The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1843-12-02
(CoNcLUDEp.)

| P0TENTIARILs 1927.
| 'Ducii amor patriE"
(CoNcLUDED.)
Taking then The statement oftho.e plenipo
tentiaries 10 emhodv the entire "preensions" o
G' Britain to Oregon, pledge myself, if The
reader will accompany me, to show that the,
are no Justification for England to claim title t.
| that territory.
In the first place, recall attention to the cir
| cnInstnnce under which that convention was
| ,r1ung Il do not make use of too strong word
from the Splniards. | recall attention 10 that
part of my first lecture in which have shown
that the right 10 Oiegan by prior dis overy was
in Spain, that the entry upon Nootku, by the
British subjects, was trespass-that the Hing,
| Lords and Common in Parliament assembled,
Acknowledged that the title to the sovernig'y oi
| Oregon WIS in Spnin-that nolhng more was
claimed, on behalf Of Great Britain, than right
OF trade and trnFc-that slcl right to trade and
traffic, without the consent of the sove cgn of a
country, is not recognized by any principle of
the law of nations-that Spain insisted upon her
exclusive right of sovereignty-that she was
| threatened with war by Great Britain whose
Parliament had voted million of pounds to car
ry it on--that France, to whom she applied was
unable, or unwilling, to assist h THAT Great
Britain had l5s sail Of the line will which So lin
was unable TO contend-and therefore, that tas
"conrenion" was eriOrfed from Spain, as il WI re,
cat the cannon > mouth" And ask, with some
confidence, whether, if England considers such a
convention" proper treaty to force upon The
U. s, who were parties thereto, the u. S.
Wall consider it an agreement which they, as the
grantees of Spain, arc bound 10 f1Ifl,
But secondly, appeal to history that this
convention" which, upon its face, has such an
imposing appearance, was considered by 'the
high contracting powers" more a paper con-
csSSion, to crafty the pride Of the British people,
whose passions had been much excited by the
affair at N0otka, than as any real contract to be
carried into execution. Let aAy one read the
debates in Parliament when this treaty was
submitted to that body He will there find, that
the Ministry and their friends talked much of the
r1nd'catt0n y the honor Of the nation, Sc. while
the opposition coniendcd and showed that Great
Britain had gained nothing; but, upon the whole,
WIS lhe loser by the convention. That the papers s.
correspondence upon which the treaty was made
were loudly called ior and o1sllnltely withheld
lndt although have, by tikng, as prom s.d
to do, the English account OF the affIr at tn d:
sound, wAIcii states that helrs hut built hDuSc
and Joftyed it, that there is yer, strong reason
to Dellcve that Mears neuer built anu house 4,
:, -. Na, --lnd it is certain that + he ever did
puld one, that Ii was m're sflanty, which was
removed before Martinez came there That the
convention" was purposey so worried that
while 1t conveyed the idea that under its proyi-
slohs lfnds and buildings to be restored, vet
lor Want OF sufficient specification none eper
could be restored That although il was promll-
gated in England that t,co tiigaies wero to be-
sent out to the Pacific to assume poss ssion Of the
lands, &c, at Nootka, that the comm ss.on
dwhdled. down to the appointment of MIR. Ge,rpe
Vancouver, one of COOK s leutenanls who wa,
not even sent out Tor tAis express purpose, but
was ABOUT |" SAL on voyage of dscovery;-
tiat IN August iT93, Vance lver was at Nootka
ana was ready TO receive from Qladra, the Span
| ISL IaptdIn, reposscsson OF the lands, Sc, q!
any tdken from Medrs,-that upon making
strlct inquiry u was found that he NeiIs) was
never IN possession ofany lands there, and that
no taS q A2dSeS 'ce's erer restored PIT into The
p0sseSsiCa II ht BiitiSh.---ihat Oh the md Sept.
i9i, tHe Spanards were s,iil in qrnel POSSESSION
| ot Noutka,--that Vancouver returned 90 Eng-
land IN 1885, and, OF course, made his report;
out nothing further has been done in the business
ihcre S. therefore, every reason for believing
that this boosted Convention, where the Brit
lsii rghl u Oregon is said, by the plenpo,cntia-
lies, to DO "dGjRrd and recorded" was one OF
| those articles that the English minister's from
time to time, play oil upon the people, and tia,
1t never would nave been again thought of but
lot Inc ingenuity ul these penipotentiares.
1hndy The Convention between Span and
Great Britain upon which the plenipotential les
rely, was (as above sad) made in 1870.
In 1856, Spain declared war ugains, England
/ Now. Whatever may have been the licenses ste
'iatiSae the raterS ct those countries TO settle in
ana over any part OF them, and to trade with the
| Inhabitants and occupiers of the same" which
were derived Gas 1t Is said) from Spain, and
which Great Britain, by virtue of the Cunven.
! ton OF 1880, might claim 10 exercise in time o.
peace, certain 1t is that, by the declaration oil war
! IN 1885, ali these licenses were abloyated and
annul.ed, and that tney never could be again re.
vNed, except by Il new convention made by tie
| parties IL Interest,
THIS is principle Of the law OF nations, whic!
! will not DC u..nied.
| NO new convention was made between Eng.
land and SPAN, renewin. these concessions, be
tween i196 and the I'D FEBRUARY, 1919, wbcr
SPAN transferred all her right, title and Interest
III Oregon to the United States.
81 That this pretensiOn" OF England to hole
Oregon by virtue of this Conreniion, is only an
other oil those strars by the specific gravity o
which they vainly hope TO keep their uniounde,
claim from SINKING.
"ln Belsham's History of Great Britain, vol
g., p. 337, it is stated that the Spanish fac a
Nootka was never struck, and that the who,
territory has been rellnquisled by Great Britain