Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-06-14
THE OREGON QUESTION.
FROM rHn JouRsAL or coMaKncE.

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evidence in favor of the American and British
claims, respectively, but we find it well done in
an article from the London Examiner, that we may
as well save ourselves the trouble. We do non
mean TO say that the Examiner has made out so
strong case for us the facts would warrant, but
certainly much stronger one than we should have
expected from British source. Also, the terms OF
compromise which il suggests are quite as liberal as
we should expect; and we will show own liber-
ality by saying that they are such as should be
willing TO accept, viz let the boundary between
American ard British Oregon be the 49th degree Of
latitude from the Rocky Mountains to the Ocean, leav-
ing the whole of Vancouver's Island to the British,
which extends half degree more to the south
ward of that parallel OF latitude We are sure that
such compromise would not be dishonorable to
us, neither would it be unlavorable for it cannot be
contended that our title to Oregon even as far north
as latitude 40 is complete. On the other hand the
British title to the territory north of 40 is not COM
plete. The line proposed by the Examiner would
be, on the whole, fair one, and that is all we
ought to ask or desire. The true policy of both
nations is to adjust the boundary as that neither
shall have reason be dissatisfied with it hereafter
Farnham's recent work presents very strong
view of the American claim, and we may give some
extracts from it hereafter He shows conclusivey
tina: Drake never went further north than latitude
43, which is not far by degree the Spanish
navigator Ferrello had gone thirty-sx years before
THE LONDON EXAMINER, APRIL 25
THE OREGON QuEsrroS-We do not recolect speech
which has given pleasure than that by Lord ABER
DEEM of the 4h of April the Oregon question shows
that foreign relations confded to who has the
wisdom TO detect and the courage despse the vanity and
want of real pride which, at present. much than amb
ton rapacy lead nations become instruments of mutual
destruction We congratulate the country that Minister
prefers justice moderation and common to obsnacy
magniloquence and keeping up high tone Six months
more OF the high Tone might have occaoned events which
would have thrown back the civilization of Europe for
tuy At the same time, do not agree with him-if be,
which probably is not his meaning-hat the maintenance
national honor the only legitimate ground Of Cases
may be supposed Of benefit to be obtained evil be
avertcd great to be worth the certain caancs and
even the risks of though peace might have been honor
ably preserved This, however, is not of them The
Oregon territory really valueess to England and to Amer
The only Of to England is hunting ground,
which enables the Hudson Bay Company keep up its
nopoy against the English people-a monopoly which
sons many species Of us he twice and sometimes three
times dear in London Leipsc The only use of to
America would be to make it addition territories already
far large for good government civilization The
unoccuped land with soil and climate better than they
will find the shores of the Pacific And when they get
there what will be the social state of few thousand families
scattered through territory than times large
England and three thousand miles from the of Govern
ment They will mix with the Indians and sink into de-
graded of hacaste barbarans If she could obtain
ercgn the whole Of the lands west of the Rocky Noun
ans tomorrow, every wise American wish
that the next day they should sink into the
The only real point in dispute, therefore, point of
honor the only real question what the maximum which
either party concede which is the same the mini
which either party honorably accept.
The Oregon Territory extends in length from latitude AZ
(he Mexican boundary to 544O (he Russian J being
distance OF about 760 miles, and in breadth from the the
Rocky Mountains average distance Of 500 mica So that
its whole contents about $780, 900 square miles being
than three times large Great Britain and Ireland put
gether From the Rocky Mountains eastward for than
900 miles, the 10th parallel Of latitude divides the English
possessions from those of the United States So that the
Oregon district above 40 is contiguous to the English
ritory and below 40 to the American. The climate is
than that of the eastern coast but colder than
that of the corresponding European atudes the lower por
ton resembling that of England the higher that OF Scotland
South of the Straits of ST. Juan de Fuca in lat 49, there
oerabe harbors the only places Of shelter Port Bull
finch and the Columbia but both bar habor and at all
times dangerous and for the greater part Of the year
slble. Above that strait and communicating with il, the har
ors and excellent consequence Of the many
large islands projected before the The soil generally
rocky and unculvabe, though there
fertile auvis bottoms Of that portion which south Of the
Straits OF Fuca than oneeighth onenh sup
posed be reclaimae and the north OF them the culva
BILE proportion is still less.
The very doubtful advantage Of governing this barren
gion is claimed four distinct grounds. l. Discovery
2. Con,iguity 3. Cesson d. Settlement We will take
them, far can, separately First to discovery
II may have been by Drake in $780, One narrative of
his voyage says that he reached lat 4s the oher that he did
not ascend beyond as. But attempted be
made of this supposed discovery has been very properly
abandoned of title In l592 Juan de Fuca,
Greek the Spanish service supposed to have discovered
the strait which is called after him. In 74 Juan Perez
dispatched voyage of discovery by the Spanish Govern
He reached the 54h deg of latitude, and supposed
have first Queen Chaoes island and Nooika Sound
in latitude 4945 In the year Heceta, also sent by the
Spanish Government sailed along the whole coast, reached
Vancouvers island, and the mouth of the Columbia
which he named the ST. Rogue In ITS Capt Cook
explored the between latitude 10 and Nootka Sound
In l7ss, and the three following years. Capt Gray, in the
American ship the Columbia, passed and repassed along the
whole coast up Nooka Sound and entered and named
BulDch harbor and the Columbia river In 1892, and the
three following years. Vancouver under the orders of the
British Government surveyed the coast and of his Off
rowed the Columbia about hundred miles that is
nearly the point which its rapids render it unnavgabe
This completes the history Of the maritime discoveries
The progress Of discovery overland much slower In
1908 Lewis and Clarke sent by the American Government
first crossed the Rocky Mountains towards the SOUTH embark
ed Of the tributaries Of the Columbia, carried
down by the seam and the 18th November 1905 reach
ed its mouth In the year, in the following year,
of the Hudson Bay Company first crossed the
Rocky Mountains towards the NORTH and discovered Of the
northern branches of the Columbia.
On the whole, the title TO the coast by discovery TO
belong Spain Her Government vessels certainly the
first who surveyed pehaps the first who it. The first
who naugaed the Columbia Americans-Gray ascend
ing it, and Lewis and Clarke descending We attach how
ever, little importance to the American discoveries The