Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-05-20
From the Augusta Me. Age.
ORIGIN OF THE BRITISH CLAIM TO
THE OREGON,

Ot O her nations is q matter OF universal
noloriety. Scarcely nation exists which
has rot at some time felt the insidous ad
vances and grasping avarice Of this nation
Tor acquiring new territory. No sooner
has the government fixed its eyes upon a
'eTiory or country which it finds desirable
rs an acquisition, that it acts upon some
vague, indefinite pretence OF claim TO il,
which it urges with ali conceivable solemn
ity and perseverance, until it can ex;otl an
admission from its intended victim, that the
territory thus claimed is in dispute. From
that moment her success is certain. The
title being once admitted to be in dispute,
negotiation follows, in the progress Of
which, by bold assumptions on he part, and
unguurded admissions on the part Of her
adversary, she succeeds in process of time
Of presenting formidable array Of facts
and afnumenis in supporting Of claims,
which at The outset had moi the slightest
foundation on which 10 TEST. This was the
process by which Maine was robbed Of her
territory, and the process by which she
she now hopes 10 plant her power in the
Oregon.
Our title 10 the Oregon territory is too
vol known to our readers to require that
we should now SET il forth in detail. Suf-
fee il to say, that from the year 194l up
10 the time that the British broke up our
settlement on the Columbia, during the last
war,'wo were in open, peaceab!e, and 1ui-
Ell possession Of the country, and that up
to that time the British had never intima-
ted 10 our government that they had the
eli ol,f ct IF ell g. ~.
During The war an expedition was sent by
the British against the American post at
mouth Of the Columbia, which succeeded
IN Capturing Il and taking possession in the
nanio Of TIC British king. The possession
wns held by the British until after the
close Of the war. On the 18Th of July
l5i5, Mr. Monroe, the Secretary OF State,
informed Mr.. Baker, the British Charge d
aIiires at Washington, Of the intention OF
our government 10 resume possession of
this pest under the provisions of The first
article OF the treaty Of Client, VIII ch stip-
ulales for the mutual restitution Of the ters
riIories and posts which each nation had'
W esed from the other during The war, ai
the same time requesting letter from Mr.s
Baker 10 the commander of that post. d.
rccIing him to yield itup TO the jurisdiction
Of the United States.
This note Of Mr.. Monroe, Mr.. Baker re-
piled that he had no instructions from his
government IN relation to this matter, and
referring him TO Vice Admiral Dixon, in
"Nhoso command the Pacific Ocean is in
eludcd," md as being in possession Of ev-
cry necessary Information in re lation To
shE , Ia, al :.
which The restitution Of the territory in
question is claimed as having belonged to
rs before the war, it is a singular fact that
the British charge made no claim to the
territory on the par, Of his government, but
sjmyly declined acting on the ground Of
want Of authority. This was in July,
1918.
During the year 1917, our government
f'nt the sloop Of war Ontario, under The
command oc J. b. Provost, 10 the Columbia,
- take possession of this post according TO
the provisions Of the treaty Of Ghcnt.
Ga the Goth Of November, 1917. Cha's
Bagot, the British minister then resided at
Washington, in note addressed to Mr.
Adams, Secretary of State, expressed his
sent on lis expedition without having neti-
f The British government. Ia this note
~ presented, for the first time, n claim in
behalf Of that government TO the territory
now unhappy in dispute. And we wish
oar readers to mark the foundation on
which that claim was based. He says that
from reports made by the governor general
Of Canada 10 Mr. Baker, lit appears that
the post in question had not been captured
during tho late war, but that the Amcri-
cans had ret red from it under an agree
menl made with the Northwest company,
who had purchased THEN effects, and who
had ever since retained pcaceable posses,
s.on of tho coast AS it thus appears that
nm claim FOR restitution of this post can be
grounded upon the first article oflhc treaty
OF Ghent, and as the territory Itself was
carly taken possession OF in his Mnirs,y's
name, and has since been considered n
part OF his Naj"sIy's dominions, have 20
request that YOU will furnish me with ex.
plantations of the object Of the voyage Of
the Ontario" &c.
Here, then, is the first claim Of title
which the British made upon our govern
men, to Oregon, and this cIaim admitted
,he title Of the United States before the
war, and is based by the British minister
dpon the l,ct that the post was not captured
during the wrr, but abandoned by the Anne
ricans, whose effects the Northwest COM
pany purchased Tins resting The British
claim entirely upon the fact Of the djas-
doamcat Of TIC post by the Americans and
the subsequent possession of the country
NV the British. Subsequent acts Of the
British government show how much homes
ty there was in this, their first claim TO
this territory.
The Oatario proceeded on her voyage.
and on the 9th of October the post at The
mouth of the Columbia was formally sur
rendered by the British 10 the United States
as appears by the following acts of surren
der and acknowledgement.
'ln obedience 10 the command OF his
Royal Highness the Prince Regent. sisni-
fed by despatch from the RICH, Honora-
bio Earl Bathurst. addressed to the partners
or agents Of the Northwest company. bear
ing date the 9th day of January. 1918.