Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-06-05
From the Albany Daily Argus.
Our Claim to OREGON.

Great, Britain claims, without reser
vaiion, all the territory north of the Co
Inmbia river. and with an equal right t'
navigate that river. II IS said that she
has offered to make that river the boun
dary between the two governments
This claim. If allowed by the United
States, would take full one half of the
oregon-perhaPs more. To this, oul
country will never accede. During the
discussions in the papers and in Con-
gress, our title TO the 49lh parallel was
considered valid and unquestic nabIe
lhe American title rests upon the
strong and acknowledged right Of dis
covery. Caplian GRAY, of Boston. in
the year 1892 in the ship Columbia,
entered for the first lime the great river OF
Oregon, which he named after his ship
the Co1umbia-and to this day it bears
that and no other name. This is o.
some moment. as there is law of na-
aions which reads thas: "The nation
which discovers and enters the mouth nr
river, ny implication discovers the
whole country wateled by it," In VIII
the OF this discovery, the Columbia val
ley belongs to the United States as
against England. AS if to perfect our
title. 1t is not denied that the Lewis and
CIarkgand Willamette rivers. its tribu-
sarles. which spread through all Oregon,
were first explored by Americans by the
expedition sent out by the American
congress at the suggestion of JEFFERSON
under Captains LEWIS and Clark
There was minuleness and fnllness
IN their discoveries which give the high-
est authenticity to title founded upon
prior discovery.
oregon is also ours by purchase Gin
lol9) from Spain, undeniabIe the first
discoverer and occupant Of the coast,
even as lar north as the 55th parallel.
In 1919, Spain. for a consideration of
30 QUO. 900, ceded to the United States
lorida, and also all her rig hts. title and
claim to all territory on the Pacific coast
north Of the 42d parallel of latitude.
lhe only circumstance calculated 10
weaken the perfeclaess Of the United
States title, is the we'll known Nootka
Sound contest On 1880 which termina>
ted IN a convention between England
and Spain, in the year 1890, some twen-
~ Yeas before our purchase from Spain
and with which conditions our title is
undoubtedly cIogged. The terms OF
!hat convention have been the source of
infinite dispute. After an examination
oil the terms Of the trea,y-the debates
in the English Parliament when the tea
~ was laid before that body--the con-
aemporaneons action in relation to the
surrender Of tho English possessions on
Noolka Sound, which had been seized
by epuln-which surrender, by the way.
an English historian. BEL~HAM, insists
vas never made-the whole convention |
seems to be resolved into IA joint occu
pancy on the part OF Englishmen and {
span'ard Ior commercial purposes {
such one now exists and has existed {
or twenty seven years between Grea,
Britain and the United States in relation
o the very same territory. Yet we
'oubt whether any American considers +
nat we yielded in the least our ultimate :
tile to the Oregon, by that joint occu. :
'ancy. Applying the same principle to :,
ne convention between England and i,
pain, and the conviction will arise tbs, .
he title was left 10 abeyance TO be de, +,
'rmined by subsequent agreement. The b
blowing is clear summary of the A. +
lerican title: :, .
/. Discovery ofthe mouth of CoIum. \
Ia river by Capt. Gray. of Boston, giv> 3
y inc name OF his vessel TO the river. Il
.. The discovery Of the head of the II
lme river by Lewis and Clark, under b b
70 authority ofthe United States. " !"
q. The settlement Of Astoria nnder g
70 auspices Of Mr., Astor, an American ~ =,
sturalIzed citizen, " y