The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-10
TWENTY.NINTH CONGRESS-
FIRST SESSION.
TvrspAr, March 10, 1916.

81 COMMUNICATION Fhoh bsfAhi"-N'-H
THE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate report
from the Treasurer Of the United States, accom-
paned by statements Of his accounts for the service
OF the Post Office Department. for the year ending
the 3Oth June, l645; which was read.
Also a report from the Postmaster General oil the
United States, in compliance with aresolunon pass
ed by the Senate, IN relation 10 contracts Tor uie
transportation Of The United States mail between
any Of the ports Of the United States ana any Poi
or ports of a foreign power which was read anu
referred 10 the Committee on the Post once anu UNI
Roads. .,r .;,;....
Mr.. PEARCE presented memorial OF eiuzens
of Queen AIMS county, Maryland praying uhe
adoption Of moderate and Paelhe measures ~ wy
settlement of the controversy between the unlted
States and Great Britain, respecting the Oregon ter
MI, PEARCE said that he desired TO make few
,smarks on this memorial. IL was entitled TO much
respect Il did net utter the voice OF faction.
Il did not speak the language OF party. IL was
moi the production Of mere politicians, whose
business il is 10 arraign or defend The adminisra-
ton chiefly, IL not wholly, with view to their own
personal advancement. Ii spoke the voice Of the
people az uttered in one Of their primary assem-
biies, composed Of men Of both political parties,
met 10 exercise their undoubted right Of examining
public measuses and declaring fully thar opin ions
upon them. lie had said IL was meeting Of both
parties called by gentlemen Of that party TO which
the President beoDgedi and were all those who con
Quoted The proceedings and debates on the occa-
sion. He knew them all personally, and could
youeh for them Individually as men Of intelligence,
honor, and dignity OF character. The gentleman
who penned the memorial man venerable for
his years and all that could give dignity TO charac
ter or authority TO opinion. He was the ardent per-
sonal and political friend Of General Jackson. He
had supported the administration OF Mr. Van
Buren,, and he was the supporter Of the
present chief magistrate Of the country. The
If If Iha
raj community, quite respectable for patriotism,
honesty, and intelligence those Of any other ru-
raj district in The land and little likely 10 be af
fected by any dread Of British power, as by the
Tantings Of political demsgogues. They were
ready TO sustain the administration in any Just vim
dcaton Of the undoubed rights Of the country; but
they were also prepared TO hold It responsible If 1t
undertook 10 involve the country in any unnecessary
war. These memorialists had not failed to notice
the declaration Of the President in his inaugural
address, that the title Of the United States TO the
whole OF the Oregon territory was "cear and I'M
questionable" Political supporters Of the Pres
ident as they are they express the startled surprise
with which they heard that declaration. They
were not careless observers Of public men asd the
proceedings Of public bodies. They saw that the
message Of the President declared that all efforts at
such a compromise as ought TO be accepted had
faied-that the demands OF the British government
were wholly inadmissibe-that their rejection Of our
offer was satisfactory evidence that no proper COM
promise could be effected-that he had Withdrawn
that Offer and that the title Of this country to the
whole of Oregon was sustained by what he
was pleased 70 term irrefragabe facts and arguments
They saw, too, that after this declaration il was
very difficult to perceive in what manner an appeal
10 arms was TO be avoided, since no compromise
such as ought TO be accepted, could be made; and
thatb was apparent that the question could not be
settled, except by one Of two modes. Their ap-
prehension had been greatly increased when thew
fo..nd that M theae modes til IL
them-when they perceived from the correspond
ence that the President had authorized the Secreta
ry Of State declare that he would consent TO arb
tration in no form m which 1t could be conceived,
on the ground that the territorial rights Of the coun
try were not proper subject of arbitration These
memoriaIists had studied the international law on
this subject. They knew that pubcists declared
that no government authorized to appeal to
arms, il oil peaceful modes Of accommodation had
not been exhRusted and that, of these nodes arbi-
tratIon was onei that II vas proper mode Of set
Ting disputes not involving rights essential to the
existence Of nation, or in cases where the claim
OF one party could not be considered anything bu,
manifest and insncere pretences. These memo
rialsts read and reflected. They knew all
these principles Of international law They
also knew that, in the early history Of the
country, many grave subjects had been refer
red to arbitration, and ali, except in one case
were so adjusted. Three times had the territorial
rights Of the country been submitted TO arbitration
by the govern ment Of the Unite States That was
done in 1894 under jays treaty, relative to the
boundary OF the province Of Maine. By the fifth
section Of that treaty this question was referred TO
arbitration. So he called it, although it was COM
mission--it was entirely the same thing By that
section the government Of the United States agreed
10 refer 10 two commissioners, with power given to
them to select third, and their decision was to be
final. The commissioners met, and, in pursuance
Of their arbitration and decision, this country now
hold title to considerable portion of the State of
Maine. So with the treaty of Client. The title TO
certain islands in the Bay of Fundy and Passama.
quaddy was! doubtful and it was agreed by the
government Of the United States and that of Grea,
Britain to refer the question to commissioners and
their decision was to be final commission was
accordingly appointed and by their award the
United States now held these islands in the bav of
Passamaquaddy. That was the second case in
which a question involving territorial rights had
been referred to arbitration by the government of
the United States There were two other povisions
IN the same treaty for reference to arbraon and bv
which the question of title to the islands in the river
St Lawrence was settled, and by which the JJni,ed
States hold all the islands there which now belonged
20 them. The other that of the northeastern
boundary question, referred to the King of the Meth
erlands. Thus, under the administrations of Wash
ington of Madison, and Adams, the question of ter.
rtoral rights had been referred to arbitration All
these eminent men had adopted the principle repu-
dated and denied in the reply of the Secretary of
State to Mt Pakenham X would be recollected
that the mon who had thus acknowledged their prn
ciple were the most illustrious Of their time-men
whose political purity, intelligence and saeacitv
could not be questioned-whose patriotism could
not be stained without disgrace to the national char
acter He certainly did not believe that the present
administration had purer patriotism than had these
Gonscript fathers. The memoriasis had in view
all these facts and also the speeches Of members of
Congress. They had heard the senator from Ohio
tMr ALLEN declare that this question of title could
not now be discussedthat was too late to discuss
n--7that they were committed to the claim for the
hole OF the territory up to $40 40--that they
were committed by the convention with Russia il,
1884, For,bfs life ne Mr.. P. could not conceive
how, by that convention, they agreed 10 give up 60
90 of latitude; yet if the title Of Spain we're good
ut ALL that was just as much included within il as
ether portions Of the disputed territory. IL was
said that they were also committed by the Bat-
more oonvenuon--by the election Of Is44-by
tae declarations Of the President--committed in
various, other ways; and the senator went on
to say that the question had come down to this,
had we the nerre to maintain our rghtsi'
lie begged pardon Of the Senate for using that