Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1845-12-20

tween the United States and Great Britain,
on The subject of the Oregon territory.
Three several attempts had been previously
made to settle the question in dispute be-
tween the two countries, by negotiation,
upon the principle Of compromise, but each
bad proved unsuccessful.
These negotiations took place at London,
in the years 1918, 1924 and 1926; the two
first under the administration of Mr.. Mon.
roe, and the last under that of Mr.. Adams.
The negotiation of 1918 having failed to
accomplish its object, resulted in the con-
vention Of goth October Of that year. By
the third article Of that convention it was
"agreed, that any country that may be
claimed by either party on the northwest
coast Of America, westward of the Stony
mountains, shall, together with its harbors,
bays and creeks, and the navigation of all
rivers within the same, be free and open
for the term of ten years from the date Of
the signature of the present convention,
to The vessels, citizens and subjects of the
two powers; il being well understood that
this agreement is not to be construed to the
prejudice of any claims which either Of
the two high contracting parties may have
W any pdIt vi kHG Sdlu COuIlIN uOI SIlhll
it be taken TO affect the claims of any other
power or State to any part Of the said
country; the only object Of the high con.
tracing parties in that respect being TO
prevent disputes and differences among
themselves"
The negotiation Of 1924 was productive
of no result, and the convention of 1918
was left unchanged.
The negotiation of 1926, having also
failed TO affect an adjustment by compro-
mise, resulted in the convention of August
the sixth, 1927, by which it was agreed to
continue in force, for an indefinite period,
the provisions Of the third article of the
convention of the twentieth Of October,
1918, and it was further provided, that sit
shall be competent, however, to either of
the contracting parties, in case either should
think fit. at any time after the twentieth of
October, 1928, on giving due notice Of
twelve months to the other contracting
party, to annul and abrogate this conven-
ton; and it shall, in such case, be accord
ingly entirely annulled and abrogated after
the expiration of the said term Of notice
In these attempts TO adjust the controversy
the parallel of the forty-ninth degree Of
north latitude had been offered by the Uni
ted States to great Britain, and in those
of 1918 and 1896. with further conces-
sion of the free navigation of the Columbia
river south of that latitude. The parallel
of the forty-ninth degree, from the Rocky
Mountains to its intersection with the
northeastern branch of the Columbia, and
thence down the channel of that river to
the sea, had been offered by Great Britain,
with an addition of small detached ter
ritory north of the Columbia. Each of
these propositions had been rejected BY
the parties respectively.
In October, 1913, the Envoy Extraor-
binary and Minister Penipotentiary of the
United States in London, was authorized
to make similar offer to those made in
1918 and 1926. Thus stood the question.
when the negotiation was shortly after
wards transferred to Washington; and on
the twenty.third of August, 1914, was for
maIIv opened, under the direction Of nv
immediate predecessor. In all the previous
negotiations, it was based upon principles
Of compromise" and the avowed purpose
Of the parties was ito treat Of the respec-
tive claims Of the two countries to the Ore.
gon territory, with the view TO establish
a permanent boundary between them west
ward of the Rocky Mountains 10 the Pa.
cifc ocean," Accordingly, on the Goth of
August, 1914, the British Plenpotentiary
offered TO divide the Oregon territory BY
the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude,
from the Rocky Mountains to the point OF
its intersection with the northeastermost
branch of the Columbia river, and thence
down that river TO the sea; leaving the free
navigation of the river to be enjoyed in
common by both parties--the country
south Of this line to belong to the United
States, and that north of it to Great Britain
At the same time. he proposed, in addition
TO Weld to the United States a detached
territory, north Of the Columbia, extend
ing along the Pacific and the Straits OF
Fuca, from Bulfinch's harbor inclusive, 10
Hoods canal, and to make free to the Uni
ted States any port or ports south Of Iat-
tude forty-nine degrees, which they might
desire, either on the main land, or on
Quadra and Vancouver's Island. With the
exception of the free ports, this was the
same offer which had been made by the
British and rejected by the American gov.
eminent in the negotiation of 1896. Thi,
proposition was promptly rejected by the
American Plenipotentiary on the dav i
was submitted. This was the only propo
stion of compromise offered by the British
| Plenipotentiary. The proposition on the
part of Great Britain having been rejected
the British Plenpotentiary requested that a
proposal should be made by the United
States for ian equitable adjustment of the