Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-03-05

VI tue DINER contracting party.
Here is our bond; and on this article
hang the whole law and the prophets; and
in order to a correct and thorough under
standing Of its true intent, purpose and
meaning, it is necessary for US to take
brief review of the situation of the con-
tracing parties in the year 1918.
At that time the United States were in
possession of no claim to this northwest
ern territory, but in virtue of the discove-
ry and exploration of our own enterpris-
ing navigators, Gray and lngraham, and
of the title we derived from the French
government by the treaty of cession OF
1903, by which we acquired the Louisiana
territory.
And am free to admit, that our title,
so far as it was derived from the French,
did not extend beyond 40 degrees.
Mr.. ADAMS here interposed, and in
quired of Mr.. T. where he found any
French title at all to that country.]
Mr.. T.repled. By the treaty of Utrecht,
concluded between Great Britain and
France in 1918, "Hudson's Bay, and all
the lands, &c. thereunto appertaining,"
were restored to Great Britain, and COM
missioners were appointed TO agree upon
and mark out line between the two 60
vernments; who, upon examination, adopt
ed the 49th degree of north latitude. By
the treaty of 1863, concluded at Paris, be-
tween Great Britain, France, and Spain,
the French possessions on the st. Law
renee. and all the country lying east Of
the Mississippi, were ceded TO Great Bri-
tain; and all the country west of the Mis-
sissippi river, up to the 49th degree, was
irrevoca6ly relinquished by England &c
France, and thus the French claim to al
that vast tract of country was good agains
England.
Mr.. ADAMS again inquired whether Mr.
I. was able to show any claim ever made
by Fracne of any territory whatever OF
the south seas.
Mr. I. said, do not believe that she
ever had claimed as against Spain Blu
in the old Virginia grant from the crown
of England, lis western boundary was ex
tended to the south seas. So in the gran
TO the lords, proprietors Of North Carolina
and the same is the Georgia grant. After
the acknowledgment of our independence
in the treaty of 1883, by the effect of the
treaty of 1868, The Mississippi river was
admitted by these States, and by the Uni
ted States, to be the limit of their severa
grants. France was the discoverer Of the
Mississippi river; and it is a well-settlet
principle among civilized nations, tina
when nation has discovered q new coun
try by its coast, or by one of its great ri
vers, its boundaries are held to be cont
nued from that coast or river until they
reached to some natural object creating
for them a natural termination. The
/ bounds of the French claim, according t
this principle, would extend till they reach
ed the ocean And, as England had claim
ed 10 the south seas, and had afterward
relinquished that claim to France, and a
we, by the Louisiana treaty, became pos
sessed of the French title, il surely wa
not for that government to dispute it
rightfulness and validity. But again;
/ am somewhat surprised that such ques
ton should proceed from the gentlema
from Massachusetts,. For, if we derive
no claim whatever from France, VIVA
shall we say of the frankness and dlsin
genousness of our negotiators, who, actin
under his direction, relied upon this ces
sion of 1903, as one of the grounds of OF
title to the territory of Oregon? But
again repeat, that this claim, so far as
is derived from France, did not extend bt
yond 40 degrees north.
Mr.. ADAMS again interposed, and sai
that the Florida treaty had given US II
the Spanish title; and on that our clail
! was founded.
Mr.. T. responded. That was very tru'
but am speaking of our title as ii existt
!, in 1918, when we had not yet acquire
the Spanish claim The Florida trea
= was not concluded till 1919, near twel'
months subsequent to the treaty of Isl
Mr.. ADAMS said that our claim prev
GUS to that rested on the discovery of Car
. Gray, and the residue depended entire
on the Florida treaty.l
Mr.. T. proceeded to observe, that
fore we had obtained any title from Spai
I We had proposed 10 agree to the 49th d
: gree of latitude. The gentleman said y
: had no claim under France, but rested
/, then on the sole ground Of discovery
n Captain Gray. Now, if our title rest
: on discovery, it must have extended b
!. yond latitude 40; for Gray's discovery
i the mouth of the river entitled us TO Il
n whole territory watered by it; and its Il
: bulary streams and the head waters of Il
$ Columbia river rise north of 40 degree
: | insist upon it, then, that in the year l8l
6 our claim, independent Of our title by d
coyery, was a good and valid one as
gainst. England. In September, It's
! Gray, from Boston, entered the port
: Nootka sound, and in 1892 he discover