With my kindest respects to Mrs. McLane, I remain sincerely and respectfully your friend,
James Buchanan.
[MR. BUCHANAN TO JOHN RANDOLPH CLAY, ESQ.]
| No. 2. | Department of State, Washington, June 13, 1846. | } |
Sir:—
The Oregon question may now be considered as settled. On the 6th instant Mr. Pakenham presented to me the project of a convention for its adjustment: and the President, after mature deliberation, determined, in pursuance of several precedents adopted in the early history of our Government, to submit it to the Senate for their previous advice. This was done by a confidential message on the 10th instant, of which I transmit you a copy.
On the 12th instant the Senate adopted a resolution by a vote of 37 to 12, of which the following is a copy:
“Resolved (two-thirds of the Senators present concurring) that the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, advised to accept the proposal of the British government accompanying his message to the Senate, dated 10th June, 1846, for a convention to settle boundaries, etc., between the United States and Great Britain, west of the Rocky or Stony Mountains.”
The convention will be signed by the plenipotentiaries on Monday next: and in the course of the next week will doubtless be ratified by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
The terms are, an extension of the 49th parallel of latitude to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver’s Island, thence along the middle of this channel and the Strait of Fuca, so as to surrender the whole of that island to Great Britain.