CALIFORNIA AND OREGON

Oregon. Columbia river discovered by Capt. Gray, 1792. Lewis and Clark explore, 1804-1805. Astoria founded, 1811. Treaty with Great Britain for joint occupancy, 1818. Renewed, 1827. Notice of ending of joint occupancy, 1845. Cry of "54° 40′ or fight" raised, 1844-1845. Boundary settled on 49°, 1846. A territory, 1848. A state, 1859.

CHAPTER VIII

CALIFORNIA AND OREGON

In this study extracts which will throw further light on the acquisition of California are continued, and in addition matter is introduced that aids in an understanding of the dispute over the possession of the Oregon country. President Polk's request that $2,000,000 be set aside for his use in negotiating a treaty of peace with Mexico led to one of the longest and most bitter discussions in all our history. The request was first made in 1846, but the bill failed of passage in the Senate. In 1847 the bill carried $3,000,000 and was debated for months. Various amendments were proposed, the most famous of which was made by David Wilmot, known in history as the "Wilmot Proviso. Several extracts have been introduced to show the degree of sectional excitement aroused by this Proviso. The main issue as will be seen by a study of the extracts turned on the question of the institutions which should prevail in any territorial acquisitions which might be made. so impressed with the impossibility of reaching any satisfactory decision that they were anxious that no territory should be acquired. Again it will be noticed that Webster and Calhoun locked horns over the question whether the Constitution extended to the territories or

Many men were

only to the states. For the first time in our history the power to govern territories was fully and carefully considered. No satisfactory conclusion was found, and after the development of many doctrines-among others "Squatter Sovereignty"-the entire question was temporarily adjourned in the great compromise of 1850. The Oregon controversy was closely connected with the Mexican war. Mexico may have been more aggressive in her course than she otherwise would have been, since she hoped to find an ally in England, due to the difficulty with the United States over the Oregon boundary. But a compromise was made with England, thus leaving Mexico to carry on the contest with the United States by her own means with the well known result of losing a large portion of her territory. This study may well be introduced by extracts from the Message of President Polk who doubtless had a greater part in bringing on the Mexican war than any other one man.

1

August 8, 1846, President Polk sent the following message to Congress:

I invite your attention to the propriety of making an appropriation to provide for any expenditure which it may be necessary to make in advance for the purpose of settling all our difficulties with the Mexican Republic, It is my sincere desire to terminate, as it was originally to avoid, the existing war with Mexico by a peace just and honorable to both parties. It is probable that the chief obstacle to be surmounted in accomplishing this desirable object will be the adjustment of a boundary between the two Republics which shall prove satisfac

tory and convenient to both, and such as neither will hereafter be inclined to disturb. In the adjustment of this boundary we ought to pay a fair equivalent for any concessions which may be made by Mexico.

Under these circumstances, and considering the other complicated questions to be settled by negotiation with the Mexican Republic, I deem it important that a sum of money should be placed under the control of the Executive to be advanced, if need be, to the Government of that Republic immediately after their ratification of a treaty. It might be inconvenient for the Mexican Government to wait for the whole sum the payment of which may be stipulated by this treaty until it could be ratified by our Senate and an appropriation be carried into effect made by Congress. Indeed, the necessity for this delay might defeat the object altogether. The disbursement of this money would of course be accounted for, not as secret-service money, but like other expenditures.

Two precedents for such a proceeding exist in our past history, during the administration of Mr. Jeff rson, to which I would call your attention: On the 26th of February, 1803, an act was passed appropriating $2,000,000 for the purpose of defraying any extraordinary expenses which may be incurred in the intercourse between the United States and foreign nations." "To be applied under the direction of the President of the United States, who shall cause an account of the expenditure thereof to be laid before Congress as soon as may be;" and on the 13th of February, 1806, an appropriation was made of the same amount and in the same terms. In neither case was the money actually drawn from the treasury, and I should hope that the result in this respect might be similar on the present occasion, although the appropriation may prove to be indispensable in accomplishing the object. I would, therefore, recommend the passage of a law appropriating $2,000,000 to be placed at the disposal of the Executive for the purpose which I have indicated.

In order to prevent all misapprehension, it is my duty to state that, anxious as I am to terminate the existing war with the least possible delay, it will continuę