Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/302

 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE

286

The compromise plan met with one objection from the northern memjbers of the committee; they insisted that there should be provision for appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States, a modification which Calhoun and the other southern members did not like. Calhoun, in fact, gested to the President that the whole matter might as be allowed to go over to the next session of Congress; is,

until after the election

two sugwell that

had shown the sentiments of the

Polk strongly objected to this. Finally, however, Calhoun yielded the point and a bill was reported to the Senate on the eighteenth of July, on the lines outlined; that is, the original Oregon bill with added sections dealing with New Mexico and California. 39 On the twenty-second the bill was called up. There was a short discussion in which it was contended that there was no connection between Oregon and California, the best title to Oregon came from the Louisiana purchase so the Missouri Moreover, Compromise applied under any circumstances. those who were less sanguine than the comjmittee had appeared to be felt that the root of the question had not been touched at Nevertheless a test of strength was taken on a motion all.

people.

to strike out

all

after the 20th section

(i. e., all

except the parts

Oregon) and but seventeen votes as against thirtyseven could be mustered to defeat the compromise at that Hamlin, who said he was admonished by whisperings point. that the measure was to be pressed to a decision then and there, pointed out that the power of Congress to legislate on the subject of slavery was contained in the strongest terms in the relating to

bill



he objected to limiting the duration of the existing Oregon

laws to three months after the meeting of the first Legislative Assembly because that would bring the question of slavery again before Congress. This point was brought up by others and produced from Clarke (R. I.) an amendment to the secClayton, reporting the bill, 39 Ibid., IV, 24; Globe Appen., XVIII, 1139-40outlined the course of the discussion and added that it was the view of the committee that this bill would ultimately settle the whole question. The following day he stated that this was not intended as a report, but as a personal opinion; the bill must speak for itself. _