Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-04-07
TwENTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
THURSDAY, APRiL 2.
SENATE.

THURSDAY, APRIL *.
SENATE.
Mr.. Speight was excused from serving on the
Committee on Military Affairs. MIR. Houston
was appointed in his place.
Mr.. Ashley moved that the previous orders be
suspended and that the Senate proceed to the spe-
cial order OF the day. He said he was somewhat
peculiarly situated. lie was entitled 10 the floor
yesterday, and had yielded it 10 the Senator from
Missouri, whose remarks extended TO such a
length as TO render The Senate in1isposed 10 have
the debae go on at that time, and now he felt
bound to yield ii 10 the Senator from Michigan,
who, having been taken prisoner by the Senator
from Missouri, might fairly be considered as on
his parole.
| MIR. Cass thanked the Senator from Arkansas
for his courtesy, and said he had been captured
by enemies twice in his lile-once while fighting
against British prelensions in war, and once
while protesting against British prelensions in
peace. In using the word enemy, in The taller
| case, of course, was only metaphorical.
| Mr. Cass said he was going 10 vindicale him.
self against the position given 10 him by The Sc
major from Missouri, and if he failed 10 make out
his case in The opinion oil single member in
| this Chamber, he would come down 10 fight the
battles Of 40 degrees, which he considered one OF
| the greatest calamirs that could bcial him. MIR.
! Cass said the Senator from Missouri had mis-
stated what he had said in his speech-bul it was
Of little consequence TO The main point al issue.
The question was, whether the line ot49 degrees
was established By The Treaty of Utrecht, taking
| into view the Spanish claim, West of the Rocky
Mountains1 II it was, he should come down TO
40 degrees, and yield himself prisoner for lie.
The Senator from Missouri had no where shown
that 40 degrees was the line beyond the Rocky
Mountains. 1t was The line up 10 the Noun
tains, and that was exactly the point where all
the difficulty began. Mr.. Cas- then went on 10
| show that it was mailer Of doubt on The mind
| of MIR. Madison, and that il might well be a mat
ter of doubt in his (Mr. Cass's) mind. The Sc
major had spoken of Mr.. Madison's language as
the language Of certainty. Ii it was the Ian
suage of certainly, he would like 10 know what
the language of uncertainty was
Mr.. Cass said no notice Of the fac, OF the line
OF 80 degrees having been established by the
treaty OF Utrecht, had ever been taken By the Br-
fish Government, and he went on 10 show that the
claim OF the U. States 10 all the territory South
of 40 degrees, was based not upon the treaty OF
Utrecht, but upon the treaty of peace of 1883
Mr.. G.. then went into an elaborate examination
OF authorities TO show the truth of his position,
, and that MIR. Madison had great doubts upon The
subject, with all the facts before him that were in
possession Of The Senator from Missouri. lie
asked the Senator from Missouri whether he him
sefbelieved that the treaty Of Utrecht setlled our
boundary in Oregon upon The line OF 40 dcgrees2
Mi. Benton did not answer.
MIR. Cass said he should then assume that The
Senator from Missouri did not believe that The
boundary was thus sctlled-and il SO, why his
studied sneech of Yesterday Tito make him a
prisoner upon 40 degrees, he had now broken his
bonds and was again free. Our claim TO The
whole OF Oregon was as valid as fthe treaty OF
Utrecht had never been made.
Mr. Benton replied, and said that ne under
stood the Senator from Michigan TO say, that il
the provso TO the project OF 1907 had been stricken
out, it would have no effect Hest OF the Rocky
Mountains. The Senator Jumped cut OF the fly
ing pan into the fire. According to position
laid down by The Senator this morning, all our
claim 10 the territory West OF The Rocky Noun
ans dates subsequent 10 1907. Mr.. B. said that
Mr. Jefferson pressed i9 deg. as our boundary
No pemicious influence swayed him, and The
Senator from Michigan could not break him
down in The estimation OF The American people.
Mr.. Greenhow must go 10 work and make an
other book The Senator from Michigan can
never escape from The position he has taken 10.
day. He has denied tina, We had any claim 10
Oregon before 1907. Mr.. B. concluded With an
expression OF good feeling towards The Senator
from Michigan, which that gentleman cordially
reciprocated.
T.
speech OF Tuesday.
Mr.. Webster ca lied the attention Of those who
wished 10 examine The historical facts connected
with this question, to one or two points in relief
ence 10 the line OF 40 degrees as laid down upon
the old maps, and then The Senate went into E1-
eculipe session. and afterwards adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The reading OF the journal was dispensd with,
and the House, on motion of MIR. DroInsooie Of
Virginia went into Committee OF the Whole, MI
Daniels Of ". C. in the Chair.
The debate was renewed at once upon tho Sub
Treasury bill, by Mr. Davis OF KY, in opposi-
ton TO the bill.
MIR. DrJmgoole Of Virginia continued The dis
cussion, and mainly in examination OF The con-
.ti,utional question. He argued that under the
Constitution there was no currency known but
one Of gold and silver, and that the currency OF
Government could only be kept pure by The abo
ition OF Bank paper. Ii was argued that there
was specie enough in The country TO do The bust
ness OF The country, and in The world TO do The
business OF the world. Mr.. D. called upon his
party 10 resist all Wing amendments 10 this bill
let its friends pass il, and not its enemies
Mr.. Martin OF Tenn. closed the debate, In q
brief defence OF Mr.. Polk Tor his vote upon the
Gordon resolution In 1884.
Mr.. Graham Of N. e. offered an amendment
TO make the Suh-Treasurers personally liable, By
a. lien upon their real estate.
This amendment was announced as carried, ~
10 CT. but new cal! having been ordered, il was
lest, 81 10 Ga.
The committee then rose and reported the bill
and amendments 10 The House.
The specie clause was adopted by The follow
ing vote-ayes l01 noes a.
The bill, as amended, was then passed by The
following vole-ayes i23 noes Ct.
The House then adjourned.