRESS

THE SESSION OF CON GRESS
has run on thus far without our having
found the least inducement, or excuse, in
the joint action Of the two Houses, to re-
view their acts, or speculate upon The
progress which they were likely 10 make
in public business during the remainder
of The time before them. At length, how
ever, at the close of the Fifth Month of
the Session, we have arrived, not at stop
ping-place, but at starting point, at
which the ordinary and usual business of
the sessioe may be said to be about to
begin.
Thatpoint was not reached, and can
hardly be said to have been in sight, un-
til the great stumblingblock of the Ore
gon question had been removed out of the
way of Congress, as it has been by the
passing Of the Joint Resolution on that
subject. That Resolution, it gives US
pleasure to understand from the govern
ment paper, will receive the signature Of
the President as soon as the forms of leg
islation viii allow il to be placed before
him: so that the measures which it pro-
poses of cessation of joint occupation and
intermediate amicable adjustment of
boundary between the United Stltes and
Great Britain may be regarded as the
settled policy of the United States, and of
course for the present no longer matter
for debate or controversy at the Capitol.
Nor do we expect the SUBJECT to be kept
alive, during the remainder of this ses-
sion, still further to distract and divert
the attention of Congress from the proper
duties ofle gIslation, in any other form in
which it may be presented. We take 1t
for granted that. after the recorded ap-
probation of the policy of peace by more
than three-four.hs Of both Houses of Con-
gress, we shall hear no more of adopting
In anticipation measures which only the
termination of the joint occupation of the
Oregon territory can afford any sufficient
reason Ior, and which could, in the mean
time, if sanctioned by Congress, do moth
ing effective but what might be also mis-
chieyous.
We sincerely congratulate Congress on
being relieved from this obstacle to their
progress in such legislation as the gener-
al interest and the various wants and
grievances OF the different classes of in
dustry and the dif1ereut regions Of our
country invite and require, We only re-
peat whot we have said before, when, re-
joicing as We do in This result, we know
that we express sentiment which viii
find response iu the bosom of the great
mass Of the people of this country. of
every degree.
Nor is there, as the government paper
is pleasedto imagine, any. Inconsistency
in our having. as it says, sever since the
appearance of the Message, condemned
the policy of the Executive as policy of
war; and now declaring the late dccis-
ion by Congress to be 'a vote highly au-
spicious to the preservation of peace. "
The Union" mistakes, in the first place,
our position in regard TO the Message.
We never for moment have supposed,
since our first deliberate perusal of the
Annual Message of the President, (the
message" TO which that paper refers,
that the POLICY of the President was A
POLICY OF WAR. We said, on the con-
trary, and maintained it against the gov
ernment paper itself, that the President
INTENDED Peace; which We inferred
from the terms of the Message, and from
the utter absence from that paper of any
recommendation of preparation, either
financial or military, for impending war.
We did moi believe, and we do not yet
believe, the MEASURES recommended by
the President in his Message, literally
followed out. would have tended to bring
on war. if they had not rendered it sin
evitabe" Most decidedly, therefore,
were we opposed TO the giving naked
"notice," which, though not in itself
cause of war. nor even of offence, would
have become so by the measures with
which it was proposed to accompany it.
and which in all probability would have
accompanied it, had majority of both
Houses been found ready to take that
desperate hazard. But. happily, most
happily, things took different turn. The
joint Resolution thanks 10 the Senate) a.
yoids the hazard, and, whilst it seeks an
early termination OF the controversy
seeks ii in the spirit of Cancellation, and
with the expression of full confidence II
an amiable settlement of the difficulty
All honor for this to the wisdom and en-.
larged patriotism Of the Senate Mo-
let us with hold from the House of Rep
resentatives the homer due for having a
last yielded with good grace that assen
to the Senate's modification, which thers
is every reason to believe il itopposed from
the first only for FORM sake, and was a
any time willing to have given had th'