The Yazoo City Whig. [volume] (Yazoo, Miss.) 1844-1851, 1845-02-28
General InteIligende


The following brief but very clear exposi-
ton of our un6oubted right 10 the Oregon
Territory, is from the Baltimore American.
No one, we presume, questions the validity
of our title to great portion of the territory
in question, and the only matter in dispute
is as to the manner in which that right is
sought 10 be enforced in violation Of the faith
Of a solemn treaty. The facts set fertn by the
American, may be new 10 many of our rea-
ders, and hence we publishit - Tropie.
The prominence which the Oregon guess
ton las assumed, and the important results
which may follow from the present agitation
on that subject, make It highly desirable that
the facts in relation to it should be familiarity
known:
What are our claims to the Oregon terri
tory? What is the extent Of them! How
are they substantiated9
The main strength Of our claim rests upon
the cession made by Spain In 1873. The
Florida treaty Of that year--a treaty which
has been so violently denounced of late and
declared by Texan partisans to be nullib
transferred to the United States all the
claims Of SPAN to the country Of the Oregon
4 lgIuS N0ttu VI TIC 10 QS8s 4NOLNn lolbUOCS
The region in question has been claimed
at one time or another by Spain, G. Britain.
Russia and the United States. The claims
of Russia have been settled by treaty, and
her possessions in that quarter limited to lat
81 deg. 90 min. as the Southern boundary,
The claims of Spain have been transfer.
red to the United States, so that the only
question now at issue is between our Gov
ernmenl and that of Great Britain; and the
J territory IN dispute extends from the line o
% deg. N. latitude to that Of 81 deg 40 min
1t stretches along the Pacific about sever
, hundred and sixty miles from North to South
Lit is about FIVE hundred miles wide, and con
tains some 100000 square miles. TIL,
, Rocky Mountains border it on the East, anC
separate it from the country watered by tn,
] Missouri; on the West it is bounded by th,
: Pacific Ocean.
With respect TO the fertility of this regiol
there are conflicting accounts. Mr.. William
StuTgis, of Boston. In lecture recently de
9 livered by him before the Mercantile AssC
e citation of that city, gave il as his opinio
/ from personal observation that the soil {
the Oregon was no better than that of mi
lions Of acres Of unsettled land within gu
!. territorial limits. The climate, however,
i mildeT. During seven winters passed b
e Mr.. StuTgIs on that coast, between fifty fir
and ffty-seventh degrees Of latitude, he b
once saw ice Of sufficient thickness 10 bel
: man.
We have remarked that the main strengi
!. of our CLAIM to the Oregon rssis upon Il
cession made BY Spain in 1919. The Spa
8 ish claim wasbased upon the right Of disco
is cry; and there seems 70 be no doubt ID
III The ships Of Spain were the iFsl to visit az
explore the Oregon coast.
= The Spaniards, however, made no attem
to settle The country. But Spain had b
e colonies ia California and Mexico; and
'ts her ships had coasled along the contine
as Far North as latitude ffty-fiye, and th
) as early as 1893, she regarded the whole g
panse nf country as one territory, and clalI
e NJ accordingly. British vessels also Wis
", Led the coast; Il il not pretended, howev'
se. that they we're the FIRST DISCOVERIES But tE
nj ling the country unoccupie5 British sitt
rient and trading post were established
Nootka Sound 81 Lieut. aeaFss, sometlI
Of within the last halfoft the last century. u
eV. was regarded by Spain as aninVasion Of !
ne. rights, and the post was attacked and q
turea By the SpaniaTds in l700.
- Here vas the beginning Of that conflict
me claims which has come down % this day
ord adjustment. We have succeeded to
Tights Of Spain, while Great Britain holds