Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-04-03
SPEECH OF MIR. HAYWOOD.
ON THE OREGON QUESTION.


4
The joint resolution for giving the notice to
terminate the convention between the United /
States and Great Britain relative to the Ore
gon territory being under consideration
Mr.. Haywood addressed the Senate as fol-
lows: Mr.. President, the subject before the
Senate is an important one. Viewed in con-
nexion with the topics that have been brought !
into the discussion of it, it is one of momen-
tous interest; and confess that its magnitude /
Expresses me. My want of experience in po-
litical affairs naturally made me reluctant to |
enter into it as speaker, when ] must neces-
sarily feel, in addition to the high RESPONSE
bilties of the occasion itself, thexembarrass- |
ment of addressing those who are my seniors
in age and in political knowledge. Besides,
have thought that silent vote, could it have
been obtained, would be much moEeimposing.
Bnt the occurrence of the last few weeks have
left the no choice. Silence would now be a
compromise with nv conscience and my duly
to the country, and must speak. 1t will take
me some time, bnt throw myself upon the
patience Of the Senate, with pledge that my
heart shall be opened sincerely, at this the
council Of our common country. / have no
actions Of the past TO explain. and no aspira-
tons for the future TO restrain me; and, if
God gives me strength and utterance for the
work. will do my whole duty according to
my poor ability.
! The President OF the United States, who is
authorized by the Constitution to make, but
not to unmake treaties, has negotiation on
| foot which was commenced or opened before
his term of office began. The object of it has
been to fix a line of DIVISION by compromise
between the United States and Great Britain,
and thereby to adjust the conflicting claims Of
the two Governments to the territory lying
west of the Stony Mountains, commonly call
ed Oregon. ! assume for the present-here-
Latter | will demunstrate-that in the view of
our President, as we'll as the British Minister,
the negotiation is still pending one. The
assumption is warranted by every incident Of
the subject in this country and in Great Brit
ain except the absurd conclusions and unau-
thorised constructions given by some Of my
own party friends to the message of the Pre-
sident. And it is confirmed beyond all fir
doubt, by the silence Of the President upon
that point, when. IF the negotiation had termi-
mated, Executive silence would be nrpardon-
abe-the. more especially as has Jurisdiction
over the subject will cease the moment nego-
tiation ends. The negotiation once closed con-
cluded, put an end to- by the Executive, and
all the remaining questions ahou. Oregon will
become forthwith subjects Of Legislation by
Congress exclusively.
4 But 10 proceed. Al the meeting Of Con-
gress in December the negotiators Of the two
Governments had been unable to aereeupon a
compromise of their conflicting claims, and
the President, believing that. under the exist
ing convention Of 1927, the United States Cam
not "rightfulIy assert or exercise exclusive
jurisdiction over any portion of the territory"
without giving years notice, declared to
Congress th"t, in his Judgment, would DE
proper to give the notice and tberenpon, by
lis message, he recommended that provision
be made by IaO for giving it according ", and
s terminating g in this manner" the convention
of the 9th August. 1897. This Their is the
Iquestion: What shall we do?
The message of the President was accom-
panied by copy of all the correspondence
which had taken place in the negotiation; and
we have subsequently been Enthusiastically our
request, with sucl, further correspondence as
had taken place in it up to February, 1876
In the meanwhile, VAR Gus propositions in the
Senate, emanatlhg from individual Senators.
but not from the ErecutiUe, have been offered
and proposed !; and it is true, as some honora-
BILE Senator said the other day, that we have
exhibited the singular spectacle in this Capt.
ftol of discussion by Congress with open
nation, and more especially of our affairs with
Great Britain upon this very subject of the
Oregon territory, although at the same time,
S negotiations have been going on at the Exc
cutive Department with the British Ministry ;
and it was rather intimated than charged that
the President was 10 blame for it. Now. in
the spirit of kindness which characterized this
complaint, suffer me, friend Of the Admins
, Grafton, to answer why do not concur in it,
and how | suppose the sending of thsscorres-
pondeDce here may be vindicated.
The President, believing that the conven-
ton of 1927 had better be abrogated, we know
that he could do that in either one of two
ways. but in no cthers Either he must get an
', agreement with Great Britain to abrogate it
by mutual consent, and then Congress need
not be applied to at all; or he must get the
mandate OF ldW. authorizing him to give d
years notice. The first mode was not at
= tempted.
The other manner of doing it is by lam OF
this Governments; and the President recon-.
. mended to Congress-Congress alone being
" competent to enact it--,hat provision be made
:. for giving the notice accordingly, and for ter.
minallng, "in this manner" the convention
OF 1927. Can it be said that the President
erred IN choosing " this manner Of terminal.
~ ing the convention, 1t being the only mode by
which that object could be IegitimateIy &C.
complished without closing his negotiations
for compromise The complaint against
the message implies he had no Intention to dc
= that 1t being indispensable to apply to Con.
gress Tor law to give the notice, was it moi
both proper and necessary to communicate tc
Congress every thing that had taken place r
the negotiation, as far as it had progressed
when the President made his recommendation
- The case is peculiar one; but that peculi
arity did not arise out of any thing that this
of Administration has done. but altogether from
the convention it is desired to abToeate, and
the limited constitutional power of the Amer
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