The Arkansas banner., 1846-05-19
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OF .44.NSH s.

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 ] The joint resolution for giving the notice to
 terminate the convention between the Uni
 ted States and Great Britain, relative to the
 Oregon Territory, being under considera- tIOn-
 NlR. SEVER addressed the Senate as fol- lows:
 MR. PRESIDENT: The President of the U. States, Tn the discharge of public duty to lls country, gave us, at the commencement ol the present session of Congress, full and detailed statement of our relations with Great Britain, upon the subject of the Oregon terri tory; and he recommended Congress, in the conclusion of that statement, to annu and abrogate the conventions of ISIS and 1927. which are now in force, between the United States and Great Britain; and by the terms of which, cerlam privileges in that territory were conferred upon the respective citizens ol the two countries. The President also recommended ill his message, in eonneXion with this subject. other measures, of which l shall not now speak, as they are Hol now properly before the Senate.
 Sir, this message of the President, recom- mending the abrogatlon of those conventions, and resolution offered by the senator from Ohio, Mr. Allen, having in view the same object, were referred. at an early day, to the Committee on Foreign Relations. That com mllee acted promptly upon that subject, and 1 reported the resolution now under consdera- tion, as enbodving the views which that com mittee deemed most proper for the sanction of the Senate.
 This resolution, sir, is brief, clear, definite, comprehensive, and uaincumbered with any extraneons mailer. Il proposes to do only that which, without offence or explanation, we have the unprecedented right to do,
 The chairman of the Committee on For eign Relations, Mir. Allen, on the eighth of January, "a day, by-the-by, memorable in the annals of our country,) moved, in obedience to the instructions of his committee, to desig- nate an early day for its consideration. That motion Ire made, but ii did not succeed. But day for that purpose, some weeks more remote, was hxed upon by the Senate. This postpoHement was made to graliiy some sen- ators, who desired, before acting upon this subject, 10 hear from England. We were told that packet about that tme was eXp6c;.. ed, and that 1t was highly important 10 wait until il should arrive with this intelligence. Other senators desired this postpo2ment, be- cause they thought il unWlse for the Senate tn act until the House of Representatives, which was then considering 1t, should have disposed oi this question. And other sena- tors, residing convenient to this Capitol, de- sired this postpohement, that they might be induged in visit to their homes, on busl- ness or pleasure All these constituting majority ol the Senate, were gIatiIed, and accordingly the consideration of this resolu- ten was deferred until the 10th of February. Before that day. sir, the House disposed of this subject; the expected packet, with its ill., teligence, had arrived; the absenlees had re- turned, and this resolution was then taxen up; and from that day 10 this its considera- ton has expressed nearly the whole of our tme And yet, sir, can any one tell, how ever careful may have been his observations, what is to be its fate, and when it shall be disposed of?
 Sir, in the interval between the report Of this resolution and the day designated for its consideration, the senator from Kentucky,
 Mr. Cfittenden, proposed a substitute, which has for it's object the removal of the responsibility whatever that may bel of giv- ing this notice, from Congress, where Il pro- perIy belongs, and to place that resPensibil- ty upon the shoulders of the Executive From this responsibility, should IL be transferred to him, the President will not shrink. Au thorize him. in his discretion, to give this no- ticc to Grea; Britain, and as certainly as the sun rises. on the day on which he IS vested with such discretion, will thls notice, before that sun sels. be given. This we all know. But IS 1t right, is 1t consistent with the dlg- naily and character of the Senate to evade their just and proper responsibility, and con fer 1t upon another department oi the govern ment? How unlike is this to the chvarouS bearing of my friend from Virginia, Mir. Ar cher, who, the other day, expressed hlS un- willingness to vote for any measule which might lead to war, because, from hls age and position, he was protected from Its conse- quence.. Is there not something tiinid anu unmanly in such proceeding: Something very unlike the brave and proud heart ol old Kentucky-a state ever jealous o the dIvis- ion of the spells when danger IS the booty to be parceIed out: Should war grow out of this notice, as some suppose will, Is It pro per that this power to make war should be, most unnecessarily, placed It the discretion of any Executive had thought there was sort of whig confessional; which was, that the executive power of this country twas too great, was increasing, and ought to be dImlii- ished.n There certainly was a tltne' SIT, when our friends over the way hai not such unbounded confidence in executive discretion "a time. sir, when we were told by Proml- nent leader of the party that he would not confer such extraordinary power upon a democratic President, if the enemy were al the gates of the Capitol. Why this sudden' this generous, unsolicited, unlooked-tor con- fdence: IL surely cannot be that the senator from Kentucky Mr Criitendenl desires to place the President, upon this exciting queS- ton. in position in which, whatever he may do, or omit to do, the opportunity will be al forded to factionists and slanderers for the qualification, to the full extent. of their un- hoN wishes. Though such are the inevlta- ble consequences, in my judgment, oi the eA- ercise of this discretionary power on qnes- ton of such magnitude, vel shall ever be the first. so far as he Is concerned To dlsclalm, on his behalf. any such unworthy design.
 The senator from Kentucky Mir Cri'Ien-