Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-12-05


mister appointed has set out on his mission, and
is probably by this time, near the Mexican CAPT.
tall He has been instructed 10 bring The negotia
tion with which he is charged 10 a conclusion al
the earliest practicable period which, il is expect,
ed, will be in lime 20 enable me 10 communicate
the result 10 Congress during The present session.
Until that result is known, torbcar TO recon-
mend 10 Congress such Interior measures Of re-
dress for the wrongs and injuries we have SO long
borne, as il would have been proper 10 make, had
no such negotiation been Instituted
Congress appropriated, al the last session, The
sum oi Two hundred and scyenly-tive thousand
dollars Tor the payment OF the April and Jul? in
4 staments of the Mexican indemn,ies for the year
1874: "Provided il shall be asceriai ned 10 lle ga
tisfac,ion of the American Government that said
instalmens have been paid by the Mexican Go
yernment 10 The agent appointed BY The United
States TO receive tie same in such manner as 10
discharge all claim on The Mexican Government,
and said agent to be delinquent in renting the
money 10 the United States"
The unsettled stale Of our relations with Next
co has involved This subject in much mystery
The first information in an authentic iuim from
the agent OF The United States, appointed under
the administration OF my predecessor, was re-
ceived at The State Department on The ninth Of
November last This is contained in a letter,
dated the seventeenth OF October, addressed by
the view Of having il communicated 10 that DC
parlmenl. From this il appears that The agent,
on The twentieth of September 1871, gave 4 re-
ceipt TO The treasury OF Mexico for the amount Of
the April and July instruments of The indemnity.
In The same communication, however, he asserts,
that he had not received single dollar IN cash;
but that he holds such securities as warranted
him at the time in giving The receip and enter
tains no doubt but that he will eventually obtain
~ t,,an arar
10 have been actually paid by The government OF
Mexico TO the agent and as that government has
not therefore, been released so as 10 discharge
the claim, | do no, feel myself warranted in di-
recling payment TO be made 10 The claimants out
OF the Treasury, without further legislation
Their case is, undoubtedly, one oi much hard
ship; and il remains for Congress 10 decide whe-
Their any, and what, relief ought 10 be granted 10
them. Our Minister TO Mexico has been instruct.
ed TO ascertain the facts Of the case from The
Mexican Government, in an Authentic ana Off
cial FORM and report The result with as little delay
as possible.
My attention was early directed 10 The ncgotia-
ton, which, on The fourth OF March last, | fnun!
pending at Washington between The United States
and Great Britain, on The subject of the Oregon
! Territory. Three several attempts had been pre-.
viously made 10 settle the questions in dispute be-
tween the two countries, by negotiation, upon The
/
successful.
+ These negotiations took Place al London, in
! the years 1918, 1924, and 1896 The two iifs
/ under The administration OF MIR. Montoe. and
the last under that Of Mr.. Adams The ncgo-
ton Of 1918 having tailed TO accomplish is Oh
iect, resulted in the Convention Of ihe 20;h o
I October Of that year. Ry the .icd article oil thai
/ Convention, il was "agreed that any country
that may be claimed by either parry on tie
I Northwest ccast Of America, YVES ward of The
Stony mountains, shall, together witt, its har-
bors, BAYS, and creeks, aud the navigation OF
all rivers within the same, be free and open ior
the tenn Of ten years from the date OF The sig
nature OF the present ConvenIion. 10 the vessels.
! citizens, and subjects OF the two powers; II be-
ing we'll understood that this agreement is no;
10 I've construed 10 the prejudice OF anv claim
which either OF The two high contracting par
ties may have TO any part 0! the said country,
nor shall il be taken 10 affect the claims OF any
other power or Stale 10 any part OF tie said
country; The only object OF the high contracting
parties in that respect being 10 prevent disputes
and differences among themselves"
The negotiation Of 1924 was productive OF no
result, and the convention of 1913 was left un
changed.
The negotiation Of 1896 having also failed 10
effect an adjustment by compromise, resulted in
the Convention OF August the sixth, 1927, By
which ii was agreed 10 continue in force, for IN
indefinite period, the provision oiihe third article
| of the Convention OF The twentieth OF October,
1918; and il was further provided, that iii shall
be competent, however, TO either OF the contract
ing parties, in case either should think f a, any
time after the twentieth OF October, 1925, on Civ
! ing due notice of twelve months 10 the other con-
/ tracing parry, 10 annu and abIogaie this Con-
venion; and it shall in such case be according
/ y entirely annullcd and sbrosaicd after The expi-
! ration Of The said term of notice." In these at
temps to adjust the controversy, the parallel Of
| the forty .ninlh degree OF North latitude had beer
offered by the United States 10 Great Britain, and
| in those Of 1913 and 1896 with further conces-
| sion OF the free navigation Of the Columbia
| river South Of that latitude. The parallel of The
| torly-ninth degree, from The Rocky mountains 20
/ its intersection wth,he Nurlheasiernmost branch
! of the Columbia, and thence down ne channel OF
| that river TO the sea, had been offered by Great
| Britain, with an addition OF small detached
territory North Of the Columbia Each oil these
propositions had been rejected ~ the parties re.
! spectively.
| In October, ls43, the Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister ipolentiary OF the United States
/ in London was authorized TO make a similar II.
\ fer to these made in 1919 and 1926 Thus stood
The question, when The negotiation was shortly az
/ forwards transferred 70 WASHINGTON; and on the
twenty-hird Of August, 1874 was formally open
1 ed, under the direction nlmy immediate predeces-
\ sor. Like all he previous negotiations, il was
i based upon principles of compromise" and the
avowed purpose of the parties was, ITO treat Of
the respective claims Of the Two countries 10 The
Oregon territory, with the view 10 establish per-
manent boundary between them westward o! The
| Rocky mountains 10 The Pacific ocean" Accol-
/ dinghy, on The twenty-sixlh oi August, 1871. the
British plenipctenliary offered In divide The Ore
gon territory by The orly-nin,h parallel of North
latitude, from The Rocky mountains 10 the point
! Of its intersection with the Northeaslrrnmost
| branch OF The Columbia river, and thence down
lha, river 10 The sea; leaving the free navigation
of the river TO be enjoyed in common BY both par
| ties-the country Suuih OF this line TO belong 10
The Un!ed States and that North OF il 10 Great
Britain. AT The same lime. he proposed, in add
ton, 10 yield TO The United Slalcs detached ter
rilory North OF The Columbia, extending along The
! Pacific and the Straits of Fuca, from Buhnch'S
harbor inclusive, 10 Hoods canal, and TO make
free 10 The United States any por, or ports Sonlk
Of latitude forty.nine degrees, which they might
desire, either on The mail land, or on Qnadra and
| Vancouvers island. With the exception nf The
free ports this was the same offer which had been
made by The British, and rejected by the Amer.
I can Government, in the negotiation OF 1926 This
proposition was properly rejected by hc Ameri-
| can plcnipolenlary On The day j, was submitted.
This was he only proposition OF compromise Oh
/ fered blythe bsuish plenipo,eniary. The propo-
son on The part OF Great Britain having been
rejected, The British plenipoenlary requested thai
/ proposal should be made bv the United States
for an equitable adjustmen, OF The question"
| When came into c:6ce, found this 10 be the
| state OF the negotiation. Though entertaining
the seulcd conviction, that The British preiensions
| OF tisle could not he maintained 10 any portion Of
The Oregon territory upon any principle OF pnbc
law recognized by nations, YET, in Difference 10
what had been done by my predecessors, and es.
peciallv in consideration that propositions OF COM
promise had been thrice made by Two preceding
administrations, 10 adjust the question on The pa
rallel of lorty-nine degrees, and in ,wo Of them
yielding 10 Great Britain the tree navigation OF
| the Columbia, and that The pending negotiation
had been commenced on The basis al compromise,
deemed it 10 be nay duty mol abruptly TO break
;off. In consideration, too. lhs. under Inc con-