The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-06-07


which was first called the Oregon, by Jonathan Car
yer, of Connecticut, who travelled in the Interior OF
the continent in 1865. How he got the name, or
whether he invented II himself, it is impossible, at
the present day, to determine The stream was not
actually seen till 1892 many persons until then be-
lieving it to be fabulous. The name, however, re-
manned, and is now not only applied to the country
from which its waters gathered but, as the name
of the river ITSELF is
married to immortal verse"
1.-THE continuous woods
Where rolls the Oregon, and hears no sound,
Save his own dashingsp
This country is traversed by ridges of lofty
mountains The shores are bold and high; in many
parts, mountains rising Immediately from the sea.
Up to the 48th parallel there are few nets, or ISL
ands but further north there are thousands of ISL
ands, and network of bays and pennsulas. The
valleys OF the interior are generally narrow. The
climate is drer and milder by many degrees than on
the Atlantic side in the same ATTITUDES. OF the
soil, different accounts have been given, some
representing it as fertile, and others as of
little value. The most valuable portion of il un-
doubleday lies south Of the river, though by far the
best part of the territory for its harbors and mari
time advantages lies around the strait of Fuca. To
u.s. as trading power on the Pacific, these are in-
valuable.
Until within few years, there have been but
scanty settlements-a few trading posts and mis-
sonary stations. But the tide Of American emigra-
ton has lately set in that direction and nothing but
some fatal msstep, on our part, can prevent its hab-
liable portions being occupied in few years by our
countrymen and vast trade thence carried on over
all the Pacific.
This country is claimed by America" as belong
ing exclusively to herr while England claims, not
an exclusive right in any part of it, but right to
occupy and settle 1t, In common with America and
other nations.
al,
grown TO be an angry one; and if we were to judge
by the late declarations of the English ministry,
there remains no arbitrament but the sword. 1t is
difficult however to believe that the government of
Great Britain can seriously think of pushing their
pretensons to the extent of war; while we are con-
fdent that government, in maintaining the rights
of America, win see the propriety of discussing them
with moderation well as frmness, doing act TO
provoke, and sedulously abstaining from even the
appearance of disregardng the obligation of treaties
But while it does this, il has also duty to perform
to Americans. tits time that the insolence of Eng
lishmen, now become almost habitual, were re-
buked. Let us indeed be just; let us appear Just;
and let England and consequences take care Of them
selves.
That we may present concise as well as just
view Of the real merits of this question of the Ore
gon, we shall endeavor to condense into as small
space as possible the grounds both Of fact, and Of
public law, on which our rights are founded. In
uOlUS tHs, Suau siiNc W oHiit
to the inquiry.
What are the rules of public law, by which the
question of right in this case is to be judged? They
are these
l. That in respect to newly discovered countries,
the first discoverer has the prior right to occupy,
provided he does within reasonable time. What
is reasonable time depends upon.he nature of the
country, the uses to which it may be applied, and
the wants of mankind in respect to it. If, for ex-
ample, it were rich West India island, the first
discoverer could not rightfuly prevent other nations
from occupying and cultivatng it if he did not see
fit soon TO do so himself. II, on the other hand it
were remote barren island, there would be no ne
cessity of immediate occupation.
2. That if the first discoverer does not occupy
within this reasonable time, he is deemed to have
abandoned his right and the next discoverer stands
as if he had been the first, and 30 on through any
number Of discoverers.
3. That the discovery of river is deemed the dis
covery of its and branches, and of the coun-
try drained by it.
4. That all treaties and engagements between gov
ernments, of an executory nature, are annuled by
subsequent war
With these rules before us, let us examine the
questions Of fuct The first settlements in the New
World were all made it's eastern shores. The
Pacific ocean was discovered by Balboa at Panama,
in 1913. No person, however, ventured to the
northwest coast as far as Oregon till l543, when
Ferrelo, pilot in the service of Spain, penetrated to
the latitude of 43. Thirty-six years afterwards,
Drake made his famous voyage round the world,
and it is maintained by the English government that
he sailed high on this coast 49, but while one
account of his voyage has it a. the other has it 49,
and there is good reason to think that this last
count is the true one. The discrepancy in the two
accounts destroys their value as evidence, AMI no
reasonable person would think Of resting any title
upon them. Drake did not land on any part of
this coast, and from that period for about two
Il IA
Spaniards, however, visited it several times, once
more at least during the sixteenth century,
twice in the seventeenth, and three times in the
eighteenth, before the time of Cooks voyage.
In l776 that great navigator sailed along the coast,
particularly examining the upper parts near the 47th
and 4Sth parallels, and stopping at Nootka Sound.
Afterwards the coast frequently visited by the
vessels of the different maritime nations. The riv-
err remained undiscovered. Vancouver passed
along the shore in 1892, examined it, and concluded
that there was no river. Captain Gray, an Amerl-
can in the American ship Columbia, however, dis
covered it on the llth of May, 1892, and sailed into
il a considerable distance. It's existence had been
previously suspected, as we have already mention
ed, and Heceta, Spanish navigator had, in IT'S,
run along the shore, and on the 18th of August, at
six in the evening" arrived opposite bay in the lat
tude Of Ago H. "where the currents and eddies were
so strong that, Notwithstanding press OF SAIL 1t was
difficult to get clear ofthe northern cape towards
which the currant ran though its direction was east
ward in consequence Of the tide being at food v
These eddies and currents caused him "to believe
that the place is the mouth Of some great river or Of
some passage to another sea-" Notwithstanding
the great difference between the position the position
of this bay and that mentioned by DE Fuca,o he
chad little difficulty in concluding they might be the
same" He found it difficult on the following morn
ing 10 enter, and continued his voyage towards the
South. This does not appear to us to be dis
covery of the river, or what equivalent to it,
The other remarkable places on the coast are the
Strait of Fucs, and Nootka Sound. The former
was discovered by De Fuca, Greek pilot, in the
service of Spain, in 1892 the latter by Perez, also
in the Spanish service, in lT74
The first visits to this country, overland, were
made, one by Mckenzie, in the English service,