The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-11

| While Vancouver was prosecuting discovery and
exploration by sea, Sir Alexander Mackenzie,
partner IN the Northwest Company, crossed the
Rocky mouptaiRs, discovered the head waters Of thu
river since called Frazers river, and following fol
some time the course of that river effected passage
TO the sea-being the first civilized man who trayersed
the continent of America from sea to sea in those
| ATTITUDES. On the return of Mackenzie TO Canada
the Northwest Company established trading posts
in the country to the westward of the Rocky noun
| tains.
| In lo06 and 1911, respectively the same compa.
| ny established posts on the Tacouche Jesse, and
the Columbia.
In the year 1911, Thompson, the astronomer OF
| the Northwest Company, discovered the northern
| head waters of the Columbia, and following its
course I'LL joined by the rivers previously discovered
by Lewis and Clarke, he continued his journey to
| the Pacific.
From that time until the year 1918, when the ar
rangement for the joint occupancy of the territory
was concluded, the Northwest Company continued
| 10 extend their operations throughout the Oregon
territory, and TO occupy il may be said as far as
occupation be effected In regions inaccessible
| and destitute of resources.
While all this was passing, the following events
occurred which constitute the American claim in
their own proper right.
In 1892, Gray entered the mouth of the Columbia
river. ...t
In 1906, Lewis and Clarke effected passage
across The Rocky mountains, and, discovering 4
branch of the Columbia river followed il until they
reached the ocean,
In 1911, the trading post or settlement OF Astoria
was established at the mouth Of the Columbia, on
| the northern side Of that river .
This post or settlement passed during the last war
into British hands by the voluntary act of the per-
sons in charge of tia fact aagt clearly establish
ed 1t was restored to the United States in Ia,
with certain wc-authentcated reservations; but ii
was never actually reoccupied by American citi-
kens having, from the moment of the original trans
fer sale, continued to be occupied by British sub
jects.
These are the acts Of discovery, exploration, and
settlement, referred to by the United States as Civ
ing them claim to the valley Of the Columbia, in
| their own proper right.
The British government are disposed to view
them in the most liberal sense, and to give to them
the utmost value to which they can in fairness be
entitled; but there circumstances attending each
and all ofthem which must, in the opinion Of any
impartial investigator of the subject take from them
great deal Of the effect which the American nego-
-tators assign 10 them as giving TO this country a
claim to the entire region drained by the Columbia
| and its branches.
| Gray, it must be remarked that he was private
navigator, sailing principally for the purposes of
trade, which fact establishes wide difference, in
national pon, of view, between the discoveries
cnmplished by him and those effected by Cook and
Vancouver, who sailed in ships Of the royal navy
west coast for the express purpose of exploration
and discovery.
| In the next place, it is circumstance not to be
lost sight Of that it not for several years fol-
| lowed up by any act which could give it value in q
national point Of view: it was not in truth made
known to the world either by the dscoycrer himself
| or by his government. So recently as the year
| 1926, the American plenpotentinrics in London
marked, with great correctness in one Of their re-
ports, that prospecting the mouth Of the Columbia
| river, we know nothing Of Gray's discoveries but
| through British accounts"
| In the next place, the connexion of Gray's dis
covery with that of Lewis and Clarke is interrupted
by the intervening exploration Of Lieutenant Brough
ton, of the British surveying ship "Chatham.n
] With respect to the expedition of Lewis and
Clarke II must, on close examination of the route
pursued by them, be confessed that neither III
| outward Journey to the Pacific nor on their home.
| ward Journey to the United States, did they touch
upon the head waters of the principal branch of the
Columbia river, which lie far to the north Of the
| parts of the country traversed and explored by
them.
Thompson, Of the British Northwest Company
| was the first civilized person who navigated the
northern, in reality the main, branch Of the Coum.
ba, travcrsed any part Of the country drained by
| it.
| II was by tributary of the Columbia that Lewis
and Clarke made their way to the main stream Of
that river, which they reached at point distant, il
| is believed, not more than two hundred miles from
| the point to which the river had already been ex.
plored by Broughton.
| These facts, the undersigned conceives, will be
found sufficient to reduce the value Of Lewis and
| Clarkes exploration on tho Columbia TO limits
which would by no means justify claim to the
whole valley drained by that river and its branches
As to settlement, the qualified nature Of the rights
devolved to the United States by virtue Of the rest
tuition of Fort Astoria has already been pointed out.
| 1t will thus be SEEM the undersigned confidently
believes that on the grounds Of discovery, expora-
ton, and settlement, Great Britain has nothing to
| fear from comparison of her claims 70 the Oregon
territory, taken as whole, with those of the
| United States:
That reduced to the valley drained by the Colum-
bia the facts on which the United States their
case are far from being Of that complete and exclu-
sive character which would justify claim to the
whole valley Of the Columbia and
That, especially as relates TO Vancouver's island
taken by ITSELF the preferable claim of Great Britain
in every point of view, seems to have been clearly
| demonstrated.
After this exposition of the views entertained by
the British government respecting the relative value
and Importance Of the British and American claims
| the American penipotentiary will not be surprised
to hear that the undersigned does not feel liberty
to accept the proposal offered by the American plen-
ipotentary for the settlement of the question.
This proposal, in fact, offers less than that tender
ed by the American plenpotentiaries in the negoa.
ton of 1896, and declined by the British govern
| ment.
| On that occasion il was proposed that the navga-
ton of the Columbia should be made free to both
| parties.
| On this nothing is said in the proposal to which
the undersigned has now the honor to reply; while,
with respect TO the proposed freedom of the ports
Vancouver's island south Of latitude ago the facts
which have been appealed to, in this paper, Civ
ing Great Britain the strongest claim to the pos,
session Of the whole island, would seem to deprive
such proposal Of any value.
The undersigned, therefore, trusts that the Ameri-
can plenipoentiary will be prepared TO offer some
further proposal for the settlement Of the Oregon
| question more consistent with fairness and equity,
and with the reasonable expectations of the British
government, az defined in the statement (marlked d.
which the undersigned had the honor TO present to
the American penipoentiary at the early part Of the
| present negotiation.
The undersigned, British plenipoientiary, has the
| honor TO renew to the honorable James Buchanan,
Secretary of State and plenipotentiary Of the Uni
ted States the assurance Of his high consideration.