The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-11
THE DAILY UNION.

1918 and 1897, Il cannot be debated because the
treaty provided that such common possession
not affect the question of title. Well, think il
must be obvious that is but just and right the
part OF each TO offer or 10 accept fair and equal
division of the territory But il IL not new ques-
ton. say that what the government has already
done imposes imperative obligation TO settle this
question on the 49th parallel In 1918 we proposed
that as the boundary line, giving al the same time
right 10 the navigation OF Columbia. In 1924 we
proposed II as the boundary, without surrendering
the right 10 the navigation. In 1926 the offer Of
1918 was renewed In l843, during the admins
tration of President Tyler when the attention Of
the government was again called to the subject Of
this dispute and authority was given TO our minis
Ter TO renew the proposition Of 1915 and 1926
that ID TO say, TO take that as the line Of boundary
and TO give the navigation Of the river. Such was
the condition of things when President Polk
came TO administer the government What was
MS opinion | have told yeu. But In my
Judgment, the conduct Of the government Antece-
dent TO that now ia power, entered into an obiga-
aon as binding as any moral obligation can be bind
ing upon nation, 10 settle this 49h parallel
as the boundary. What says the President
Speaking OF the proposition which he had
made, he says that he made it because Of "the
implied obligation which their This predecesson)
acts seemed 10 impose" Implied obligation upon
whom Upon the President as James X. Polk !
NO. Implied obligation upon the nation, Of which
ne was nc mere representatives. imposed obliga-
ton arising from the fact that upon four several
easions the offer had been authorized, and that, in
his Judgment he WA bound to renew il. Well, he
makes It, He renews the offer Of l824-precisely
the same as all the antecedent offers with the excep
tion OF the navigation Of the Columbia but in lieu Of
tgiving some other supposed advantage, and which
he believed 70 be a Substantial advantage. What
now 10 the question desire to PROFOUND 10 the
friends OF tho President the floor is this-to my
my mind the answer is perfectly obvious. II the
offer OF 1918, 1924, and 1926, and the authority to
renew the ohor IN l643, created an implied obliga-
ton 10 settle upon the terms 10 not that imp-
ed obligation yet more strengthened, and by the fact
that the present President himself has repeated the
same Offer "Who is James X. Polk ir was once
asked We all know now who he is, although we do
not all know exactly what he is. He is the Pres-
dent Of the United Staes-speak king in behalf and by
the authority of the United States-yested with au-
thorty TO speak and his acts are just as much bind
ing on the States as the acts Of any Of his prede
cessors He can create an obligation express or imp-
ed as well as they and If he has in the making Of that
offer bound himself, he was governed by the con-
yictIon that he was under an imposed obligation to
make 1t because II was made by his predecessors,
how can he avoid admitting that il the offer were
returned upon him he is under an implied obligation
To accept ~ Suppose he refuses, and goes with the
senators from Indiana and Ohio for $40 4V or war,
what will be the judgment Of the civilized world
Should England come back and ask us 10 settle on
the terms Of our proposition offered FIVE times can
any senator doubt that there will be but one opnon'
What was right and proper in 1918, in 1924, in
1896, in lS43, in lS45-right and proper because
there was an implied obligation to do SOS right
and proper 10 do now. And let US 60 to war when
we may, after refusing 10 accept this offer if il comes
back use no extravagant language when say
that there will be from one end Of the civilized world
to the other, unmixed and absolute reprobation OF
the American character, and that the result must be
the laatinp--the eternal 81 Of. A..
name, But i have no idea--not the most remote
that there Is any possibility Of being subjected
TO that dishonor have abiding and settled con-
hdence which l knew cannot deceive me, that no
man IN the situation in which the President Of the
United States admits himself to stand acting under
the sense OF moral obligation which he supposes to
be binding, and has admitted to be binding with a
Senate to advise him, who WILL make bold
to say)-if 1t comes before them, not only by
a constitutional majority, but by much lar
ger one, agree TO an amicable sdjustmeDt--thai
ever that amicable adjustment will be refus-
ed If England makes the Offer / say have no
apprehension; but, on the contrary, I have set
tied belief that the Senate of the United States would
sanction such q settlement and speak from an as
surance derived from no other source than that on
this floor. The senator from New York who spoke
first, Mr.. DIX, and the senator from Missouri,
Mr.. BENTos, have almost in words--certainly in
spirisaid that tins dispute should be compromised
And they have, Of course, said that such compro-
misc as that would meet their sanction and al
though am not standing here intending to cate
chise any SENATOR be informed of his Individual
opinions, yet from the oftrepeaed remark that has
fallen from the senator from Michigan GMr. CAss !
and with which he has, from time to time alarmed
us and the nation-but only am sure as he believes
in the discharge of his duty-that war is inevitable
! believe that he, being the last man in the country
desiring such event, would be the first to avert
IT. and that if such a treaty were to come to-mor-
row it would receive his sanction.
Mr.. CASS. l will tell you when the time
comes.
Mr.. JOHNSON. l do not want the senator to tell
me now, BECAUSE said | do not wish to catechise
him. He will have an opportunity to tell us in time
suppose, for have no doubt the treaty will come.
other side Of the chamber-the senator from ILL
nois, the senator's from Ohio and Indiana-who say
they are for $40 3U, or fight. have no doubt my
friend from Indiana will stick to that--not paren-
thetically, but in fact Ifthey will pardon me the
expression--they are the Hotspurs of the Senate
mean in point Of spirit valor, and daring-and they
are entitled to that appellation. understood them
to say there was no danger in going to war with
England; that il would do us no harm
Mr.. HANNEGAN. did not saw that
Mr.. JOHNSON. know you did not. You 90
to war with the knowledge the harm il would do:
the others 60 without that knowledge In the first
place the senator from Ohio says, we will not have
war at all; that England dare not 60 to with us
single-handed for Oregon, or anything else. 1t is
the single match the senator thinks she will not en-
ter into. hope she never shall IF she can get
Russia and France and all the rest of the continent
tai powers of Europe to join her, with perhaps
Mexico, she may pluck up the courage TO
fight the United States. And why won't she 60 for
Oregon single handed Why, because she il the
feeblest government on the face fthe earth That
is the charge Of the chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Relations. w hat makes her feeble' The
discovery of steam, in its application to naval
marine; her large territorial possessions; her
immense public debt, divided among thousands of
her own subjects; and finally, for fear ofnuring the
elements Of business. She dare not repudiate her
public debt--e privilege the United States would
seem TO have.
Mr.. ALLEN. Ihave to say word of explana-
ton. referred to the condition of things superin-
duced by state of war. The senator knows that
state Of war suspends the interest on foreign debts
due to belIigcrcnt nations She could not do that
because the debt was due at home.
Mr.. JOHNSON. The senator does not mean to
I H. 81. does md he obI,o