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 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE

72

Cass, McDuffie, Turney, Atchison

and Allen

sion to speak to Polk about the altercation of

all

took occa-

Hannegan and

Haywood. While the peace people were pleased with the general tone of their champion, both parties were a little inclined to apologize for the ardor of their representatives, and some viewed

an apparent attack upon the integrity of Hannegan himself told Polk that he was his friend, seeming to desire to remove the impression that he had attacked and denounced the President in advance of action but he evidently wanted to be sure of his ground in the future for he asked the President point blank what he intended to do, go for 54 40' or compromise at 49. Polk replied that he would tell no man on earth what he would do in the future, and Atkinson, who was present at the interview, said the President was right. Allen was also desirous of finding where things stood. He it all

as

the President's course.



told the President that

Senators

York,

who were

Haywood

spoke the sentiments of four

friends of Silas Wright, Governor of (Governor Wright was also presidential timber)

New and

the speech was a deliberate attack upon himself as chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations. The President then

reminded Allen that he, too, a few days before, had been asked about the authority with which he spoke and he had replied that he had spoken from the documents submitted by the President;

Haywood

could have spoken from no other auth-

ority for none had been given him. Allen still was not satisfied and obtained another interview for the next night, Sunday. At that time he went over the whole matter again and then

produced from his hat a paper containing what he proposed to say in the Senate. As nearly as Polk understood it the "substance was that he was authorized to say that I had asserted the United States title to Oregon up to 54 40'. and

had not changed my opinion." The desired authority, however, was not given. Colonel Benton also went over the ground with the PresiHe said that the debate had taken a curious turn; indent.

that I