The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-08-29
From the Bali. American, Of the 20h inst.
OREGON TERRIT'ORY


elaborate report Of Mr.. LINN. ChaIrman of
4 The select commitie Of the Senate oi the L
States, to which was referred bill to nu'
: thorize the President Of the United St'le'
;, to occupy Oregon Territory. The d"cu'
;, ment is Of grent length. After adyrrting t'
u the opinion expressed by Ex-Preslden
p. Monroe, in his last message, IN references t'
u the propriely of formug settlement oi
the Oregon, the committee proceed to rec
ommend as prompt an ac,ion IN the pre-
!" misses as may he consistent with the g""d
understanding at present existing between
. the United States and great Britain, the on
" power whose claims in regard to this
territory are in conflict with those of this
'' country. The letter of instructions given
by Ex-President Jackson to Mr.. SLAcUa,
who, il will bo remembered, visited the
country some years since, IS quoted, IN
, which that gentleman is requested to make
such observations aud gather such informa-
tion with regard 10 The territory as circum-
stances may permit. In canvassing the
Question of right, the Committee cites the
argument of Governor FLOYD on the sub
Iect, before Congress, and the two reports
Of Mr.. DAYLIEs to the same body.
! 1t seems that in the treaty entered into
between Span and the United Stntes, NJ
Washington in 1919, The mutual boundary
line between the two powers was establish
ed on the AID degree of latitude extending
westward from the Rocky Mountains 10 The
Pacific Ocean. The Southernmuft point
to which Russia claims on that coast is so
10, md by tho provisions Of the treaties
! with Russia and Spain, the space intcrven-
ing between 42' and 54' 40 north latitude,
is entirely unclaimed except by Gre"t Brit
min and the United States. In the neencia-
ton that have taken place between the
two governments on this subject temporary
arrangements have been made from time
to time, leaving the permanent settlement Of
the difficulty to future arrangement. Un-
der these temporary arrangements, years
notice is required to give validity /" any al
teration, without which they remain in full
force. In the treaty of Ghent, no specific
reference is had to this territory, further than
the general provision inserted, that all terri
tories, &c. Whdteuer, tnken hy either party,
should be restored without delay, under
which arrangement the United States set
lemept called Astoria, at the mouth uf the
Oregon, has been gwen up To an accredited
agent of this country. u the Convention
with Great Britain IN 1873, it was agreed
; TINT East of the Rocky Mountains.rho line
should be the 40h degree of latitude, but il
was also arranged, that on the North West
Coast, ms it is called, any country claimed
by either nation, should be for ten years o.
pen TO tho people md trade of the other
without the interference with the claims of
the high coutcnding parties.
In 1893, negocialions were opened, nnd
the question of title to the mouth of the Coz
lumba river began TO be considered lmpor-
tnnt in regard to commercial relations with
Great Britain. At this time Mr. Rush wns
instructed by Mr. Adams, rs Secretary of
State, to urge the settlement of the point,
the 5lst degree being designated as the line
West of the Rocky Mountains, hut with the
understanding Tint should Great Britain in
slst, the 49th degree should be adopted to
the Pacific Ocean, ms it already was the
boundary u the Eastward. In answer To
Mr.. RS proposition, the government of
Great Britain assumed the right to make
settlements on all uuoccupled coasts in A.
meflcn. In the Convention of 1927, which
followed, the relations under that of 1913
were continued, with the understanding that
either party might ubrognte on giving twelve
mohths notice. 1t is on this Convention
that the existing relations on the subject of
the North West coast, between Great Brit
ain and A america, nre based. The Commit
tee urge that it discovery he alleged MS The
basis of the British claims, the right of
SPAN is incontesllblc, which right has been
lceded to the United States. On the ground
of discovery, Great Britain hns, in the opin-
ion of the Committee, no right they there
fore proceed to examine the title of the L.
nited States with regard to the same fouu-
da,ion. So far ms the United States nre
concerned, no actual Investigation appears
TO have taken place, but IN 1892 Captain
Gray of the ship Columbia of Boston, dis
covered, for the FIRST time, the mouth of ~
river which he named the Columbia, aud
after having n.ccrtained the latitude, bear
ing of headlands, &c. returned to The Uni.
ted States and announced his discovery.
Such was the discovery of Columbia from
the sea. In 1903, an exploring expedition
was htted out by our government to pro-
ceed by the way of the Rocky Mountains
10 the mouth of the Columbia river. the en-
lnent success attending which is we!lkuown.
This expedition is deemed of importance to
the American title, as it was notice TO the
world of our claim followed up by posses.
sion IN accordance with the British doctrine.
The extent Of the territory so acquired is
regulated by established principles in the
law Of nations, the frs, of which gives the
rivers and their tributaries to those civilized
nations who have discovered their mouths,
and The second gives title half way To the
settlement of the nearest civilized mower.
Either of these principles will carry our liue
as far as 49'.-Thc possession ofth mouth
of the Columbia is considered as of vast i'm. |
ror'nnce in commercial point of view, as
/" would secure an immense fur trade and