The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-09
TwENTY-NINTH CONGRESS,
First session.
THvRsDAI, April 9, ls46.
In Sen ATE.

Mr.. CORWlN presented The peuuons OF citizens
Of Portage and Summit counties, Ohio, asking the
establishment Of mail-route from Warren 10 Hud-
son, in that Stste which were referred to the Com.
mitee on the Post Once and Post Roads.
Mr.. DICKINSON presented the remonstrance OF
citizens Of Oneida county, New York, against the
renewal Of patent heretofore granted TO Jethro
Wood; which laid on the u BILE.
Mr.. CAMERON presented several petitions OF
citizens Of Pennsylvania, praying alteration OF
the constitution ofthe United States with reference
TO the abolition of slavery; which were laid on the
table.
Mr.. ATcHIsoN Submitted the following resolu-
ton:
10 contract with Charles Preuss the assistant Of Captain
Fremont in his expedition Rocky mountains Oregon
~. "yeiag loSs from the mouth Of he Kansas on the
frontier Of Missouri 10 the main oumbia river where the
emgrants usually embark the river and descend by
vsr 70 eolumba the said map to he complied
from tbs original notes journals and sketches Of sptan
Fremont and his assistant Charles Peuss taken in the
hsd and from actual observation In addition the usual
topography Of the country which the passes
elevation. oths country ssovs the Gull Of Ms.ieo by the
barometer certain distances the spperue Of the air
state Ofthe westhsr and the course OF the wnds also
sunrise and noon OF each dsy Also TO show every night
snsa9P@snt and md every MONDAY h.al with the wood
branches springs lakes pools and ponds crossed over or
zen N sns ,hs whole 70 DC correctly ala
HIo that the said secretary he authorized to contract with
aeompstsnt person for lthoguaphing the sans.
Mr.. CAMERON, from the Committee on Terrific
the accounts Of VIM. d. Slaughter late secretary Of
the Territory of Wisconsin; which was read, and
passed to the second reading.
CHANGE DUTIES ~ THE NAVAL BUREAU.
The Senate resumed the consideration Of the bill
10 change the distribution Of duties among the
sral naval bureaus.
Mr.. ARCHER expressed hope that the subject
he all IN he fnr fryu hau IN
able him 20 inquire into the merits Of the bill.
Mr.. FAIRFIELD had objection to the propo-
sirIon, and the subject therefore passed over
informally.
DIPLOMATIC coRREsPoRDENcE.
The Senate resumed the consideration Of the res
olulion submitted by Mr.. J. M. CLAYTON, calling
on the President for copies Of Oregon couespon-
dence.
Mr. ATCHlS0N arose and said, he did not take q
very deep interest in the resolution yet he would
vote for IL. IL was only two weeks SINCE in an
swor given to a call made by the senator from New
Jersey, they had received message from the Pres
dent in which he stated that nothing had transpred
since the meeting Of Congress to change his opinion
then expressed TO giving the notice to Great Brit
ain, with a view to the abrogaton Of the conyen-
ten for joint occupation OF the Oregon territory
Upon that assurance, and taking the opinion Of the
President Of the United States his guide, he
ready and willing to vote for the notice. Indeed he
had been ready for the three. last years. Since the
time he first had the honor OF taking seat in that
Senate, he thought there a propriety in the
thing itself without any inumaton from the Presi-
dent of the United States. He had uniformly voted
for similar resolutions that before them, calling
for information on that subject. He still will
ling, and would continue to vote for such mo.
TONS until that great question should be settled
lie thought it ought to be known what had been
done, what had TRANSFERRED between the govern
monts of the United States and Great Britain. TIL,
President cond comun nirafe IN the Senate inst M
much as, in his opinion not detrimental TO the
public interests. Hence he could sec nothing wrong
nothing to embarrnss the President Of the United
States, nor could he sec anything like distrust so
far as their action was concerned. No mcn,-
her, then, could be charged with express
ing distrust of the President, least OF ALL
from the uniform course Of the senator from
Delaware, could they accuse him Of il; for he
had always looked upon him as one Of the most de-
voted friends OF the notice. Now, he (Mr. Az
was himself anxious for light on the subject, but
perhaps for different reasons from senators on the
other side. He (Mr. A. for one would, if there
wss anything in State correspondence-in any COM
munication the President could make indicative of
his intention to compromise, would refuse to give
the notice On the other hand, gentlemen thinking
differently, might finding his intention the
notice a weapon, and act upon the true spirit of
the declaration in his message that it was now
necessary to assert our jurisdiction claimed
now for that reason they would not vote for the
ing any portion Of our territory. But he wanted
all the light the President could give Them that
he disuusted him, for time and again he for one had
expressed his confidence in the President. He
would take the information impaired in his message
as expressive Of his opinion as far as it went; bur
at the same time he had no objection TO further
light on the subject.
Mr.. SEWER opposed the motion. He had, he
said, some reason TO believe there was nothing in
the State Department calculated to throw light on
that question. There might, it was true, be some
.nfdential correspondence from their minister as to
results. The President might refuse to
swer the call made upon him, which would lead
the public to surmise there was something
irnp ortant which he could not impar, and
lead to unfounded suspicious. Another reason for
r:~t giving such information was, that by doing so
while negotiation pending they would show
their hands to the British minister, and give him
the benefit of it, No senator could desire that. II
ne believed there anything in the War Depart
nent, such they asked to be communicated, he
would vote for the resolution. The President by
The constitution was bound to lay before Congress-
ouch matters as he thought essential to be known
He was sworn to do so. Why, then, should they
now, ina time Of great excitement, publish conf
dental statements of our minister abroad, by which
the adversary would be benefited There was
something wrong in all that II was pushing the
thing farther than il ought to be pushed. He did
not care what should be the nature of the informa-
ZION that might be given, whether in favor Of $40 4U
or 400 or anything else; he would vote for the no.
lice, be the result what II might. But he regretted
ne could not vote for the resolution of his friend,
the senator from Delaware. ..R
Mr. CLAYTON said his friend from Arkansas
was entirely mistaken az to the duty Of the Presi-
dent by the constitution, in surr cases. Tho Pres
iden was authorized give such information az he
might think proper but he was at liberty to with
hold when he thought fit, without violating the con-
stitution. He did not say the President would
withhold any information useful as guide to their
action, but it their duty, in the circumstances
of the case, call upon him for all the information
on the subject which, in his opinion, il not i'm
proper to communicate. That was all he asked. II
there should be any communication in the State
Department from their minister abroad, the Presi-
dent was not bound to give them farther than he
should consider necessary to the public interests
He did not desire to delay the vote, would he
say word, but for some remarks which fell from
the chairman Of the Committee on Foreign Rea-
tons, and to which he Mr. CO. had no opportunity
ofreplying. That honorable senator had charged
il on the Senate that in its action in relation TO the
Oregon question, it had paralyzed the arm Of the