Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-01-03


charge Of al the interests the Territories Of the United
States And did not this duty include the proposing Of all
necessary and proper legislation in regard TO those interests
cucn mao been heretofore the construction given the
rule Tor their appointment and that view they had always
acted They had reported with respect to Territorial Gov
ernment and IN regard military and Indian affairs ard all
else respecting Uegon save The notice 70 England Of the
termination Of the joint occupancy and that notice. though
omitted in the Oregon bill Of year. had been INSCRIBED nv
the express order Of The House.
Mr. c. J. INGERSOLL here inerposcd to say that il was
true such notice had been inserted but had been done al
the eleventh hour amid great confusion, and done in very
bad way.
Mr. DOUGLASS, resumng, said il was true the committee
had not inserted the notice. and the House had voted IN
doubt the gentleman thought this had been done IN
very bad Way because the Committee Foreign Relations
had not reported in favor Of the notice at all laugh
Mr. c. ]. INGERSOLL said that he had received no or
deIs from his committee report favor Of the notice. but
had, much against his will been directed to report in oppos
ton 10 it.
Mr.. DOUGLASS said he was aware Of all that but the
House had corrected the of the Committee Foreign
Affairs and had voted the insertion Of the notice into the Ter
ntoai b and the Committee Territories Of the present
Congress- having knowledge of that fact had proed by
such knowledge, and had inserted il in the bill reported
by them; yet he did not deny that the Military Com
mtee and Indian Committee and Committee on Foreign At
fairs might they proper, report the subjects
the Committee ON the Territories, just the Committee Of
Ways and Means and the Committee Manufactures both
reported the tariff Different committees might have con-
current jurisdiction the subjccmaltsr But GER
tanly if the Territorial Committee might report laws
which related TO affairs In the Territories they might
WE'LL and little BETTER not have BEEN appointed for there
was nothing left for them to do
But he sorry he had been led into this DEPRESSION but
that matter had all been arranged He hoped that tbs House
would make this bill special ORDER and that the bills from
the other committees Of which he had spoken would be made
the special order for the day, and that the House would
dispose Of the whole Of them next week He could
gentlemen that the Territorial Committee would think
itself the dshonored by having action thus super
seeded. He hoped the bills pass even though they
should all the branches Of that bill which he had had the
honor to report The committee very DESTROYS that the
rights of citizens in Oregon should be properly guarded
and secured He hoped there would be lodging this
Oregon question
Mr.. HOLMES here inquired whether the gentleman had
spoken about lodging
Mr.. DOUGLASS said yes; lodging washe word he had
employed and he hoped that his honorable friend from South
Carolina would display the vgor and resolution and would
show himself brave and fearless this Oregon ques
on he had done the subject of Texas He trusted the
gentleman ready look Great Britain the face as he
had Mexico 1t would be remembered that great appehen-
sons had been entertained last year about getting into
warbut then il with Mexico and who could for
get how baveyes how furious that honorable gentleman
had then BEEN how ready he defy Mexico ay, and
Britain and France both, but he shrank appalled, For
Mr. d. part he felt just the he had done
then He not for making any of these differences
feelings towards foreign Powers But if gentlemen did feel
apprehension, he would take the liberty tell them that if
they wanted to avoid with England the very best way
prepare give her the best fights have hand
First let give her notice that the joint occupancy must
then let go to build forts and stockades to
increase army and nayy and TO prepare Territorial BILL
ready go operation the twelve months notice
should have expired Hsword for Great Britain awake
to the fact that she got into fight about Oregon away
would go the Canaas For one he felt well assured that if
the House would act without talking A voice What
you doing laugh would talk only TO act, should
have
Mr. HOLMES said he would frankly confess that what
ever might have been his bravery former occasion, he
did feel this Oregon question greatly and deeply alarmed
He afraid acknowledge that he did feel apprehen
sion the thought of seeing the interests which he represent
ed in that House plunged into conflict with Great Britain
He would put to the gentlemen who advocated the bill
ported by the honorable gentleman from Illinois, (Mr. DouG
LASS whether it would not be better first TO pass, If they
could pass the bill giving notice of the termination Of the
joint occupancy before they took prepare for
One thing however, he could tell genementhat If the Ore
gon bill did pass they would not find him backing out He
well convinced that there part of that House which
earnestly desired and hoped to render it inevitable but
when brought to that point Mr. H., instead Of vot
ing raise five regimentswo regiments of nAemen
or five regiments of inanrywould at once introduce
luton cediting the Executive with twenty millions of dollars
to provide for the deences Of the country If the House
should pass the BILL they need expect to avoid the ISSUE
But before arrange forces he would
the gentleman (Mr DouGLAss,) who, as lawyer, knew
perfectly well that the notice proposed would produce war;
why terminate the joint occupancy And, if we did, must
the end Of twelve months enforce alleged rights
in that territory And must not drive Great Britain be-
yond the latitude Of orynine And had not the gentleman
watched the perseverance and tenacy with which Great B
tain had insisted upon her supposed rights be driven be-
yond forty mine -
Mr. G. J. INGERSOLL here called Mr.. Holmes order.
He did with reluctance but these remarks certainly
all out Of oder and the honorable gentleman from South Ca
roina him if he added, that they njuousy
out Of order Mr. LIS directly opposed to his
and he very he bad considered this matter than
Mr. II. had done. A laugh
Mr. HOLMES said he did not wish to be out of order and
would abstain from further remark He concluded by
ing the previous question, but Immediately withdrew the
ton when
Mr. J. q. ADAMS TO address the House. He said
that he ought perhaps with apology to the
House for addressing il at all this question The of
his health such render impossible for him
at all The many important questions connected with this
subject and, whatever observations he might feel il his duty
to make upon il, must necessarily be brief His phys-
cal power would not enable him length into the
question
The question Immediately before the House he under
stood TO be- whether the bill making provision for raising two
regiments Of remen should be made the special order for the
first Tuesday in January.
The SPEAKER said that that constituted part OF the
question: debatsbe The other part Of the qucs
ton was on referring this bill Committee Of the Whole
on the state of the Unon and that question open to
debate.
Mr. ADAMS said that he asked, then, that the question
might divided and might first be put the reference be-
cause he presumed that there diversity Of opinion
that point If there was would change the whole of
the debate.
Mr. HOUSTON, of ,Alsbama said, in explanation, that
it was the reference Of the bill he had objected but its
being made special ordc.
The SPEAKER further declared that the first branch of
the question: viz the reference Of the bill could be decided by