Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/199

 THE FEDERAL RELATIONS The alignment on

OF OREGON

189

was the same as that were adopted two months before, with the exception of two votes Evans, a Maine Whig, had voted against the notice and now supported the treaty, port him. when the

resolutions

for

ratification

notice



while Cameron, a Pennsylvania Democrat, opposed the treaty although he had voted for the resolutions. Some of the Western Senators were not inclined to submit to their defeat without protest. Allen resigned his position as

chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, saying as he did so that his views and those of the majority of the Senate were so diametrically opposed that he felt it inadvisable 34 Cass, whom Allen urged to longer to retain the position. resign also, refused to do so but would not accept the chair-

manship which would naturally come to him.

Allen succeeded

in blocking the election of a successor to himself, being sup-

ported by Hannegan, Semple and Atchison, who had "lashed themselves into a passion" because of the action of the Senate

and who after "that time voted and acted with the Whig 35 They voted for Whigs for the committee position party." and refused "through many ballottings to vote for Senator Sevier, who was the Democratic candidate, and ultimately defeated his election." "They now," went on Polk in describing their conduct, "vote against my nominations as I suppose out of spite. They oppose and embarrass the military.

bills

.

.

for the prosecution of the

war against Mexico.

They pro(there is certainly no reason for their course) at the settlement of the Oregon question, and yet they can find no just cause of complaint against me. fess to be in a great rage

.

.

.

that of spoiled children." Later on Senator Atchison told the President that he had been excited on the

Their course

is

Oregon Question but he remained a personal and political friend. Hannegan, however, harbored so deep a resentment that it was not until the following January that he could bring himself to call upon the President." 36 34 Globt, XV, 972. 35 Polk, Diary. I, 472, 477, 486-7. 36 Ibid., II, 78, 348. Webster wrote his son that 54 deal cast down." Van Tyne, Letters, 330.

40'

men seemed

a "good