The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-11-20
THE FORTY NINTH PARALLEL,

We have already stated our convicrion that The
American title to Oregon is sound and perfec, nm
to 81 deg. 40 min. We have denied Inc owls,
ence oi any break in the title at the 49rh degree
we have said further, tina: in SO far as the ne,n.
tiaiIons on this subject between the United States
ana England have been made known, there is. To
the best ct our recollection, no argument what
ever which carries our tile ND TO 40 deg and
there stops We made all these statements with
due elaboration. We adhere To them. lin snte
OF all The vague and loose allegations on the mai
ter' which are running the rounds of The WHO
PeSS,) ana we are prepared TO sustain them, as
stated, by full and conclusive proof.
ms being The State of our title to Orepon il
SEEMS proper to explain, briefly, how ii has han.
Pened IN past times that, as a matter of compro-
mise, we have offered and urued uoon the oc.
cepance of Great Britain the 10Th paraIleI &c
line OF limits between herself and us. from The
rocky Mountains To the Pacific We pressed
ms OTTER upon England perseverngy from 1914
10 l" loZF'2S. During all that lime our offer
o. ms compromise was steadily repplled. In some
III our unsuccessful attempts at OreUnn legisIa
tion' under the stipulation of joint occupancy LAS
1t Is caIled) Of 1918, we have also named. rs Ibe
o'tn 'ii "i our territorial jursd Iclion the same
49lh degree. 'l"''
IL is a question of no small interest lust now
now all ms has come TO pass In what man.
her, and Tor what cause, has II So happened that
our government, through a quarter Of century
cd'"h'hS anu holding good title M 10 81 dep
~ min, has YET been willing TO cnrnprofnise lis
difference with England by The line of 4orh deg
IL Is, we admit, perfectly fair question for those
To ASK who doubt that our title is clear M to 81
deg. 4O min, how is it that the line of DO deg
mas oren our line Of negotiation, and even Of at.
tempted legislation, SD long, if our title does not
terminate at that linz
This question we now proposa TO answer
ny HE treaty of peace with Great Britain of
1908, the northern boundary line between the
United states and British America was settled
from 'he source 0f The river ST. Crox on the
northeast, To the Lake Of the Wuuds an the north.
wesi-thIs lake being about $50 miles nortbwes,
oI LAKE superior and then supposed to he bot
SNORT distance east of The head waters of the Mis-
slssippi. This line-frOm the ST Crnix ,n tho
Lake OF The WnUds-sllIl stands as our b,nndarv
save it has been changed near lis commence.
ment ~ the northeast. and between Lake Su
peTlnr and the Lake Of The Woods, by the recent
Ashburon treaty. Having drawn This boundary
as far west as The Lake If The Wouds the same
treaty OF 1888. stipulated that the boundary line
should extend due west from The Lake Of the
Woods. I'LL it should strike the Mississippi
GOWN The middle Of which river it was then to
continue
But II was soon made known that line drawn
one West from The Lake Of the WnUds could not
sirke me Mississippi. A npw line west from
that lake was then 10 be sought and settled. A
commission TO adjust This and other disputed points
OF the treaty Of 1888, having been stimulated for
IN subsequent treaty with England of 1894.
negotiations upon The subject were had in the
years following lS03-rhe date. be il obse,ved ~
or Louisiana purchase. IN these nppotiatlons
subsequent to 1903. the 49lh parallel Of latitude
was first named as boundary line between the
United States and the British possessions. The
and governments were lust about
agreeing on the line Of the 49fh deg. as a line IF
demarcalton from the Lake OF the Woods 10 The
Rocky mountains, with the express proviso thai
the agreement should in way touch the case ,,f
territory claimed by either party west Of rhose
Mountains, when The affair Of the Chesapeake oc
'nrfed, and the negotiations were broken of by