Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-08-05

itself Committee Of the Whole on the state Of the Union
Mr. MoSEHEAD in the chair and resumed the consideration
OF the bill 70 establish the Territorial Government of Oregon.
The question pending when the committee rose Yesterday
was on agreeing 10 the amendment moved by Mr.
OF Connecticut TO the lst section, confirm the mission
aries at the several stations land exceeding in quantity In
each case $40
The question put, and the amendment was
agreed to.
The question then put striking the section,
Mr.. KAUFMAN moved the following as a new section 10
come in between the ID and Sd sections:
.1d 6sH further enacted That all that portion of territory
Of Mexico copy Of which map added to the late treaty
OF Guadalupe Hdago between the United States and Mexico
shall be divided BY east and line and constitute
distinct Territorial Governments The northern of
said territory shall be known and styled North California
The southern portion of said territory shall be known and
styled South California The dividing line between them shall
be the parallel of 36t degrees of north latitude om the Rio
Gande to the Pacific commonly known the Missouri
promise lne In said Territory Of North California slavery
involuntary eryude except crme shall be prohibited
Said Territory Of South California shall stand in all respects
in regard to slavery the footing the Territory
Of the Of its ceson to The United States
Both said Territories Of North and South California shall be
IN every other respect as the Territory of Oregon
provided to be organized by this act
This amendment was ruled out of order
Mr. BOYD. Mr. Chairman, be good enough to state the
precise point.
The CHAIRMAN The bill before the committee is
Oregon, and the proposition Of the gentleman from Texas
organize Territorial Governments New Mexico and Cali
orna The Chair rules the amendment Of order and
the question Shall the decision of the Chair stand the
judgment of the committee
Mr. COBB, of Georgia, called for eers and they
ordered and reported 80 in the affirmative and go in the neg
ative. The decision of the Chair therefore sustained
Mr. BOYDEN moved to strike out the words " and shall
approve of all laws passed by the Legislative Assembly before
they shall take effect in the second section. The effect of
amendment would be take out of the hands of the pov
the of approval dsappova Of the laws Of the
legislature.
Mr.. b. said that, for one he had great objections to
this clause and he convinced that it tho
roughly understood could be agreed TO- All gila
tive power by the constitution granted to Congress-
Congress had delegated it to the territorial legislature and
Congress could veto any laws made by that Legislature Here
appointed by the President of the United
States hd the bill gave him absolute the laws
of the Territory Should the bill pass with this feature in it,
the power of virtually making laws the Territory would
eecuay be secured the President And the result would
to be that the laws passed by the territorial legislature
would be the House, would
negative the acts Of the legislature unless they conormed
this dictation Was it possible that Wings, the friends Of
eedom the determined enemies of Executive encroachment
going pass bill like this giving the appontee of the
President absolute He not He could not
conceive how any rejecting possessing single
right idea Of civil liberty could to transfer the lega
tive power, indirectly from Congress to the President He
trusted in God they not going to strengthen power
which already threatened to swallow up all the powers and
departments Of Government and destroy all remains Of liberty
Gentlemen for taking good the appointing power
they would not trust that TO this governor that reserved
the President; but it proposed that they should
surrender the power Of Congress and agree give the Pes
dent nabsouie veto all the legislation of the Territories.
Mr. CLARK (pro torna) moved to amend the amendment
by striking out before the words grant padons &C. the
words he may He observed that, the last session,
roa bill passed granting the Governor arrest
BY his the legislation of the Territory Much had been
said about the power; and since the cce
braed Allison letter assumed by gentlemen that the
stuton of the United States ought to be changed
restrict the power of the President by aboshng the
What had occurred within the last years Justify this
change Last year many fifty Wigs had voted for
the identical clause which vehementy opposed,
giving territorial governor absolute veto. The very
gentlemen who defended the Allison letter. and the
gentlemen who voted to adopt the Taylor platform, had
by yeas and nays voted in favor Of bill with this veto in it.
The Speaker Of the present House, he believed OF
the number and with him went nearly the whole Massachu
setts delegation But different doctrine heard and
the House must pass laws but in conformity the
doctrines Of the Allison letter.
The CHAIR here reminded Mr.. CLARK that the rule of
the House required gentleman offering an amendment to
speak during his five minutes TO the amendment he had Of
sred
Mr. CLARK said he was discussing the power which this
bill conferred the Governor Of Oregon He would refer
the House the journal of the second session Of the last
Congress- page I75 There they would find that this very
provision had been voted for by and Mr. G. with
Mr. CALEB b. SMITH moved to amend the second sec
by inserting, in lieu Of the words moved TO be stricken
by Mr.. BoYDES, the following "And shall approve and
sign oil laws passed by the Legislative Assembly but if he
shall refuse sign and approve any BILL the shall be-
law il reenacted by majority Of the whole number
Of delegates elected said Assembly, IL the same shall
not be returned within ten days Of its passage"
Mr. 8. said that his views Of the veto power, il should
be- these. The Governor ought to examine all bills
him by the Legislature and If he did not approve
BILL he ought them with his objections let those
objections be spread upon the journal and then, after his OBJ
ectons had been duly considered if the Legislature still de-
beraey adhered their former opinion, they should have
power pass the b the objections Of the Governor not
wihsandng This plan had been tried in his State it
had worked well, and he knew Of none who wished to
change il.
The amendment Of Mr.. SMITH declared to be carried,
but the yeas and nays demanded.
Mr. VINTON inquired whether this amendment, If adopt
ed would go into the bill and become part Of II
The CHAIR replied that il would.
MrVINT0N then said that he should move TO strike out
the last clause Of the gentlemans amendment MrV said
he led by experience Of the oppose the veto alto
gehe BY the ordinance of 1857 the veto power given
10 the Governor Of the Northwest Territory it pro-
posed be conferred by the present bill but the power had
been 60 ourageouy abused and the application Of created
much discomfort among the people, that as they
were enough form constitution for themselves,
they deprived the Governor Of the altogether and,
from the alterations having worked any evil experience
had shown that they got better than when the was
freely used. The state Of things existed in Virginia
there gnbenatoria in that State. There was
still greater objection its existence in Oregon When
appointed by Executive authority sent into Terri
tory thousand miles distant from the OF Government
he would have in his power practise abuses to fearful
extent he who bad any thing OF the yrant IN
him. be could and would do till the grievance became in