Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/89

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FEDERAL RELATIONS OF OREGON

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Administration and get all of Oregon. The was not to be changed, however, and the conciliatory resolutions were passed by a vote of 40 to 14. The fourteen Invincibles included Evans and Fair field of Maine (the former

tions, scare the

result

a Whig), Clayton of Delaware, Dickinson of New York, Jeness of New Hampshire, Sturgeon of Pennslyvania and

Westcott of Florida.

The House was not satisfied with the resolutions as they came back from the Senate, and struck out the words "at his discretion" in the part authorizing the President to give notice. This move was viewed with apprehension by the President and his Cabinet who feared that the non-concurrence of the

House meant tion.

35

that the Senate would indefinitely postpone acThis fear was increased when the Senate refused to

accept the House amendment by a vote of 29 to 21. In its turn the House refused to recede from its amendment, and the Senate, when informed of the vote, was equally stubborn. A committee of conference was appointed, composed in majority of peace men, and after two nights' discussion brought in a

report which, as Allen pointed out to the Senate, was identical with Crittenden's original measure. Nevertheless the report

was adopted in both houses (42 to 10 in the Senate and 142 to in the House) and the President was authorized, "at his

46

discretion" to give the notice, while "the attention of both

Governments" was "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 (Oregon) 36

territory."

"Our triumph

is complete," wrote Calhoun to his son-in"in both houses and in the country; of which the malaw, jority in the two houses on the resolution for giving notice af-

With little exception the vote separates war and peace parties." 37 Calhoun still feared that the notice would be given to extort an offer from Great Britain fords an indication.

the

35 Polk, Diary, I, 335-6. 36 Globe, XV, 720; the resolutions were passed 23 April. 37 To T. C. Clemson, 25 April, Correspondence of Calhoun, 688-9.

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