Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/310

 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE

294

made up

already

mind

his

Senate had acted.

to

He had

approve the

bill

even before the

consulted his Cabinet and had

found its m/embers unanimous for approval since Oregon was north of 36 30'. Then, asked he, should he accompany the by a message explaining that this was the reason All agreed that some explanation should be made, although Buchanan qualified his assent by stating that its effect upon Cass' chances of election should be considered, and Walker inclined to think that a statement in the Union would serve the purpose better than a message. Acsigned

bill

for his approval?

cordingly Polk requested Buchanan and Walker to prepare a draft which was read and discussed in Cabinet on the twelfth

had receded from its amendthe draft and with the advice of all his Polk revised ments, official family, except Buchanan, took it with the bill to the on the

thirteenth, after the Senate

Capitol.

When

he arrived at his room there he found the Senate

whether the rules relating to for the measures president's signature on the last presenting should be a of session suspended. Polk frankly told many day

engaged

in a discussion as to

of the Senators that

if

the rule should not be suspended

it

would defeat not only the Oregon bill but many other important measures, and in that case he would immediately issue a proclamation for an extra session of Congress. This threat was sufficient to cause the rules to be suspended, for not only had Congress been in session more than eight months, but the presidential campaign was in full swing and many fences needed immediate attention. Calhoun made one final appeal and urged the President, if he was bound to sign the bill, to do so in the usual manner and not accompany the signature with a mteasure. The request was of no avail and the President signed both bill and message and sent them by his private 49 secretary to the House. 50 Polk reviewed the course of the statesmen In this message of earlier days on the slavery issue including the framing of Globe, XVIII, 49 Polk, Diary, IV, 76-7. 50 Richardson, Messages, IV, 606-10.

1083-4.