Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-12-06

free to Great Britain any port ports on cape
Of Quadra and Vancouver's Island south of this
parallel Had this been new question, coming
under discussion for the first time, this proposi.
tion would not have been made.
The extraordinary and wholly mad missible de.
mands Of the British Go .ernment, and the reec.
tion Of the proposition made in Difference alone to
, what had been done by my predecessors, and the
imI iiud obligation which their acts seemed to ian
pore, afford satisfactory cyidcnc. that no compro.
mise which the United States ought to accej {, can
be ,li cted. With this con, ic,iun, the pro osion
Of conlpfonise which had hc,n made and rejected,
WIS, by my dirrcion, subsequently Withdrawn, and
our title TO the whole Diegon Territory asserted,
ard, as is believed, maintained hy rrefragable facts
and argum MT:
Tie civilized world will in these proceed
irgs spirit of liberal concession on the rant OF
the United States; and this government will be
relieved from all responsibility which may follow
the failure TO settle the controversy.
All attemps at compromisc having failed, it
becomes the duty Of Congress to consider what
measures it may be proper 10 adopt for the secu.
rity and protection of our citizens now irhabu.
ing, or who may hereafter inhabit Oregon, and
Tor !hc maintenance of our just title TO that ter.
rltory. IN adopting measures for this pnrpose,
care should be taken that nothing be done 10 vio.
7 late the stipulatons of the convention OF 1872,
which is still in force.
The faith of treaties, in their letter and spirit
has ever been, and, trust, will eyer be, scrHpu.
lnnsly observed BY the United States. Under
that convention, d years notice is required Ia be
/ given BY either party to the other, before the
joint occupancy shall terminate, aud before ci.
ther can rghttully assert or exercise exclusive
jurisdiction over any portion of the territory
, This uotlce II would, in my Judgment. be proper
10 give; and recommend that provision be- made
by iaw for giving il accordingly, and termna.
ting, in this manner the conpention of the 9th
of August. 1927
1t viii become proper for Congress TO deter
mine what legislation they can, in the mean time
! adopt without violating this convention. Beyond
/ all question, the protection of our laws and our
jurisdiction. civil and criminal, ought 10 be i'm.
medHtelv extended over our citizens in Oregon
They have had just cause 10 complain Of our long
ncgl CT in this particular, and have, in cousc.
. qucnce, been compelled for their own security
aud protection To establish provisional govern
ment for themselves. Strong IN their alleg ancc
. and ardent in their attachment to the United
States they have been thus cast upon their own
. resources. They are anNious that Our laws
. should be extended over them. and recommend
that this be done 10y Congress with little delay
as possible, in the f0il extent 10 which the Fri.
tish Parliament have proceeded in regard to Fri.
tsh subjects in that territory, by their act OF Ju.
~ the Cd 1921, "Ior regulating the furtradc and
establishing a criminal and civil jurisdiction
within certain parts Of North America"
By this act Great Britain extended her laws
and jurisdiction, civil and criminal. over her sub
icc.s, engaged IN the l,r.tradc in tha. territory.
By it, the courts of the province Of Upper Cana
da were empowered TO take rccnizanc of causes
ciVII and criminal Justices OF tr peace and o.
ther Judicial officers were authorized TO be ap-
pointed IN oregon, with power 10 execute all
process issuing from the courts OF that province
and 10 "sit and hold courts OF record for the trial
Of criminal offences and inisdemeanors, rot
made the subject OF capital punishment, and also
OF cvl cases, where the cause of action shall not
exceed in value the amount or sum OF two huu.
/, dred POUNDS
Subsequent to the date of this act OF Parlia
meu;, a grant was made from the "Rritish crown
; 10 the lludson's Pay Company, of the eHcusiv,
trade with the Indian tribes III the Oregon terrl
tory, subject to reservation that II shall not O
peIate 70 the exclusion 'of the subjects OF ANY
foreign States who. under or by force Of any con
vention for the time being between us and such
!, foreign states respectively, may be- entitled TO
! and shall be engaged in, the said trade
II is much 10 be regretted that while nnde
this act British subjects have enjoyed tho proteo
ton of British laws and British Judicial tribunals
: throughout the whole Oregon, American citizens
in the same territory. have enjoyed no such pro
, lection from their government. At the SAM
! time, the result illustrates the character Of on
people and their institutions In spite oi this ne
Elect, they have multiplied, and their number il
rapidly increasing in that territory They have
? made no appeal 10 arms, but have peacefully for
? tilted themselves in their homes, by the a
= dopton OF republican institutions for themselves
, furnishing another example of that truth tha
e selfgovernment is Inherent in the American
/. breast, and must prevail. |, is due 10 :hem tha
: they should be embraced and protected by OF
q laws
). 1t is deemed important that our laws regnia
4 ting trade and intercourse with the Indian tribe
. east ofth4 Rocky Mountains, should be extende
n to snch tribes as dwell beyond them
The Increasing emigration to Oregon, and III
care and protection which is due from The govern
Inent 10 lis citizens in that distant region, max
II our duty, as il is on- interest TO cultivate ami
cable relations with the Indian tribes OF that ter
, rirory. For this purpose, recommend that pro
vision be made for establishing an Indian agency
and such suhappnccs as may be deemed uecos
4, sarv beyond the Rocky Mountains
For the protection Of emigrailts whilst or thei
way 20 Oregon, against the attacks OF the Inda
=, tribes occupying the country through whlc
= they pass | recommend that suitable nuuhc
ofstcckades and lockhouse forts be erected a
long the usual route between auy frontier settle
: neuts on the Missouri and the Rocky mountains
: and that an adequate force of mounted rIncmr
! bc raised 10 guard and protect them on their Jour
c ncv The immediate adoption of these rrcom
! mendaiions by Congress will not violate the pre-
. visions OF the existing treaty. II will be doiu
d nothing more for American citizens than Rritis
: laws have long since done for British subjects
= the same territory.
e II requires several months 20 perform the voy
= age by from the Atlantic States Oregon an
l. although We have a large number OF whale shT
'i in the Pacific, but few Of them afford oppo
muty of Intercharging intelligence, witho'
= rrea, delay, between our settlements in that d