Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-01-08
CONGRESS.

40 is the property Of the United States, and that
the Government has no right to ALLEVIATE any por-
lion Of the soil or Of its inhabitants. Several
messages Of an executive character were receiv-
ed from the President, and the Senate spent some
time in Executive session.
In the House, an excited debate arose on The
sistant of the folding room. Mr.. Mckay moved
reference of the whole matter to select COM
mittee. The Postmaster General he said had
placed construction upon the law of Congress
reducing the postage, by which every speech and
every letter which had been franked by menu
be. Of Congress, and every copy of the Presi-
dents Message, would be charged with the high
est letter postage; and the Clerk had asked an
appropriation Of one hundred thousand dollars TO
pay the hostages Of members, and half million
dollars it was estimated would be necessary to
meet these expenses. After some remarks by o.
ther members, Mr.. Henley, of Indiana, Ga Demo.)
said he had come here protesting to be in favor Of
retrenchment and reform The majority Of tho
House, who are of his own party, came with
similar professions. Yet he said a week Of the
time Of the House had been wasted in debating
the question whether the Door-keeper or the
intendent of the folding room. The people of
the country were beginning to believe that pro-
fesson was one thing and practice another
There was undoubtedly great humbug in this
matter, and the people were beginning to find it
out The Wings had said in 1910 there was
great extravaganza in the House the Locofocos
had said so snce--but the latter had done nothing
towards retrenchment, though making great pro.
fessions on the subject. The question was final
ly disposed Of by referring it to committee of
five members. The debate upon the resolutions
of the Massachusetts Legislature on the subject
of the Naturalization Laws, resumed, and
Mr. Hunt, of New York, addressed the House
at length upon the merits of the que;iion.
In the Senate, on Tuesday, Mr.. Johnson, of
Md. offered resolution instructng inquiry into
the expediency of extending aid to the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad by the purchase of stock, or
in some other way, with view to facilities to
the transmission of troops over the road, when
completed to the Ohio river. Mr.. Benton, from
the committee on Military affairs, introduced a
bill for the raising Of Regiment of Mounted
Rfemen. The Oregon resolutions of Mr. Han
negan were then taken up. A debate ensued, in
which Mr.. Calhoun unequivocally defined his
position. He regarded the resolutions of Mr..
flanagan as censure upon the President for
Offering to negotiate upon the line of the 10th
degree. Mr.. flanagan admitted that they were
intended as caution to the Executive not to re-
new the offer, or accept it if offered by Great
Britain. Mr.. Calhoun chose not to be drawn
very far into the discussion; he said Oregon had
no truer friend than himself-that the resolutions
of the Senator from Indiana would operate as a
censare upon the Executive-that he was we'll
satisfied to leave the whole subject in his hands
that he approved entirely of the Presidents
offer of the 10th degree-that war ought not to
be talked of until negotiations were hopeless,
and that the President was competent to make
treaties, &c. He offered the following resou-
tions
! Resolved: That the President of the United
States has the power by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, to make treaties provided
two-thirds of the Senate concur.
Resolved, That the power of making treaties
embraces that of fixing and settling boundaries
between the territories and possessions of the
United States and those Of other powers in cases
of conflicting claims between them in reference
to the same.
Resolved, That however clear their claims, in
their opinion, to the country included between
the parallels of 400 and $40 40 north latitude,
and extending from the Rocky Mountains to tho
Pacific Ocean, known as the territory of Oregon,
there now exist and have always existed conflict
ing claims to the possession of the same between
US and Great Brtain,-the adjustment of which
has been the subject of negotiation between the
respective Governments.
| Resolved, That the President of the u. States
has rightfuly the power under the Constitution
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,
provided two-thirds of the same concur, to adjust
by treaty the claims of the two Governments to
!, the said territory by fixing boundary for their
present possessions.
| Resolved, That the President of the U. States
in renewing the offer in the spirit of peace and
compromise to establish the d9ih degree of north
latitude as line between the two countries to
the said territory, did not abandon the honor,
character or the best interests of the American
people, or exceed the powers vested in him by
The Constitution to make treaties.
Mr.. flanagan intimated willingness to lay
his resolutions upon the table, until the whole
subject was brought forward for debate. Mr..
Benton Significantly remarked that he would vote
to lay the resolutions upon the table, vithout such
quail catiOn. Thus ended the matter for the day.
In the House, the Massachusetts Resolutions
on the subject of the Naturalization Laws were
again under debate. Mr.. Douglass, of Illinois,
had the floor, At the conclusion Of his remarks,