Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-05-15
From The Richmond Enquirer.
Tisc Oregon Question.

As this is one of tie great questions Of the
day, it may not be uninieresting to give a con-
donsed and hasty view of the titles of the Uni
ted States and Great Britain to the Oregon
Territory, drawn from the imperfect sources of
Information to which we can have access. The
British Lords in Parliament claim, by 'sclear
and indisputable tile greater portion of the
territory in dispute, than is allowed by our Go
vernment, and base their claims upon the dis
coveTies of Drake and Vancouver. and On prior
settlement by British subjects. Now, let Us
look at our title by treaties between the United
States and other nations. Bva Treaty enter
ed into in 1919 between the United States and
Spain, and ratified in 1921, at the time of Mr..
Forsyth's ministry at the Court of Madried,
the Southern boundary between our possessions
and those of Spain, was line drawn from the
source of the Arkansas to the AID parallel of la
titude, and thence along said parallel, westward
to the Pacific, near Cape St. Sebastian, his
Spanish Majesty surrendering all his rights s
claims TO any territories north of said line In
1898, the same boundary was confirmed by
Treaty with the new State of Mexico In
1924, it was agreed LteWeen Russia and our
Government, that no establishment should be
formed by ourselves north Of the parallel of 81
degrees 40 min., and n Inc under the authority
of Russia South of that latitude
The treaty Of 1925, between Russia & Great
Britain, also recognises this line. The terrific
rial claims of Great Britain extend southwark
from this parallel OF 81 degrees 40 min, and
these CT the u. S. run northward from the par
allel of AZ deg.--but no dividing line has been
agreed npon-thoueh a convention exists for
the common occupation of the territory until
twelve months notice is given by one of the
parties to the other. Is it net clear, that if
Spain had any right to the territory conveyed
to us by treaty, we have an unquestionable ii
tie to the country, as far north as latitude 81
degrees 40 minntes2
But the British Lords claim prior discove-
ry by Drake in l57S-'S0. The Washington
Union examines this point. and thoroughly de-
stroys all the deductions which the English
may make from it. as calculated to give Them
even pretended title, and brings 70 rward the
evidence Of the Spanish naviga tors, Cebrilo
and FeFrelo. having explored these regions in
20, as far north as the 42d degree of la,i-
tude, and having landed in many places, shav-
ing erected crosses bearing inscriptions, and
performed various acts, asserting the right Of
the sovereign to the country In 1892, Juan
de Fuca coasied along the western side of A
CILliNGIu HUH NiGAiCU. anu lOuliu
passage between the A8th and 49th parallels,
called the Strait Of Fuca In 1923, the
Spaniards, under Sebastian .Tiiscaino, again ex-
amined the northwest coasts to the 45d degree !
north, as far as Cape Blanco, which remained
for l60 years the limit Of Spanish and Europe
an discovery. Nothing farther was done till
ITO, when the Spaniards founded Monterey
and other towns on the western sde Of Caller |
MIA. That nation then, for the FIVE succeeding |
years, explored the whole coast of Oregon on
the Pacific, including the mouth ofthe Colum
bia, ard examined the western coast as far as
the 5sth degree, performing the ceremonies Of
taking possession.
In l77S only did the English Captain Cook !
visit these shores, near the Add degree of lati |
tude-thence running along it to the Noo,ka
Sound, in 80 l2 degrees.
We extract from the Augusta (Ga.) Consti |
nationalist the following sketch of subsequent
events, forming complete chain Of title on our
part:
$50 Ear the mouth Of the Columbia river
was not discovered. 1t twas reserved for an A. /
merican to make the discovery. The first voy |
ages from the United States were those of the I
ship Columbia, Captain Kendrick, and sloop
Washington, Capt. Robert Gray. Both yes
sells sailed from Boston. in Massachusetts, on
the 30th of September, 1888; visited Nootka
Sound (49deg. in Sept, 1888, and returned
to Boston in August, 1890. But, on the 9th |
September, 1898. Captain Gray, in command
Of the ship Columbia, sailed for the Pacific
He reached the coast little to the Northward
of Cape Mendocino (40 deg.) Coasting along
towards Nootka, he observed an opening in
latitude as deg. l6mia-, discbarging current
SO strong as topreyent an entrance, although
he remained nine days at hand in order to effect
it. He sailed towards Nootka, fully conyinc-
ed that he had discovered the mouth of a great
river. In September, 1871 he made Clyoquot
his Winter station, and built house Of strength
on the shore, which he named Fort Defiance.
Here, also, he built and launched d schooner
called the Enterprise.
Capt. Vancouyer. with Lieut.. Broughton,