Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-02-08


c.auon ON wednesday evening last, by the Hon.
IiWHLiAM STUReIs, was attended by 4 very n laroe
and attentive audience. sllt r, 5l.i,.s.y 81
Mr. Smrgis remarked, that he proposed n state
the material facts in relation to the claims az The
United States 70 the Territory of Oregon The fonn.
aanon OF those claims the manner in which thew
nave been supported and the negotiations mada
with other nations respecting them. -Four ps.,o.s
nave claimed the territory in question: viz Sna;n
Russia Great Britain, and the United States The
G,al1s OF SPAN have been transferred !; those of
se''ea ana the question is now one between
NV oa,eu STATES and Great Britain None Of these
anan iag any POSITIVE CLAIM to the soil, but "a
80. me Question has been one of RELATIVE RIGHT .
aelier mas certain absolute control but each, in the
RESERVATIONS which have been agreed upon, has ac
" ITWhieaged the other to have some rights. tas
~ nv nrs 81 question Of importance is what IS meant
~ ms Territory Of 0regon!' The correct an
~ "a Ms question is, that Oregon lies between
VI. we 20 and 54th degrees Of north latinde / i
nou.usu easily the Rocky Mountains, west by the
iaclne ocean, nor BY the Russian possessions and south
" onofna FROM north south il is about 76 miles lon
a Wv" e's 70 ~est about 500 miles wde contanins no,
~ non 'oooVV square miles. Mr. Sturgis gave very mi
hue Oh the coast the mouth Of The Colonba
river and BY the aid Of large map pon.ed out Inc PRINCIPAL
settlements, islands, forts, aud bays. ~ ~. 7, ~
The coast was first explored by Spanish v.h,
Ra'ed many places prior to the visit made by Cantan Cool
and as Great Britain has based her claims upon the y, Of
Cook ana SPAN has coded her rights to U.s. this ct is wor
my our attention The policy Of spa period was
70 Keep the discoveries al her navgao secret that when
Captain Cook named many points along the coast he was no,
aware that the Spanish navigator had preceded him. In the
year 1885, Engshman by the name Of Mears made set
tcment upon the the officers the Spanish Govern
ent resisted the claim Of Mear and the difficulty which en-
sued came very near involving Europe in In 1890 Meas
received for the injury he had sustained and by
treaty between the Governments OF Spain and Great Britain
was agreed that settler should be disturbed or oesed
AZ this period the United States had no actual claim to the
territory but in 1892 Captain Robert Gray in the ship Co
umDla' OF hason discovered and sailed twenty miles up
river 70 which he gave the of his ship This voyage
and discovery Of Captain Gray the foundation o one Of
the claims our Government has urged in the negotiations which
have taken place. ta 2Fas A'3 sts!t
In lsOs acquired louisiana whose northern boundary
was supposed to extend 10 the ocean. In 1904 Messs
Lewis and Clarke sent by President Jefferson explore
the regions west Of the Rocky Mountains they were the first
people who passed from the interior the ocean, and their
expedition is adduced by Government in support Of its
claim. @tfe
There evidence that there any British settlements
made prior to 1911, in which year company formed un
der the auspices Of John Jacob Astor Of New York. which
founded the first settlement made by civilized man.
the Columbia river, and which is the foundation another
claim Government makes to the territory of Oregon.
The ship Tonqnin to the Columbia river by Mr.
Astor in 1871 and the command offered to the lecturer
who declined the trust The officers and Of this ship
killed by the Indaps and the voyage to sad ter
mnaion. The settlers heard of the declaration of war be-
tween this country and Great Britain and sold the British
aders what furs they had collected for $4,000 in bills
Montr0al so that when the place taken by English
oop-owa the had but the empty honor WITH
any Of the expected booty and he was that
declared il was ga regular Yankee trick"
BY the treaty Of Ghent made in 1914, Great Britain
to surrender all tts and trading places back to those from
whom they had been taken and in 1918 the British officer
command at Astoria Internationally surrendered the place to
the American settlers This fact urged by the United States
Government in support of its claim sls
In lsl9 by the Florida trcay Spain celed to the United
States its possessions north of the degree Of a
ude This forms another and very strong claim in favor of
the United States.
In 1924 the United States and Russia settled upon the fifty
fourth degree OF latitude the boundary between their pos
sessions. s4st 81 lMfs} tt' 6,a5
The lecturer mentioned remarkable fact that in three
treaties made by different nations the third article each
ed to Oregon viz In the treaty between Great Britain and
Spain made 1890 the Florida treaty of 1919; and the
negotiated between Russia and the United States 1924
Various attempts have been made by American amassa
doris to settle the Oregon question with the British Govern
men hut the question stands the people Of both
tines have the right to settle in the territory unnoested and
each Government bound give twelve months notice the
other of its intention of ending the contract.
recaptuaton Of the claims Great Britain advances was
given, and the facts the stated as they actually
exist Both parties must the final adjustment Of the
question in spirit of compromise and mutual
The value Of the territory to the Hudson Bay Company has
been why Great Britain anxious obtain pos
session but in the progee of time the success the fur
trader ruined the peanency Of the trade and the territory
was each year growing loss valuable the company
Mr. Surgs did not sympahize with those who anxious
to form now States out Of the territory they would form
exposed points of and he doubted whether
they would add TO the permanent prosperity Of the country
The country west Of the Rocky Mountains destined to
be pcoped by the aAngloSaxon letter. in which
similar opinion expressed written by Mr. Jefferson
to Mr.. Astor many years ago. . N a4,
From personal investigation Mr. Sturgis his opinion
that the soil west of the Rocky Mountains better than
that Of millions of of the uncuvated lands lying within
The territorial limits Of the United States The climate how
ever mde and during winters he had passed upon
he coast between the fyrst and yseventh degrees Of
attitude he but ice Of sufficient thickness TO bear
man. 3st, n ,.s is. ~. t44~ .4.
yogues crying for the immediate possession Of Oregon but
while the English do not attempt make any regulations for
he American settlers In that country, ard the present treaty
puaons remained in force, would be folly pass
which could enforce Does any in his sober
believe that the proud and powerful nation, which half
century expended millions of dsas redress the wrongs
Of Mr. Near, would stand by and the territory
ID from her without struggle No. Let wait few
years until the American settlers become numerous;
every change time makes is in favor and lei the final adj
ustmcnt Of this question be approached in that manly spirit Of
sando which distinguished the negotiation of the northeastern
boundary question: and the result would. occur The
question would be settled i'm satisfactory TO vast
majority Of the intelligent portion Of the community.
There is THIRD PARTY in this question: whose rights
been mentioned alluded to by the nations who
negotiated upon the territory Their claim Is founded
fuln in