The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-06

evade our claim on the novel and wholly untenabls
ground that his discovery was made, not in a ma.
tonal, but private vessel. Such, and so ncontesta
Bile, is the evidence of our claim, against Grea
Britain--rom priority of discovery, as the mouth
of the river crossing its bar entering it, and sailing
up its stream, on the voyage of Captain Gray alone
without taking into consideration the prior discovery
of the Spanish navigator, Heceta--which will be
more particularly referred to hereafter. s.te
Nor ia the evidence of the priority Of our discov-
cry of the head-branches of the river and its expo-
ration less conclusive. Before the treaty was rat
fed by which we acquired Louisiana, in 1903, an
expedition was planned-at the head of which were
placed Meriwether Lewis and William Clarke--to
explore the river Missouri and its principal branches
to their sources, and then to seek and trace to its
termination IN the Pacific sope stream, 'iOhsiher the
Columbia, The Oregon, the Colorado, on amy other
iohich might offer The most direct and practicable Waer~
communication The continent, for the purpose o.
commerce" The party began to ascend the Missouri
in May, 1904 and, in the summer of 1905, reached
the headwa,ers of the Columbia river. Ater cross
ing many Of the streams falling into it, they reached
the Kooskooskec, in latitude AGO 34-descended
that to the principal northern branch, which they
called Lcwis's-followed that to its junction with
thegre northern branch, which they called Clarke
and thence descended to the mouth Of the river,
where they landed, and encamped on the north
side, on Cape Disappointment, and wintered. The
next spring. they commenced their return, and cor
linued their exploration up the river noting its
rious branches, and tracing some OF the principal;
and finally arrived at ST. Louis in September, 1906,
after absence oftwo years and four months.
II was this important expedition which brought
to the knowledge 81 the world this great river-the
greatest by far Oh the western side of this CONT
nent--wth its numerous branches, and the vast re-
gions through which it flows, above the points to
which Gray and Vancouver had assembled. Il
took place many years before it was visited and
explored by any subject of Great Britain, of any
other civilized nation, SO far we are informed
Ii as clearly entities us TO the claim of priority
Of discovery, as to its head branches, and the ex-
ploraton of the river and region through which it
passes, as the voyages of Captain Gray and the
Spanish navigator, Heceta, entitled us to priority in
reference to its mouth, and the entrance into its
channel
Nor is our priority of settlement less certain. Es-
Adjustments were formed by American citizens on
the Columbia early as 1909 and 1910. In the
latter year, company was formed in New York,
at the head Of which was John Jacob Aston, a
wealthy merchant of that city, the object Of which
to form regular chain of establishments the
Columbia river and the contiguous coasts Of the
Pacific, for commercial purposes. Early in the
spring of 1911, they made their first establishment
on the south side of the river, few miles above
Point George; where they visited in July fol-
lowing by Mr.. Thompson, surveyor and astrono-
mer of the Northwest Company, and his party.
They had been sent out by that company to fore
stall the American company in occupying the mouth
OF the river, but found themselves defeated in their
object The American company formed two other
connected establishments higher up the river: one
at the confluence Of the Okenegan with the north
branch of the Columbia; about six hundred miles
above its mouth; and the other on he-Spokan, a
stream falling into the north branch, some fifty
miles above.
These posts passed into the possession of Great
Britain during the war which was declared the next
year; but it was provided by the first article of the
treaty of Client, which terminated it, that "ait ter
rforie places and possessions ohaieper taken By either
party from the Other during the ,car, ,ohch may be
islands hersgr mentioned I'm the Bay Of Fsady) sa
be restored ,ciihoM delay" Under this provision,
which embraces all the establishments of the Amer
lean company on the Columbia, Astoria was for
mally restored, on the 9Th Of October, 1918, by
agents duly authorized on the part Of the British
government to restore the possession, and to an
agent duly authorized the part of the government
of the United States to Give (which placed our
possession where it was before it passed into the
hands of British subjects
Such are the facts on which we rest our claims to
priority of discovery and priority Of exploration and
settlement against Great Britain, TO the region
drained by the Columbia river. So much for the
claims we have in our own proper right, to that re-
gion.
To these we have added the claims Of France and
Spain. The former we obtained by the treaty OF
Louisiana, ratified in lSO3 and the latter by the
we acquired all the rights which France had Lou
siana io the erien no,o has (l803) in the hands of
Spain, and that u had iohfn France possessedH and
such should be after The treaties subsequently, entered
inio by Spain and other States" BY the latter, his
Catholic Majesty seeded to the United States all his
rights, Claims and pretensions" to the country lying
west of the Rocky mountains and north Of a line
drawn on the AID parallel Of latitude, from point
on the south bank Of the Arkansas, in that parallel
to the South Sea; that is to the whole region claim
ed by Spain west of those mountains, and north of
that line.
The cession of Louisiana gave US undisputed title
of the Mississippi, extending to the summit OF
the Rocky mountains, and stretching south between
that river and those mountains To the possessions OF
Spain, the line between which and ours was after
wards determined by the treaty of Florida. II also
added much to the strength of our title to the region
beyond the Rocky mountains, by restoring to us the
important link Of continuity westward to the Pacific,
which had been surrendered by the treaty of 1853
as will be hereafter shown.
That continuity furnishes just foundation for a
claim Of territory, in connection with those of dis.
covery and occupation would seem unquestionable.
1t is admitted by all that neither of them is limited
by the precise spot discovered occupied. II is
evident that in order 10 make either available, it
must extend at least distance beyond that ac-
tualy discovered or occupied; but how far, as an
abstract question, is matter of uncertainty. 1t is
subject in each case to be influenced by variety
of considerations. In the of an island, it has
been usually maintained in practice to extend the
claim of discovery or occupancy to the whole. So,
likewise, in the case of river, it has been usual to
extend them to the entire region drained by itmore
especially in Of discovery and settlement at
the mouth; and emphaticaliy so when accompanied
by exploration Of the river and region through
which il flows. Such, it is believed, may be affirm
ed to be the opinion and practice in such cases since
the discovery of this continent. How far the claim
Of continuity may extend in other cases, is less
perfectly Defined and be settled only by ref
erence to the circumstances attending each. When
this continent first discovered, Spain claimed
the whole, in virtue of the grant of the Pope but
claim so extravagant and unreasonable was not
acquiesced in by other countries, and could not be
long maintained. Other nations, especially Eng gland
and France, at early PERIOD contested her claim.
| They fitted out voyages Of discovery, and made
settlements on the eastern coasts Of North Amer
lea. They claimed for their settlements, usually
specific limits along the coasts or bays on which
they were formed, and, generally, region of cor
responding width extending across the entire con-
continent TO the Pacific ocean. Such was the char
| rnr,h a cd hv ENGLAND in tho bar