Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-14
CONGRESS OF rnE vsIrEp STATE,
IN SENATE.
INCIDENTAL DEBATE ON THE NORTH
EASTERN BOUNDARY QUESTION.

n.
ations be instructed to inquire into the expendisn.
ey OF causing to be procured and submitted To m.
Senate copies OF the debates in the British Psrli,
ment prior TO the year 1920. in relation 70
inc Northeastern Boundary of the United State,
and copies Of land titles emanating from The
British Government rcpugnant in the calls OF said
titles to the boundary now claimed by said Go
\ vernment.'
Mr., PRESTON objected to the adoption Of the
resolution, rs presenting us in the aspect Of regulate
ing our proceedings by British legislation.
| MT. CRrTTENDEN would suggest whether 4,
might not be possible that these debates NADIA n.
gains. our claim to the territory in dispute and il
So whether the call Tor them would moi, instead If
Strengthening. weaken the position we At present
occupied IN relation to the matter1
MIR. WALKER said the resolution was on. of
inquiry only, the proprety of which would be de-
cided on by the appropriate committee If ina,
committee upon mature deliberaon conc.;..d ' ,%
inquiry to be important, il would be made. and in
submitting this resolution, he desired only 10 cali
their attention to the subject. MIR. w. said he had
read one OF these debates OF tie British Parlam
and conceived TO be OF the utmost importance and
that II ought to Toe published in an official form for
the information OF the people Of England of the
people OF the British provinces Of the people of the
United States, and Of the civilized world In thar
ppeoa!c the boundary line as now claimed by Great
Britain was distinctly repudated by both branches
OF the British Parliament, and by both parties the
Opposition and the Ministry, in a debate too. con-
temporaneous with the treaty of l7s3 Mr. w al.
50 believedfhat land titles had emanated from the
| British Government directly contradictory in ,he
cal OF these titles to the boundary now claimed h,,
England, and he thought the whole subject of suff;
cient Importance to claim the attention of the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations.
MIR WEBSTER said he agreed that these debates
in the English Parliament were important, ,s 49,
ding light on the true intent and meaning of IN,
| treaty of 1888. They prove that the Loundarv
WINS then well understood to be Just what the Uni
teu states have always insisted 1t was. The Op-
dali nrl
agreed TO such boundary, and Is,nted out what
iney thought its Objectionable nature as inconye-
nlent to England. Ii was suggested that Mir Os
wald, who had negotiated the treaty had showed
r,tiseii uehcent IN local knowledge, and that Lord
dorchester, or some other person better acquainted
than Mr. Oswald with these American affairs should
| have been consulted.
The general answer TO this was, that when !,
was resolved TO acknowledge the indie pendence of
| the Colonies, nothing was 10 be done but IN ,c
| know edge them with their existing limits and
boundaries; and TO declare those boundaries accord
ing to former grants, acknow Judgments and acts of
Parliament. This Isaid MIR w is the general run
o. Tue ueoate, so Tar as OF present recollect IT,
Some years ago, | referred TO il here in n sne.ch
upon this subject OF the boundary. On that occa.
SION, too referred TO opinion Uf the Lord Chan
ceor upon the effect Of such a division of emnire nc
was brought about by the American Revolution.
LORD Loushborough admitted, in effect that the
Treaty OF Peace granted noting to the United States
IL oEiy acknowledged that independence which thew
had declared for themselves. Their lie IN ~
mother country was ocknow edged to be severed:
ana they remained possessed Of oil rights and priv
| eges not inconsistent with thissreat chance Tbev
had been acknowledged 10 be indepenent of En-.
gland; and as TO the the rest, they stood as thew
had stood. This mir WI said was the true doc
trlne, and had been uniformity the American doc.
rlne' IL had been put in very strong and Just
light soon after the treaty of Client by MIR Adams
| IN hist correspondence, with Lord Bathurst Tbe
British agents, while the matter was pending befork
Tho Dutch King, had attempted TO maintain quito a
different view OF the subject. They had contend.
Gu thaI me Independence Of the United States was
a grant from The Crown Of England, and therefore
that the treaty of peace was to construed like a
grant, and, 1t IN any part uncertain so far Void
All this was quite inadmssible against fact and
history as well as against the plain language of the
treaty.
! Mr.. w. would not say what might be the use a,
present, OF publishing these debates, but had no
objection the committee should consider Off.
| MIR. BUCHANAN said that as this resolution
was one oil mere inquiry, It might appear dscourte.
Gus towards his friend from Mississippi (Nr WAL
KER) TO oppose its adoption, and he should do 50
with great reluctance. lift were pressed. he vonId
therefore, probably vote for it, although il appear
ed 10 hm TO be singular duty TO impose on the
committee on Foreign Relations. Unquestiona-
by the debate IN the British Parliament To which 4,
| REFEREED was one OF great importance II proveJ
tha' shortly alter the original treaty was conclu.
ded BRITISH statesmen of all parties agreed thai The
line designated by II included within the limits of
the United States the territory now in disnnts Lo
tw cen the two Governments But ybv .bonId e.
Senate be made the instrument of communication
tins debate TO the Public7 Such course was nm
piesedented, so far as his knowledge extended. This
was information proper for the Public, and il might
be communicated, like all such information Ihrougb
the agency of the public press. lie Thought r5is
would be the best and most appropriate course
and unless his impressions should change he ,vouIi
act upon this opinion as n member of The Commit
tee on Foreign Rel itons, shouid The resol,,;o,,
adopted.
He was glad OF the present opnortunitv of s,,,.
ING few words on another branch of the suhiec,
Ii had been expected by some persons that the re-
poHoi MessTs. Nudge and FeatLerslonhau UGH won d
be noticed by the Committee on Foreign Relations
That report was tissue of sophistry from FRS, IN
last, which might be easily exposed: but so Ia ne
his information extended, II had never bean official
" recognised by the British Government In ,bis
state OF the case, he did not believe il ought In Il.
made me SUBJECT OF any report from the Commit
! zee on Foreign Relations, and therefore he had
J never called the attention OF the committee to !,
| Besides. II was well understood that NEGOTIATIONS
were now pending, and were nearly brought TO a
happy conclusion, for referring the final decision OF
tins question 10 commissioners mutually chosen by
| the Two Government with such an ultimate pro.
vsIonp IN case Of their disagreement as must sette
the ueston. Under those circumstances he tho nj
u would be improper for the Senate to interfere.
MIR. ALL. "f Ohio. said he was opposed 10
| The adoption ofthiS resolution. What was -, -
! Jeeti 10 procure testimony in support of our
clam 10 The territory embraced 10y the limits of the
State OF Maine. Hew opposed to this. So long
as we debated, so long as VIC gave opportunity for
caW on lhIs SUBJECT, so long would Great Rritain
proiract IT'S settlement There is a mint nj ,vh;cb
TINS matter must stop; where We must nut our foo,
and say this admits Of no further di,c1ssion. Tbc
British Government have just as much tiebt To In,,
claim 10 the DISTINCT of Columbia as TO anu sno,
| claimed by the United States. Suppose tbnt Gov.
ernme"t should lay claim to this erritory upon which
we are now holding our deliberations, and we sbouiJ
undertake to argue the matter and TO hunt I'M doc.
umeniaEy ties niony to establish our claim and 20
should pursue this course for a series of years we
should soon boa much al sea 40 we are Al presont-
IN regard TO the Northeastern boundary line TIE
great aut m this matter in permitting II IN be
a subject OF controversy. We should have plsce5
ourselves on the line called Tor by the tte,tv of
1883, and we should have said TO G,elt Hritnin
you cannot be serious or honest in attempting M
make II subject Of DISCUSSION. Moot this oues,ie n
OF title, and 60 m quest Of evidence 10 support M
and you postpone us settlement indefinitely. So
long o. you keep the question open Great Brito n
will use the argument that she is notrer TO this terri
tory than We arei at ioist her effective power. which
she - constantly increasing, is nearer. Mr. A. said
SAID he considered this question as settled 90 fr az
this body was concerned. twas settled bv n unnn.
imOus vote Of the Senate, who though rem, bv the
diversiues OF political feeling, excited by contest
| which had ragged through the course OF twelve
years, yet on ths subject had gone shouderto shout
Der and by n unanimous vote had said, this uues-
uon so Tar as we are concerned settled ana deter.
mined; and there he was disposed to leave it, Mr..
I "A a. al -. n.