Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-04-03

know that best by sending up all the cores
pondence; and, In order that they might see
and Judge for themselves, the President COM
to Congress the aUhoLe corresporl-
denee which had taken place. He has done
no more, land he is responsible for nothing more.
Had he any right to suppose that this would
be made the foundation for violent, invective
and irregular discussions, and for all the propo.
sitions that have followed it! If he had ap-
pretended any such consequences, would that
have authorized him 10 withhold the recon-
mendation of measure Of Legislation which
he deemed to be essential to the interest of
the nation, and which he may have supposed
to be important to the peace Of the country p
Upon making such recommendation, how
could he conceal the information that was ne
cessary to aid Congress in considering it 3
Had he any means of forseeing that this simple
act of necessary duty on the part Of the Execu-
tivewouId be perverted into an occasion for de-
batting, not the question Of notice OF. no notice,
which properly belongs to the Legislative de-
partment. but.also orr negotiations with Great
Britain, when her Minister is in the city and
even in the lobby of the Capitol, and our for
eigh relations and our grievances, real or sup
posed, with all the kingdoms Of the earth,
which legItimately belong to the Executive
department? Perhaps he felt strong reli-
ance upon the prudence, moderation, and wis.
dom Of Congress-the assembled representa-
tives Of The people and the States--and hoped
that they would in such case talk less but
deliberate, and then act. Perhaps he thought
that, upon question of this kind, the neces,
sity he was put under to disclose what was
done by the Executive before he had termina~
ted negotiations, would hardly be made pre-
text for snatchihg negotiations ontof his hands.
which he did not recommend, instead of enact
ing law TO arm him with notice that he did re-
commend. How far he was mistaken, if he
did so feel and so think, need not TO be said
10 this Senate. The events Of the last few
weeks speak for themselves. Believing that,
so far as the President has been concerned.
! the British Government has got no advantage
Of US, | confess did feel mortified in reading
the news by the last steamer at the necessity
Of conceding to the debates of the British Par
lament decided superiority over those OF
ourselves in their dignity and moderation
and it would be quite a satisfaction 10 me to
get news by the next packet of an outrageous
debate in the British Parliament; at least suf
fcent to pnt us even with them on that score
cannot help wishing it may be so.
(Some Senator: '''Tis likely you'll be
gratified.O
Bnt surely the fault is not altogether tha
Of the President. Had he known ever so wei
that his recommendation to legislafe, If Con
gress saw fit. so as TO help his progress in ne
collation., would be misconstrued into an invi
.ation for all sorts Of interference by Congres:
with the more appropriate duties Of the Exc
cntive, he wonld hardly have been justified
by it TO omit all or any one thing which HI
has done. He has, as | understand his mes
sage, but done his dnty, and no more; and h
dared not do less. hope Senators will SCI
Tin all :his al excuse for the President, if the,
do not find in it a justification for his messaG'
to Congress communicating The correspondence
If the British Minister. That the Presiden
sent this message to- SCongress might he ex
cnsed indeed for other reasons. without
heavy tax upon our charity. He was bount
to presume that Congress are wise and pru
dent Legislators; that they would say rothin!
: TO embarrass negotiations unless Congress re
Tally wished to defeat negotiation; and ever
in THAT case he may have thought that, as b,
the Constitution treaty-making belonged +
The President, under the advice Of the Senate
his own " friends," without any recommen
dation from him, would long ago have propo
sed and voted directly "that the Presiden
shall he ADVISED by the SENATE that he i
. mistaken in supposing the nation committee
itself to any compromise. and that the negotl
alton upon that basis ought 10 be concluded
if that indeed be the decision of the people.
That would be DOING something.
do not affirm that the President though
} all this, or any of it. Yet another thing ha
struck my own mind with some force, an
; possibly it might not have been without it
, influence upon the President. When he cam
into office, he declared his belief that our It'll
to Oregon was "clear and unquestionable.
In prosecuting the negotiation, he found it +
be his duty to offer line of compromise a
) 49, and to give up James K. Folks Opinion
to the Presidents obligation to preserve ma
, tonal honor. From some cause or other, tn
public mind had been pre-occuped with III
belief that this offer had not been made b.
: him. But, as it had been made, the Presi
dent might have felt and probably he did feel
} solicitude at the meeting of Congress to tel
the whole-to let ont the secret-and to pre
/ vent, if he could, clamors or calumny upo
the subject. Had the President dreaded III
, same clamors, and sought to avoid, by such
] disclosure, denunca,ions like those whlc
have been increasingly poured out upon tn
heads of the great men who negotiated an
voted for the Washington treaty, am sur
the Senate would not blame him much tor
: mot uery much. That Washington treat
. seems to have become "a favorite hobby. Pei
haps it is to be kept going untilit can &c
I company. 1t may be that the President d'
t ne: wish to furnish the companion for it b.
keeping his - friends' unapprized of the i'm
Y portant fact that he had offered i compromise
l should not wonder at it, if he did not. A
s it is, that thunder will all be spoiled as far
t conceuLment goes.
D have seldom heard discussion. Mr.. Pres
: ident, about our territorial rights in any quar-
t ter, that Benton's speech against Webster
treaty was not reproduced. A new editlo
n of an old speech, abridged to be sure. but nc
+, improved. Our politicians seem determine
! to convince the world abroad, and the peopl
II IL al