THE OREGON QUESTION 1818-1828 219
and the one to which Floyd had objected a few days be- fore.
The final form of the bill follows: It authorized (1) the building of forts; (2) exploration from these; (3) provided for trial of Americans; (4) and carried an ap- propriation of $25,000. 45
On January 8th the bill came before the House for a brief consideration, but before it was ordered to its third reading the House adjourned. The next day, Jan- uary 9, 1829, it was brought up for the last time. It was out of Committee of the Whole now, into the House itself, and the members were anxious to dispose of the matter as expeditiously as possible. The amendments reported by the committee were concurred in, and the question was then on ordering the bill to a third reading. Mr. Weems attempted a momentary diversion by resub- mitting an amendment which was voted down. The yeas and nays were then taken on the bill itself, as to its being ordered to a third reading, which failed, by a vote of 99 to 75. This meant the rejection of the bill. It may be interesting to note that Buchanan was recorded as not voting, while Folk's vote was negative.
So Floyd's long work was done, for he left Congress at the close of that session, and for ten years the name Oregon is not listed in the Congressional annals of the House. A great failure, a complete fiasco, one might say, was Floyd's fate; but at least there is this which should keep green his name among the names of his country's statesmen, that when national indifference had all but let the Columbia Valley and the Oregon country go by default, he had kept the fire of national rights burning on his country's altar.
45 P. 190.
