Arkansas intelligencer., 1843-10-07

sen, to an academy in the north part Of N. York
to fit himself for college. He has since been sent
to Edinburgh to complete his education. He is
represented as possessing strong and vigorous
mental powers. The third year after learning the
alphabe he received the highest honor of the
denny, and next ysar was fit to enter the unlver.
sity.
Much more might be- said Of this empire mo-
Eopoly, and its designs, and a more intimate
connection between :ts operations and the secret
policy Of England respecting the Northwest coast
OF America. But no one who will give mo-
ments thoughtto the subject, fail to arrive at
the conclusions, distinctly shadowed forward by
the light Of the past. that her determination is to
grasp at all The country from the Gulf Of Califor-
MIA to at least the 54th degree of latitude. Al.
rendy is she treating with Mexico for the purchase
of California. For that end she has loaned capi-
tai. and sold vessels of war to that Government.
For the same reason she has acknowledged the in.
dependence of Texas, knowing that broil would
be kept up, and Mexico become so weakened in
power and reduced in her finances, that an easy
purchase could be made Of that most excellent
country. She has even assumed an inter-
cession (inferterence) between the two nations
All that surprises Us is, that our own statesmen
are not more viglIant in the assertion and defence
of our own rights and honor, and more willing to
give encouragement and protection to our own
enterprisng and patriotic citizens. This sub
joct has been lnborously investigated in the
U. S. Senate. during the last session. Those best
Informed on the subject have nobly espoused a
just cause, and pleaded most strenuousy for the
maintenance of our nations honor, and, wo rejoice
have not pleaded altogether in vain.
! OrnsrsAip Of Oregon.-Our limits will allow
only a brief examination Of the compartive merits
Of the claims set up by the U. States aud England
to the sovereignty OF this country" We shall
now conlne ourselves principally to II mere state.
ment OF the facts m the Case. The conclusions
VIII he so direct and paIpabe, that there can he
bu! little chance for disagreement.
Lot It he remembered, in the outset, that Eng.
land does not claim the right of Jurisdiction south
OF the Columbia, althoIg, hcr su ,ects the iiud.
son Bay Company, have erected forts and planted
COLONIES there. and nov virtually exercise both
clvIl and military authorities over them. LIE. it
also be borna IN mind, that she has rciinquisfed
her former arrrognnt pretensons to bsnu,e right
and all she now pre,enis to claim is the Joint &c.
cuprncy. in common with other nations. The
ianguage of her own ministers is Great Bri.
t'ln claims no erciusire sovereignty 0rer anu por
fton OF that territory. (snuth OF 81 deg. 40 min.
the Russian bonndaryl. Her present ,itle no, in
respect To any part, but to the whole. is limited to
n night of joInt occupancy, in common with other
states, leaving the right of exclusive dominion in
putting TO sleep the vigilance Of our statesmen,
till, through the Hudson Bay Company, she could
get actual possessonfor her subjects, and so strong
n foothold as to overawe the United States when.
ever ii renewal Of our claim should be made or
at least, that the active avarle of that graspina
company might seize upon every important loca
ton, and retain the same, or be richly Unidentified
if, at worst, her establishment must be given up
for SO mnch England has agreed to do, as ar
inducement for that company to push forwa rd
their settlements far and fast possible. That
this is not an un just inference is clear, from the
fact, that Immediately on the reception of the
treaty Of 1927. the factors commenced more ac.
tive operations. with view to perna nency, such
as farming building mills fortifcations, and more
durable buildings. Some of our most emnen,
sta !csmen propose to allow them sill longer time
to prepare for the defence Of that stolen country
and retain it from the possession of its rightful
owners.
This brings US to inquire. What constitutes a
valid title to uninhabit-d or unciviliz,d coun.
try What is the esa biished law of nations up
on this subject, and what have been the usages in
past time Vattel defines the rights of nations
in the following language:
"All mankind have equal right to things
that have not yet fallen into the possession of any
and these things belong to the person who frs,
| takes possession Of them. When, therefore, a
nation finds country uninhabited, and withou,
an owner, it may lawfully take possession of it
and after it has sufficiently made known its will
in this respect, it cannot be deprived of by
lher nation. Thus, navigators going on voyages
of discovery, furnished with commission from
their sovereign. and meeting with islands or other
lands in desrrt stnte, have taken possession OF
them in the name Of their nation and this title
usually respected. provided it WIS soon after fol.
lowed by a real possession. ."-(s2O7, ChiHy's Vat
tel.)
The established principle upon which oil Euro
pean nations have acted reference to the settle
ment and dominion of America, and by which
limitations have been &c, in all their treaties, has
been the right Of discovery and exploration, oc-
cupation. and extension by contiguity. England
has acknowledged this rule in her treaties, as with
France, concluded at4Ass,cccht. April, II. 1913.
The discovery and e'edssq1- a of the mouth of a
RIVER entitled to all thua .sutry drained by such
r'ver. Extension by contigui:y. also. allows tive
nations to extend their don,lnious over unoccupied
a. hose who desire to more detailed account OF
10 iscoserV, or more elaborate arguments which GO
mat The right of possession is the U. States,
1:o,erea TO Mr. Cushng's Report the subject to
hs January q 1889 to the memoir of Mr. Green
NJ hor4r'an 10 the Department Of State and to the
;! H'f'a American Review, vol. xvii, 1889.