The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-04-03
POLITICAL.
MIR. CALHOUN'S SPEECH
IN THE L. :. SENATE.
NoNn.y March lG leiG
SPECIAL oRDER-OREGON CUES
TION, &c.

ton of the special order, being the JON
resolution Of the Committee on FoteigI
Relations, proposing 10 give notice to Grea
Britain OF the intention Of this Goyernmen
10 annul the treaty for the joint occupation
Of the Oregon territory, and the resolution
of Messrs. flanagan, Calhoun, Cfi.tenden
and Colquiu having relation 10 the SAM
object.
Mr. CALHOUN, being entitled 10 tb
floor, rose and addressed the ScLa!e yer.
nearly as follows;
The question now under order for discus
sion is, whether notice shall be gwen lC
Great Britain that the convention of joint
occupancy between US and her shall termI.
nate al the end oil the year. To that ques
ton | shall confne my remarks, limiting
them to that and 10 the questions immedl
ately connected with il. shall Say moth
ing 10 regard TO the title TO Oregon. Hay
ing been personally connected with ptevi
Gus negotiations, in which that question
was concerned, it VIII be seen by al! that II
is proper tia, should pass it by without
notice. | shall abstain from every thing
Of personal character, and from every
thing calculated TO wound the feelings OF
any gentleman but, at the same time, |
shall express myself freely, fully, and can.
dldIy on all the subjects on which shall
consider it my duty to touch. With these
few predatory remarks, shall proceed at
once 10 the question Of notice.
4 There is one point on which we must all
be agreed, and tina, is, that great change
has taken place since the commencement Of
the session in the importance Of this ques-
tiop and in lis bearing upon peace and war.
Al that time, this measure Of notice was OF
the greatest and most weighiy importance,
involving as ii did the question whether
peace with Great Britain should or should
not continue. Now, il has become enc Of
comparatively minor importance, aud may
be decided either way without exeriug any
very decisive effect on those important In.
terests. So great indeed IS this change,
that the very reasons which are urged 10
the Executive message IN support OF the
recommendation that notice shall be gwen,
have no longer their application. The bear.
lngs both OF the measure and Of the several
parties in the Senate which have grown out
Of ii, are entirely altered. That the Ex
ecullye recommendation 10 terminate the
notice is founded on the convection that,
pending such a notice, there can be no
compromise OF our difficulties on the Ore.
gon question, mus, be, think, admitted on
al! sides. Indeed, the language of the mes
sage Ia explicit 10 that effect. 1t expresses
the Presidents conviction that no compro
mise could be effected which we ought 10
accept. 1t announces 10 US that he made
TO the British commissioner an offer OF the
parallel of 400, but that, that ofisr having
been rejected, he ordered that It should be
Immediately Withdrawn. And on that same
conviction he recommends to Congress the
passage OF this notice, with a view 10 the
removal Of all impedimens 10 the assertion
Of our right TO the whole Of the Oregon ter
rltory. Assuming that there would be no
the President tells US that, at
the expiration of twelve months, q period
will have arrived when our title TO that
country must either be abandoned OF firmly
Throughout the whole mes.
sage there is not the slightest animation
that any compromise Is expected but, on |
tho contrary, the entire document assumes
The opposite view.
Yet admit that the grounds on which
the President bases this, his conviction, are
derived from the negotauon itself, and
mainly from the fact that his offer Of a CON.
promise on - degrees was rejected. | adj .
nit that, proceeding on that foundation, II T
is fair inference that, if England shall re- .
new on her part the proposition which,
when made on ours, she rejected, there
would be no impeachment in the way TO its
at the same time the President
intimates not the slightest expectation that
such an otter will be made on her part, or
that any compromise will be effected.
Such is the view which have been con.
strained 10 take, after the most careful ex
animation which have been able TO give
TO the message Of the President; and if
may draw an inference from the opinions OF
those members Of the Senate who believe /
IN the soundness Of our title TO the whole .
territory, they concur in this view. 10.
deed, the grounds on which they place
themselves will not sdmu Of their support
ing the notice under any other assumption.
They 90 for the whole Of Oregon, because
they assert that our title 10 the whole ter.
ritory, even up TO 81 deg 40 is clear and
and they think 1t better
that we should assert that title by arms
than abandon any part OF portion OF IT.
Hence it is most manifest that # they
thought the notice could possibly result IN
a compromise, they would vote against It.
And this view which take of the mes
sage, and in which these gentlemen concur
is, as | believe, the view entertained by the
country al large. Certainly tits, II we are
to draw our conclusions from the general
tone of the public press or If we are TO
look at " hat is, perhaps, still better in
dex of public opiniou-ihe course OF our in.
telligent business meni for the reception of
the message had the most decided effect
upon the public stocks. No sooner was It's
language heard than insurance Immediately