The New York herald., 1845-02-06
Warrington.
Correspondence Of the Herald.l


Cause for Var on the Part of Great Britain-Ow
Claims Commercial Statistics- Chinese Treaty.
Case of Col McN,dty
JAMES G. BENNETT, Esq
The Oregon Bill, as amended on Saturday, has
passed the House OF Representatives by the decided
vote Of lao TO SO, thus evincing to Great Britain
and the world, the positive determination to occu-
py this whole territory, after the expiration ,f the
twelve months notice, required by the convention
OF 1927. The only members termed democratic
who voted against the bill, were Richard d Da
Wis, of Poughkeepsie, Walter Coles, of Va, and
George w. Jones, of Tennessee. Messrs Phepix
and Fish, of your city, also voted against the bill
There were thirty members absent on the final
vote.
The amendments to the bill adopted to-day,
were communicated yesterday The first was
s'that there shall neither he slavery nor nvounta
ry serviude in the said Territory. otherwise than
in the punishment of crimes. Another that in the
grants OF land to enigrants contemplated in the
act, they shall be subject to the settle ment of any
dispute now pending between Great Britain and
the United States IN relation TO their respt ctive
claims And subject also to the acquire me mt bv
treaty or otherwise ofthe India title 10 said lands
The remaining amendments allow British SUBJ
lects the privilege of being sent to the nearest ri.
buna OF the British government for trial for felony
or msdemeanor, until The expiration Of twelve
MONTHS and also n qures the President 10 give the
twelve months notice of the desire and intention
10 anpu' and abroeate the convection Of 1927. Civ
ing joint occupation, and In the meantime eusran-
tees TO British subjects all the rights ard privileges
conferred under that convention This position
will cause a cessation OF all difficulty with Great
Britain until after the expiration Of twelve months
In the meantime if the bill passes the Senate, pre-
parations will be made TO torn the tefrorisl gov
ernment, which will occupy nearly the whole pe-
rlod. For the information OF MAJ of your rea-
ders, present correct synopsis OF the points at
issue between this country and Great Britain, and
the ground work for our claim to the territory
The Spanish nation first laid claim TO the terri
the American, and last the English The claim of
the Spanish is sed upon their first discovery and
explanation, and all her rights were ceded TO this
! government under the Florida Treaty of 1919
The claim of Russia was also settled by conven-
tion in 1924 they having then relinquished all their
sovereignty over any part of the t'rrtory south of
original claim of Great Britain is based upon the
discoveries alleged to have been originally made
by Captain Cook, and also by John Meares, lieu
tenant in the British Navy, then on half pay, who
sailed from the port Of Macao, near Canton. in
China, in the ship Felice as supercargo This
vessel was commanded by Portuguese captain,
granted by Portuguese authorities, and showed the
vessel to be the property Of Portuguese merchant,
named Juan Cavallo, who resided at Macon.
This vessel % sailed from Macao January lst I7ss.
avowal afterwards, that the vessel and cargo be-
longed to British subjects, yet the instructions and
various other circumstances show that the owners
intended and did represent them as Portuguese
vessels. From information previously received by
Meares from Captain Berkley, an EWglishman,
who had visited this coast under the flag Of the
Austrian East India Company, he sailed for the
Strait of Juan de Fuca. which, in his narrative, he
fixes at latitude 4S degrees 80 minutes, and
asserts that this point of land had not been seen
1y Oapia.a Cook wi who mad preceded him He
coast, and records with much satisfaction his con-
vciion, founded on his own observations that emo
such river as that of St. Roe (Cclumbia) exists,
as LAID down in the Spanish charts" in token OF
which conviction he assigns the names OF Deep
tiom Bay and Cape disappointment, TO the pieces
ON the coast where the mouth of the river was af-
tsrwards discovered, in l7SS by the ship Columbia
and soop Washington, f,ted out from Boston by
American merchants in 1857. In 1903 we acquired
Louisiana, whose northern boundary was sup
posed TO extend TO the Ocean. In 1904 Lewis and
Clark were sent by President Jefferson TO explore
the regions west OF the Rocky Mountains, and
they were the first white persons who passed from
with the discovery of the mouth of the Columbia
River. is addnced by our government in support OF
ts claim TO the territory, in addition 10 the ceding
Of the rights of Spain and France by the acquis-
tion Of Florida and Louisiana. In addition 10 this,
the first settlement ever made by civilized man
near the Columbia River, was formed under
the auspices Of John Jacob Astor, Of New York,
in 1911, which settlement was sold 10 British
fur traders with their furs, for hsty-eight thou
sand dollars, after, the Americans there
had ascertained the commencement: Of the war
made in 1914, between this country and
Great Britain, she was TO surrender all forts
and trading places back to hose from whom
they had been :aken and In 1878, the British Off
Ger who then had command OF Astoria, uncondi-
tionally surrendered the place 10 the American
settlers. The official documents which passed be-
tween the commissioners on this occasion, show
that no reservation or exception was made on the
part of Great Britain, AND that the restoration was
complete and unconditional. ] have thus gwen
you brei synopsis of all the points at issue be-
tween the two governments, and II certainly must
appear that we not only have the relative reht TO
possession, but the most positive claim TO The soil
by transfer OF right OF other nations and title by
first actual discovery The convention between
the United States and Great Britain OF 1918, set
tied our Northern Boundary 10 the 40 h parallel OF
north itifude from the northwestern point OF the
Lake OF the woods 10 the Rocky Mountains, and
allowed the joint and occupation OF all the
territory of the mosntains tor the term of ten
years BY the convention OF 1927. these PROVISIONS
were extended until the 29ih OF October, 1928. at
ter which period either party could annul and abro-
gate ihr provisions of the convention bv giving ihe
other party a twelve months notice. Thus ii will
be seen that in these negotiations each party has
acknowledged the other 10 have rights, which
must be settled by amicable negotiations or by
orce Of arms. The result will sooa be known.
send you enclosed 9 most interesting table OF
statistics carefully copied from the manuscript re-
port OF TIE Commissioner ot Patents. which will
not be published for some days II will afford to
your readers complete estimate at The cotton,
sugar. wheat, corn, rice and silk crop tor The past
wear made up to the Ist OF January. also enclose
YOU the estimate OF last year as contrast. You
will perceive the falling of Of wheat, corn, poia-
toes and tobacco, ss also the Increase OF cotton,
rice, silk and sugar.
Owing 10 the tardy manner in which the public
printing is done in this city, it will be several
months be fore the interesting report OF Judge Bbb
Secretary OF the Treasury, on "the Financesc cf
the Country" will be ready for publication. II
will form an immense volume of great value, but
the delay in printing will render it OF but little use.
except for past reference.
The case of Col McNnliy. late Clerk Of the
House, has been postponed until Monday next, IN
order to allow him time 10 procure HE witnesses.
The Post Office Bill was up in the Senate to-day.
That body held no executive session.
WASHINGTON, February 3, lS45.
JAMES GORDON BENNETT:
SrR-The Oregon Bill has just passed the House,
by majority of 81 votes. II s, in my view, the