Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-03-13
CONGRESS-.
THURSDAY, March 3,

WIN" nhe wv yct Oeen puDllsncu, IN fulI, the
reports having been withheld at his request. A
BRET sketch Of it will be found in the letter of
our correspondent in another column, and the
general drlt OF It may he seen from the remarks
!, elected from other Senators. The following
report Of the scene that ensued is from the Ma.
tional ln'elligencer:
Mr. flanagan rose and addressed the Senate /:
but yielded the floor at the request off,
Mr. Calhoun, who desired TO correct an erro.
nefous Imptcsson winch might be conveyed by
the remarks OF the Senator from North Carolina
IN respect TO the protocol which had been spo.
Ken OIL II the Senators would turn to it they
would lind that ii contained simply declaration
on tho part Of the British Minister, stating the
reasons why he did not feel authorized to 90 or
win the negotiations; and that he had applied
10 his Government for further instructions
whether those instructions were received or not
ne could not say; he presumed, however, tha
they had been received. The United States
never assented to the proposition that any par
OF Oregon belonged to Great Britain. Our ne.
go'iators had always claimed the whole. In hi,
own letter TO the British negoiator he had claim
ed on the part of this government the whole
valley Of the Columbia river. He was not awar,
that II had ever been acknowledged that the til,
was not in us.
Mr. flanagan promised not TO de,ain tn,
Senate very long. Before proceeding to make
few remarks in reply to some parts Of what he
considered as the most extraordinary speech he
had ever heard in his life, he begged to ask tn,
Senator from North Carolinl (Mr Iaywood) one
question: which, for greater accuracy, he hat
reduced 10 writing. We did not get copy o
the question; hut il was in substance this -
whether he had the authority OF the President o
The United States, direct or Indirect, for declar
ing here that it was his wish to terminate The
existing controversy with Great Britain by com
promising on the parallel Of 400 Il
Mr. Haywood replied that he had already sait
that which, for fear Of mistake, he had previous
ly written, and which he should print For The
President to authorze any Senator to make suct
declaration as that stated by the Senator irou
Indiana was not to be expected, and would bt
out of character.
Mr. Allen said he should cons,rue the repl,
Of the Senator from North Carolina into nee
alive, unless forbidden BY the Senator hinse
to do So
MIR Haywood. have already endeavored t.
prove my friend from Ohio bad hand at con
struc,ion. A laugh.
Mr. Allen. Then shall adopt the othcr con
struction, and consider his answer in the affir.
native; and demand-I demand it as a public
right--that he shall answer the in,erragatory
put TO him. If he does not answer, am here
ready to deny that he has expressed the views
Of the President.
Mr. Haywood's answer was but partially heard
but he was understood to say that his consttu
ents had not sent him there to answer questions
put to him by any man; but, in regard to the
inquiries OF the Senator from Ohio, if he (Mr
H) occupied the position which that Senator did
and was driven to the necessity of asking ques.
tons here about The opinions Of the President
be should quit Much laughter.
MIR Westco,t here called Mr. Haywood Ia
order, if he was about 10 state anything as from
the President.
Mr. Haywood. The Senator need not be
alarmed. Increased merriment IN some parts
OF the chamber No Senator had a right 10
make demands Of him on the floor OF the Senate,
aud he should nubmit 70 no such Demands
Nevertheless, he might consent, il properly re-
quested, to reply to any reasonable inquiry,
either in the house or out of it. lie had often
done things in that way out Of doors, that he
considered rather humating, for the sake OF
peace and good fellowship but he recognised in
no man right TO demand answers from him in
his place in the Senate.
MIR Allen said he had not demanded an an
swer as private or personal right, hut as pub.
lie right. When Senator assumed to speak
Tor the President, it was public right possessed
ny every Senator to demand his authority for
doing co. The avowal here made by the Sem
itor from North Carolina was that he was the
exponent of the views of the President Of the
United States on great national question.
The gentleman had assumed this and Mr. A.
now again asked whether he was in possession
of any authority from the President for saying
what he had
Mr. Westcott called Mr. Allen to order. 1t
was not in order to inquire here wha, we're the
PRESIDENTS personal opinions or purposes.
Mr. Allen said that he had not asked what the
opinions Of the Prcsiden, were.
MIR Haywood said that he was not at all ex.
cited. lie would, however, take leave to OBJ.
serve that he did not see any thing like cate.
chlsm in the rules Of order. He had not ASSUME
ed to speak by authority of the President.
Mr. Allen. Then the Senator takes back his
whole speech.
Mr. Haywood. I am glad to see that the
speech takes. Much laughter.l
Mr. Allen, (much excited y With the Bri.
,ish!
Much excitement and conversation here las,
indeed, throughout this entire scene) prevented
the Reporter from hearing all that MIR Allen
said
Mr. flanagan wished the Senate to notice
that though the Senator from North Carolina
had written his speech, he had not printed ii, so
that other Senators might have il TO refer to i'm
reply. II was not to be found in any of the pa.
pers.
Mr. Haywood. desired that, for fear of mis-.
takes and it seems was right for one of the
papers, IN lis brief account of my remarks this
morning, has said Of my speech that it was q
speech IN favor Of arbitration.
Mr. flanagan said it was quite immaterial
whether the Senator from North Carolina gave
direct answer to Mr. II, inquiry or not. The
Senator had sad that there was no meaning in
language, no truth in man, if the President had
anywhere committed himself to the line of sac
io'. Mr. II. would say, in turn. that there was
neither meaning in language nor truth in man il
he had not go committed himself, and that in
language strong as that Of the holy book ITSELF
Before the Baltimore Convention met he stood
already committed to the whole of Oregon up Ia
90 40' before all the world Mr. II. would 20
back to The year lS44, and call the Senator S
attention to Mr. Folks reply to committee Of
the citizens Of Cincinnati. Their inquiries re.
ferred 10 the annexation OF Texas !. but, in re.
pyng, Mr. Polk volunteered opinions in regard
To Oregon also; and this while he was before
the nation as a candidate for the seat he now
occupies.
10 reply TO question as to the date Of the
letter, Mr. II. said i was the 23d April, lS44.-
Mr. II. here quoted The letter. Here Mr. Polk
expressed the opinion that the Union ought new
err to have been ~ disn,an he redp nv the spDara.