Arkansas intelligencer., 1843-10-14
5, SATURDAY MORNING, OCTOBER ID, ls4s.

ed west of the Rocky Mountains; but was aban.
doned in 1910. This year, an association was
formed, cal1ed the Pacific Fur Company, of which
the celebrated John Jacob Astor was principal
The ship Tonquin dispat6d from N. York
for the Columbia, whsao il n an March of
the next year. A fort and prm6spal factory was
established on the south bank Of the Columbia,
about twelve miles from the ocean,, which was
called Astoria. Subordinate factories were es
taollshed at Okanagan, at Spokan, at Kooskooske,
and Willamet, all on rivers of the same names.
These possessions were established prior to any
others having been attempted on the Columbia, or
any of its branches save that of the Missouri Com
Pany, which had lately been abandoned. This
| gives, so far as settlement and occupancy can
gNe, the possession Of Oregon to the u. States.
"a fact, which England herself dare mot deny,
but is compelled to admit, when treating on the
subject.
In 1913, October 10th, the agent Of Mr.. Astor.
having learned from the agents of the North west
Company, that British vessel was approaching
to demolish the establishment, without any autho-
rity of his employer, direct or impced, sold " all
the establishments, furs, and property" to the
agents of the Northwest Company. Not long
after, the soop of war, Raccoon, Captain Black.
arrived at Astoria, and took formal possession of
the fort, and called it Fort George. BY the Troa,
ty OF Ghent, it was agreed that call territorV.
places, and possessions, whatsoever, taken by
ehor party during the war, shall be restored avith-
out delay," which portion Of the treaty was for.
mally complied with, but not till October 6, 1918.
when +. Hickey, on tho part of the British Go.
vernmont, and J. Keith, on the part of the North.
west Company, " restored TO the Government of
the United States, through its agent, ]. V. Pre-
vost, the settlement of Fort George, on the Co.
lumbia River" This necessarily included all its
dependencies, all that was given up by the agent
A n hyyf fho
ton, at the instigation and under the pay of the
United States, Lewis and Clark had surveyed that
country and taken formal possession of it, with
an express view to its occupancy, and that, close
upon their return, companies were formed express
ly to occupy and trade in it. and hence, that by
exploration and settlement it is ours.
One other pretension of England remains to be
considered. 1t has been set up, that Alexande
M'henzie discovered the head waters of the Co
lumbia, in 1893. This, however, could not ha We
been possible, for according to his own narrative,
his route lay too far north, to have seen any
branch Of that river. But should the point be
granted, England would gain nothing by tho ad-
mission, for he did not come in sight of the Rocky
Mountains, on Peace River, which flows to the
east, till the I'm of May, 1893; whereas, Cap
tain Gray had entered the mouth of tho Colum-
bla, May llth, 1892, more than one gear before.
All pretension TO right by the discovery of M'Ken.
ze, is false and idle. England has not the shadow
OF a rghtful claim to any territory bordering the
Pacific Ocean on the coast Of America. All her
possessions there have been made by trespasses
on the rights of other nations, which she hopes to
retain, by threatening to visit in her wrath whose
ever shall have the presumption to oppose any of
her plans, for the qualification of her unbounded
love Of dominion.
In the debate upon the bill for tho occupation Of
Oregon, so thoroughly discussed in the Senate Of
the United States, none who opposed its passage
expressed a doubt as 10 the justice Of our claim
All admitted it to be ours. Some questioned the
wisdom of the measure proposed for its settlement
Others thought the time had not yot arrived to un
dertake it. The ownership was beyond Doubt
Whatever difficulties shall attend the extension of
our jurisdiction over that important and valuable
portion OF our domain, or however strcnuously the
object may be opposed, at home Or abroad, our
right cannot cease to be valid. unless through the
imprudence and neglect of our statesmen, ii shall
be tamey surrendered to the nsatiate grasning of
the powers Of England.
Settlement of Oregon.-A bill "to authoriso
the adoption of measures for the occupation and
settlement of the Territory Of Oregon was in
troduced into the Senate of the United States at
its last session, and, after long debate, pass
ed in that body. Considerable opposition was man,
iested by some Senators on the ground that it was
not time to take any definite steps upon so Impor-
tant question, Time, it was argued, was the
great negotator, and would, by due process, extend
our population, as the tide flowed west, to the
shores of the Pacific, in the space Of twenty five
or thirty years. Such patience might be endured,
if at the time Of exhaustion there should be op-
portuny to realize the object for which it waited.
But, leave Oregon unoccupiod for that space, by
our citizens, and England will have fifty thousand
subjects there, whose dwellings will be in every
valley, whose arms will brstle at every pass,
whose vessels Of war will float in every harbor,
whose forts will tower on every commanding po-
sltIon. and whose daring flag will wave on every
ne'Sh'. bidding defiance TO lassailants and laugh
ing to scorn the boasted enterprise of Americans,
ana mocking US for our supineness. England los,
hooa tam byour revolution she would glory to
S''a' lf'" US SO goodly sheep-pasture.
Except in some of tho details of tho bill the
principal opposition toi was on two grounds LIST
mat me northern boundary should previously be
ue'ermihed by treaty with England before we ex.
.ehoed our Jurisdiction oser Oregon; I'd, that to
take possession of it under "tweIye months y,
would be violation of the treaty of 1897. In
answer to the first objection it was argued verv
Justly that nothing had ever been gained bv nro.
crastlnatlng treaties with England. II requires
no no very intimate knowledge of British policy tor
loresee the consequences which would follow de.