The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-03-28

himself, by actual observation, that there
was river, and SO assured Vancouver, whom
he soon after met. Vancouver denied that
there was such a river in the latitude, and
as described by Gray; because he himself
had navigated the Pacific coast from 54a de-
grees southwark, and had kept in sight of
the land the whole course with view TO
the discovery of bays, inlets and rivers, and
that when, at night, he was obliged to put to
sea, he always returned to the same place
in the morning, and within full sight of the
coast. Mears had made the same statement,
and had used the same caution, and with
the same effect. Captain Gray renewed his
effort to enter the river in question; and on
the llth day of May, 1892, again returned
10 it, and succeeded in entering its mouth,
sailed up it some distance, where he remain
ed for several days trading with the natives
Captain Gray gave names to every thing
worth naming about the mouth of the river,
by which names they are known TO this day,
and always will be. The noble river he call
ed Columbia, after the ship which bore him
into it.
Captain Gray was the first white man that
ever saw or entered the Columbia river: this
no man will deny, who has reputation for
truth and veracity; we know it by the re-
port of Captain Gray; all Christendom knew
it at the time, and no one has ever seriously
attempted 10 strip Captain Gray of the hon
or and glory of his discovery, until in some
of our late conventions for the negotiation
of Oregon, the British ministers had brand
ished title to the use and occupancy of
Oregon, founded upon the discovery of the
Columbia river by Vancouver. How ungen-
orous. how unjust Hear what Vancouver
saws himself of Gray's discoveries. He
says that in April, 1892, he observed sail,
which soon hoisted American colors, and
fired a gun to leeward; she proved to be the
ship Columbia, commanded by Capt Gray,
Citizen of Boston, from which she had been
absent nineteen months Vancouver sent
boat to the Columbia. Capt. Gray informed
the officer who visited him that he had viisS.
led the inlet which De Fuca had discovered
that he had sailed fifty miles into that inlet
He likewise informed them that che hat
been off the mouth of river in latitude AZ
degrees 10 minutes, where the outset Or re-
hux was so strong as TO prevent his entering
for nine days" Vancouver adds: "Thii
was probably the opening passed by us on
the forenoon of the 9th, and was apparent
w inacccssible-no from the current, bu'
from the breakers that extended across
Vancouver subsequently admits that Grai
discovered the Columbia. He says, alte
leaving Nootka, the weather being, fine, oil
his way south he was encouraged 10 reexa
mine New Albion, Pacific coast,) and par
). ticuIarly river and a harbor discovered b.
3 Mr.. Gray in the Columbia, between the 46t
and 47th degrees Of north latitude. Il
this we have an open and candid acknowl
edgment, by an officer of the English navy
that Capt. Gray, of the ship COLUMBIA, wa
the discoverer of the Columbia river; an
vet with this historical information in tn
British ministry, they will brandish title t
the Oregon Territory, founded upon the di:
covery of Vancouver, who informs them thu
Gray was the discoverer!
Then, sir, Oregon is ours by discovery
The laws of nations secure the right, an
we are able to maintain the possession.
is ours TO the full extent of the boundarie
defined in this bill. We discovered the ri'
er Columbia, and that river drains the entiI
territory which this bill describes; for fur
damenial principle of national law secure
TO the discoverer of river in a desert Ian
all the country it drains.
ITO be continued
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