Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-05-20

Fort George, Columbia river, this 9th Of
| October, 1913.
t.B. PROVOST,
Agent for the United States"
Mr.. Provost, in his despatch to The Sec
rotary Of State. dated October IL, 1919,
in giving an account OF this transaction
says:
"rhe British flag was thereupon lowered
and that Of the United States hoislel in its
stead, were it now waves in token both Of
possession and sovereignty"
! Thus much for the honesty Of the first
claim made 10 Oregon by Mr.. Bagoi, on
the ground that it had not been captured
| from The Americans, but abandoned by
them. The pre,ence was SO I,albably false
that even the British ministry had not su!-
| fcent effrontery TO maintain it; but, by a
solemn act of surrender, Gin conformity
with the frs, article Of the treaty Of
Qhent," which provided only for the res
ti,ution Of territory which one nation had
captured from the other during the war,
acknowledged our possession before the
war, and their capture of the post.
The inquiry will naturally arise, how it
should happen that. after the British claim
to the territory had been proved so palpa-
bly, false by their own acts, and the posses
sion and sovereignty Of The country resto-
red to the United States, the question Of
sovereignty or possession should afterward
have been drewn into dispute! Ii was ac-
complshed in this manner. The North
west Company had on The Columbia q large
amount Of property, consisting Of iurs,
pellrics, and goods Of European manufac-
ture. for the purpose Of supplying those IN
their employment, and of trading with the
natives. Being thus located at great dis
lance from any British post, Mr.. Keith,
the agent Of the company, requested that
they might be permitted 10 remain, and car
ry on the business under the flag of the
United States. TO this request Mr.. Pre-
vost answered thrt he had no authority 10
stipulate, but presumed that oar govern
ment would no, compel them to leave the
country without giving sufficient notice to
prevent loss. Thus were they permitted
to remain in the territory on mere suffer-
ance, and without even q pretence Of
right.
In the mean time, the grea, value Of the
country became manifes, to the British mi
n'strv, although our Secretary Of State
( Mr.. Adams) looked upon it as SO 'minute
qne siaon' rs unworthy 10 be referred to
cob lsylpners with The question Of remu-
-neraabn for few miserable negroes which
theeRriiish carried off during The war!
Accordingly, in 1922, we find the British
ministry again intmating 10 Mr.. Adams
that they had ella ms in the territory, but,
with characteristic diplomatic tact, refusing
to disclose the nature or foundation on
which they were bases. By pertinacious-
ly insisting on these new, underlined and
mysterious Gains, our g ,vernment, which
had not sagacity enough to perceive the
value OF the country, was subsequently in
duced 10 enter into that most suicidal ar
rangement COR joint occupation, which has
been con,iued for the last twenty wears,
and under viii III the Brit sh government
has been enabled TO magnify on occupancy
commencing IN MERE sUFFARANCE IN 1918,
rH@om crcn a preteace Of right into for
mldabIe CLAIM, the settlement Of which
now threatens the peace Of two Of the
most powerful nations Of Chrs,endom
Such $ the origin of the British claim
70 the Oregon. Snch is The result Of the
bold and shameless assumptions Of her d.
pIomacy, and the short-sighed and yield
ing policy of our own government. Had
we done as the British woyld have done in
similar circumstanccs-drven them out Of
the country when il was restored to US,
under the trealy-all subsequent trouble
would have been avoided. Blu, our gov
eminent, with unsuspecting confidence,
permitted them to remain, and the result
is now seen. Every year Of delay has ad-
ded strength TO their claim, and embolden-
co their governments in lis unjust demands.
Such will continue 10 be the case. Yet
with these startling facts ,eiore US, there
are no, wanting those (among whom, we
regre; to say it, are 10 be found some pro-
ressed democrats who have so lille Anne
rican feeling rs 10 refuse TO terminate this
fatal Joint occuPacy, thus enabling the Bril-
fish 10 torily themselves under the claim
of possession, in such manner us to en-
danger the ultimate loss Of this extensive,
rich, and valuable terri Dry! How long
the American people Will tolerate such re-
missncss on the part of their COVE rnmen,,
remains 10 be seen
EHrthqudkc.-On the 10Th uli., the in
habitants of Montreal experienced shock
o. an earthquake. IL occurred about half
past four O'Clock in the afternoon, and was
iel; principally in the suburbs; the concus-
sion lasted about second, and was suf-
fcieniy strong TO cause houses to vibrate
sensibly. and throw down heavy articles Of
furniture. The shock was felt in several
other places nj the same time. Al Cote