Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-04-25
WASHINGTON.
/" Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and
inseparable.D
SATURDAY. APRIL Is. lS46
FINAL ACTION ON THE OREGON QUESTION
IN CONGRESS-

1 FINAL ACTION ON THE OREGON QUESTION
/ IN CONGRESS.
/ The Resolutions Of the House of Representatives
for giving notice to Great Britain, &C. which pass.
ed the Senate on Thursday week with material
amendments, came up in the House of Representa-
tiyes on Saturday quite Unexpectedly, and were
disposed Of by the summary process of the Pre-
vious Question, with such almost electric rapidly,
that many Members, not having any reason to ex-
pset the subject to be called up that day. were abb
sent FROM Tie House when the question was TAKEN
Contrary, we believe, to the general anticipa-
tlon-Iustfed, in addition to its reasonableness, by
the indication in the government paper of the same
morning of something like willingness that the
Resolutions should pass as amended--the Resolu-
tons we're ~sr..s.A-ss
majority, in two important particulars; and' mus
amended, the amendments of the Senate were agreed
TO by a large majority, number OF Wings prefer
ring the Senate's amendment even thus changed,
to the original form Of the Resolutions.
In the action of the majority Of the House OF
Representatives the reader cannot fail to observe,
the argument, repeatedly pressed by the govern
ment paper, and even urged upon the Senate by Its
own Members of the weight due to the expressed
opinion of decided majority Of the coordinate
branch Of the Legislature, was entirely disregarded
The opinion Of three-fourths of the Senate, though
the branch of the Government having undoubtedly
the strongest constitutional right to adUise in any
matter concerning the Foreign Relations OF the
country was treated with little respect that the
House would not even deliberate upon it. AS soon
as the amendments were announced to he before
the House. Member rose and offered amendment
to them fatal to the object of the Senate, and de
manded the Previous Question upon his motion
The scre,cs were applied accordingly, and, with
out word of debate question of such vital
consequence, the question was forced to decision
in the absence of no fewer than hirtyJfue men,
bers of the House, being thirty-one members more
than the number of absentees when the original
Resolutions passed the House.
| On Monday, the amendments of the House came
up in the SENATE, which that body refused to con-
cur therein The House, being informed Of this de-
| cision, insisted on its own amendments, and asked
la conference.
i The question was then held in suspense until
Thursday, when final disposition was made of the
subject, and in manner which, next to having re-
Trained from any action at all, will receive, we doub
not, the general appreciation of the country
i The two Houses on that day settled their differ
ences in regard to the form Of authorizing notice
by adopting with two unimportant changes IN the
phraseoogy, recommended by the conferees) the
Preamble and Resolution Of the Senate These
changes consisted simply in substituting the words
all proper measures for renewed efforts" and
In tba Is settlement ~
These changes if they affect the sense OF the re-
solution at all, strengthen rather than impair the
force of the Senate's original proposition Thus
reported, the recommendation of the conferees
was agreed to by the Senate by vote OF AZ to
10 and by the House of Representatives by the
very decisive vote of l42 to 46.
This Resolution may be considered as an emphatic
EXPRESSION of the sense Of the two Houses of Con-
press in favor of compromising the Oregon boun
ldarv dispute and the adoption Of all proper
measures" includes, as the reader will perceive
arbitration, as well as all other modes Of settlement
In the only speech made on Thursday in the House
of Representatives on the subject Of the resolution II
was pronounced TO be an instruction to the Presi-
dent to compromise and this opinion, coming from
political friend Of the President may be regarded
as fair construction of the true nature and effect
of the Resolution.
i II is with satisfaction which we hardly know
how to express, that we are able to point the
readers attention to the fact that this expression Of
sentiment which is, in our opinion, in undoubted
accordance with that of four-ffths Of the indepen
dent and upright common-sense men of the coun.
try, received not only the vote of every VINO anc
of a very large majority Of the Democratic mem
. bers of each House, but also of more than three
fourths Of the members of both Houses of Congress
4 The Resolution, having thus happily passed boil
Houses in shape as unexcepionable as it couls
well have taken, requires being joint Resolution
to be placed before the President of the United
States for his appreciation and signature; which
will, Of course, be done without delay.
ARaIyAL or WHALxRs.--The New Bedford Mercury
Wednesday announces the arrival within days, of eeve
whae-shps viz -Four at New Bedford, two at stonington
one Bristol at New London, and one at Greenpors
!. all from the Pacific
The Mississippi was rising slowly St. Louis ON Saturday
h instant with IL feet water in the channel TO Caro-