Washington City

May 20th 1844

My Dr. Genl

Since I last wrote you

the committee has reported the Treaty to

the Senate with a resolution to reject

it — they have had it under debate for

several days and it is said that the debate

has been terrific, so much so as to allarm [sic]

Benton and his Whig associates who oppose

it most violently. McDuffie, whose support

I feared would be cold, is said to have sur-

passed himself in his best days in some

short speeches on incidental questions.

Benton, it is said, made a two days speech

against the Treaty & Mr Calhoun & that

Mr Walker answers him today. They re-

moved the injunction of secrecy so

far as respects the Treaty & accompanying

documents some days since & ordered them

to be published. The object was to pub-

lish the President's orders on the sub-

ject of the army & Navy & make the

measure unpopular — but it failed of its