Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-06-18
or THE OREGON
QUESTION.

SETTLEMENT or THE OREGON
QUESTION.
We mentioned last week in brief article
the Ranporcd Settlement q the Oregon Question;
and we are most happy to announce now that
what was then considered rtHaor, may now be
regarded as settled fact and truth. The prop
Iosition came from the British Government, and
was conditional in its character, but II case ii
was met by our Government, the British Min
lister is empowered omake it positive PROPOSE
ton and to offer il in the form Of treaty. The
President Of the United States placed the pro-
position before the Senate and asked It's advice
as 10 its acceptance. The matter was consid-
cred in Executive Session of the Senate, and
of course with closed doors. There seems TO
be no doubt that the Senate, by the Constitu-
tonal majority, have advised ITS acceptance,
but what the actual vote was, and how Sena-
tors voted, is matter Of speculation, and win
not be known before the proceedings of the
Senate are made public by a vote Of that body.
The Washington Correspondent Of the BAL
TmoRE American, under date of June 18th,
gives the following as ''the probable" aflirma
tive and negative vote, which will doubtless
prove 10 be nearly If not quite correct:
Yeas-Messrs. Archer, AsHLY, BAGBY,
BENTON, BERRIEN, CALHOUN, CHALMERS, J.
1 NJ. CLAYToH, 4. CLARION, CoLaUTr, DAVIS,
| DAYTON, DIX, EVANS, GREENE, HAYwooD,
HoUsToN. HUNTINGToN, JOHNSON of Md,
Johnson of La, LEWIS, McDUFFIE, MAN
GUN, MILLER, MoREnEAD, NILES. PEARcE,
| PENNYBACKER, RUsK, SEVER, SERMONS,
SPEIGHr, TuRNEY, UPHAM. WEBSTER, w EST
coTr, WooDBRID3E and YuLEE.
| The negative vote, il is believed, was as fol
/ lows:
Messrs. ALLEN, ATHERToN, BREEsE. CAM
ERoN, Cas-, DICKSON, FAIRFIELD, HANNE-
GAN. JARNEGAN, JENNEss, SEMPLE and STUR-
GEoE.
The Senators not voting are Mr.. ATcmsoN
! (Paired off with Mr.. CRrTENpEN, nehonle,)
and CoRwiN, who was i'll. lie came TO the
Senate Chamber just after the vote was taken.
| Mr.. PHELPS. of VT, Mr. Critic SDEN, of
! Ky, MIR, BARROW of La, are Wing Senators,
and Mr. BRIGHr, OF Ia, Democratic.
| The Baltimore American of the l4th inst.
makes the following sensible remarks, which
please our taste so well that we cannot refrain
from copying them in full, and commencing
them to the Judgment Of our readers We
think MIR. Polk has acted wisely and prudent
ly in taking the advice of the Senate-the pow
er provided under the Constitution TO advise
with him upon matters Of grave Importance
Indeed, the whole previous discussion OF the
subject, in Congress and out o. Congress, rem
derej it prudent for hun to take the step he
has taken and instead of finding fault with
1 him, we applaud his course. When shall we
see the happy day in this country when party
/ can see some good IN an opponentf Every
person who knows us. knows our sta7np-we
| are VI hig 80 the back bone" and always ex-
/ pect 10 be, but we wlll never refuse deserved
praise 10 an opponent The American SAYS ::
| There have been some reflections, more or
less severe. upon the Presidents course in ask
! ing the advice of the Senate before hand reia-
/ tive TO the conditional prefer of the British
minister. 1t is urged that the Executive
should have accepted or rejected the PROPOSE
ton. and that the Sonate'S responsibility would
properly come when treaty, having passed
! through the preliminaries OF negotiation should
be laid before them for ratification or refusal
! Now the Constitution in authorizing the Pres
ident to do certain things, ''by and with the
advice and consent of the Senate" does not
specify agheH that advice shall be taken; and
under the circumstances of the present case it
would seem proper enough that the Executive,
I holding divided power which he must use
Jointly with the Senate, should desire TO secure
The assurance of a harmonious cooperation on
! the part of that body, in a matter of so much
importance, before committing himself one
way or another. And this was the more urg-
ent from the fact that during the debate on the
question Of notice many Senators had express
sed opinions on the subject Of ttle--opinions
/ believed 10 be different from those entertained
on that point by the President Hence the
I peculiar importance of ascertaining before
hand how far the two branches of the treaty
making power could harmonlze upon a sup
poSe6 basis. There is, If we mistake not, a
case in point in the history Of Gen. WAsHING-
TONS administration.
The discussion of this point, however. is
likely to have but little interest IA the midst Of
the general qualification which possesses the
public mind at the prospect OF an immediate
settlement Of our long pending and oft threat
ening controversy with Great Britain.
Annexed is also an extract from the Wash
ington Correspondence Of the Philadelphia
North American, setting forth the proposition
of Great Britain -
The Presidents Message, communicated to
the Senate to-day, contains protocols OF the
conferences between Mr.. PAKENHAM and MIR.
BUcHANAN, IN reference to the adjustment of
the Oregon controversy. From the strict in
juctlon imposed on the members Of the Sen
ate, and from the manner in which received
such information as possess, | regret it is not
in my power to refer 10 the terms and eharac
ter Of the message as explicitly as | could de.
sire. | can, however, give n general outline,
suficientior all purposes Of public information.
In my letter OF Sunday last, mentioned
the interviews that had occurred in reference
to this subject between the funclionaries of the
two Governments, and named the general
features. TO wit the 49th paralel---the free
navigation Of the Columbia river during the
charter OF the Hudson Bay Company, which
expires in 1853, andits re charter, ii one should
be given-Va ncouyer's Island, and a common
right through the Straits OF Fuca.
Mr.. PAEENHAM's power Of settlement is
conditional. Ilthe Senate viii approve Of the
!, proposition as it stands, then he is authorized
to go on and complete a treaty without further
} instructions from the Home Government Ii
/ mot, and any important amendment is inserted,
A a.