The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-04-04

dated Goth of July, from w. H. Sheriff, ESQ.,, cap
tain of his Majesty's ship Andromache, we, the
undersigned, do, in conformity to the first article
of the treaty of Ghent, restore to the government
Of the United States, through its agent, j. B. Pro-
vost, esq.,, the settlement of Fort George, on the
Columbia river
!" Given under our hands, in triplicate, at Fort
George, Columbia river, this 9th day of October,
"F. HICKEY,
"captain of his Majesty, ship FI%.H Blossom
"Agcnt of the Northwest Company"
This is the surrender, and here is the ac-
knowledgement.
:" do hereby acknowledge TO have this day re-
ceived, in behalf of the government of the United
States. the possession of the settlement designa-
ted above, in conformity to the first article of the
treaty of Ghent.
"Given under my hand, in triplicate, at Fort
George, Columbia river, this 9th day OF October,
1918.
81. B. PROVOST,
uAgent for the United States"
I say the British possession of Astoria
was of short life We whipped them in the
war, and the first articles of negotiation Of
peace required Great Britain to surrender all
places which had been surrendered or cap
tured. Astoria was restored; when the roy
al cross was taken down and the American
stars and stripes raised, and Astoria restored
TO its name; that Astoria shall ever retain
her name, and that the American flag shall
ever wave over her, is the great object of
this bill.
The British ministry claim title to Oregon
by the discovery of Mckenzie, a British sub
ject Mckenzie did explore part of the
Northwest Territory, but he never crossed
the Rocky mountains. He learned all he
knew, as we'll of the name Of Oregon as of
its history, from the Indians east ofthe Rocky
mountains. He neither explored nor oc-
cupied Oregon, nor any part of it. The
British ministry claim to have occupied Orc
gon by one of their citizens named Thomp-
son, who they say headed company of ira
ders and trappers cotemporaneously with As
tors association. That is not SO; and the
history and dates of their formation, and
their arrival in Oregon, defeat their claim
Thompson's arrival and operations in Oregon
were near year after Astor's. have made
no statement in relation to the discovery,
possession, and occupancy of Oregon, but
what its history, as well British as Ameri-
can, will bear me out in.
have stated that sundry conventions have
been held for the purpose (on our side) Of
settling the question of right and possession
of Oregon, but without definite concluslon
Our discovery, claims, explorations, and pos
session have been set forth by our commits
sioners, and they have been met by the sham
titles which have presented on the part of
Great Britain, and so far no definite conclu-
sion has been arrived at.
BY the third article of the convention of
1915
1t is agreed that any country that may be
claimed by either party on the northwest coast Of
America westward of the Stony mountains, shall
together with its harbors, bays, and creeks, and
the navigation of all rivers within the same, be
free and open for the term of ten years from the
date of the signature of the present convention
to the vessels, citizens and subjects of the two
powers, it being well understood that this agree
ment is not to be construed to the prejudice OF
any claim which either of the two high contract
ing parties may have to any part of the same
country.
In 1927 the American claims were again
urged in convention with ability and with
positive evidence of their validity; but the
same titles were brandished by the British
ministry, and no conclusion was had. Pro-
positions were made 10 divide Oregon; that
was, TO divide the Territory by line drawn
through the centre of the north branch of
the Columbia river, from the 10th degree Of
north latitude to the main river, and thence
10 the Pacifc-England 10 have all north of
the Columbia, and America to have all south
of that line. To this proposition our minis
tiers objected, and the negotiation was bro
ken off with no other conclusion than that
it was agreed by the first article that the
same privileges shall be continued which
are secured in the third article of the con-
vention of 1918; and with condition that
one years notice should be given by either
party when it should be intended to put an
end to the treaty.
The negotiation has been going on for
more than a quarter of century, and the
people of the United States have become
tired of it. They now want action. They
want possession and jurisdiction, and they
will have it. They want Oregon-the whole
of Oregon, not a part of it: nothing but the
whole of Oregon will satisfy them, The
question of the immediate occupation was
submitted to the people in the last presiden-
tial election, and the democratic candidates
were sustained because they were pledged
to apply all their official powers to the imme-
diate occupation of Oregon. The whig ora
tors said, true, Oregon is ours, but we will
get into war with Great Britain if we take
possession of it now; we mnst do little
more at negotiation. D-n negotiation, the
people shouted; give us Oregon and we will
do the fighting. We have whipped England
in our infancy, we have whipped her in our
boyhood, and we can make short work of her
now in our manhood. Give us Oregon; ex-
tnrd rnur inrirdictin,, ounr Il. eri,,o Lie n 10