The Yazoo City Whig. [volume] (Yazoo, Miss.) 1844-1851, 1845-06-13


at de suggestion Of IEEpERsoN. underCap.
tains LrNis and CLARK. There was min
.uleness anda fullness in their discoveries
which give tha highest authenticity 10 ati.
tie founded upon prior discovery.
Oregon 4 also ours By purchase Gin 1891
from Spain, undenjably The frst discoyrer
and occupant 81 tie COAST. even az far ubrth
as the 55th parallel Ia 1910. Spain. Dr
constellation Of ST, 200 600, ceded 10 the
United States Fioridn, and also all her
rights Title and claim to an territory onthe
racine coast north of De 42d paraltl of
latitude
Inc only circumstance calculated toveak
en the peflecsness az The United State H.
tles The we'll known Nootka Sound con.
test On 1881 which terminated in a son-
yention between Enqland and Spain. ID the
year $50. some twenty years before our
purchase from Spain, and with which cDndi-
tons our title is undoubtedly clogged. f The.
Terms Of that convention have been The
source Of ininite dispute. After an Exams
ination of the terms Of The treaty-the de-
bates in the English Parliament when the
treaty was laid before that body tie con.
temPoraneous action in relation TO The sur.
render Of the English possessions on ootke
Sound, which had been seized BY Spain
which surrender, BY the way, an Engli9l his.
toFian, BELsHAaT, insists was never msde--
the whole convention seems 10 be resolved
into az oint occupancy on.the part Of En- lish-
men and Spaniards for commercial purposes.
Sucha one now exists and has existed for
twenty seven years between Great Brfain
aud the United States in relation to tho
very same territory. Yetwe doubt whether
any American considers that We Yielded in
the least our ultimate title 10 the Oregon,
By that joint occupancy Applying the
same principle 10 the convention between
England and Spain anu the conviciiontwill
arise that the tile was left in allegiance TO
be determined BY subsequent agreement.
The following is q clear summary Of the A.
merican title:
]. Discovery Of the mouth OF Columbia
river BY Capt Gray, Of Boston, giving the
name Of his vessel to the river.
2. The discovery Of the head of the same
river by Lewis and Clark, under the authors
ity Of the United States.
3. The settlement Of Astoria under the
auspices ofMr Astor, an American natur.
allied citizen
a. The treaty Of 1903 with the French
republic.
5. The treaty Of Spain oflSl9, acquiring
all rights Of Span to land north Of AZ de-
gTees beyond the Rocky mountains.
s. The Nootka Sound contest 1881 be-
tween England and Spain.
z, The treaty OF Utrecht ( 1861 between
France and England, settling bonndarias-
this settlement becoming ours, as the sue
cessors Of France IN that part Of her domin-
ions
8. The treaty Of Client qsI5) restoring
Astoria TO the United States as American
properly.
8. American citizens were once in sole
possession Of the Columbia liver region.
Even should the NoOika Sound conven>
ton be considered a session OF title and SOW
ereignty 70 England on the part of Spain,
il only applies to the places named therein.
and those are situate north of The 49th par
allel Of latitude. Il is well remarked, "Not
an inch of soil ID the valley of the Colum-
bia and IFS tributaries were included in the
provisions of the convention Of 1870. -
South Of Nootka Sound all parties in This
country concur that our title is ssclear and
unquestionable. And there is not the re-
modest probability that our people will ever
consent 10 surrender an acre.
Though this question is evidently sur.
rounded with complicated difficulties and
embarrassmenis, growing too, in no small
degree out Of the joint occupancy, we have
the hope that will be settled peaceabTy,
honoFably and satisfactorily, under the au.
spices Of our President and his able Secreta.
~ lof State.