The New York herald., 1845-12-12
DEPARTMENT or STATE.


The undersigned, Ameiic Plenpo,entiary. has read
the British statement without its weakening his conf.
dence Ia tho validity OF the title Of the United States
That title rests the right of priority Of discovery by
the United States and by spaia the Inter right transfer
red By the treaty OF FLORIDA To the United States This
priority Of discovery not denied by the British Pleni-
polentary in his counter state He tina.
Spain possessed the right hut dvested sell OF it
in 1890 by the Nootka nnd Convention and, there
FORE could not transfer 1t TO the United States Having
thus disposed Of The Spanish rgat the statement op.
ground that Vancouver sailed further up the Columbia
than he did. This is nero assumption The Noo'ka
Sound Convention contsns not word as to the CLAIMS
OF Spain aud It Is this Convention that the American
claim hy priority OF disco cry j. disputed
The two next claims which The United states rest
their title wide statement are founded on their own
proper right he hrs u the piinity OF discovery by
Lewis aud Clara oy whom the &C lnmbia (WItl the eX
p,ion OF its mouth and small portion the ocean,
was frst brought to the koowledge of the world TINS
is admitted and Mackenzies discovery is o agans
it but thar does affect the territory drained by the
The next is priority of settlement We formed the
first settlements in the territory Astoria was recog
nzed such a. the treaty OF Ghent aud restored 10
US by that treaty All is il not denied; therefor we
the party in possession which admitted by Lord
Castieresg in 1918 The restoration OF Astoria 10 us,
the convention Of lssthe treaty Of 1927 all pres rye,
ADMIT and perpetuate rights The force OF all thin
is attempted 10 be weakened by speaking of snndry
treaty suppl tons as AN understanding between the
two governments" But treaty obligations cannot oe
transferred into understanding
The next claim tai the United States is derived from
cedng All Spain derived om Great Br tain by the tree.
ty Of 1868 Great Britain ceded all her claims TO sPa,
from SPAN by the treaty OF Florida This is denied by
the statement the authority of MIR Jefferson
But Mr. Jefferson does not deny that the United states
acquired claims to the Oregon Territory by the ac.
QUESTION oil Louisiana His statements do not refer to
claims acquired, but simply to certain bounda isshe
shows tho mpoiicy bringing forward our claims but
does deny their existence His prompt measure in
having tho territory explored clearly shows his opinion
to have been that we had acquired claim to IT,
The statement objects 10 our contguity a. the
found ton of right and calls an interest possessed in
acquiring territory westward Conguity sppertains 10
"
occupancy, wide statement This Is the very Igh,
west of Hudsons Bay TO the Pacific, VIZ the right ct
continuity and II now too late TO deny It,
The counter statement arrives at the conclusion that
the of the question is this: That the two
powers ar now joint occuper and therefore have equal
rights of which neither OF the two can be divested out
by an equitable par,ition.n To this conclusion the un.
designed cannot He claims title 10 the whole
region drained by the claims the right OF
being reinstaedof being considered the party III pos
session. The United States desire only what they
deem themselves justly entitled to, and are un%h-
ling take less The proposal made by the British Pie
npoentary conference falls far short of
what the United States believe themselves entitled TO-
terms are these: ist Claims derived from Spain by the
Florida treaty %. Claims founded on the discoveries
and explorations OF her navigators c.,uo,-x
R Hon. *. PAEENHAM, &c.
Mr.. Pakenhanl 10 Mr.. Calhoun
WARRINGTON, Jan. l5, lS45
This letter that all that passed the ques
ton Of the Oregon boundary has been communicated to
the British government that he expects to commu.
nicate its views-.nat farer mode OF settling the
question could be adopted than that of arbitrasion that
he is authorised to offer to the United States govern
ment-that this assented to- the choice Of al bitter
can be subsequently settled
Signed, X PAkENHAM.
Hon. J. c. CALHOUN
Mr.. Calhoun to NJ. Pakenham
WAsHiroIos, J 81, Is45.
This letter ths the President cannot accede to
the oer btraon that he hopes the question may be
settled by the gostion pending that il is not ad
vsabe any other method, long as there
hope by negotiation
Signed, J. {. CALHOUN.
4 Rt Hon. II. PAKIyHAM