Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1843-01-28

the British as Tar north as the latitude ol
that sound, in so degrees.
Z. The treaty o! Utrecht in l7l4. be-
tween France and England; by which
the boundaries between the French and
British were settled in North America !;
and this settlement becoming ours, as
successors to the French in that part Of
her dominions.
8. The treaty Of Client in 1914; by
which Great Britain restored Astoria TO
the United States as an American pos,
session.
BY these several titles, the United
STATES have collected into their own hands
all the rights derived from first d!scove-
ry, and from first settlement, reinforced
by all the claims of France and SPUN. 1t
is no, my purpose to discuss, bat merely
to s';,,e these titles. The facts on which
they rest are generally known to the
country, except SO far as they arc dcriva-
bic from the Noo,ka Sound and Utrecht
treaties: and on these two points feel
called upon to make the statements, and
TO give the calculations, which manifest
their application to our question OF title.
The treaty Of Utrecht, between France
and England, as oil the world knows,
was the treaty which put an end TO the
wars Of Queen Anne and Louis the Nth,
I'd settled their differences in America
as we'll rs in Europe. Both England and
France We're at that time large territori-
al possessors i'll North Amerlca-the En-,
ish holding lludson's Bay aud New Brit.
ain, beyond Canada, and her Atlantic
colonies on this side Of it; aud France
holding Canada aud Louisiana. These
We're vast possessions, with untiXed boun.
daries. Under this article, British, and
French commissioners we're appointed to
define the possession OF the two nations;
and by these commissioners two great
points We're fixed, (no, to speak OF 9th.
ers,) which have become landmarks il,
the definition Of boundaries in North \
merica, namely the Lake OF the Woods,
and the 49ih parallel OF north latitude
west Of tina, lake. These two points were
established above century and a quar-
ter ago, and dividing the French and
British dominions in that quarter. As
successful rebels, we acquired one OF
these points at the end OF the Revolution
The treaty Of Independence oil 1853 gave
US the Lake OF the Woods as landmark
in the lhcnl northwest corner Of the Tn.
ion. AS successor to the French in the
ownership OF Louisiana. We acquired the
other; the treaty Of 1903 having gwen
US that province as FraLce and Spain
had held ii; aud that was on the north
by the parallel OF 40 degrees. Begin
ming in the Lake Of the Woods, our nor
thern Louisiana boundary followed the
49.h parallel to the west. How far? j,
now the important question; and repea
tie words OF the repor, OF the commits
soners, accepted by their respective ma
:ions, WREN answer-..INDEFlNIrE
Ivy lquote the words OF the repot
when answer. (omitting all the prcyi
Gus parts Of the 'iue.) 80 the latitude o
10 degrees north IF The equator, and a'on.
Mat parallel indefinitely 10 he ,cest" [
Senator asked where all this was found.
Nj. BENTON. find it in the state pu
pers OF France and England above hun
drcd years ago, and in those Of the Unite
States sincas,he acquisition OF Louisian;
quote now from Mr.. Madison's instrue
tons, when Secretary OF State under NJ,
Jefferson in 1904, TO Mr.. Monroe. the
our minister in London; and given ,
him 70 lorti:,v him in his defence of OH
acquisition. The cardinal word in thi
repor, OF the commissioners is the wor
..ndefn tely;" and that word 1t was tn
object OF the British to expunge, from til
moment that we discovered the Colu:,
bia. and acquired Louisiana --eyent
which were OF the same era in our hissc
ry, and almost contemporaries. In III
negotiations with Mr.. Monroe. lwhic
ended in a treaty, rejected by Mr. Jetfe
son without communication to the Sc!
ate, the effort was to limit the line. and I
terminate it at the Roxy mountains
we'll knowing that il, this line was sutla,
ed to continue 'nlefmtely TO the west,
would deprive them Of all they wanted
Tor j, would strike the ocean three dc
greps north oil the mouth of the Colun
bia. Without giving US what we wer
! eniltled to by the right OF discoveries
and as successors TO spain, it would SIT,
take from Great Britain all she wan,e
which was the mouth of the river, i,
bar Dor, the position which commanded i
and its right bank, in the rich and tin
bcred region Of tide water. The line o
the 49th parallel would cut he, off frol
these advantages; and, therefore. To mt
tilate that line. and stop it at The Rock
mountains, Immediately became her inea
orabIc policy.
AT Client, in 1914, the effort was re
newed. The commissioners Of the Tn
ted States and those Of Great Rrita;
could not agree; and nothing was DONE
/ At London, in 1913, the effort was SUI
4 ccsslul; and in tho convention then sisne
in tina, city, the line Of the treaty Z
Utrecht was stopped at the Rocky mou,
i,ains. Tho country on the Columbi wa
laid open for ten years to the Joint occu
patton Of the citizens and subjects q
both powers; and, afterwards. by re
newed convention at London, this join
occupation was renewed indefinitely. an
until one Of the parties should give motto
for its termination. III under this pri
yilege OF joint occupation that Grea, Bri
tain has taken exclusive possession q
the right bank Of the river, in tho hear
Of the Rocky mountains. My friend an
colleague. (Mr. Limp has submitted
motion to require the President 10 Civ
la1e ~