Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-12-30

The Oregon correspondence between Messrs
Calhoun and Buchanan on our side and Mr.
Pakenham on the English side, does honor 10
our statesmen and 10 our country, and shows our
rights 10 be "clear and unqueslioDablc. II more
over places England decidedly in The wrong, in
the eyes of the world. II is SO long, that We can
no, "begin" 10 publish t-and no summary can
do it Justice. We therefore must content our
selves with giving the following well drawn
sketch Of The closing letters which We find in the
Albany Argus:
CONCLUSION efthe OREGON CORRESPONDENCE.
To-day We lay before our readers the last de-
spaich Of Mr.. Buchanan, which closes This very
important correspondent 1t will be called 10
mind that the President referred 10 this mastery
letter in his Message, when he stated that "the
proposition OF compromise which had been made
and rejected was, by my direction, Withdrawn,
and our title 10 The whole Oregon Territory as
serted and, as IS believed maintained by utfra-
sibie facts and arguments"
The people will concur with the President in
the impregnable character OF this Stale paper
In our judgment, the American title 70 The whole
Oregon Territory was never before presented in
manner SO able, and with such mastery COM
lnent organ ii is Gas lucid as light" 1t is re-
sumo Of The whole ground giving the British as
well as The American side. The Spanish and the
! American title are so built in together, that the
more il is pressed BY Great Britain, like the in
lrinsic strength Of the arch the stronger and more
unyielding il becomes
There is one point in this protocol which We
believe has never before been presented BY any
American dipomalst, and which, if established
as We think it is, settles the question at once in
favor OF The claim Of The United States. The Sc.
cretary thus states it
"The undersigned will now take position
which cannot, in his opinion be successfully as
sailed; and that is, that discovery, exploration
or settlement made by Great Britain on the North
west Coast OF America, after the date of The Moot
ka Sound convention, and before il was termna
| ted by the war OF 1896, can be invoked By tina
power in favor OF her own title, or against The
title OF Spain Even according TO the British
construction of that convention the sovereignty
over the territory was 10 remain in allegiance
! during its continuance, rs well in regard 10 Grea
Britain as 10 Spain. II would therefore, have
| been an open violation Of faith on the part oil
/ Great Britain, after having secured The privileges
conferred upon her by the convention, 10 iurr
round against her partner and perform any acr
calculated 10 divest Spain of her ultimate so
Vereigniy over any portion OF The country. Inc
| palpable meaning Of the convention was, that du
ring lis continuance. the sh,s OF the respective
parties whatever they may have been, should
remain just as they had existed al lis commence
ment.
"The government OF Great Britain is not just
/ ~ chargeable with any such breach OF faith
| Captain Vancouver acted without instructions IT
attempting 10 take possession OF the whole North
western coast OF America in The name of his So
vereign. This officer, sent out from England ie
execute The convention, did not carry with hin
! any authority 10 violate il in this outraseon:
manner.
"Wilhou, This treaty. he would have been Z
mere intruder; under il, Great Britain had q
right 10 make discoveries and surveys, moi there
BY 10 acquire lille, Int merely 10 enable her sub
jccis 10 select spots the most van,ageous Ia use
| the language Of the convention 'for the purpos,
OF carrying on their commerce with The natives
the country, or making settlements there.
The grasp of this argument al once invalidaie'
all the discoveries Of Tancoure1 in The Columbia
river and its branches. and The adjacent Straits
and coasts, and also al .lldckeu -ics discovery q
Frazers river in lat. SO, because, as tie Secrea
| ~ of Stale conolusively remarks, Great Bra il
was then (beiween 1890 and 9G) ioreclosed by
her own solemn treaty stipulations of ''pefform
ing any acts calculated TO dvest Spain OF her ul
tima'e sovereignty over any portion OF The coun-
try." On The contrary, il follows, from This
strong position, that all the American discoveries
during that time, (by our afer purchase OF the
outstanding title OF SPAIN have become addition
al elements Of the "rTefrag gable" lille OF our coun