The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-06-14
OUR CLAIM TO OREGON.

lmtia river, and with an equal right TO
lnavirale that river tissaid that she
has offered 10 make that river The bound
,ry between The two governments
rhis claim, if allowed by the United
States, would take full one half of the
lOregon--perhsps more. To this, our
country will never uccede, During the
discussionS in the papers and in con-
gress, our title TO the forty-ninIh paral.
lei was considered valid and unquestlon
able
The American title rests upon the
strong aud acknowledged right of dis
covery. Captain Cray, of Boston, in
the yea1 l792, in The chip Columbia en-
tered for The 6rst time the great river
Of Oregon, which ne named alter his
shlp--lhe C0lambia--and to this day il
bears that and no other name. THIS u
of some moment, as there is a law Of
natons which reads thus; ;--'The nation
which discovers and enlers The mouth
of river, by implication discovers the
whole couolry watered by it, Ia vir-
ue Of this discovery, the Columbia val.
ey belongs to the United States as a.
galnsl England. As if 10 perfect our
little, it is not denied that the Lewis and
ICark and Willamette river, its tributs-
ties, which spread through all Oregon,
were 6rst explored by Americans by the
Iexpediion sent out by the American
Congress al The suggestion of JEFFER
soN, under Captain LEWIS and CLARK
There was a minueness and fullness
in their discoveries which gave the
highest authenticity TO little founded
upon prior discovery.
| Oregon is also ours by purchase(in le
l9) from Spain, undenlaby the first dis
coverer and occupant of the coast, even
as far north as the 55lh parallel. H.
lsl9, Spain, for consderali ion of S5,
100000, ceded 10 the United States,
FLORIDA, and also all her rights, title
and claim, 10 all territory on the PaciI.
C coast north OF the 42d parallel of lat.
hide.
The only circumstance calculated to
weaken the per(eclness OF the United
States title, is The well known Nooka
Sound contest Qn 1882 which termina,
ted in a convention between Englard
and Spain, in The year 1890, some
, twenty years before The purchase f'om
Spain. and with which conditions our
itls is undoubtedly c'ogged. the
terms Of that convention have been the
} source of Infinite dispute. After an ex.
: animation OF The term, of the treaty
The debates in The English Parliament
when lhe treaty was laid before thai
body-lhe contemporaneous action in
relal ion 10 The sure n der OF the Eng
ish possessions on Noolka Sound, which
had been seized by Spain-which SUI
render, by the wsy, IN English his'or'
rlsn, BELsHAM, insists was never made
s he whole convention seems 10 be re-.
solved into a joint occupancy on the
e par, Of Ecgl,hmen and Spaniards o.
n commercial purposes. Such one now
E exists and has existed for twenty seven
years between Great Britain and tht
: United States 10 relation 10 the very
$ same territory. Yet we doubt whether
: -tany American considers that we yield
: ed in the least our ultimate title TO Ore
lgon, by that POINT occupancy. Apply
jlng the same principal TO the convention
/. between England and Spain, and the
convCtion will arise that The title was
el, in obeysnce TO be determined by
d subsequent agreement. The following
is clear summary Of The American ii,
lie:
/. Discovery of the mouth Of the Co.
umbia river by Captain Gray of Bos-
ton, giving The name Of his vessel TO h'
river.
Q. The discovery of The head o: the
same river by Lewis and Clark under
the authority OF the United States.
8. The settlement of Astoria uuder the
auspices Of Mr.. Astor, an American mai,
, uralzed citizen.
4 The treaty Of 1903 with the French
republic.
). The treaty Of Spain Of 1919, ac,
quring all light oil Spain to land moth
ol AZ degrees beyond The Rocky Noun.
lslns
G. The Noo,ka Sound contest (l7S0y
: between England and Spain.
7. The treaty Of Utrecht Q763) br.
'ween France. and England, setting
oOundaries-lhis settlement becoming
ou,s as The successor of France 10 that
lparl OF heI domIuions
: s. The treaty OF Chen, (lSl5) reslo,
" ling Astoria 10 the United States ss A