The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-09
TWENTY.NlNTH CONGRESS,
FIRST SESSION. "a
HOUSE or r EpR EsENTATIVEs.

TIL. journal of Saturday Was read IN part, and, |
on motion Of Mr. C. D. INGERSoLL, tits further
reading having been dispensed ~i'ho was APP
Mr., CT. INGRRsoLL moved that the House
resolve itseifinto Committee OF the Whole on the
state Of the Union; but waved the motion for the
Mr. ROBERTS asked leave To Introduce certain
Joint resolutions Qhe reporter thnks) from the le-
gisature of Mississippi y 80. .. ".
Objections were made. \ ai'r I'D 500.
Mr. POLLOCK asked leave, al this ums, to
make a report from the Committee Of Claims.
Objections were made. s.sr O.. .... d. .....
The SPEAKER said that the FIRST business ia
order would be the call of the States for petit
tlons. .fHg .I ..4
On motion OF Mr.. RATHBUN, the House, re-
solved itself into Committee Of the Whole on the
state Of the Union, (Mr. TiBBArTs, OF Kentucky,
in the ehair,) and resumed the consideration OF
the joint resolution ofnoce and the several amend
Mr.. T.B. KING jwho obtained the door on
Saturday night at a few minutes before IL O'Clock,
Immediately after Mr.. WiLMor had eonclud-
ed,) rose and addressed the committee during the
hour.
He stated that, in view ofthe correspondence which
had recently passed between the United States gov
eminent and the British minister, he (Mr K,)
should not offer the amendment (embodying
proposition for arbiiratioD) which he had designed
he proposition to srbitrate the disputed boundary
line Of the Oregon territory having been made in all
its forms by her Brtsnnic Majesty's minister, and
having been peremptorily, and as he (Mr, X. con-
United States, thai mode ofsdjus,ng the difficulty
seemed TO be at an end Arbitration one Of the
most ancient modes known to civilized nations OF
settling difficult and embarrassing disputes IL
was sanctioned in all is forms by the law Of
TONS as founded on the law Of nature. II had been
"A ali TO- yhn ,sTtgh adt
mete out that justice 10 others which they desired
should be melted out 10 themselves
The President Of the United States had declared or
permitted his Secretary of State to declare that the
rtory Of the United Staes not question for ar
bitruiion. He (Mr. X. did not quote the words Of
the passage literally. That, however, was its sob
stance Who had ever desired the President TO sub
nit TO arbitration the acknowledged rights, the clear
ly undisputod territory Of any portion Of the
United States, No man had ever made such sug-
gestion here or elsewhere. The British minister
bad proposed no such thing; snd Il an insult 10
this House and the nation-it was to say the least
Of il, most demagoguicsl treatment Of the solemn
proposition submitted by her Britannia Msiesty's
minister In looking at the correspondence of the
Secretary Of State with Mr.. Pakenham it was in
his (Mr X. 81 Judgment difficult TO determine which
of the two predomnated--the petufogger or the bull
ly. He would venture TO say that in all the dplo-
matte history Of the United States, no such corre-
spondence could be found; and he trusted in God,
for the honor, and dignity, and character of the
country, that no correspondence Of similar kind
would ever again be known in our annals. Mr. X
proceeded to examine the recent propositions Of
bitraton TO show the propriety Of resort TO such
a mode of settlement; the benefits that would result
from H. and the responsibility which its rejection
would impose on the administration for the conse-
quences that might result. He commended by ref
erence to the character of the correspondence that
1t evidently the design Of the President (if his
design could be inferred from that correspondence
TO appeal TO the arbitrament Of the sword. Ill.,.
Mr. X. then proceeded to inquire how long it was
since the discovery had been made that the title to
this territory clear and unquestionable; and 10
trace the assertion Of that title to the Baltimore con-
venton, and to the inaugural address Of the Presi.
dent Of the United States, which came upon us like
clap OF thunder in a clear sky Where had the
President derived his authority for a declaration
which, if he intended il should be taken literally,
was untrue9 IL he intended merely to assert il
his own opinion, he had very lame authority for
IT. Mr. X. then referred to the negotiations which
had taken place between the two governments with
view to show that we had ourselves acknowledged
that Great Britain had rights in Oregon and to de-
munstrate the inconsistency of making such dec
laration that made by the President and of their
offering to divide the territory almost in half
And now, Mr.. Chairman, Continued Mr.. K.)
should like, with all respect and Difference to The
learned and venerable gentleman from Massachu-
sets, Mr.. ADAMS, to ask him a question. desire
ment title to the entirety ofhe Oregon territory
Is "clear and unquestionable'' ..'.
Mr. ADAMS (the floor having been yielded for
the purpose) said to say that the title is clear and
UNREASONABLE, is to say that which is susceptible
of two meanngs--one relating solely to the ques.
ton Of right and wrong; and the other, relating to
the opinions of others. According the construc-
ton we give to 'cear and ndispuable," in relation
10 the question of right and wrong, say that our
title is clear and un9uestionable. will add one or
Vhat 81, =
ri,ory not ndisputable clear, is answered plain
ly in the fact that il, is disputed The gentleman has
told us that it has been disputed for twenty seven
years. cannot deny it. But if every thing which
is disputed by the government of Great Britain is
indisputabe, then / should be under the necessity
of changing the meaning of the word.
Mr.. KING inquired why the gentleman had
not given that definition when he was Secretary of
Of State, and proceeded to comment on the part
which that gentleman had taken in the negotiation no
the subject. He (Mr X did not pretend to decide
to what extent our title was clear and ndispuable
but he did suppose that the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts, with all his experience, had some knowl-
edge of what our claim was, and upon his opinion
be (Mr. K had relied much in forming his own.
Mr. X then referred to the connexion which had,
most pernciously, been given to this question by
reason OF its forced connection with party politics,
and to the new element of fanaticism which had
been thrown into it. Touching the tariff he adverted
to the proposition Of Mr.. WENTWORTH, that no
proposition for arbitration should be accepted
until Great Britain had permanently opened her
ports breadstufs-or, in other words, had re-
pealed her corn-aws The best state of things for
the American grain-grower was that which now
existed. The repeal of the corn-laws would ena-
BILE the grain of the Baltic and the Black sea to
come in competition with that from the western
States; whereas now, the grain found market
through the colonial ports, and had monopoly in
the British ports Ii would be little less than mad
ness in US to desire repeal of these laws. rD
At this point Of his argument, his hour expired.
This speech is in the course Of preparation, and
will be published hereafter tbfs. & reI...Nr
Mr.. ADAMS said the occasion on which he had
spoken, which, in the estimation Of his excellent
friend from Pennsylvania, Mr. J. r. INeERsoIL, j
should have taken AWAY from him (Mr. Az the
right Embarrassing this committee at this time, and
which, he believed was the only occasion on which
he had addressed this House at this session at all,
was upon the bill reported here from the Committee
on Military Affairs, for the purpose Of raising two adj
dtonal regiments for the army. II was 80 far from
being the question now before the com mittee that