and with this further provision in the second article of the said convention of the sixth of August, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, that either party might abrogate and annul said convention, on giving the notice of twelve months to the other contracting party:

"And whereas it has now become desirable that the respective claims of the United States and Great Britain should be definitely settled, and that said territory may no longer than need be remain subject to the evil consequences of the divided allegiance of its American and British population, and of the confusion and conflict of national jurisdiction, dangerous to the cherished peace and good understanding of the two countries:

"With a view, therefore, that steps be taken for the abrogation of the said convention of the sixth of August, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, in the mode prescribed in its second article, and that the attention of the governments of both countries may be the more earnestly directed to the adoption of all proper measures for a speedy and amicable adjustment of the differences and disputes in regard to the said territory:

"Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized, at his discretion, to give to the government of Great Britain the notice required by the second article of the said convention of the sixth of August, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, for the abrogation of the same."

Under this authority, it is universally known that the President promptly caused the notice of the termination of the joint. occupation of the Oregon Territory to be given.

Time passed on. Rumors-doubtful at first, and indistinctmysterious givings out of a settlement of the controversy, gathered force and substance day by day; and at last, "one sunny morn"—the 10th of June-the "proposal, in the form of a convention, presented to the Secretary of State by the envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of her Britannic majesty, for the adjustment of the Oregon Question," reached the Senate Chamber; and there, solemnly planted on the parallel of fortynine, stood the high contracting parties!

The spell was broken! the mystery at an end! The light

of fifty-four forty was gone forever. Prometheus himself could not "relùme" it. The crests of the war-hawks drooped. The thick-coming visions of that warlike policy, which ex-Senator Haywood said was to "put small men into large offices," faded away, and the watchword of the nation was PEACE!

The convention was signed. by "James Buchanan" and "Richard Pakenham." The President, in his message transmitting this convention to the Senate (from which, with the other executive correspondence, proceedings, and documents relating to Oregon, the injunction of secrecy was removed), said,

"I submit this proposal to the consideration of the Senate, and request their advice as to the action which, in their judgment, it may be proper to take in reference to it.

"In the early periods of the government, the opinion and advice of the Senate were often taken in advance upon important questions of our foreign policy. General Washington repeatedly consulted the Senate, and asked their previous advice upon pending negotiations with foreign powers; and the Senate, in every instance, responded to his call by giving their advice, to which he always conformed his action. This practice, though rarely resorted to in latter times, was, in my judgment, eminently wise, and may, on occasions of great importance, be properly revived. The Senate are a branch of the treaty-making power; and, by consulting them in advance of his own action upon important measures of foreign policy which may ultimately come before them for their consideration, the President secures harmony of action between that body and himself. The Senate are, moreover, a branch of the war-making power; and it may be eminently proper for the executive to take the opinion and advice of that body in advance upon any great question which may involve in its decision the issue of peace or war. On the present occasion, the magnitude of the subject would induce me, under any circumstances, to desire the previous advice of the Senate; and that desire is increased by the recent debates and proceedings in Congress, which render it, in my judgment, not only respectful to the Senate, but necessary and proper, if not indispensable, to insure harmonious action between that body and the executive. In conferring on the executive the authority to give the notice for the abrogation of the convention of 1827, the Senate acted publicly so large a part, that a decision on VOL. I.-K

the proposal now made by the British government, without a definite knowledge of the views of that body in reference to it, might render the question still more complicated and difficult of adjustment. For these reasons, I invite the consideration of the Senate to the proposal of the British government for the settlement of the Oregon Question, and ask their advice on the subject.

"My opinions and my action on the Oregon Question were fully made known to Congress in my annual message of the 2d of December last, and the opinions therein expressed remain unchanged.

"Should the Senate, by the constitutional majority required for the ratification of treaties, advise the acceptance of this proposition, or advise it with such modifications as they may, upon full deliberation, deem proper, I shall conform my action to their advice. Should the Senate, however, decline, by such constitutional majority, to give such advice, or to express an opinion on the subject, I shall consider it my duty to reject the offer."

On Thursday, June 11th, Mr. Haywood, of North Carolina, submitted the following resolution for the consideration of the Senate:

"Resolved (two thirds of the senators present concurring), That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby advised to accept the proposal of the British government, accompanying his message to the Senate, dated the tenth of June, one thousand eight hundred and forty-six, for a convention to settle boundaries, &c., between the United States and Great Britain, west of the Rocky or Stony Mountains."

Mr. Niles, of Connecticut, moved to amend the resolution. by adding thereto the following:

"With the following proviso at the end of the second article of the proposed convention, to wit:

"Provided, That the rights of navigation secured to British subjects by this article be limited to the year A.D. 1859, when they shall cease and determine.'

On the following day, Mr. Niles modified his amendment to read as follows:

"With the following proviso at the end of the second article of the proposed convention, to wit:

"Provided, That the right of navigating the Columbia

River, secured to the Hudson's Bay Company, and to all British subjects trading with the same, be limited to the year A.D. 1863, when it shall cease and determine.''

This amendment was rejected by the following vote:

Yeas: Messrs. Ashley, Atherton, Bagby, Dix, Fairfield, Houston, Jenness, Niles, Simmons, and Woodbridge-10.

Nays: Messrs. Archer, Benton, Berrien, Calhoun, Chalmers, Thomas Clayton, John M. Clayton, Colquitt, Davis, Dayton, Evans, Greene, Haywood, Huntington, Johnson of Maryland, Johnson of Louisiana, Lewis, M'Duffie, Mangum, Miller, Morehead, Pearce, Pennybacker, Phelps, Rusk, Sevier, Speight, Turney, Upham, Webster, and Yulee-31.

The resolution of Mr. Haywood was then adopted by the fol- ́ lowing vote:

Yeas: Messrs. Archer, Ashley, Bagby, Benton, Berrien, Calhoun, Chalmers, Thomas Clayton, John M. Clayton, Colquitt, Davis, Dayton, Dix, Evans, Greene, Haywood, Houston, Huntington, Johnson of Maryland, Johnson of Louisiana, Lewis, M'Duffie, Mangum, Miller, Morehead, Niles, Pearce, Pennybacker, Phelps, Rusk, Sevier, Simmons, Speight, Turney, Upham, Webster, Woodbridge, and Yulee-38.

Nays: Messrs. Allen, Atherton, Breese, Cameron, Cass, Dickinson, Fairfield, Hannegan, Jarnegan, Jenness, Semple, and Sturgeon-12.

The following is Mr. Pakenham's annunciation of the fact to his government:

"WASHINGTON, June 13, 1846.

"MY LORD,-In conformity with what I had the honor to state in my despatch (No. 68) of the 7th instant, the President sent a message on Wednesday last to the Senate, submitting for the opinion of that body the draft of a convention for the settlement of the Oregon Question, which I was instructed by your lordship's despatch (No. 19) of the 18th of May to propose for the acceptance of the United States.

"After a few hours' deliberation on each of the three days (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday), the Senate, by a majority of 38 votes to 12, adopted yesterday evening a resolution advising the President to accept the terms proposed by her majesty's government. The President did not hesitate to act on this advice; and Mr. Buchanan accordingly sent for me this

morning, and informed me that the conditions offered by her majesty's government were accepted by the government of the United States, without the addition or alteration of a single word. "I have the honor to be, &c.,

"The Right Hon. the EARL OF ABERDEEN."

"R. PAKENHAM.

On the 15th of June, Mr. Allen resigned the office of Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations. The record says: "Mr. Allen rose and said:

"Mr. President,-At the commencement of the session, the vote of the Senate placed my name first upon the Committee on Foreign Relations. Upon a very serious question arising out of those relations, and deeply involving the nation's rights and interests, I have been unable to conform my opinion to that which recent events, of which I-am not now at liberty to speak, show to be the opinion of the Senate. I deem it proper, therefore, to afford the Senate an opportunity to reconstruct the committee, with a view to that coincidence of opinion between the Senate and its committee on matters especially assigned by the former to the latter, which is essential to the unembarrassed action of the body.

666

"I ask to be excused from further service upon the Committee on Foreign Relations.'

"The question being put upon the motion to discharge, it was agreed to.

"Mr. Webster moved that the Senate should, at one o'clock to-morrow, proceed to the election of a chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, which motion was agreed to. "Mr. Cass said:

"Mr. President,-Having served upon the Committee on Foreign Relations with the honorable chairman, I beg leave, before his connection with it is dissolved, to bear my testimony to the zeal and ability with which he has discharged his duties. He has rendered important services to the Senate, the administration, and the country; and while I appreciate the honorable motives which have induced him to relinquish the distinguished station he is so well qualified to fill, I can not but express my regret that we should be deprived of his services hereafter.

"But, sir, I owe it to myself to declare that, in relation to