Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-12-18

wear and n republication of them entire is out of
the question. We will make few notes.
CoRRrsPoNDENcE ON THE OREGON QUESTION,
FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATES OFFIcE.-dhlS
correspondence was commenced by letter rom
MIR. Fox, Nov. 10, I9i2, and various commuhica-
tons were exchanged; but nothing dehhito uohc
until the Goth of Aug. ls44, when, at conference
at the Secretary Of States Office, Mr. Packenham
british MINISTRY proposed to take the 18th paral-
lei of latitude to the Columbia River and the river
TO the sea and also to make free to the United
States any port or ports which they might desire
on the main land or Oh Vancouvers Island south
of 40 deg.
Mr.. Calhoun declined this offer.
Four conferences ensued, and dt the last the
British Minister declined to enter into any discus
sion relative to the territory north of lat. 40 deg
and also said that his former proposal was offered
by Great Britain as ar honorable compromise, and
that it made with the proviso that in no case
in any further negotiations should it compromise or
weaken the claims of Great Britain, unless accept
ed by the United States
We copy from the abstract of the correspondence
furnished by the New-York Tribune;
lie
declines Mr.. P's proposal, it would limit pos
sessions to narrower bounds than what we had a
clear right TO. Mr. Calhoun then enters into able
argument on our claims to the territory drained
blythe Columbia, arising from our proper right, and
those derived from France and Spain. The form
or he grounds against Great Britain, on priority
of discovery, exploration end settlement. The pr-
or discovery is claimed for Captain Gray citizen
of the United States, May IL, 1882, who gave the
river its name. This discovery is opposed by those
of Meares and Vancouver. The former sailed along
the coast through which the Columbia flows, in
l7SS in order to ascertain whether the river, laid
down in Spanish charts as "SI. Roc" really ex-
isted and he declares =" we can now safely assert
that there is such river" Vancouver, in April,
1892, explored the same coast. His own journal
proves that he failed to discover the river He ev-
en- disbeleved Captain Grays discovery. Gray
gave copy of his chart to Nadia at Nootka sound,
and on Vancouvers arrival, Nadia gave him a copy.
Vancouver, guided by the chart, entered the Co.
lumbia Oct 20, 1892 The attempt to prove that
Captain Gray sailed in private, not U. s. YES
sell shows the strength of our claims.
MIR. Calhoun then proceeds to consider the dis
,coyeres Of the Columba's branches by Lewis and
Clark long before any British subject visited these
parts, and asserts clear right by the discovery
CT the mouth and head waters of the Columbia
river.
He next describes the question of settlement by
our citizens in 1909, 10 and H. The taking pos
ton after peace.
He then proceeds, " We have added to our Just
claims those Of France and Spain by the Treaty
of Louisiana and the Treaty Of Florida. The ces-
sion Of Louisiana gave undisputcd title to the
summit of the Rocky Mountains and by COntinui-
IN 10 the Pacific, founded on the Treaty fl763
He then dwes on the argument of Continuity,
instancing the contest between Great Britain and
France which was terminated by the Treaty of
1868. The fact that Great Britain claimed this
continuity for her colonies (now the United States
forecloses her contrasting this principle against us
He then examines the treaty of 1863, which fix
cs the Mississippi as the boundary between Great
Britain and France, extinguishlng the claims OF
Great Britain West of that boundary. The right
of continuity was transferred to US by France II
the Treaty of Louisiana. France held this righ
by the extinguishment of Great Britain's claim by
Treaty of l7G3.
He then proceeds TO defend orr claims on the
discoveries of Spain which ave haye acquired. IL
place of conflicting with each other, they naturally
blend together, forming chain of title against al
opposing claims
He then takes up the restoration of Astoria aut
quotes the admission of Lord Castlereagh to Mr.
Rush, admitting our ample right to be renstated
and our right to possession while treating of title
Our claims have since been strengthened by in
crease of our population by emigration. lie con
cludes by stating thattke which peo
pied the valley of the Mississippi, will yet cause
the whole region of the Columbia is destined to bt
peopled by us. Mr. Calhoun closes his able pape
by stating that he refrains " from presenting tn,
claims which the Uuited States may have to othe
portions of the territory" than those drained by tn,
Columbia River, and by renewing assurances o
high consideration, &c. &c.
Sept. ~, 1874, Mr.. Packenham writes to Mr.. Cal
houn, in reply TO the above. That lie has no evi
dence that Louisiana extended west to the Pacific
but the Rocky Mountains was the Western bound
airy, for which opinion he quotes Mr. Jefferson. L
ven if the boundary, did extend Westward of tn
Rocky Mountains that France transferred to Sps
in 1862, and Spain to England by treaty betwee
Great Britain and SPAN in 1876, which abrogate
the claim of Spain
He denies that the claim oil continuity can affec
the claim of right. He acknowledges that SPAR
in 1919, transferred her rights North of latitude a.
but that did not inyalldate her former concession
in 1890.
In regard to the discoveries Of Heceta and Ora,
they conflict and if l1ecetas claim be good il ia
yors Great Britain, owing to the treaty of 1890.
The United States had no claims when they be
came nation. Those of France were worth mott
ing. He urges the commercial intercourse of Gret
Britain with the North West coast, the voyage ,
Cook and Mears the survey of the coast by Var
couver, which makes Great Britains claims to dii
covcry and exploration very strong He sets I'll
accuracy and authenticity of Cook and Vancol
yer's survey against the discovery of the mouth
the Columbia by Capt. Gray. OF the exploratic
of Lewis and Clarke, he says, that Mckenzie,
British subject, crossed the Rocky Mountains
the Pacific in 1893 and discovered the upper WI
ters of Frazers River, near lat 40 degrees, al
puts this against Lewis and Clark's.
lie meets the authority of Lord Castlereagh
the despatch OF Lord Castlereagh himself to Il
British Minister at Washington, when giving
Astoria, claiming the whole territory.
Great Britain and the United States are in joi
occupancy; one cannot divcst the other but by
equitable division OF what is jointly occupied.
In claiming the Columbia as the boundary, Gre
Britain is not inauencedby ambition of possessir
large territory, but by considerations of utility
not of necessity, which cannot be lost sight of.
MIR. p concludes by requesting proposal fro
the United States and statement Of further CLAIM
allnded 10 hY MIR. Calhoun