Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-04-11

there, cOeval with our rights TO the COun
try; and that we are now only proposing
to give them activity and ttTce by gov.
ernment organization. In doing so. We
introduce no new policy into the action
of the Federal Government. At the time
Of the establishment of our national in.
dependence, or population was confined
to comparatively narrow slip of coun-
try bordering on the Atlantic. AS fast,
however, as our settlements extended
into the west in sufficient numbers, new
territories were established. These at
FIRST were confined to the Mississippi
river for their common western bounda
ry. After the acquisition Of louisiana
the same wise policy has been pursued,
Observing limits, in several cases, but
little short of The Rocky mountains. In
the rapid march of our empire republic,
the time has now arrived for the extern
sion Of the same policy beyond those
mountains. recognising the shores of the
Pacific as the only final terminus Of cur
dominiUns.
The propriety of this extension is de-
pendent of course on the validity OF the
title OF the United States to the territory
embraced in the bill. This question we
are obliged to meet, anterior to all action
on The subject. In its investigation, we
have looked into the most authentic his
tories of voyages and discoveries en- Che
nothwestern coast of America. We have
consulted the opinions OF our most dis
tinsushed and best informed public
men, from Mr. jefferson down to the
present time. We have carefully exam
med all the treaties ameng several ma
tons claiming to have an interest in the
subject; not negnecting to profit by the
reports made by Mr.. Baylies to the 18th,
and Mr.. Cushing to the s5th Congress,
and by the severa! reports and speeches
Of the late lamented Senator from Mis-
souri,, who had devoted so much of the
labor of his great mind to the inyestlga-
ton OF this subject. The result ct this
investigation has been thorough cCnvlc-
ton that the United States has good
and indefeasible title, as against any for
eisn power, to the country extending
east and west from the Rocky mountains
to the Pacific ocean,and north and south
from the limits of Mexico, in latitude AZ
degrees north. 20 those of Russia; in lat
itude 81 degrees 40 minutes north.
'The southern boundry was fixed by
the the treaty with Spain in 1919, COM
monty called the Florida treaty. By
that treaty the boundary-line between
the possessions of the two nations west
of the Mississippi, after reaching the riv-
er Arkansas, shall be. following the
course of the southern bank Of the Ar
kansas to its source in latitude ~ deg;
and thence. by that parallel Of latitude,
10 the South Sea- In 1928 this line was
confirmed by Mexico, as the successor
Of Spain, in a treaty of limits between
herself and the United States. The
southern boundary is, then, fixed and
certain. As to the northern one, it was
settled at 81 degrees ~ minutes, ny
treaty between the United States and
Russia, dated 18th April, 1924; by
which it was agreed that there should
not be formed. by the citizens of the U.
States, OF under the authority Of the
same, any establishment upon the north
west coast Of America. nor in any OF the
islands adjacent, to the north of "a deg.
40 of north latitude; and in like manner
none by Russia or her subjects soath of
the same parallel of latitude.
sBy virtue of shese treaties, Russia on
the north, Mexieo on the south. and the
United Stateg on the east, are all agreed
and satisfied as to the boundaries Of the
Oregon country. Great Britain alone
asserts or pretends any title TO it, or
any part of it, adverse to that of the T..
States
The committee, after examinfng the
history of all the treaties ard oonyen-
tons which have been entered into by
the parties interested, at different peri.
DDS, proceed to investigate the validity
of the claim set up by Great Britain to
the territory in dispute. They predi-
cate their claims upon the stipulations
of a treaty concluded between Spain and
Great Britain, signed at Escurial on the
28th of October, 1890, in conclusion of
the dispute occasicned by the seizure Of
English vessels at Nootka sound BY Don
Esteban Martinez. Of the provisions Of
that treaty, the committee say:
article / stipulates for the resti:u.
ton Of the property Of British subjects
dispossessed by MARTINEZ.
Article 2 engages to make restitution
Of, or compensation for, any like seizures
which might have been subsequently,
made,
article provides that the respective
subjects Of Spain and Great Britain shall
not be disturbed or molested, either in
navigating or carrying on their fisheries
in the Pacific ocean. or in the South
seas, or in landing on the coasts of those
seas. in places not already occupied, fol
the purpose Of carrying on their com
MERGE with the natives of the country,
or Of making settlements there:-ih'