Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-03-28

questionable In prosecuting the negotiation, he found
TO be his duty offer line of compromise at 49, and 10 give
IN James X Folks opinion the Presidents obligation TO
preserve national honor From SOME cause other the pub
lie mind had been peoccupied with the belief that this offer
had not made by him. Blu. as had been made, the
President might have felt and probably he did feel solicit
tude the meeting of Congress to tell the whoeto let
the secreand to prevent il he could canors calumny
upon the ec Had the President dreaded the cla
mor and sought to avoid by such disclosure denuncia
tons like those which have been increasingly poured upon
the heads of the great men who negotiated and voted for the
Washington treaty, the Senate would not blame
him much for t-no uery much That Washington treaty
seems to have become vorte hobby Perhaps is to be
kept agoing until get company. 1t may be that the
President did not wish to furnish the companion for by
keeping his friends unappzed Of the important fact that he
had offered compromise should not wonder at it, if he
did AS is that thunder will all be spoiled far
conceainent goes
have seldom heard discussion, Mr.. President about
territorial rights in any quarter that BESToSs speech against
WEBsrERs treaty not reproduced. new edition OF
old speech, abridged to be but not improved Our
politicians determined to convince the world abroad and
the people at home whether not that nation always
overeached, cheated and dsgraced But why do this at
ALL long after treaty has been soemny ratified by vote OF
80 to in the American Senate Let not Senators give
their aid it, say love another and the country
utter complaints against the speech itself Of my honorable
friend from Missouri, (Mr. BESroS Like every thing else
that comes from him here eloquent II season
and Mt the right time when he made it. The occasion which
called it forth had passed. and along with II the strong
excements under which the speech made The cons
tuona authorities of the Government oveuled his objections
and is no the fame of the speech that
Senator to believe his noble and generous heart would be
able (and his manly character would let him
it, that there quite enough of nvectve and suspicion
the speech when il made. know not how he feels
der repetition, with without notes, but have admired
the patience of Senators implicated by denunciaons
Washington treaty. and wondered how they could silently
endure it. Certainly when such things introduced here
they in exceeding bad aste and very like what veneraed
friend of mine used to call the dulest thing in the world
listen at" old psalms sung dead horses" Out of the
Senate is the game by which great of this nation
to be killed off and moro left for exaltng little men
to big offices.
But Mr.. President let all this be may and let be
right wrong the President have his message
the information in it to the Congress of the United States
he has done 1.-THE act is past recall The subject before
the Senate, and with all its embaaSsments, has become
for the Senate to act upon it. and in my Judgment
the do that, the better for the country
In order to Alright must look to the Presidents
sages, and fop ourselves what position he occupies
agree entirely with other Senators that take
position upon this question of the notice until the
position Of the President See it, mean, with reasonable
certainty positive certainty cannot be arrived at and
not be expected If he to negotiate for compromise,
or if there be pending negotiation, it would be unwise
precedented and indicate, for the President either himself
directly, indirectly through another person. declare before
hand any determination of his mind upon questions
arise in the further progress of such negotiation. SHALL
justice to him, have occasion to point to the Senate
hereafter how think this silence-his necessary silence
proves almost of itself that his "houghs are turned on
peace"
But what is the position of the President in this negota-
ton About there would be less doubt if there had been
less effort to assign the President an extreme position and
false position What say the records p Where does he
stand We must before fling him the nece to temi-
nate the convention Of 1927.
First we all know that the Presdent-whose assent in
dspensablo-wll not agree to arbitration do not stop
defend him for this belongs other
occasion IT. in the providence of God this Oregon contro
versy should terminate in conflict the nsponsiby of hav
ing rejected arbitration will be fearful one and he will have
A. L..
The Senate, therefore, must proceed upon fact
fixed fact" that arbitration is out of the question. We
cannot help would and it candor say that
tcould not III could
Well, then, have seen in his message that Great B
tain made offer of compromise which rejected by the
American Government IN August 1874, and the President
has informed Congress plainly and distinctly that this British
proposition cannot be entertained by him. but that
'twhoy inadmissibe" So far there difficulty. Every
thing plain and directly the point ought be-
Next, informed by the message that the President
himself made offer to Great Britain by which the territory
Of Oregon between the parallels Of 42o and $40 4V pro-
posed to be divided by compromise the line of 49, and
that the British Minister rejected without submitting any
other proposition &c This offer of our President was made
the 12 of July, ls45Tesed the 29h Of the same
month But the 30th August, ls45 the President with
drew his rejected proposition, and reasseed by his letter
the British Minister claim and title to the whole Of Ore
gon toLich letter has not been dns,ceredt
The President does not say that the negotiation has been
abandoned, that it WHbe concluded by him without wait
ing receive another offer No such thing He does not inform
Congress that ne VIII or VIII not that he VIII will
not entertain his offer which he adopted that of the
nation for compromise repeat that was, under the cir
cumsances impossible for him do that provided he
sdered compromise still But he docs say that
be has receded notwithstanding his opinion e to the
line Of 49o a compromise and his for given
quite conclusive in favor of accepting the offer
they for making it last year. And, understand
the Presidents position he stands this day upon that line OF
49o a compromise il TO be had Once for
all let explain that when have spoken shall hereafter
speak Of the compromise line of 49o, do by means
intend 10 be understood literally But that line in
subsance-not " cvcry inch-I the compromge
substantially which this Government has frequently offered,
without regard to slight variations which may be left for set
Element by Equivalents" do not measure nay own or
other peoples patriotism by the "inch shall not recog
Mise that in deciding upon the merits OF the Adj
mnistration the wisdom of a treay-not at ALL at ALL
Mr.. President, disdpoc amy authority 10 speak FOR the
President. have already said that be could not speak for
himself, authorize another to speak for him, long
negotiation pending, not concluded Oh wish il
that he could speak But be allowed TO
speak for myself since the Administration has been pcrse
verngy put where ought not 10 stand by it and will dare
speak 10 the President and Of the President and his Mes
sages, from my station upon this foor Judge him and
them And say in certain Senators Of my party,
that the President did right exactly right in continuing this
negotiation for compromise which he found foot and in
renewing the offer Of 49o line Of compromise And in
reply TO them further, say that he ought not and my
vcons strong death itself that he cannot will not
dsgrace himself and his Administration by refusing his olon
oDe should It be returned upon hnn-refusng mean, to
entertain 1t repulsing it. and rashy putting final temina-
ton to his negotiation for peaceful compromise and mady
forcing his country into war; without consulting his
constitutional advisers the Senate who this day
blcd Yet that is said Of him day after day in this Senate
for what Why, Mr. President war between two
great Christian nations upon the meaning Of the word SET