Carolina Watchman

              ' „«__. two dollars per annum in advance ■ to r — — i ments inserted at 1 per square for the lirst.h jgs cents for each subsequent insertion court (>-■ 33 per nt will be made to those ■ i il-date in the senate i rr si/v.v e 30 1845 en the li.stdutiousw mr hannegan of indiana dt claring^m 0ur right lo the whole of oregon x././-m the following resolutions offered y^s-h lerday by mr hanxegan coming up h 1 res i'red thai the country included v ith-h parallels of forty-two degrees and fiiiy-h :- degrees forty minutes north latitude a:r',h tending from the rocky mountains t ihe i'a-h ic ocean known as the territory of()i-egoii,m ; roperty and pari and parcel ofthe terri-h of ihe united states h j resolved thai ihere exists no power nl isgi verament t , transfer its soil and the aile-h ofks citizens to the dominion authority h c nirol and subjection of any foreign po\ver,h prince state or sovereignly h :;.. resolved that the abandonment or sur-h render of any portion oftiie territory uforegonm be an abandonment ot the honor cliar-h and tbe best interests of the americanm th resolutions having been read i mr hannegan rose and said thaffl is tbe senate was not at present full in-h ftouid ask that these resolutions be made ecial order for some future day audi he would name next monday week usfl mr archer suggested to the sena-h tor from indiana that sufficient time oughth - be allowed before ihe resolutions wenh bt up cor final action before the se-h thai they might be printed and reh fleeted upon not only by senators but 1>\i the community lie thought it would b(l letter to prolong somewhat ihe time naml ed by the senator and to order that tlnfl resolutions be printed i mr hannegan then upon movctfl that the resolutions be printed and miuhfl the special order for the third monday i:l january i mr calhoun said he did not rise tol oppose this motion but to request that theb senate would permit him to make a fewb prefatory remarks before submitting thel amendments he intended to move to thel resolutions now before the senate i mr president said be though i cau-b not give my support to these resolutions lam very much gratified that they have been moved by the senator from indiana whatever objections there may be to tlieub they have at least the merit of being i-l rect open and manly they deny in di-l rect terms the authority of this govern-i ment to make a treaty in reference to lal oregon territory and denounce as 1 mil aid them by implication the propob s that have been already made b\b rovernmenl to settle the boundary bvl ision along the forfy-ninih parallel ofb lalitude if the senate should sup-b port these resolutions it is clear that thel lion can only be settled thereafter byb farms : and should this be the case anda war be commenced between thisj country and great britain no peace rani erer lake place between the two countries but by our dictation at the cannon's mouib.l mr president the vote upon these res-b olutions will draw a broad line wbi.-bl cannot be misunderstood.^between tboseb who are in favor of sealing the quest ioul by an appeal to arms and those in favorl ol a more pacific course * i myself am inl lavor of a pacific course — of an ad just i mem if possible by negotiation ; and un-l derthese views and impressions mr pre-i v i nt 1 have prepared a series of resolu-1 ii ns anlagonistical to those of the sena-1 tor from indiana and asserting the oppo-1 vitt principles which 1 propose to movel 8*7 way of amendment to the resolutions ohhe senator and ask also that they bol ated i think it is a proper oecasionl avowing ihe sentiments which 1 enter-l tin upon this subject 1 am for peace ii e can be honorably preserved 1 am nfavoroi adjusting the difficulty if it can readjusted by negotiation if it cannot be adjusted by negotiation i am in favoi of lhat course to be pursued by this gov wunent which shall throw the onus of a ar from our own shoulders upon great britain i approve of the course taken by sis government in offering the 4!)th par allel under all tbe circumstances ofthe ase,as ihe boundary 1 believe that the fcsire ol ihe executive is like my own lor peace — for an honorable peace : but an honorable peace cannot be preserv ''. il'we are to have war i will still stand v tny country in every emergency i all never be found antagonist to her high overruled by those who take an view from my own but should partake place it is not going to be an winary war and while 1 will giveeve y support i will hold those responsible ishly precipitate the country into a *■**« sir on a deliberate view of the ion 1 hope tbaf whenever it comes riy before tin senate for discussion we al discuss it in the calmest manner and 1pn its true grounds are clearly seen and ferstood we shall come to tin conclu ** to avert a war if possible ; but if not tt we shall be united as one man in pp0rl ofthe country tjf*'®'s resolutions were then read as '■'. that the president ofthe united tj has power by and with the advice j*»sent of the senate to make treaties iwo-lhirds ofthe senate present con "/, that the power of making treaties ■ thai of sealing and fixing boundaries 1 ' territories and possessions of the states and those of other powers in ' - ol conflicting claims between them in ft^0u>_ame i ,.,^ ."'' lhat however clear their claims '■* eir opinion lo tbe country included parallels of 42 and 54 40 north extending from the rocky mountains ac'llc ocean known as the territory bruner & james ) t , . „ „ . , ( " keep a check upon all your editors of proprietors v js saf „ ( new series rulers do t ant libektt < gen i harrison ) number 38 of volume h salisbury n c january 16 1846 of oregon there now exists and have long existed conflicting claim to the possession of the same between them and great britain the adjustment of which have been frequently the subject of negotiation between the respective governments resolved therefore that tho president of the united states has rightfully the power un der the constitution by and with the advice and consent of the senate provided that two thirds of the members present concur to adjust by treaty the claims of the two countries to the said tenitorv bv fix in jr a boundary be tween their respective possession resolved that the president of the united states in rerawing the offer in the spirit a peace and compromise to establish the 49 de gree of north latitude as a line between the possessions of the two countries to the said territory did not abandon the honor the char acter and the best interests ofthe american people or e\cpe_~t!ie power vested in him by the constitution to make treaties mr hannegan observed that th two first propositions ofthe senator from south carolina he^upposed would not be contested by any cn all that was sta ted in them was perfectly correct he for one at least could hj_vc no sort of ol jection to any thing that they contained as for the residue however they present ed matter for serious consideration a least with him for they directly conflictec witli the principles which he had lab down 1 fi only intention at present how ever was to make a lew remarks in re ply to what had fallen from the senatoi from south carolina who had stated tha the resolutions introduced by him>#(mr hannegan by implication at any rate conveyed a censure upon the president o the united states sir said mr ii had no intention of casting a censure up on the president mr calhoun observed that he hat not charged he senator wilh any such in tention lit bad merely said that by im plication the resolutions conveyed a eon sure upon the president on the ground o being willing lo surrender a portion of tin territory of oregon mr hannegan resumed the se nator would certainly not deny lhat the whole aspect of things had changed sinct the lime when in consequence ofthe per . emptory and almost insolent refusal b the british negotiator ot the proposition for a division t the mi parallel tba proposition was withdrawn by the gov ernment of the united states but if ii were not so if at any lime and upon anj pies ion lie found himself differing iron the executive be was a free man ant entitled to the free exercise of his own o 1 pinion and though he was the politica friend of ihe president and expected al ways so to continue yet it the president on any occasion should assume a grouni which lie could not endorse he claimet for himself the same right and he wouk exercise it to express his opinions as the president had to communicate his own tc cqngress without intending wishing oi desiring to east any censure upon him lie was the representative of a portion o the people of this union and as such re i presentative he had a right to express hi views in relation to all matters pertaining to the government ; but he would repeal that he meant to convey no censure upoi tin president the senator from south carolina hac said that the resolutions were plain ant direct coming at once to the point ant that the adoption of them if he had un derstood the senator would necessarily involve this country in a war sir sab mr ii if the adoption of resolutions whicl contain the immutable principles of trull bring war upon us let war come wha american is there who through fear o war would hesitate to declare the trutl in this chamber ' 1 am also for peace sir 1 shrink back from the thought o war as much as the senator from sou i carolina himself can i love peace bu when peace becomes degrading and dis honorable a war even of exterminatioi would be preferable the senator says that war when once commenced can only be terminated al the cannon's mouth sir i for one pro claim here that if a war with great brit ain upon the oregon question should oc cur i should wish it never to be termina ted until at the cannon's mouth we our selves shall dictate the terms ol peace — the senator intimates that if we pursue the course indicated by these resolutions we are lo be plunged rashly into a war if it be rashness so to bring on war and the supporters of these resolutions are to be held responsible i for one fear not the responsibility sir there has been a singular course pursued upon oregon mat ters and 1 must detain the senate one mo ment in relation to it it contrasts so strongly and so widely with the course pursued upon a precisely similar question the annexation of texas texas and oregon were born at the same instant and cradled in the same cradle — the bal timore convention they were adopted at the very same instant throughout ihe land and not a moment was allowed to be lost while texas was hurriedly brought into the union while the peculiar friends of texas did all they could to strangle oregon sir the country is not blind : the peo ple see and comprehend it is a most sin gular state of things ; and hen we are told that we must be careful and not come in collision with great britain about a lisputed boundary ! but if it were with eeble mexico that we were about to come n collision we would then hear no such uutions there was a question of dispu ed boundary between this country and mexico and those who have a right to enow something of the history of that joundary told us that our rights extended inly to tbe liver nueces how did we ind the friends of texas moving on that occasion ? did ihey halt for a moment at he nueces no sir at a single bound they cross the nueces and their war-hor ses prance upon the banks of the ilio del norte there was no negotiation then — we took the whole but when oregon is concerned it is all proper and right to give away an empire if england asks it so far as oregon is concerned i for one representing the people i do will never vote for any treaty yielding an inch of ground below 54 degrees and 40 minutes north mr calhoun said he merely rose to allude to a single remark which applied to himself personally the senator from indiana bad endeavored to draw a con trast between his mr c.v course upon the texas question and his course upon this the views which governed me said mr c upon that question govern me al so upon this i pursued in reference to texas what i conceived to be the best course if i acted boldly and promptly on that occasion it was because boldness and promptness were necessary to success it was the golden opportunity and one year's delay would have lost texas to us forever if 1 am for more deliberate mea sures on this occasion it is not because i am not a friend to oregon on the con trary oregon has no better friend than myself there is no one who would ven ture more to save it but it is asked why i do not pursue the same action as in re gard to texas if the gentleman will re fer to my remarks in 4813 he will find that the views which governed me then are the same with those which govern me now i believe that precipitancy will lose you oregon forever — no not forever ; but it will lose you oregon in the first strug gle and then it will require another strug gle hereafter when we become stronger to regain it i will not go into this question now ; i am prepared when it comes up for dis cussion to show if argument can show that the principle involved in these reso lutions so far from gaining oregon will for the present lose every inch of that ter ritory ; and it is not on that account as much from the fear of losing oregon as from the desire of avoiding war that i have proposed amendments to the sena tor's resolutions sir if my advice had been pursued we should never have been involved in this controversy at all i now act under circumstances not produced by myself and i will do the best i can to save the territory of oregon which i hold as valuable as the senator from indiana him self can do if you institute a compari son between oregon and texas i vvouk say that tbe former is as valuable to us at the latter and i would as manfully defenc it if the senator and myself disagree we disagree only as the means of secur ing oregon and not as to its importance ; sir i intend to say nothing about censur ing the president i simply said lhat by implication a censure would be convey ed 1 do not suppose that the senator in tends to reflect upon the president ; but there can be no difference as far as tab question is concerned between the timt when the proposition for division at the forty-ninth parallel was made and now it was as sensible then as it would be tc repeal the oiler now mr haywood said he rose merely to submit a motion that the subject shonk be made tbe special order for a given day after having given a great de.al of atten tion to the subject he had arrived at tin conviction that it did not become the se nate to interfere in the matter at present he had a reasonable confidence in the president and inasmuch as the constitu tion of the country had conferred on bin the power of conducting the negotiations therefore until he saw proper to call it the aid ofthe senate er until the senate thought it incumbent on them to advise him to surrender all negotiations and the subject should be transferred to the sen ate legitimately and the executive should have washed his hands of it he thought until this took place ihe senate would be acting improperly to interfere in ihe mat ter but when once legitimately trans ferred to the senate he would then be ready in the love of country and the fear of god to take part in the settlement ol the question but until then he should oppose all proceediugs which would have the effect either of censuring or of lauding the president pending the negotiations — in making this remark he did not mean any more than what ihe senator from s carolina himself meant in reference to the original resolutions — namely that a cen sure might be understood to be conveyed by implication ; that the passage of a res olution declaring it a violation of honor to surrender any part of oregon was an im plied censure upon the president who had authorized a proposition for such surren der he was on this ground adverse to the original resolutions and he was quite as much opposed to the amendments be cause they might be considered as con veying a s*pecies of praise which he was not prepared to administer to the presi dent when the question should come op hereafter he intended to make a motion which would if it prevailed preclude all further proceedings upon the subject lie intended to move that the whole subject be laid upon the table mr calhoun disclaimed any inten tion of lauding the president nor did he accuse the gentleman from indiana of any intention to censure him it was very certain however that the sense of the senate when taken upon the original res olutions and the amendments would show very clearly the views entertained with reference to tbe settlement of the oregon difficulty those who agreed with the honorable mover of the original resolu tions would reject all further negotiations those on the opposite side would be dis posed to continue the negotiations that was the whole amount of the matter : — and bis sole reason for moving the amend ments was that the sense of the senate might be fully taken mr archer said it seemed to him to be a matter of no great importance what disposal the senate might fina'ly make of the two propositions now before them — he considered it chiefly of consequence as displaying the views entertained by indi vidual senators ; and he merely rose at this time for the purpose of expressing bis profound satisfaction at the course taken by the distinguished senator from south carolina lie bad had occasion to express his views upon the subject heretofore he came here imbued with apprehension but he hailed the attitude taken by the sena tor as an undoubted omen of peace and from his place there he proclaimed the glad news and why ? they of that side ofthe house found on the other side mem bers enough to sustain them in the ground which they were going to take sir said mr archer when i speak of peace 1 disdain to say that the word means no other than an honorable peace if there are any in this senate who arc willing to make any sacrifices of national honor they will not after such a delin ; quency dare to exhibit themselves in the : face ofthe popular indignation which will meet them on all sides sir tbe ood and had men here if there by any of the latter description will equally be found ! to concur in this but who ever heard until a few days ago that the honor ol the country was involved ? was not presi dent jackson sedulous enough for the pres ervation of the honor of the country — liming the eight years of his administra tion it was thought no dishonor lhat the government should allow a question of : this nature to be arbitrated what has produced so great a change now ? are we more sensible of public honor than our predecessors in the government of this country ? sir there is nodisnonor in con ducting of pacific negotiations nay in my opinion iherc will be more honor in continuing the negotiation than in inter rupting them by hasty and ill-advised con duct upon this floor what is the aspect which we should present to the country supposing the case reversed and the ques tion brought up in the british parliament and language of insult and contumely iti • dulged in ? would any one under such irratation be disposed to listen to concili atory lenn.*s of peace wc ought hot then to do that which if done by others we should be disposed to resent as the highest indignity let us apply the ar gument to ourselves if we seize every occasion at the commencement as well as in the progress of the controversy to heap every sort of contumely upon our adversaries what are we to expect at their bands ? why that they should refuse all just conciliation sir i repeat it is not for the purpose of entering into an exposition of any opin ions of my own that 1 now address you let the proceeding of this morning go a broad as they of course must do and they will be hailed as an omen of peace and that peace cannot fail to be secure un less we by some egregious act of folly disturb the relations at present existing the controversy can be terminated and with honor to the country in the progress of further negotiations i believe as firm ly as i doany thing which exists that such will be its termination sir i am indifferent whether the reso lutions be now laid upon the table or dis cussed at large and i put it to senators on both sides ofthe chamber how can it possibly be of any importance ? suppose the resolutions should be laid upon the ta ble in conformity with the motion of the senator from north carolina does he suppose that will interrupt the progress ot the consideration of the subject ? dis cussion must come and i hope it will come for am gratified to find that it will not produce a similar degree ot alarm in the country to that which a debate a few days ago produced mr j m clayton then rose and ob served that the senator from north caro lina had said he would move to lay the whole subject upon the table he as sured that honorable senator that when ever he did so his motion should receive at least one other vote besides his own he fully concurred with him that it ought o be so disposed of and that it was high ly improper for the senate to proceed to ihe discussion of this matter except in execu uve session while negotiations were going dp he trusted the senator would either make the motion which he had proposed r else submit a proposition to remove the subject from the legislative to the exec utive records lie would not object to the iiscossion of it there for that was the appropriate place • but he regretted ere iv effort every attempt that was made to discuss the questional this ciisis before ihe country especially il it were the ob ject of any person on that floor to pre pare the hearts ofthe people for war — in bis opinion the resolutions necessarily involved an advisory power the exec utive was entitled to the initiative in all these matters and it did not become the senate to assume it it was tbe duty of the senate when negotiations were open ed or expected to be opened to wait un til the president informed them whether he bad made a treaty and if so until he had presented the treaty to them if were to express an opinion in favor ol resolutions or of the amendments they would stand committed — committed by their legislative vote in the face of the whole country it must be manifest to everyone that whether they decided foi the fortyninth parallel or for the whole ot oregon it would be prejndging of the quotion if they should act upon the?e resoulutions b lore the executive bad act ed and had recommended action to them it would be as-uniing the initiative whicl did not belong to them under e consti tution ofthe united states potthccasi that the resolutions were voted down am the amendments submitted it could no be by a very large vote by ihe way wha would be their position ? a majority would have said or recommended a settle ment ofthe question by the parallel of for ty-nine and suppose that the president could obtain better terms ; or suppose it the exercise of his discretion in conduct ing the negotiations he should determine to accept twenty-eight degrees twent minutes as the boundary taking half c oregon would it not be involving the mat ter in difficulty and embarrassment ? h would not hesitate to meet the questio when presented fairly and properly hi let it not be forced upon them ; let it com from the president ; for on him devolve the whole responsibility let tbe senat not take from him any portion of the re sponsibility which properly belonged t him nor assume bis office he repeate that according to the letter as well as th spirit of the constitution the senate ha 1iot the initiative ; and it did not becom them to express an opinion : they shoal leave the matter where the conslitutio had placed it mr hannegan said lhat he entei tained the most profound respect for th opinions of the distinguished senator fror delaware but it certainly seemed to hie strange to hear from a gentleman of hi learning and experience the declaratio that ihe senate bad no right to as um the initiative under any state of facts seemed to him that the represantative of the sovereign states of this union hav a right to take the initiative upon an question involving a right to america territory it seemed to him that tiiei could be no power behind which the were bound to conceal or foblelethemselve until the strings should be pulled and the allowed to proceed to action the senator from delaware said i would lie interfering with negotiations what negotiations i had not the presi dent in his message informed them ilia there was no proposition now pending that the last proposition from this govern meat bad met with a cavalier rejectioi and had been instantly withdrawn ' ha nol the president told them that the ne gotialions for the present at any rate were at an end ? negotiations could not only be resumed by an offer from the brit ish government for he felt assured fron tbe high and manly ground assumed bt the president in his message that he a least would not renew them the presi dent now called upon the senate to ait him in the settlement ofthe question am published to the world the entire diplo matic correspondence upon the subject thereby showing conclusively that nego in ions bad ended what would be thought of any gavernment which woult make public diplomatic correspondence before the negotiations were at an end in reference to ihe remarks of the sen ator from north carolina he had but a single word to say he had already dis claimed an intention to cast any imputa tion upon the president ; and it was un necessary to repeat it as in all the ordi nary transactions of life if erne explana tion be not sufficient be could g.a no fur ther how could it be an attack on the president with this language of his own before them i mr haxxegas here read a portion of the president's message — what had he done more than re-assert what he had nimself asserted ? the title lo oregon must be sustained as it had been already nobly sustained by the sen ator from south carolina and by the ent secretary of state and he would ask in what quarter of this country would they find an assembly of american citi zens who would jro for tbe relinquishment of a single foot of it i with the irrefrag able testimony of our title which existed there would be as much propriety in the surrender of florida or of maine or mass achusetts gentlemen talk about the rights of england he had yet to hear the first substantial argument or proof in favor of england's title beyond the right of a ten int no man could produce any such no man could do more than mr 1'akenham had done to establish england's ith and he had alter all signally failed the senator from south carolina had old them that he was as warm a friend f oregon as any man that could be found n the country doubtless he so believed ; jut if he were a true mother he would lot be willing to cut the child in two and rive away one half look at the map of began the whole control of the north pacific lies above the ferty-ninlh parallel whole maritime control every har jor worth possessing and yet he would give it away the senator declares continued mr hajtxegax that b has always been the leveled friend of oregon lie congratu lates himself upon the fact and i am sor ry to see that a portion ofthe pn ss ofthe country has iterated and reiterated in re lation to his views that beautiful express ion embodying the fabain policy arid used i believe by lord chatham a wise and masterly inactivity i must say that i regret to see this policy so highly laudeel in connexion with this question i respect ihe talents as well as the high standing which that distinguished senator occupies among the m mbers ofthe human family but 1 have i confess little admiration for the course which t r.es up on this question had the bill lo which the s nai r alludi 1 passed through con re mi become a law oregon would have been ours twenty thousand rides would have secured it ; bul you refused to act yon held back when you might despite every hazard have secured your right the masses were wailing in expecta tion of your movement ; they ware wait ing in the expectation lhat the govern ment would back them : but they waited in vain and this i the result of your - v and masterly inactivity this ;-, ivc an masterly inactivity has ruin in — 1 assure you i say this in r.o unkindness 1 say it sorrowfully ; for 1 lament its re sults sir i was about to say and i do not know whether it be out of place at this time that the precipitancy of the sen ator in relation to texas presents a re markable contrast to his " wise and master ly inactivity in relation to oregon i charge no improper motives npon anysen ator and least of all open the distinguished senator from south corolina : but it ap pears to me that when a question of terri torial acquisition arises npon the north west there is not the same readiness on the part of southern gentlemen to partici pate precipitancy the sanator says in relation to texas was wise bat not so in the case of oregon heaven knows there has been time enough for maturing plans it is now time for action the two coun tries stand front to front : and my life on it it it were a question with mexico this would be the golden moment : if it we re for the acquisition of cuba or some pos sessions further still amid the burning re gions of panama it would be the golden moment sir i hope a majority in this senate will not reject these re-solutions they assert only what the president has asseried and no more mr calhf i said h was r.o great er advocate for tho acquisition of territory in the south than in the north the hon orable senator was perf c:!y aw are of bis sentiments upon this subject whilst be was a member of mr monroe's cabinet he had always been averse to disturb the possession of spain in cuba he was so now ; he would be the last man to make such a movement when tin proper time should arrive and this subject be brought up for discussion he thought he would be able to show beyond all doubt lhat the reasons which governed him npon the texas question governed him also upon this question and that if there were any difference between the senator and him self it was only as to the means to be em ployed in effecting1 the same result he desired more particularly to make some remarks in reference to the observations of the senator from delaware heasur ed the senator that be was a much a verse to forcing a discussion a tbe sena tor himself could be : but he thought tbe senator was entirely mistaken in suppos ing that this was not a case in which the senate was called on to exercise the right of discussion and of action with great deference for the opinions of the senator he thought there ought to be no doubt left upon this point either la re or before the world as they were called upon to say yea or nay in good faith be-fore the whole world under such a di claration as that con tained in the resolutions submitted by the senator from indiana acted on and adop ted by the senate the inference v ill br lhat if you make a treaty in relation to oregon that treaty can have no obligato ry force because you declare that there exists no power in this government to yield or transfer any part of tie territory now what is the character of my amend ments .' are they a_hisatory i so they are simply a denial ofthe position assum ed by the resolutions ol th senator and hence though i am averse to discussion upon these matters generally yet i think this is the prop'-r occasion tor discussing and deciding the point so there may be no hesitancy or doubt in the mind ofthe ex ecutive or of tlio-e with whom we may have to treat upon this question as to the views entertained by the senate in rela tion to it and i think it the more neces sary because there has been a growing tendency to deny the authority ofthe go vernment to settle by treaty questions be tween us and other powers relating to ter ritory sir my last resolution to which the se nator has alluded as lauding the presi dent simply negatives the implication that in making the offer of the forty-ninth par