CH. IV.] JOHN TYLER'S FISCAL PLANS. ests of the party, it would have been better not to have gone to this length, at this time. Brief as this extra session was, it was one of the most important under the administration of John Tyler. Provision was made for the widow of General Harrison, as a durable testimony of regret at his sudden decease; a loan of $12,000,000 was authorized, for the purpose of covering the deficit under Van Buren's administration; a provisional tariff act laid as much as twenty per cent. on many articles admitted free by the compromise tariff; a uniform system of bankruptcy was established; and an act was passed granting rights of pre-emption as to the public lands, and providing for the distribution of the proceeds from land sales amongst the states, substantially in accordance with Mr. Clay's plan. Seventy-five acts were passed, the veto power was twice exercised. 1841. 419 this session by a thousand and ninetyeight reports, and above three hundred other bills, not passed. There were about a hundred private bills ready for final passage in the House, but retained till the next session, because the Senate was so much occupied by the treaty of Washington and other momentous matters. The president put his veto to four bills this session; which of course occasioned much debate and many protests. Instead of a bank, Mr. Tyler suggested a "board of control," but Congress would not agree to any such plan. The tariff formed the leading topic of discussion, and after the president had vetoed two bills on this subject,* he approved a third, which omitted the provision in the former for distribution of the proceeds of the public lands among the states. This was on the 30th of August, 1842. Another banking scheme originated with Mr. Tyler, and was called "the exchequer plan." It proposed to assist the operations of the government by establishing a board of exchequer in connection with the treasury department; and it was calcu 1842. The elections, during the summer and autumn, resulted on the whole, unfavorably to the whigs, and renewed the hopes of the democrats that Mr. Tyler might advance their views to a greater extent than those of the party which had elevated him to power.lated that its bills would be so eagerly The second session of the twenty-seventh Congress began on the 6th of December, and continued until the 31st of August, 1842, being the longest session of the national legislature that had ever yet occurred. A very large amount of public business was transacted, there having been passed no fewer than two hundred and ninety-nine acts. Besides these bills and the discussion arising out of them, Congress was occupied in sought for by the public creditors, that the issue would in a short time reach the amount of $15,000,000, which was to be the maximum; and that $10,000,000 would thereby be added to the available means of the treasury *John Quincy Adams, on this occasion, prepared a report, in which a sharp and deserved rebuke was adlast fifteen months, strangled legislation, "by the five ministered to John Tyler for his having, during the times repeated stricture of the executivo cord." without cost or charge. Favorable reports were made upon this plan in both Houses, and in each a bill to establish such a board was introduced; but the plan was not adopted by Congress. mutual extradition of fugitives from justice, and the taking of measures for the more effectual suppression of the slave trade. On On the 9th of August, 1842, four months after the arrival of Lord Ashburton, the labors of the negotiators were brought to a successful conclusion, and the treaty of Washington signed. By this treaty the boundary between the State of Maine and the British provinces was at length definitely settled. the. whole, though more or less objection was made to the final arrangement, it was regarded as fair and just by sensible and reasonable men on both sides the Atlantic. The navigation of the River St. John was declared free; all grants of lands, on whichever side of the boundary line they might be, were to be held valid; and the United States agreed to satisfy the claims of the States of Maine and Mas 1842. Before Congress adjourned, the Senate was called upon to ratify a very important treaty, usually known as the treaty of Washington. Daniel Webster was the negotiator on the part of the United States, and in behalf of Great Britain, Lord Ashburton arrived at Washington, as special minister, on the 4th of April, 1842. Besides the boundary question, which had been so long in dispute, there were other matters of no small moment to be discussed, and if possible settled now; one, the indemnification or "atonement" due on the ground of the violation of the United States' territory when the Caroline was destroyed, and for that vessel, if it were not proved that its owner had acted in conjunction with the insur-sachusetts, out of its share of the "disgents on Navy Island; and another, puted territory" fund. the right of search claimed and enforced by the British cruisers, as to ships suspected of being slavers, which arose near the end of the preceding year.* When Lord Ashburton undertook the duties of carrying on the negotiations, matters proceeded at a much more rapid rate, and in a far more satisfactory manner than before. The "Caroline" business was soon dispatched. The other points were, the northeastern boundary, the right of search, *This subject had been largely discussed between By the eighth article, it was stipulated, that Great Britain and America should each maintain on the coast of Africa, a sufficient squadron or naval force, carrying not less than eighty guns, for the purpose of enforcing separately and respectively the laws, rights, and obligations of the two countries for the suppression of the slave trade. Another article of the treaty provided for the reciprocal tradition of the fugitives from justice, an arrangement evidently of importance to the welfare of both countries. The Senate ratified Mr. Stevenson, the American minister, and Lords Palm- this treaty by a majority of thirty-nine ersten and Aberdeen. Mr. Stevenson asserted as un questionable, that the right of search would, in no case, be submitted to by the United States. against nine, Senator Benton being one of the minority; and the bill for car CH. IV.] OPENING OF THE OREGON QUESTION. rying the treaty into effect passed, in the following session, with the equally emphatic assent of both Houses of Congress. 421 been sent to state's prison, was released in 1845. On the 5th of December, the last session of the twenty-seventh Congress commenced. In his message, after congratulations on the completion of the treaty of Washington, Mr. Ty- 1842. ler said: "It would have furnished additional cause for congratula tion, if the treaty could have embraced all subjects calculated in future to lead to a misunderstanding between the two governments. The territory of the United States, commonly called the Oregon Territory, lying on the Pacific Ocean, north of the forty-second degree of latitude, to a portion of which Great Britain lays claim, begins to attract the attention of our fellow-citizens; and the tide of population, which has reclaimed what was so lately an unbroken wilderness in more contiguous regions, is preparing to flow over these vast dis Rhode Island, having become restive under its ancient charter, granted by Charles II., passed an act, in January, 1841, calling a convention in the following November, in order to frame a state constitution. This had been attempted in 1824 and 1834, without success. The "suffrage party," composed of those who advocated the right of suffrage without regard to the legal right under the old charter (which required possession of a freehold estate, valued at $134), held a meeting at Providence, and framed what was called the "people's constitution," which was duly ratified in the manner provided by it. The other convention met at the time appointed; framed a constitution in February, 1842, which, on being submitted to the people, was re-tricts, which stretch from the Rocky jected by a small majority. The suffrage party, in April, chose Thomas W. Dorr, governor, and elected a legislature. The "law and order party," as it was called, elected Samuel W. King, governor, and resisted the proceedings of Mr. Dorr and his supporters. Great excitement was the consequence, and a bloody struggle seemed to be at hand. Dorr escaped arrest and left the state; but, returning in May, 1843, he entrenched himself, with about seven hundred men, on a hill in Chepachet, with five pieces of artillery. A large force was called out; the insurgents deserted Dorr, who was taken and convicted of treason; a new constitution was duly adopted; and Dorr, who had Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. In advance of the requirement of individ ual rights to these lands, sound policy dictates that every effort should be resorted to by the two governments, to settle their respective claims." This is the first public notice of the "Oregon question," although for twenty years past it had been more or less before the eyes and in the thoughts of statesmen, at home and abroad. A continued deficit of $5,000,000 was announced, in speaking of the finances. The remedying of the defects of the tariff act was urged upon Congress, and it was suggested, that the warehousing system might be advanta geously adopted. The exchequer plan |