The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-30


main on this question just where We have been for
thirty years-standlng still, and taking no step
whatever. If the President entertained now the
same opinions which he entertained 10 1929 and II
they refused TO give this notice while at the same
time they passed bills organizing Territorial gov
eminent over Oregon, for building forts, and pee
haps sending our military power into that fegionf
the President was bound 10 veto them, or he must
abandon every position which he had heretofore
occupied on this question
Mr.. WICK obtained the floor, and spoke about
one hour In support Of the notice. MIR w. replied
az length to ifaty Of the arguments urged against
the notice by those who had preceded him ii lie
discussion; and then stated the grounds upon which
he maintained our claims 10 Oregon. He was for
Oregon without war; but he for Oregon, war
| or no war. He strenuously urged the adoption Of
the measures Recommended by the President for the
protection of our citizens In Oregon, and the en-
couragement Of emigration TO that territory. The
counterfeit value Of Oregon, both TO Great Britain
and the United States, he dSelt upon with much
forces and expressed his opinion that Great Britain
would not readily yield it. He ridiculed the fear Of
war as a motive for niaeton on this subject, and
warned gentlemen that this was progressive ques-
ton, and that the people would take 1t up and car
| ry 1t through.
/ [Mr. WIS speech has been prepared by the re-
porter but its publication il deferred, for the pres
| ent, for want OF room.
| Mr.. w. having concluded
| Mr.. A. JOttNSON obtained the h0or
| Mr.. s. JONES raised the point of order that a
member, in order 10 be entitled To recognition by
the chair MUST address it from his oen seat and not
| from that of another member.
| ITO explain this objection, il 10 proper to state
that the residence of Mr.. johnson, during the sit
tings Of the House, is deep down in the sinister
sleepy hollow; where, for all purposes Of being
seen or heard by the chair a member might as
well be inside the Kentucky cave. Mr.. Johnson,
therefore, like many other claimants for the floor,
has for week or two past been boxing the COM
pass, and cruising in all directions over the Hall,
with view, by proximity to the speaking member,
TO obtaining the next award Of the floor. He was
| at last successful
The CHAIR decided that any seat which mem
Der might occupy at the time Of addressing the
chair, the seat in the contemplation Of the rule
and that the uniform practice Of the House had
been in accordance with this decision.
Mr.. s. JONES, not directing his objection to the
gentleman from Tennessee Mr.. JOHsosl in parti-
GUAR but the propriety OF settling the principle
generally, indicated an appeal.
i He did not, however, persist IN IL; and, afeI
sogs conversation the matter was permitted to
MIR. JOHNSON, thereupon, took the floor, Blu,
yielded LAS the hour was growing late) to-
Mr.. MILTON BROWN, who moved that the
committee rise.
And the CHAIRMAN was about to put tn,
| question, when
committee should lake up and act on the bill (rom
the Senate) establishing certain
| rosT-RouTEs IN TEXAS.
The motion having been agreed to in the prope
form
The bill was read through.
And no amendment having been offered
MIR. HOPKINS moved that the committee ris
and report the bill
Mr.CULVER moved to strike out the enactin,
'lcls hut ne w m
The motion, however, to rise and report the bill
being debatable motion
Mr.. CULVER, observing that he desired TO sub
= nit very few remarks, proceeded to address tn
|. COMMITTEES in speech Of nearly an hours duration
He was several times called to order by Messrs
MCCONNELL, BAYLY, G. s. HOUSTON, an
J PRICE for irrelevancy, but was decided by tn
|, Chairman to be in order, the ground that h
had right to discuss the state Of the Union gener
ally.
Declaring himself to have been one Of those VIII
had believed the annexation Of Texas 10 be uncon
stitutiona, and that any act which Congress nigh
: do TO effect that object could only be a o
trouble in after time and believing that the Suprem
, Court ofthe United States would, on any proper oc
casion which might call for its action, pronounce
unconstitutional he should (he sadly treat the
! SUCH and should still, in the remarks be had &
make, speak Of Texas tho republic Of Texas.
he rightly understood the matter, the proposition Il
establish post-routes in Texas brought up the ques
ton whether the people Of the United States were L
pay taxes for the establishment OF post-routes undo
government which had been unconstitutional,
hitched on to this country. The only respectab,
thing about the proposition of annexation was th,
honorable parentage which II had had. His friend
from Tennessee Mr. BRowSl was, (Mr. c. be
leved) its author and therefore it was respectable
But if he correctly understood when it went to thu
other branch Of Congress, it was so changed ant
mutilated that his friend could not recognise his
own bantling. .....
Mr.. MILTON BROWN rose to explain. The
gentleman did him over-honor. He mr. b. die
not deny his bantling, nor had he given any vote
inconsistent with his original vote. He was fol
Texas, and always had been; and che had been final
ly annexed, in the words of his resolution.
Mr. c., latter some interruption on a point o
order) proceeded to argue that Texas herself hat
violated the terms which we agreed to admit he
into the Union-as, for instance, the provision
which confined slavery within certain limits. Ant
he entered at some length into the origin, history
and motives of the Texas question, the relation i
bore to the last presidential contest and to the efec
it had on the prospects of the candidates for tina
Office; and especially Of Mr. Van Buren,, at that TIM
the head of the democratic party, in whose creed thu
question of annexation had been made new test.
Connecting this subject, (by a link drawn from
the declaration in the message of the President tina
Mexico had precluded herself from further claims OF
Texas, by the offer to acknowledge her ndepend
ence if she would not become part of the American
|
G. proceeded to express his conviction, that neithe
. negotiation nor compromise were Of necessity pre-
cluded by the refusal of the British minister to
. cept the proposition of Mr. Buchanan, any NOR
than the claims of Mexico on Texas preclude'
by the refusal of the latter to accept the proposition
of the former that offer not accepted not oh
gatory and was not to be construed to the preudic
Of the party concerned. He believed that all the
BILE that had grown out of this question Of Oregon
had been the result of the staggering tone adopte'
by the President and Of the substitution Of the die
tation Of Empire clubs, and other similar organiza
tons, for the cool and respectable advice and coun
sci under which the affairs of this government ha,
until recent years been administered. He avowe'
himself in favor Of giving the notice, which cou'
not produce war, he said, because the South did no
! want war, and Mr.. Polk a southern man; ant
he was afraid that there was an understanding be
tween the President and Sir Robert Peel, that thi
, controversy should be settled in some way, an,
that the tariff and the interests Of the country shout
, be sacrificed. He concluded by contrasting tn
beckwardness Of southern men, on the Oregon ques
Ia IL Il A.