The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-17

the 10th degree, because il was not then known to
them that we had acquired Louisiana; but Mr.. JEFF
ierson, having knowledge of this acquisition, was
determined that nothing should be done TO COM
promise rights, 10 unsettle the boundaries es-
tablished under the treaty of Utrecht
] Another treaty was negotiated with Great Brit
ain in 1907, between Messrs Monroe and William
Pinckney on phe side, and Lords Holland and
Auckland on the other The English were now
fully possessed Of the fact that we had acquired
Louisiana, and become party 10 the line of 40 de-
grees; and they set themselves openly 10 work TO
destroy that line. The correspondence of the min
listers shows the pcrtinacity of these attempts and
the instructions Of Mr.. Adams, in 1918, (when Sec
retary OF State, under Mr.. Monroe,( 10 Messrs
Rush and Gallatln, then in London, charged with
negotiating convention on points lch unsettled at
Ghent, condense the history of the mutual propo-
silions then made. Finally, an article WAS agreed
upon, in which the British sacceeded In niutilating
the line, and stopping ii at the Rocky mountains.
This treaty Of 1907 shared the fate OF that Of 1902
but for different reason. II was rejected by Mr.
Jefferson, without reference to the Senate, because
| 1t did not contain explicit remuneration Of the
pretenslon of mpressmcnt!
| AT Client the attempt was renewed; the arrest
| of the line at the Rocky mountains was agreed
upon, but the British coupled with their propo-
sition demand for the free navigation of the Mis-
sissippi, and access TO il through the territories Of
the United States; and this demand occasioned the
whole article to be omitted. The Client treaty was
signed without any stipulation the s,bjec, Of the
line along the A9th degree, and that point became
a principal object of the ministers charged with
completing at London, in IslS the subjects unfn-
ished at Client in 1914. Thus the British were
again foiled but true to their design they persevcr-
ed and accomplished il in the convention signed at
London in 1918. That convention arrested the
| line at the mountains and opened the Columbia to
the JOINT occupation of the British; and, being rati
| fed by the United States, it has become binding
and obligatory on the country. But it is a point
not to he overlooked, or undervalued, in this case
that was in the year 1918 that this arrestatiOn of
the line took places that up to that period il was in
full force in oil its extent, and, consequently in full
| force TO the Pacific ocean; arA complete bar
(caving out all other barriersl to any British acqu-
stion, by discovery, south of 40 degrees in North
| America.
| The other point In our title, to which wish to
give little more development than il has received
from other speakers, is, its derivation under the
treaty with Spain of 1872 BY that treaty the Uni
ted States succeeded to all the rights Of Spain on
| the northwest coast of America north of AZ de-
grees. These rights, according to the memoir Of
the Spanish minister, Don Onis, extended TO the
Russian possessions--the British having nothing
on that coast! This the representation of the
Spanish minister; and with this, the fact Of the
agreed. The Nootka Sound treaty and controversy
of 1890 had decided that point! Il decided that tho
| British had no right to Nootka, a place four de-
grees north of the Columbia, and no way connected
with il; and il ended Ia obtaining for The British
the privilege, and nothing but the privilege, Of fish
! ing and hunting along the northwest coast and
erecting the temporary huts which The pursuit Of
these occupations might require. Colonization or
settlement was renowned. The treaty ITSELF cspe-
cially the Sd and the 9TH articles, viii prove this
and the parliamentary debates of the day cores
| pond with The words of the treaty. As a fact that
treaty nullIfes all British claim on the northwest
coast; as law, Gf not abrogated by wary il would
still confne them to the pursuit Of hunting and FISH
ing. The treaty of 1919, by which we acquired all
the Spanish title north of 400 has given us all the
benefits Of the Nootka Sound treaty. both as a fact
and as law; and, tested by either the British are
excluded from the northwest coast Of America, for
all the purposes OF settlement colonization.
| Having given this development to our title as de-
rived from the treaties of 1903 and 1919 with
France and Spain, Mr. B. proceeded to show the
nullity Of the British pretenson, and the tortious
nature Of the possession which they had acquired
on the Columbia river. For this purpose, he took
several positions, and stated them as points which
he meant to establish by proof. The first was that
up to the year 1S16 the British never pretended to
| state any claim, or any shadow or color of claim,
OF any kind whatever, to the Columbia river. The
second position was, that in the year 1918 they se.
gcsted title under the discoveries of Captain Cook,
and under purchases made from Indians south OF
the Columbia prior TO the American revolution; but
showed nothing TO sustain these empty suggestions
The third position was, that in 1896 they abandon
ed the idle suggestions Of I818 and took refuge for
the frst time, under the Nooka Sound treaty; and,
In the fourth place. he undertook to show that their
possession of the Columbia was intrusive and tor
tious--a respass, and fraud upon our prc-exis,ng
possession Of tho Same rivorj and wrong and ag-
gresslon which the government Of the United States
should resist and repHise
In support Of these positions, Mr.. B. read copi-
ously from Mr.. Adams's instructions of 1878 TO the
American ministers in London who negotiated the
convention of that year, and from letter from Mr..
John Jacob Aston Of 1919 to the Secretary Of State
lMr. Monroe,) TO be laid before President Madison.
These documents established, as he maintained all
the points he had stated, and showed the nullity
and futllity, as well as the mpudence OF the British
pretension.
From the earnestncss with which the British
now return to the object Of fixing this boundary
reason believe they
ed with it, which they do not avow but which in their es
nation gives an Importance not belonging to il consider
of dsputing title the settlement at the mouth OF the
Columbia river either indicates design their part,
10th parallel Of latitude south which they can have no
valid claims or maniiess Jealousy Of the United
desire to check the progress Of our settlements
might have been that experience would before
ms ~ day haze relieved them Their projects
Pnckney in 1907 and at Client in sf were TO take the
49 parallel Of latitude from the Lake the Woods est
as far as the territories of the United States that
direction with caveat against its extension to the south
Sea or beyond The stony mountains Upon which two OBJ
part Of the Lake of the Woods latitude 4e and
secondly tina. they always affected 70 apply The indefinite
rores United states and not to those OF rent Br
j. nssesg for future south & lat
with the Spanish minister Don ons appears that the
the seth degree Of north lattude but there is Russian set
Element in o. besides temporary Judgment with
this occasion, be disclosed. We know not precisely
what they arei nor have they explained the grounds
Element called Astoria formed before the late war and
broke by the British slooofwar Racoon course
pcty their obligation, under the treaty Of Client 10 re-
store he post there can be no question with regard to the