American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-12-03

Tree PoTls, lnls was the same Her which had
been made by the British, and re ected by the
American government in the negotiation u
1876. This proposition was properly reject
ed by the American plenipotentlary on the
day it was submitted. The proposition on the
part OF Great Britain having been rejected,
the British enipotentiary requested that a
proposal should be made by the United States
Tor ian equitable adjustment Of the question"
When came into office, found this to be
the state OF The negotiation. Though enter
tanning the settled conviction, that the Br ish
pretenslon of title could not be maintained to
any p 'rtion OF the Oregon territory upon any
principle OF public law r, cognised by nations,
yet, in Difference 10 what had been done b =,
my predecessors and especially in considera-
ton that propositi )ns Of compromise had been
thrice made by two preceding administrations,
10 adjust The question ON the parallel Of forty
nine degrees, and in two of them Yielding t.
Great Britain the free navigation Of the Co
lumbia, and that the pending negotiation had
been commenced on the basis of compromise,
deemed it to be my duty not abruptly to
break i of In consideration, too, that under
the conventions OF 1878 and 1927, the ci .zens
and subjects Of the two Powers held joint
occupancy Of The county, | WAS induced to
conirove 81 IN the spirit Of moderation which
had gwen birth to the renewed d sCussion. A
proposition was accordingly made, wh ch was
rejected by the British plvmpotenllnry, who,
Wthou, submitting any other r0pOsiliun, sul-
tertd the ncgotauun on his part TO drop, eX.
pressing h trust that the United States would
offer what he saw fit TO call 'ssume further
pro osal for the settlement of the Oregon
4 nj fol md
equity, ard with the reas nahlr expectati. rs
"i the British government " The proposition
thus offered and rejeceJ repeated he offer 81
the parallel of Io"y -nInn degrees of north ati-
tude, VIII ch had been made by two preceding
administrations, but without proposing to sur
re der to Great B,itan, as they rad done, the
free n lvigation OF the Columba river. The
right OF any foreign Power TO the free naviga
ZION Of any Of our rivers, through the heart Of
our country, was one which | was unwiIliu z
to concede. 1t also embraced a provision TO
make free 10 Great Britain any port or ports
on the cap Of Quadra and Vancouver's island
south of this parallel. Had this been a new
question, coming under discussion for the FIRST
tine, this proposition would not have been
mad. The extraordinary and wholly mad
missble dt mInds Of The British government,
and The reJec ion of the proposition IN ide in
Difference alone TO what had been done by my
predecessors, and the implied Obligation which
the acts seemed 10 impose, afford satisfacto
ry evidence mat no compromise which the
United States ought 10 ac ,ept, can be effected.
With this convictiun, the proposition of CO IL
promise which hal been made and rejected,
was, Ivy my direction, subs, queutIy withdrawn,
and our IItle 10 the whole Oregon territory
asserted, and, As IS believed maintained by
irreffogabIc facts arguments
The civilized world will see in these pro-
oeeding. spirit Of liberal Concession on the
part of the United States; and this COVE rnment
will he relieved from all ssponsibllty which
may follow the failure 10 set lie the controversy
All attempts at COM gomise HAVING fail d,u
becomes the duy OF Congress 10 consider what
measures it may be proper to adopt for The Sc
curty and protection of on citizens now in
habltng or who may hereafter inhabit Ore
gon, and Tor the maintenance of our just title
to that territory In adopting measures for
this purpose, care should be taken that nothing
be d"ne to violate the stipuIatons Of the con-
yention of 1927, which Is still in force The
faith OF treaties, in their letter and spirit, has
ever been, and, trust, will ever he, scrupu-
lously observed hy the United States. Under
that convention, a years notice is required 10
be given by liner party to the other, before
the joint occupancy shall terminate, and be-
FORE either can rghifuly assert or exercise
exclusive jurisdiction over any portion OF the
territory. This notice it would, in my iurg-
ment, be proper to give; and recommend that
provision he made by law for giving it accord
ngly, and terminal ng, in this manner, the
convention of the sixth of August, 1927.
1t will become proper for Congress Ia de-
term ne what legslot on they can in the mean
time, adopt without violating this convention
b You'd all ques ion, the protection oil our
laws and our jurisdiction, civil and criminal,
ought TO be immediately extended over our
citizens in Oregon They have had Just cause
TO complain OF our long neglect IN this partic.
ular, and have, IN consequence, been compel
led, Tor their own security and protection, TO
establish Provisional government for them
selves. Strong in their allegiance and ardent
in their attachn, Mt to the United States, they
nave been thus cast upon their own res ourceS.
hey are anXou, thar our laws shcu be ex-
tended over them, and ! recommend that this
be done by Congress with as lite dalav as
possible, in the full extent to which Tie British
Parliament have proceeded in regard 10 Brit |
IN subjects 10 that territory, by their act Of
July the second, 1921, "ior 7, guiatng the fur |
Uaue' ana eS'aohShIng criminal ana civil !
jurisdiction within certain Ia,ts Of Norh A |
me lea Ey this act Great Britain extended |
her laws an" jurisdiction, civil and criminal,
over her usJects, ing gid IN the fur.tr4de 10 |!
thai territory. Bv 1t, the courts Of the pro-
vince of Upper Canada we're empowered 70
take cosnIzance of causes civil lad criminal.
Justices of the peace and other judicia
officers were au horned to be apy ointed |
in Oregon, with POWER o ex cute all process
issuing from the courts of that province and to
"slt and hold cour,s of record for the trial of
CT mlnal offences and mlsdemeanoIs," not
made the subject Of capital punishment, and
also ofclvil eases, whence the cause Of action
sail not "eXceee in value the amount or cum
of two hundred pounds
Subsequent to the date Of tbs act of Par
lament, grant was made from the British
crown" to the lludson's Bay Company, of
thn al. s.tsat ,,.l Il