LESTER BURRELL SHIPPER
190
Rumors
of what was going on found their
way
into
news-
papers and current discussion. In the House one last attempt to save the honor of the country was made by McDowell who asked for a suspension of the rules to allow him to intro-
duce a set of resolutions
in
which he asserted once more the
"clear and unquestionable title," in spite of which there had, "it is believed, within a few days past, (been) submitted to the
President, and through
him
to the Senate,
a proposition to
In view of the ignorance of the people as to what was going on he called upon the House to resolve with him that the question ought to be submitted to surrender half of Oregon.
the people for their decision, and that if the treaty-making power had been used to settle a question of such magnitude
would "furnish another example of Senatorial and Executive supremacy which (was) incompatible with the Constitution and
it
The House was not of his mind the rights of the people." and refused to suspend the rules. Representative Sawyer, however, denounced the President for backing down and the Senate for deliberately voting away half the disputed territory; "If England knew the character of the treaty-making power as it exists in the present Senate she could ask anything
We
are degenerate sons of noble sires." 37 she wants and gets it. There remains the question, not important perhaps, but of Was it Polk, interest, as to the real "savior of the country."
Benton, Calhoun or some other? On the day that the Senate advised the President to accept the British offer Calhoun wrote, "It is to me a great triumph. When I arrived here it
was dangerous
to whisper 49,
and
I
was thought
to
have taken
a hazardous step in asserting, that Mr. Polk had not disgraced the country in offering it. Now a treaty is made on it with nearly the unanimous voice of the country. I would have an
equal triumph on the Mexican question, now the Oregon 38 settled, had an opportunity been afforded to discuss it."
is
Senator Benton claimed that he had proposed the course 37 Globe, XV, 979. 16 June. 38 To T. C. Clemson, n June; to Correspondence, 697, 698.
J.
E.
Calhoun
in the
same
strain, 2 July;
