Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-01-13
q. b.
Dsparimfnt If Slatc,
Department. ~ .'Htti
Washington. 18th July, 1915.


The undersigned, Secretary Of Stale OF The U.
States, now p.ocecdsto resume the negotiation OF
the Oregon question, al the point where II was ielt
by his predecessor
The British npolenriary in his note TO Mr..
Calhoun OF The 18th September last, requests
THAT, as the "A mercah p'enipoleniary declines
the proposal Offered on the part Of Great Britain,
he will have the goodness 10 state what arrange
neni he is, on the part OF The United States, pre-
pared 10 propose for an equitable adjustment OF
the question and more especially that he will
have the goodness 10 define the nature and ex-
Ten, Of the claims which the United States may
have to other portions OF the territory. 10 which al
fusion has been made in The concluding patl Of
his statement, as il is obvious that no arrange
ment can be made with respect 10 a part OF lhe
territory in dispute while claim is reserved 10
any portion ol the rema Under"
The Secretary OF Stale will now proceed, IRE
yersing the order in which these requests have
been made,) in the first place, 10 present The tile
OF the United States 10 the territory north OF Inc
valley Of the Columbia; and will then propose,
on The part Of he President, the terms upon which,
in his opinion, this long pending controversy
may be Justly and equilably terminated between
the parties.
The tile OF the United States 10 that portion
of the territory between The valley OF the Co
lumbia and The Russian line, in 81 degrees Az
minutes north latitude is recorded in the Florida
treaty.. Under this lreaiy dated on the 22d Fe-
hruarv, 1919, Spain ceded 10 The United STATES
all her 'rghs, claims, and pretensioDs 10 aay
territories west OF The Rocky mountains and
north OF the 42i parallel of latitude. Wecontenl
that, a, the date Of This cession, Spain bad good
! lille, as against Great Britain, 10 the whole Ore.
gon territory; and, if This be established, the
question is then decided in favor OF The United
States.
But The American title is now encountered al
every step by Geca rations that we hold II subject
10 ali the conditions Of The Nootka Sound Con-
yen,ion between Great Britain and SPAIN sisned
al The Escurial or the 18Th Of October, 80
Great Britain contends that under this Conven
lion the title of Spain was imilcdt mere com
mon right OF joint occupancy with herself, ove'
the whole territory. To employ The language
the British Plenipo,enliary: III Spain could no
make good her own right Of exclusive dominion
over those regions, still less could she confer suct
a right on another power; and hence Great Bri
tain argues thai from nothing deduced irum lh'
Treaty of 1919 can the United States assert {
valid claim to exclusive dominion over any par
of The Oregon Territory Hence tits, that Grea
Britain, resting her pretensions on the Nook;
Sound Convention, has necessarily limited be
claim 10 mere right Of joint occupancy over III
whole territory, in coIpmon with the Unite
|
right OF exclusive dominion in allegiance.
il is. then, otthe first importance that we SHOULD
ascera in the true construction and meaning OF IN
Noo.Sa Sound Convention.
IL il should appear that this treaty was tran
silent in its very nature-that II conferred upoi
Grea, Britain no right hnl that OF merely Ira
ding with the Indians whilst the country should
remain unsettled, and mating The necessary es
Establishments for this purpoSe-that II oio not IN
leriere with the ultimate sovereignty OF span
over The terrilory-apd above all, that it was an
nulled BY The war between Spain and Great Bri
tain in 1876, and has never since been rcnewe
: nv the pariies-lhen the British claim 10 an
portion Of this territory will prove 10 be deslilnt
: Of foundation II is unnecessary 10 detail ID
: circumstances out of which this convention arcst
! Il is sutficen, 10 say that John Meares, Births
y subject sailing under the Portuguese flag, ande
: al Nootka Sound in l7SS, and made temporar
establishment there, for the purpose of building
vessel; and that the Spanlards, IN lIs9 too
|, possession Of this establishment, uncer The OF
= ders OF the viceroy OF Mexico, who claimed 10
Spain the exclusive sovereignty OF Inc Wnol
J, | territory on The Northwest coast OF America, U
:. TO the Russian line Meares appealed 10 III
!, British Government for redress against SpaiI
| and The danger Of war between the Two nation
: became imminent This was prevented hy ID
: conclusion Of the Nootka Sound convention
), Tharcanven,ion provides by its first and secon
articles, for The restoration Of lands and building
: OF which The subjects OF Great Britain had bee
4 disposses>ed by the Spaniards, and the payme'
\ OF a indemnify Tor the injuries sustained. III
!. indemnify was paid by Spain; but no suiiicie'
: evidence has been adduced lha, either Nook
Sound or any other spo! upon The coast. was ev'
). actually surrendered by that power 10 Great br
= tain. An We know with certainty is, that Spai
:, = continued in possession of Noo,ka Sound unit
1875, when she voluntarily abandoned The P'ac
). Since Ina, period, no attempt has been made (ul
, les, verv recently by Great Britain, or her su
:; jects 10 occupy either this or any other par
" Vancouver's Island. |, is thus manifest. III
4 she did not formerly attach much importance
:. the exercise of the rights, whatever they ma
: have been, which she had acquired under u
- Nootka Sound convention.
IS The only o,her portion OF this Convention, in
portant for The present discussion, will be found
4 the third aud the fifth articles. They are as IL
T. lows: "Article 5. 10 order TO strengthen Il
e bonds of friendship, and To preserve in future
If perfect harmony and good understanding be,wes
. ihetw contracting parties, it is agreed TIA. The