Important Debate on Oregon.
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subject OF the Oregon territory In order 10 elicit


rom the government some information as to our
with the United States upon this question,
and the course II was intended to pursue in case
Congress, acting upon the expressed opinion of the
President, should proceed to take possession Of the
country, or to annex II to the United States Ills
Lcrdship, after briefly noticing the conduct OF
America towards Texas, and the extraordinary
terms IN which Mr. Polk had declared the unequi-
vocal right OF the United States TO the whole ter
rltory, temperately reviewed the grounds on which
the British claims are founded, and concluded by
expressing his anxious hope, that while whatever
could be Justly claimed should be readily conceded,
the Government would not shrink from vndcating,
II necessary the nations honor, or upEclding her
Interests


The Earl of ABERpKEN-I think it is perfectly
natural that in such conJuncure as the present
the noble lord may reasonably expect TO receive
such Information from her Majesty's Government
as they in the discharge of their DUTY may feel il
possible to give. | am far from objec,ng to the
course OF putting questions to the Government upon
any matter ct public importance, and certainly not
lords. II followed my % own inclination in this this mat.
ter, should at once be disposed to lay on the table
of the house every part Of the negotiation which
has taken place upon this subject from the period
of the treaty of Washington up to the present day.
am sure that if did SO should not only receive
from the candor Of my noble friend opposite an
opinion approving the course wAich has been pur-
sued, but might fairly appeal to the public at large,
and even TO the whole OF Europe for its confirma.
tion: A time may come when such a course may
possibly be necessary At present it would clearly
be unsuitable and impolitic | could wish for an
opportunity to explain little more at length the
state OF this question, affects the interest and the
claims of this. country to the disputed territory
The noble lord has cursorlv described the claims
OF this country and of the United States with suf
tclent accuracy, as far as he has gone. They,
examination, and, although might now enter into
that examination without injury to the public ser
wee, feel thar could not do it without uconve-
nience to your lordseips, and this also think il
better to deter to future occasion. shall, there
fore, only address myself to the inquiry of my no.
bic friend. wish 10 state that the negotiation
which has taken place, ana which is still pending
ter the signing Of the treaty by my. noble friend
near me. Without, OF course, explaining to your
lordshps any of the steps that have been taken in
the progress OF that negotiation, l wish to draw
before his resignation from office. The Senateof the
United States having addressed MIR. "yler so long
ago rs the month Of December, requesting him to
communicate with them and inform them as to
answer, which was not delivered until the 10Th of
February, states-"I In my opinion, as this negotia.
tIon Is still pending, the information sought for
cannot be communicated without prejudice TO the
considerable progress has been made in the
negotiation, which has been carried on in
very arnlcatle spirit between the two gov.
ssrnmeaS!a, suan and that there is reason to





within short period. have delayed answering
the resolution of the Senate. under the expecta.
tor expressed in my annual message, that the ne
gotation would he terminated before the close OF


ne present session, and that the information called
inr by that resolution might be communicated
am bound to say that think the late President
took somewhat too favorable view of the state Of
the negotiation when he made that answer to the
Senate. AT the same time, as an indication OF
friendly feeling, and of desire to bring it to an
amcable termination, such declaration OF opinion
must be highly satisfactory. My lords, in fort
asa. az INC OF TINS to the ad
inaugural speech referred to by my noble friend.
wish to observe that this speech is not address
made to Congress-it is speech made to the pub:
lie. The Congress not being sitting, no speech Of
the kind could be made by the President of the
United States without drawing towards it the most
serious attention. Nevertheless, it does not posscss
the Importance OF an official document, nor can 1t
be regarded as forming part of legislative pro-
ceedings. do not undervalue its importance !; but
l must observe, that it has not quite the cha
actsr Of an address made to the Congress as the
foundation of any legislative measure. have al
ready mentioned that that declaration OF the late
President is the last act of which we have any
knowledge as far as the negotiation Is concerned.
The new President had no ministry at the time he
made his speech. His Administration. was not
formed, and no communication had taken place
between Her Majesty's Ministers and any Govern.
ment of the United States since the resignation OF
the late President and Of his Administration. We





stood at the time of the answer of The late Pre-
sident, with the exception of such a character as
the relation may have received from the speech
pronounced upon his Inauguration by the new Pre-
s!dent. My lords, / wish also TO state, that our
position is precisely such as it has been tor the last
eighteen years, with respect to our rights and the
treaty which was made in 1927, renewing or rather
containing the treaty Of 1918, which was for ten
for indefinite period, but with the provision that
either party might terminate IL by years notice
There is nothing whatever to prevent the Govern
ment OF the United States or Her Majesty's Co.
vernment, II they thought proper, from terminating
that treaty Of 1927 by giving years notice for the
purpose, which, however, the President has not
said he means 10 give but it he does mean it, he
cannot effect his purpose without O vote OF the
Congress authorlsDg him to do so the Congress
will not meet unless specially called togetner until
the month OF December, and even then the treaty
cannot expire without years notice being given
from the tine at which the President receives the
necessary authority to give such notice. Your
lordshps will see. therefore, that in point of tlme
the matter is not so urgent as might be supposed
Ineed not say, that her Majesty's Government will
continue to avail themselves of the intervening Pc
negolialns, which is still pending, to an amcable
conclusion. The negotiation was founded upon the
principle OF an amicabe adjustment by the mutual
concession OF extreme claim on both sides, and on
thatprlncple II will be continued. My noble friend
has by no means expressed any censure of the
mode of proceeding that her Majesty's Co.
vernment have adopted in this mater; at
the same time, have seen in other places some in
tlmation, some apprehension OF too great conces-
sons OF total abandonment of what 10 called "Ihe
high tone )" although. am accustomed almost
daily to sec myself characterized as pusllanimous,
laugh III hope need not say that view these ap-
pelations with indifference; view them, indeed,
really with satstactlon; because know perfectly
well what they mean and how they orght TO be and
are translated. feel perfectly satisfied that these
vltuperative terms are translated ar applicable 10
conduct consistent with justice, reason, modera.
as said before, really indifferent, but positive
ly satisfied, when sec such observations. cloud
cheers) believe may conscicntiously say that
no man ever filled the high situation which have
the honor uuworlhily to hold who felt more ardent
" des than do to preserve to the country the
bless igs of peace, or who would be disposed to
make greater sacrifices to maintain It My Lords,
consider tobe the greatest oy il not the great
cat crime OF which country could be guilty, if
lightly entered into; and agree with an honorable