The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-23

TO those made by US In 1917 and le2ii sn other
words, to renew our offer Of the compromise line
of ago. Thus stood the question when The nego-
tiation was transferred TO Washington. Here beg
the Senate TO observe that Mr. Tyier's Message, IN
December, ls43 informed Congress that 'the ne
gotiations for an adjustment ana settlement mad
again been proposed, and were IN progress 10 re-
SUMPTION Yes, proposed by US, and the Presi-
dent said that 'eyery proper exPedient would be
resorted to for the purpose Of bringing Il to aspeedy
and happy termination" And again, by his Mes
sage 10 Congress, in December, 1874, he said, "a
negotiation has been formally entered upon between
the Secretary Of State and her Britannia MaDesty's
Minister, &c, residing at Washington, relative 10
the rights Of their respective nations IN and over the
Oregon territory That negotiation Is sull pending
This, too, after Mr. Folks election-after the Bal
timore Convention Of 1874. But nowhere could the
President find that any of the "uue friends Of Ore
gon" had recorded their opposition to u by their
yorEs IN CoSeREss II he did, u Is more ihan
can find The Senators from ONO, inqia<, and
Illinois, [Messrs. ALLEs, HAsSEeAs, and bsrr.s,l
were all senators AZ the time. No, Mr President;
the Senate did not advise nor protest against negotia-
ton when IL was only "In progress TO q resump-
tion,n nor had Senstors brought themselves up 10
the point so far as know, of only moving, 80 late
Az two years ago, whilst there was time and oppor-
tunily for il, to stop the negotiation itself, which
has now become so unconstitutional and so dishon-
orabe 10 the nation.
But again: He found that these perseverng efforts
to fix our northern boundary in Oregon al the forty
ninth parallel by a e0mpromise--these wel-contider-
ed instructions TO our Minister'S and often repeated
propositions 10 the adverse claimants for a compro-
mise--made before Spain had released her rights,
and repeated afterwards--were long since exposed
to the public eye; and that neither the Peoples Rep
resentatiyes in Congress, nor the States, nor the
People themselves, had complained against the Pes
idenIs, and Statesmen, and Senators, who had been
endeavoring to accomplish a compromise at 49o for
nearly half a century. No, sir. Until very re-
Gently, indeed, the complaints, when made al all,
we're aimed at Grtai Britain for refusing 10 accept
this reasonable and just compromise Of our conflicting
claims Memorials, when sent at all. were appli-
cations TO settle and adjust the controversy; and
our efforts to legslate the subject were con-
fined to the valley Of the Columbia ryer-this side
Of 4go.
Well might the President pause, then, notwith-
standing his own individual opinion that our title TO
the whole Of Oregon was I" clear and unquesIiona.
ble," ere he took the responsibility, in view OF all
this, Of abruptly putting stop To the negotiation
which he found on foot, il had been begun by his
immediate predecessor upon negotiation for com
promise. Well might he feel that the NATION was
committed to a compromise. Well might he dread
that, for him TO put his personal opinion upon The
strength OF our paper title, however "clesr and UNI
questionable" against all these solemn acts Of the
Government, and against this concurrent action and
scquiescence of all our Presidents from Jefferson IN
elusive a.d Of all Statesmen, and Of all our Sen
ators, Except Mr.. D'WolE) and Of all our People
and their Representatives for two generatons-co1-
sututing, as il were, NATIONS oPHIos-woud be
sacrificing the faith, consistency, sincerity, and hon
or of this country TO preserve the personal consist
ency Of himself-a single man! mere POLITICIAN
might have halted, but q STATESMAN could not. He
lifted himself above himself, and showed how well
L. ,ha or bna a1 IN
to fill. God grant he may stand firm to his posi-
ton
And what &" commits" Nation but its honor
Honor National honor But its obligations must
be su, and are nota topic for argimeni and debate
in an American Senate. have imperfectly grouped
the facts from our own history Senators must de-
termine for themselves. Appealing to- thsir hsart'
as monitors, ask whether was not justified In as
serng that the President did right in offering the
line of 400 as compromise, because the Nation was
thus committed to il by the past.
But the Senator from Illinois Mr.. BREEsEl has
said the question was " ne0 one so far il con
cerncd the President" because he had a clear opin-
ion that our title was good, and gave that opin-
ion before his nomination; and he seems to
think that the Baltimore Convention Of the Demo-
cratic party had resolved this matter out Of the
general rule and made it a one to this Admin
islration. Strange proposition Passing strange
OF the Baltimore Convention ] shall speak here
after. And now as to Mr.. Folks opinion upon
our title However clear and whensoever entertain
cd or expressed, let me say that Mr.. Folks opin-
ion, nor the opinions of the Baltimore Convention,
nor those Of the People Themselves, upon the tile to
Oregon touch this question. All that has Just no.
thing at all to do with IT, II the character, and sim
certify, and faith, and honor Of the Nation, were
committed to a compromise before Mr.. Polk was
elected, they remained SO, Notwithstanding his cleo.
ton, and Notwithstanding his opinion, or anybody s
opinion, upon our title.
The men who become Presidents of the Repub-
lie ore always changing; they live and die; but the
Republic is the same at all times; and once COM
mtted by the public faith and honor to DO OR NOT
TO DO, even the People cannot release the obliga-
ton by anything short of Revolution, il they could
Ivy such an ertremc measure as that. The cues
ton then, is not, and was not, "new one to this
Administration" The sovereignty of nation
the People themselves, have not right to DO,
much less to COMMAND another to do dishon-
orabie act mean an act dshonorable to the Ma
ton in her intercourse with other nations. All
power rests with the sovereign authority; but
in Constitutional government like ours, even
the People may bind themselves against doing
wrong. II they would set about taking off that
shacke, they must revolutonize and strike at the
Constitution Alter that, if they choose; but even
the People have no right to do wrong TO other
nations, and leave the Constitution as its. honor
that statesman who can go whittier the honor Of
his country carries him, forgetu Of himself ana ms
personal convenience, or the consistency Of his
mere opinion. Had Mr.. Polk repeated his opin.
ion Of our "clear and unquestonable" title for an
Amen to his daily prayers for years and years to-
gether, it would still have been the duty OF the
PREsipEsT to go TO the line of 400 as compro'
mise, if he believed, as he says he did, that his
country was COMMITTED" and the honor and faith
of the nation bado him go there. Il lie still his duty
to do it, if he sincerely believes what no says
Talk what you may Of the people-7fatter them al
you plesse--yet in spite of all the ene-sided argu
Inents upon our title to Oregon, and the snfarness
| of precuding debate upon il here by the clanor
Of "Brltsh" against every that doubts il for ar
inch ,ony let this question 20 to the People Of the
United States, whether the honor Of the nation il
not dearer than emery inch Of Oregon on the Other
side of 49o-let the people hear and understand the
motives and the policy and the honorable necessity
under which the President has acted, and from thu
mountain valleys of the West to the shores Of thu
Atlantic, they will respond that the President has
done right-the honor of our country before every
thing else II honesty and patriotism did not sus
tain the President, prudence and peace would lend
their aid; and all The world would see that war fo
the whole Of Oregon, when we are ourselves divided
in opinion upon the question Of right to the whole
of il, and the Chief Magistrate himself believed tina
1 Il