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

lions they had proved this. The bold stand here
tofore taken by this House on this subject, would
not soon be abandoned, as he hoped.
Mr.. DANIEL expressed his regret at the de-
clared intention Of the gentleman from Ohio, Mr..
MeDowELL,l to offer an amendment, claiming the
country up TO $40 4U. He was opposed TO the
amendment limiting our jurisdiction TO the region
south Of ago; and he would vote against an extern
sion Of II, by this bill, up to $40 4V The country
had been left in controversy between ths United
States aud Great Britain alone, and they not
agreeing upon division, had made treaty
of joint use. We were admitted TO be the
power In actual possession. Great Britain, for
the protection Of her subjects had extended her
laws over them, in that country by statute
in 1924. The gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr..
J. X. lEoERsoLL, was mistaken in supPosing that
any exception was made in that statute in favor OF
American citizens. Our proposed act was more cir
cumspect, for it embraced an express provision that
il should never apply TO British sub ees while the
treaty In existence.
In the bill of last session there not, originally,
provision for giving the notice. When the notice
was moved in the House he voted against il be-
cause a negotiation was pending. The BILL never
theess, passed with the notice, and he voted bril
Every one, he trusted, would see the propriety OF
his course then and now. He would give reasons
why he thought the amendment indicated by the
gentleman from Ohio was mpohue. He had i'm
peit confidence in the Executive; and for the cor
VI inc uutlco III MS sphere, nc wh1
under the same responsibility that we were He
had no doubt that no would defend and protect the
honor OF the country. III Great Britain should see
III TO make US friendly overture, he should be left
free to accede TO il He might be willing to accept
it, if fair and honorable one or at least TO consult
the Senate in regard to it, He did not wish to dis
the question Of title, or settle il by this bill
Mr. BOYD asked whether the gentleman eonsid-
cred that theb involved any rights Of Great Britain
Mr.. DANIEL said the amendment proposed
would invade the sphere Of the Executive. He
might, perhaps, have il in his power to settle the
question on $50; and, instead Of passing bill as
suming our title 10 be $40 40 should leave il 10
the President TO do what might seem proper on the
subject He had made his remarks in consequence
of the suggestion thrown out by the gentleman
from Ohio. He had the utmost confidence in the
Executive; and he believed he would prove to be
what he had always supposed him TO be-n true,
sfict-construction, Jeffersonian democrat. He be-
lieyed the Executive would maintain our rights
When he voted for the bill Of last session, all that
had since transpired or taken place was not known
He would not now vote for the amendment pro-
posed but would prefer to leave the President free
to act on the subject The British cabinet under
stood our intentions, and the motives which might
be supposed to influence the President; and they
were now holding back to see if popular influence
would not force the President to recede from his
pretensions IL we were ccremonious, they would
soon give us their alternative, and then we would
know whether we were TO have a war or peace
He believed it would be the best policy to make no
reference to our title in the bill
Mr.. WOODWARD said those who did not be-
lieye that the title beyond 49o conclusive were
placed in the predicament that they could not dis
charge their duty without running the risk of being
called British. IL notice had been submitted here
as a distinct proposition, without our assuming to
judge of the title, It would have passed long ago
He had nothing more to say about the title but he
IL. H. IL IL
the President was compelled to accept ago because
he had offered it, he would say that the question
was one Of boundary entirely. 1t was considered
when the existing convention was made, and that
convention had certainly not strengthened our title
to the whole Of Oregon up to $40 40 IL in this
bill claim to $40 4V was implied, it ought to be
expressed. Mr.. Floyd's bill was strictly limited to
the terms Of the existing convention. The bill Of
1923 did not contain any notice, and 1t in
tended to operate under the convention, and to be
co-extensve with it. The laws of Great Britain
applied to this territory, down to the line
400 under the convention.
Mr.. DANIEL concurrcd with the gentleman tina,
the extension our jurisdiction should be unfavorable
to the convention. He took the same view. He
expected that the notice would soon be given, and
AFTER the expiration Of the year, title would be
defined.
Mr.. WOODWARD continued. II the laws Of
Great Britain were down to ago why should not
which had been submitted to Congress- had refer
ence to the convention Of joint occupancy-he
viewed that term in its genera! sense, without paus
ing to criticise it. II said that the bill of
the last session committed us to $40 40 This was
an outrageous ustce TO every who voted for it,
de appealed to witnesses, all around him, whether
this was sot The bill was framed without reference
TO the notice, and after it into the House. the
notice was forced prematurely upon us, without
time for investigation or consultation. The bill
framed to meet the stipula,ions of the conven.
ton, and the notice thrust in to kill it. We
had said that we would hazard your votes on
Texas annexation, before We would give you the
notice. Our friends agreed that they would leave
out the notice. Gentlemen who now figured large
ly on $40 40 voted against tho notice, dstinc,
proposition, last year. At the last hour when not
moment allowed for reflection, the notice was
proposed and members forced to vote upon il
The notice was put in by the enemies and the in.
voluntary friends Of the BILL 1t was said we have
kept with you of the South for the Senate will not
pass the bill with the notice. We were committed
against the notice. If the alternative should be be-
tween abandoning the protection of citizens and
taking the bill with the notice, he would take the
notice. So far from there having been any bar
gain between the friends ofTexas and of Oregon, we
were so much averse to the notice, that we were
willing to hazard Texas in opposing it. 1t was by
a maneuvre that the notice was adopted We had
no right, by any provision OF this BILL to rcsric,
the treaty-making power. If Mr.. Polk should MOI
make treaty on 49o, he would be willing to fight
for $40 40
He was on sliding scale, not backward, but
upward. He denied that we could, by any act,
narrow the limits Of the Executive power. Even if
we took $40, how could we tell that the Presiden,
would not get $40 40. He denied that he himself
was committed to $40 40, or any other line, and he
only proposed to render the provisions of the bill
comfortable with the treaty. Why was his frieAd
from Ohio Mr.. Mcdowell. so DESTROYS of com.
hitting the House to a certain boundary could he
not trust to the future legislation of Congress- The
question was growing stronger, and we should, a,
the end of the years notice, be wiser than were
now, and mere competent to act If former acts
and declarations committed us to $40 4U, why were
we not committed to 49o by the offer made last sum.
mer1 Twelve months after the passage Of the no.
ce, he would be willing to vote for an act fixing our
limits, and he would stand to them.
Mr., ARAN obtained the floor, but yielded to
motion that the committee rise; which prevailing,
the committee rose and reported.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNE ATOMS.
letter from the Secretary of State transmitting,
in obedience to the acts of April 1sh 1918, and the
1lth section of the act of August 26th 1s42, state
mens Of the names of the clerks in that department
Al al -