FEDERAL RELATIONS OF OREGON

291

the country to leave the matter open because that would promote the interests of his (Hannegan's) favorite candidate for the Presidency (i. e. General Cass). That, however, he considered an impossible way to view the situation, for Christenlook upon the United States as on the verge of civil

dom would

war, especially as talk of disunion was so freely heard within It was the duty of Congress to adopt some measure to put a stop to this treasonable talk, for it was

the Senate chamber.

moral treason to breath the word "disunion." Benton, too, bill, framed upon the act of 1806 by which the people of Louisiana were to be governed according to existing offered a

law until other provision should have been made. He said he would call this up later if nothing better should be presented. The House bill, however, came before the Senate on August third. Senator Clayton was for extending it the same courtesy the Senate bill had received in the House, but this was refused, Clayton himself being the only one to vote for it. The bill was referred to the Committee on territories and by that committee reported back two days later with two major and two minor amendments the veto power was restored to the governor, and in the proper place were inserted the words, "Inasmuch as the said Territory is North of the Parallel of 36 30, usually known as the Missouri Compromise." On the eighth of August the Senate took up the bill and modified the veto amendment so that any act disapproved by

the governor should be specifically submitted to Congress in such a way as to provide a Congressional veto of the gov-

As

ernor's veto.

to

the amlendment touching the Missouri

Compromise Douglas stated that it was the unanimous desire of the committee that no Senator's vote should be understood

The northern radicals, future. however, refused to take this view and some of the southerners (e. g., Butler of South Carolina) opposed giving the North all the valuable territory north of the compromise line; this

as committing

Oregon

bill,

him for the

said Butler,

innocent measure,

which two years before had been an a battery from behind which

now masked