WASHINGTON, _July 21, 1846_.
_To the Senate of the United States_:
I herewith transmit, in compliance with the request of the Senate in
their resolution of the 17th of June, 1846, a report of the Secretary of
State, together with a copy of all "the dispatches and instructions"
"relative to the Oregon treaty" "forwarded to our minister, Mr. McLane,"
"not heretofore communicated to the Senate," including a statement of
the propositions for the adjustment of the Oregon question previously
made and rejected by the respective Governments. This statement was
furnished to Mr. McLane before his departure from the country, and is
dated on the 12th July, 1845, the day on which the note was addressed by
the Secretary of State to Mr. Pakenham offering to settle the
controversy by the forty-ninth parallel of latitude, which was rejected
by that minister on the 29th July following.
The Senate will perceive that extracts from but two of Mr. McLane's
"dispatches and communications to this Government" are transmitted, and
these only because they were necessary to explain the answers given to
them by the Secretary of State.
These dispatches are both numerous and voluminous, and, from their
confidential character, their publication, it is believed, would be
highly prejudicial to the public interests.
Public considerations alone have induced me to withhold the dispatches
of Mr. McLane addressed to the Secretary of State. I concur with the
Secretary of State in the views presented in his report herewith
transmitted, against the publication of these dispatches.
Mr. McLane has performed his whole duty to his country, and I am not
only willing, but anxious, that every Senator who may desire it shall
have an opportunity of perusing these dispatches at the Department of
State. The Secretary of State has been instructed to afford every
facility for this purpose.