Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-03-05
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH

and first occupiers of this beautiful coun-
try. With all these munlments of title
and right, | am astonished las far as any
arrogance, presumption, and pertinaciiy in
the English diplomacy can astonish me)
at the persistence of that government in
rejecting our proposition, then again re-
newed, of the 10th parallel as the north
ern boundary Of our territory. And when
such an unreasonable aud presuming spirit
was ovinccd, am still more astonished at
the tnmeness OF the administration of 1927
in submitting 10 concession for the indie
finite continuance of the joint occupancy
agreed upon in 1878. But il is useless 10
deprecaio that submissions: the deed was
done. And il may be useful, for proper
understanding of our present position, TO
examine the grounds assumed by England
for claiming Of our government this CON
cession of privilege.
In the documents accompanying Presi-
dent Adams's message to Congress Of De-
cesber IL, 1927, we find the Argument OF
Messrs. IIuskisson and Addington on this
subject, in which the claims OF both par.
ties are defniiively stated, and the grounds
on which they aro based ably considered.
They say;
lover a large portion OF that territory. name
| ly, from the d2j degree TO The 10Th degree Of
north latitude, the United States claim lull and
exclusive sovereignty"
"Great Britain claims no exclusive sover-
eighty over any portion OF that territory Her
present claim, not in respect to any part, but TO
| hs.l. AL
| cy, in common with other States, leaving the
right Of exclusive dominion in abeyance.n
This was written after our minister Mr..
Gallatin) had signied his willingness to
be content with the 10th parallel Of lali-
tude. Now, Mr.. Chairman, | deny that
the right Of sovereignty can be Sin abey-
ance." II must exist somewhere. II is
either in the United States or in Great
Britain, or in both conformity; but il must
he vested 10 some one. We may be joint
occupants; we may restrict ourselves in
the exercise of our rights; but as long as
there is party IN existence in which title
can vest, il lives and is vested. Then, |
assume, that as Great Britain did not claim
any right Of exclusive sovereignty, and as
the United States did, as between The Two
contes,ing parties the sovereignty was in
the United States. England at that time,
and belive up to this day, comedies the
actual possession OF the country TO this
government. This being our position,
what further does Great Britain claim. In
this same statement Of Messrs. Huskisson
and Addington, we find it stated thus:
"Such being the result Of the recent negotia-
| ton, il only remains for Great Britain to main
tain and uphold the QUALIFIED rights which she
now possesses over the whole OF the territory in
question. These rights are recorded and defined
in the convention Ct Nootks. They embrace the
right 10 navigate the winters Of those countries;
tile right TO settle in and over any part Of them /;
and the right freely TO trade with the inhabi-
tants and oocupiers Of the same
Thus il appears that England has aban-
doned all claim 10 this territory, derived
from discovery and occupation; and fallen
back upon the privileges which she nc.
quired, under treaty cxtored from poor
enfeebed Spain, ia the year 1890, by
what Lord Porchester called ''unprovoked
bullying" and founded, not in right but in
power"
The facts which gave rise TO this Nootko
treaty between Great Britain and Spain
are as follow: Don Esteban Martinez, n
Spanish navigator, in 1850, was ordered
by tho Viceroy Of Mexico TO take possess
sion of Nootka sound He did 80; and
while there seized an English vessel which
came into that port. The information Of
this seizuere was first communicated 10
the court at London by the Spanish minis.
ter, who ayowed Willingness on the part
OF his government to make Just and pro-
per PREPARATION. Mr.. Pitt---tho prime min
lister at that time worked himself up in
10 furious passion at the insult offered
the English flag; rejected, with naughty
dsdain, the friendly tender Of Spain; and
called on parliamen, for the supplies ne
cessary TO ayenge the wounded honor Of
the government Parliament was not to
be outsirpped in zeal for war and blood in
crusade for honor, and voted the extra.
ordinary supply Of million sterling, and
Pitt prepared for the "clash of resound-
ing arms" Spain was unprepared for
war; and in this position Of the parties the
treaty Of Noolka was made, with presump.
tuous demands on one side, and faItering
concessions on the other. To illustrate
the character OF this negotiation, will re-
fer to one provision alone. The first mr.
\ ticle Of the treaty Of Noolka provides for
the restitution OF the buildings and tracts
Of land OF which the subjects Of Great
Britain were dspossessed by Spanish Of
ficer on the northwest coast Of North
America. Now Gray and Ingraham, our
own discoverers, were called upon by the
Spanish government TO testify as to the
facts pertaining to the seizure Of the yes
sci, and the aggression upon the English
by Martinez. They say: