The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-05-02


pie, and Westcott--l0.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
THE NOTICE.
A message was received from the
Senate, by the hands Of A. Dickins,
ESQ.,, informing the House that the Sem
ate had agreed to the report Of the COM
mittee of conference (made to the Sen
ate by the said committee on their part)
upon the joint resolution of the House
Of notice to Great Britain to annul and
abrogate the convention Of the 9Th Of
August, 1897, relative to the country
on the northwest coast of America,
westward OF the Stony mountains, COM
monty calle | Oregon.
BY general consent,
Mr.. G. J. lNeERsoLL, from the COM
mittee on the part of this House, made
the following report, which he read
himself at the clerks table.
the committee Of conference on the
part Of the House of ofRepresentatives on
the disagreeing votes Of the two houses
on the joint resolution of the House Of
Representatives entitled "Joint resolu-
tion Of notice to Great Britain to annul
and abrogate the convention between
Great Britain and the United States Of
the 9th of August, 1927, relative to the
country on the northwest coast Of
America, westward of the Stony noun
talns, commonly called Oregon," re-
spectfully report:
That they have met the conferees on
the part of the Senate, and, after free
and full conference upon the subject
of said disagreeing votes, the joint con-
ferees have unanimously agreed to rec
ommend, TO the respective houses as
follows:
That the lst section of the amend
ment of the Senate to the original res
oution of the House be SO amended as
to be, in form, preamble to the Sec
ond section of the said amendment.
And that the Senate and House Of
Representatives respectively recede
from their disagreements to the amend.
ment and amendment to the amend
ment of the original resolution of the
House, and mutually agree to substi-
tute therefor the following joint resolu-
tion:
THere follows the same resolution as
passed by the Senate.
Mr.. |. concluded by offering the fol-
lowing resolution:
Resolued, That the House agree to the report
ofthe committee of conference, and that the JOINT
resolution of the House of Representatives be a.
mended accordingly.
Mr.. McCLERNAND asked to be ex-
cused from voting; and leave being Civ.
Ell, he proceeded to say:
Mr.. SPEAKER: | find myselfin some
difficulty. III vote to concur, it will
be contrary to my inclination and judg-
ment-If | vote to ron concur, may
be supposed to be opposed to ''notice"
in any form. which is not the fact. This
is the situation in which am placed
by the report of the "committee of con-
| ference" | wish it was Otherwise
The report presents several difficulties.
1t conflicts with propriety and sound
policy. The President, at the COM
mencement of the present Congress, In
formed US, in his annual message, that
he had offered to compromise the Ore.
gon controversy upon the 49th parallel
oflatitude, as the dividing line between
the American and British possessions
upon the northwest coast. This offer
he said was made under the moral con.
straint Of the acts of his predecessors.
1t was rejected; and he then, in accord
ance with his own incinations and judg-
ment, affirmed our title to the whole
territory in dispute by irrefragable facts
and arguments. This was the final
and voluntary position assumbed by the
President in view of all the circum-
stances of the case. In support ofthis
position resolution of notice was In.
troduced into this body, and, after full
debate, was triumphantIy passed by it.
The resolution contained an affirmative
and a negative clause. 1t operated per
Sc to abrogate the convention, and it
disclaimed the intention and the pro-
priety of legislative interference with
the treaty-making power. 1t went to
the Senate, and there it was amended;
and how? By the substitution of an,
other for it. By substituting a virtual
instruction upon the President to reof'
fer the 49th parallel; and, if necessary
to prevent war, the navigation Of the
Columbia river; and discretionary
power to give or withhold the notice
Thus amended, it came to the House,
and the House, no doubt upon the
ground stated, rejected it. The excep
tionable words were there-that it d.
rected 'rene,red efforts" Of compromise
to be made. and authorized the Presl
dent, sat his discretion," to give the