Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-05-10


carried into effect within reasonable time and reasonable linn
its or is lost by Spain had thus lost all her claim
to the territory which she coded to Great Britain and the Uni
ted States long before either Of those cessons was made
therefore say that the claims derived from her absolute
" invalid and not worth straw. sas sE
We not gnorant of the fact that In conavcnon Of
this doctrine shall he with the law of nations
the recognition and acknowledgment Of the right by discovery
put forth by all writer's that law. But the law Of nations
IS only the assent Of nations expressed tac certain
principles of action it is essentially the Of national
opinion and Judgment Satisfy nations that the Judgment
opinion entertained false and the law
Il is not made like the laws Of any one State Kingdom, by
conventions legislatures and Goes not need the action Of
convention or legislature for its repeal.
Doctrines held form part the law Of nations have
been thus repealed and il would be worthy item in the
mission Of people which holds itself the world the
champion the exempar Of right and usicewhch claims 10
be republican spirit and practice well In theory and
orm-t would beseem the high mission Of such people to
stand foremost in ABANDONING for ITSELF and To the abnegaon
of its supposed rights and interests rule which has
neither justice it, and therefore not in
harmony with the spirit the theory Of republican principles
Spain had title give the United States; the nchoate
title she acquired in the sixteenth century by discovery and
few occasional visits was lost by Let the United
States therefore, with the magnanimiy of Justice abandon
with the real rights which they honestly
II doctrine be admitted, wit that prior discovery and
the Of constructive possession valid title unless
attended, within reasonable time and reasonable limits, by
tual occupation and settlement it follows that the claim OF
the United States to the Oregon territory founded upon the
alleged navigation Of Captain Gray few miles up the Co
lumba river better than that derived from the cession
by Spain That founded upon the exploration Of Lewis and
Clarke is equally unsubsania though exploration aud
able and often useful act is not occupation is in its very
nature, temporary and maintain that to legitimate the
Of unclaimed unowned REGION that must be perma
nent follows moreover, that permanent
cupaton establish title only the Of its existence
1t is pcposterous idea that, by establishing fort with
garrison of fifty men, a small fishing hunting settlement,
or indeed settlement Of any kind, in of
miles, sufficient for the reception of iumerabe settlements
Common declares that with regard regions in state
Of nature possess is have, and that without actual pos
session all claim of right is nugatory.
In this respect the land is like the if whaler
should assert his right to exclude all other whalers from
given extent Of seao dbar them from visiting it. year after
year. and set the petence exclusive title his whaling
idea would be secuted Comfy would suggest
the justice Of interfering with him while actually the
spot and engaged in his avocaon but nobody would dream
Of concedng that when he removed elsewhere any other
whaer might not take up the position he had left. pa
What right then, have the United States the Oregon
territory We answer just the right that has been acquired
by actual permanent settlement and We do
upon the question whether the right acquired is
vested the nation the individual settlers because the de-
Of that question essential argument
which is rather negative than affirmative the object of being
to show that nation have right claim in Oregon
for which should think Of fighting. For presen,
purpose willing that the possession of the
emgrans the mouth Of the Columbia river the possession
Of the United States and take stand upon the position
that all the title of the United States confined within the
actual limits Of that possession, and Of any others like unto it.
IL there others, formed by emgrants from this Republic
within the territory.
OF England stands in precisely the category
Her title under the Spanish cession nonenty and
she does not pretend TO the Of any other except by
actual settlement She acquired rather English
pany acquired, the American settlement of Astoria by pur
chase and besides this the English company has fort
trading houses, &c. at Vancouver These Engands,
and there other English settlements actually in being and
possession they hers also but maintain that beyond
hese and the American settlements, the whole Oregon terri
DRY is of right open the settlement and occupation Of any
,sople, whether nationally individually. Reason, Justice
COMMON sense, and honesty reject this dog inhe
doctrine Of constructive possession, and consequent
lusive title the doctrine which says will not
'cuy and use Dut we VIII not permit any body else TO do
1t will readily be perceived that OF reasoning ap
plies the pretence Of right by possession Ii
alleged that the country Of the Rocky Mountains
because the of the country The
fact Of that ownership Is clear considering that
large portion Of the country Of the happens
be in the actual possession of sundy Indian tribes who may
be able and willing resist all attempts from them
their natural inheritance but suppong the fact conceded
we deny the inference,
Great Britain and other nations have agreed acknowledge
Of the country Of the mountains leaving
settle the question Of title and possession with the red
best may. That question: therefore, lies exclusively be-
and the red But the agreement has
been made to the country The right OF civilized
nation the country has been assigned away, abandoned
except in the Of Spain and she has abandoned only her
right by discovery That unoccuped region is still the open
heritage Of nations rather OF wall, which any poo
pie may reduce to possession because lies without
II push frontier settlements the Indian country
between the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains and thence
the SUBMITS Of those mountains into the region beyond,
just fast do acquire the only right that
cxistthe right by possession but until do this
,ermnous quasi possessonsupPosng the Indians to hold
agents. tenants baigves shadow Of title TO the
region beyond.
ISvESTIoy on NEw WEAPONS OF WAmrAHE--Inrenuity
continues TO be applied the perfection OF engines war;
well to the completeness Of domestic machinery Tho long
est proecle distance accomplished by any ordnance
stated TO be three miles and quarter ball made Of hollow
iron filled with load weighing sixy-two pounds thrown
sI.sl ..f.x~r H. a.. n - n.