The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-13

li'ie was was clearly soou ne woulu not now en-
ter upon the question Of title II hereafter he should
write out his remarks, he might state explicitly
what his views on that point were.
Mr.. WEN FWORTH said he rose merely to
make few inquiries He hoped he had made his
last Oregon speech. Indeed, he hoped at the last
| session. He came here expecting TO pass Oregon
and Texas both under the operation of the previous
question:. He hoped TO make but one more speech,
and he would commend 1t to all others, and that
was aye" on the passage OF the notice and the
| bill.
At the last session of Congress- this House pass
Cd bill extending jurisdiction up tohiiy9ur forty,
by vote of lao TO SO, embracing all the democrats
Of this House but five, and all the South Carolina
delegation, but one. The democrats opposing il
were Messrs. Campbell, Of South Carolina, Char
MAN, OF Alabama, Coles, Of Virginia, Davis, Of
New York, and JosEs, Of Tennessee.
Now the first question he wished to ask was this,
"What has occurred, since the adjournment Of the
last Congress, TO make title good to only forty
nine degrees now, when II was good TO hfty-four
degrees and forty minutes when the House passed
the bill, at the last session.
| He wanted some gentleman TO reply 10 this, II
there was any gentleman who would change his
| extent Of claim since the last session.
He now wished, in all sincerity, to have the hon
orable gentleman from Kentucky answer him
one question; and that question was, would he vote
To extend the ordinary territorial organization over
all Of Oregon, up to the 4sh degree, by the appoint
4 nent OF governor, luuRcs, &C, 1cf
| Mr.. McHENRY explained that he had said he
would 20 for every necessary TO extend our
possessions 10 ago because he believed title wa
I good up TO that parallel. He would go for any
measure before the expiration of the year and after
the notice was given that would not interfere with
our treaty stipulatons and after the year he would
60 70 take absolute possession Of the whole Of that
| territory TO which we entitled.
/ Mr.. WENTWORTH then asked Mr.. McHESRY
| II his course would not plunge the country into
war; He wanted to know II he had any reason to
behave that Great Britain would not make il cause
Of var quite as quick il we took possession up "a
the 18th degree, if we took il all up to the 54h
degree 40 minuteS
/ Mr.. McHENRY rose to reply, and asked Mr.
| WEgrwoRTH IL he would not accept Of the 18th de.
4 gree, il Great Britain should offer IL
| Mr.. WENTWORTH said, "No, sir; no, sir"
i Mr.. McHENRY proceeded to say that the posi-.
ton which he assumed was this, that now, as we
wer about TO take measures TO extend our posses
soI, we should give the notice. He was willing 70
TAX, possession at once far he believed tllc
honestly extended, without regard to what might OF
might not be the opinions Of Great Britain.
Mr.. WENTWORTH said he had one NOR,
aueiton to ask, and as il was his last, he would
not give way for an answer, but would close by
ask ng it, and let gentlemen answer il at their eis
+ use, II was one that thousands besides himsel
neeled information upon. IL was this:
Ely what facts, and by what procers Of reasoning
do We prove our title good to the 49th degree, anC
bad to every inch above il
Until this shall be answered TO the satisfaction o
the people, they will always be for $40 4O. AnC
so ong no one is able tn assure them that Grea
Britain will not make II a cause of war as quick Il
TAX, possession TO 49o as to $40 40, they will say
If var must come, let it come for the whole, and no
part.
Mr.. JOHN A. ROCKWELL said he felt con
stnined TO vote against the amendment proposed b,
!, HI, frtand KantucLv uaIMr \ ~ De.
stood that in the original bill which had been re
ported from the Committee the Territories the linn
it'd $40 40 designated being the northern bouR
daiy oftbe territory over which we were extend
our laws That bill had been recommtted; and b,
nov found that that limit had been left out and tina
tn, provisions Of the present bill were these Mr.
r. here stated the terms Of the section) The gen
era, terms only were used. He thought that W,
should adopt these woIds, and these alone. IL wa
his opinion that there ought to be a settlement OF
the parallel Of 49o; but he did not believe that il
: the policy Of the House or Of Congress to pass
law or resolution fixing particular limits Of negota
ton. That, he thought, belonged to another depart
nent Of the goyernment-the treaty-making power
and not TO Congress in its legislative character
T There we're large number Of settlements, consist
ing Of British subjects, south Of ago and il an
provision was to be adopted to interfere with tn
rights Of persons now in that territory, might
well extend it beyond the line of ago as up to il
II, therefore, it was right to pass law at ALL it wa
right TO extend 1t over the entire territory. Som
time ago he had endeavored to show that the BIRTHS
laws extended over the whole of this territory; AM
not only so, but over all persons residing within il
both British and American; although so far an
action had been had, no American citizen, 10 hi
knowledge, had been made subject to these laws
The terms IN the acts were general terms, and the
extended the laws Of Canada over the entire terrific
ry. He had at the same time expressed his appre
3 henson that the conflict Of these two systems O
fha L. l..
Gus than any other one thing that could happen
Under these circumstances, If any law at all
be passed, 1t seemed to him that there should be
limitation TO any particular line, and # the Commit
tee on Territories had, wisely as he thought
struck out the line Of $40 40, he did not thin
that the House should fix any. There were 9th
er provisions Of the bill in respect TO which he shout
be glad at the proper time to give his opinion. II
did not think that, generally speaking the first secto
could be better expressed with the exception, per
haps, Of that portion Of it which spoke of the law
of the Territory of Iowa. and to that he would add
"and the laws of the United States In relation tn
Territory of Iowa." because there were laws whic
f in reality constituted portion of those which gov
5 erned Iowa which were laws of the United States
and not of that Territory. If the section could
so amended as expressly to excep. British subject
from Its operation, he would give his vote for tha
sanction.
Mr.. ADAMS addressed the committee from
position and in tone Of voice which we regre
rendered it extremely difficult to catch his remark
at the left of the Speaker. As far as could be heard
he spoke to the following effect:
:, He was inclined to move that the committee rise
for the purpose Of posiponng the consideration 0
this bill, until they knew whether any notice woul
be gwen for the termination of the joint conventio
Of non-occupation of the year 1928.
Sir, (said Mr.. A. it will DO recollected that tn
, first bill reported to this House on this mmensel
comprehensive subject of Oregon, was from tn
Committee on Military Affairs and that it was be
fore the resolution of notice reported from tn
Committee on Foreign Affairs and that when tina
bill was brought forward, there was very genera
, doubt entertained in this city, whether the Commit
tee on Foreign Affairs world report the notice at al
and that, then, in addressing the House, said ths
considered the question of notice the first o
E all the measures (of which there were many
to be determined upon in reference to this sub
I ect. It was then question whether the Com
, mttee on Foreign Affairs would report to thi
House the notice. In the course Of a few days aftc
that date the resolution of notice was reported
! was debated for several weeks in this House, eay
H. Il ,har To- A IT.