Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/330

 312 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE by Mr. Greenhow, or more than that gentleman ever heard of it." From February 22d to March 21st parts of eleven days were devoted to discussing this resolution, many of the most able men of the Senate participating. Although the title was threshed out until the topic was threadbare, there was no new information, although considerable misinformation, ad- duced; the proponents of the resolution pictured in glowing colors the advantages certain to be derived from taking posses- sion of the territory, while the opponents found little or nothing to praise there. The issue was essentially what it had been in the previous spring; the Oregon men would press the title immediately as far as 54 40', the other side inclined to the belief that as the matter had waited many years it would not be harmed by a little longer waiting. War talk was frequently heard. The supporters of the reso- lution were nearly unanimous that Great Britain was getting ready to attack the United States; Buchanan pointed out the hostile tone of the British press during the past year, and scorned Clayton's (Delaware) insinuation that this was due rather to Pennsylvania's repudiation of her public debt than to Oregon. Some took the other tack by declaring that the oppo- nents of Oregon were raising a war cry in order to prevent anything being done. Again and again was sounded the cry that some Senators would supinely allow the United States to be despoiled of more of its territory rather than lift a hand to prevent the robbery ; Hannegan of Indiana went so far in the heat of debate as to say that he would see the dissolution of the Union rather than yield territory without war, although the next day he explained that his remarks had been misun- derstood. The suggestion that, while the title of the United States to territory south of 49 was undoubtedly clear and indisputable, there was at least a question as to whether Great Britain might not have rights between 49 and 54 40' was repudiated by every western Senator as ignoble truckling to the British. " ^ T ^^ The political character of the whole discussion is revealed