Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-01-21

mon which he dwet were first, the question OF the
proposed grant Of lands TO Settlers as an hfaGuo u
The convention between this country and Great bftan'
established for ten years in 1885, and renewed ~ 1871
to continue from year 10 year until discontinued Dy
wears notice from either party and next the
Of the settlement of other difficulties with England py
The late treaty. without also settling that IN relation 10
| the Oregon Territory
obiecton TO the bill was in relation TO the provision
making grant of lands. Ii It was recommted' aaU
thai provision was stricken out the rest OF The biii
should have his hearty concurrence Even II Tue OH
remained in its present shape, and II couid oe satslac
torly proved 10 him that this provision, winch proposes
grant of land to eettlers, is not an nacson OF the
treaty, he would give it his support. ne wouio 60
further-he would say that if the years notice were
piyen of our intention TO relinqulsh Inc treaty WIN
Great Britain he would, after The cessation oil our 90
legations under il, mos. cheeruy support o'ii OF lnS
kind But he conceived the whole question, at present.
was whether this bill, in it's present form, would not
be violation of our obligations under Inc treaty; ana
that il would, he had not now the slightest oouol.
| Here Mr. &. went into examination OF The terms
of the treaty, with view of showing hat Inc only &C.
cupation or settlement which could take place IN good
faith was Joint occupation and settlement Tor purposes
of trade hunting and trapping; and thai ureat britain
never had in any single instance otherwise interpreted
the treaty, acted upon it. Her encouragement OIL .he
Hudson Bay Company for the purposes oil iFadng
and hunting, strictly III conformity WIN '"e aeay -
the company had built forts, and made settlements u
in furherance OF the objects of trade, and carrying
the trapping and hunting in which II VAS engaged
1t perfectly open to Us. under the treaty, 10 90 le
same. lie denied that England had extended over the
country exclusive jurisdiction. She only appled her
own laws to her own SUBJECTS We might do The same
If it could be shown that she ever granted away
single Of the territory, exercised an exclusive
right of that kind, he would then say that We nigh do
the But no such thing could be shown, for ii
had not been done
| AS 10 the allegations that England, in a communica.
ton with the ministers of Government, had said
that British interests had grown up in the territory,
which should and would be protected he contended that
taking the whole context and giving what followed IN
the sentence far from this being assertion OF ex-
elusive right, threat Of possession aganstthe u s.,
the direct reservation was made of the rights OF
the u S. to Joint occupation and interest in the ter
rtory under the treaty, by which both countries were
bound lie read the passage in full, with view oil
showing the correctness oil his view Of the aVowa maze
| BY England.
In commenting upon the speech OF the Senator from
Missouri, (Mr. Benton0 who had preceded him in the
discussion when the subject was last up, he took occa
sion TO erroneous impression, which he con-
ceiyed was calculated to do great injustice TO dis
tinpuished man, (Mr. WebserD who could not there
defend himself He alluded 10 the fears expressed by
the Senator from Missouri that the Presidents message
declining to furnish the correspondence, or informal
com m nicaons, relative 20 the pending negotiation
about the Oregon Territory. implied grounds for con
GLIDING that propositions had been made by our Secre
tary of State, which the Administration was ashamed
or araid TO avow-tha fact, the rumor must be cor.
rect which had got Abroad that proposition had been
made entertained by the Secretary OF State to settle
dow upon the Columbia river the boundary line
Now he glad 10 have il in his power to undeceive
the Senator, and 10 assure him, which he did from au-
thorty-fnr he had been requested by the Secretary
himself TO do for hm-that he never either made or
entertained proposition 10 admit Of any line South oil
the 49th parallel Of latitude, negotiable boundary
line for the territory of the United States.
After Mr. G.. had considerably more al large, and in
his words, he purport of which isonly attempted
in this sketch,) fully explained this matter, he next
turned much Of the remarks of the Senator from
Missouri, condemned the late treaty with Great Bril-
tain in relation TO the Northeastern boundary line lie
entered into long, minute, and Typographical inquiry
and explanation with view OF showing that The course
pursued by the Secretary Of State was the most advan.
tageous attempted for this country IN any previous
ne COLLATION. with Great Britain. Having argued this
point deliberately, he turned 10 the line agreed upon
through the great Western lakes, with view of prov
ing that had in reality-und not merely seemingly,
as the Senator from Missouri supposed-ganed four
millions of acres of land. He quoted pamphlet, (said
to be written by Lord Palmerson,) 10 show that the
most intelligent English statesmen considered that we
had imme asurubly the best of the bargain in the late
treaty. and particularly to the acquisition OF tins
four millions Of acres in the West he traced the line
from Pigeon river the Lake Of the Woods as agreed
upon, with view of showing that it was the identical
line stipulated by the treaty of 1898, other water
course was known until lS03 but the Southern water
course adopted the true line in the a,c treaty
In conclusion, MIR. &. hoped the bill would b. recon-
mtted, and he provision granting lands being stricken
ou) that the measure would be adopted;
Mr.. BENTON replied to so much Of the Senator's
remarks touched upon his speech, and insisted that
the same line 10 which the Senator'S concluding re.
marks alluded, thirty or forty miles north oil That
which the Senator supposed
/ Mr. MOREHEAD next obtained the floor; and, on
his motion the Senate adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THE PRE-EMPTIoN LAWS
| On motion OF Mr.. GWlN, II was
| Resofoxd, That the Committee Public Lands be
instructed inquire into the eXpedency Of reporting
Joint resolution authorizing the appointment Of special
agent to enquire into the alleged frauds under the pre-
emption laws, the appointment of such agent having
been recommended by the Commissioner of the Gene
raj Land Office in his annual report Also, that the
said Committee be instructed 10 inquire into the ex-
pediency Of reporting bill amend the existing and
former pre- empon laws, so as TO permit the heirs or
representatives Of those who settled on the public
lands with the intention of availng themselves of the
privileges Of the pre- empon laws, but who died before
the forms required by said laws had been complied WITH
to enter the same, If satisfactory evidence produced
that the settler settlers, if living would be entitled
TO said land
CAPTURE OF MONTEREY.
Mr. GWIN submitted the following resolution, viz:
Resolced, That the President Of the u States be
|
OPINION it is not incompatible with the public service,
whatever information may be in his possession in rea-
ton 10 The recent capture of Monterey in California,
by Com. T. Catesby JONES' and to state whether the
said Jones had any instructions from the Government
which were intended should be construed into autho
rity for such proceedings.
Objection being made to the reception of the resolu-
ton, it was not received.
NAVAL DEPOT AT PORT NATION, AND THE MEDITER
RANEAN SQUADRON.
On motion oil Mr.. GWlN, IL was
ResOlred That the Secretary of the Navy be request
ed TO communicate TO this House all the information in
possession of the Navy Department in regard TO the
naval depot Of the U. S. al Port Mahon, and especially
whether any vessels of the w. 8. Mediterranean squad
have been kept for any length of time in said port
nactive and so, how long, and whether any of the
officers have heretofore established themselves, during
such periods shore at that place and for what length
of time, for the purpose of keeping house, and the
Of such vessels and said officers and further to
state whether any and what reforms have been contem.
plated considered TO be necessary regard to the
md oc thoM i'm