Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-01-08
MIR. BOrTS' LETTER.
The Oregon Question hnparf;aiiy Vie,ced--Jtar and
SIS Consequences.

as Consequences.
To JOHN ii. PLEAsANrs, ESQ.
Dear Sir This is a question that has been
Dut snort time prominently before the American
People has been but little discussed, in public
and stlli less understood for until now, few
public documents have been presented TO the
Puoiic eye from which a correct judg ment could
oe 'ol'neo' aho those' so voluminous, that few
comparatively even Of our public men, have taken
the pains TO wade through them. Under these
circumstances have thought could render no
more acceptable service TO my w-ciiiyens,
who are so vitality interested in its issue. and
who now stand upon the brink of bloody and
desoiating war, than 10 present to their minds as
briefly as possible, a clear and distinct under
standing OF The true nature of the claims go, n,
by Great Bt3ssm and the United States, 10 this
comparatively worthless, disputed Territory ; and
OF me actual position we occupy towards it at
THIS moment. And for this purpose, I propose TO
eXhoit tie question, as il presents itself from a
careful examination of the correspondence be-
'"eeh the Dritisn and American negotiators, as
accompanying tho Presidents Message TO the
two Houses of Congress, stripped of ali the pys
iihcatIon that surrounds it, bv the volume of
words that have been employed to establish their
respective claims.
The Oregon Territory, il is known, consists of
mat part OF the northwestern portion of North
hmeiica' lying between the summit Of the Rocky
the South by the 42d degree, and on the North
by the oath deg. dom. of north latitude.
ne ciaipi on the part of The United States, up
70 me present time, has covered only that portion
OF the territory lying between 40 and 400 north
latitude; and that portion beyond the 49o has
oeen conceded TO Great Britain at least in all
former negotiations we have agreed TO surrender
H. put now, Tor the first time within 81 wears,
during which we have been treating and neuo,ia-
.ng with Great Britain on this subject, claim
is set up by MIR. Polk and his neGotiator. Mr.
Ducnanan-foMe ,chote territory--and the grounds
upon which this claim rests, are two-lold list a
right acquired from the Spanish Government by
the FLORIDA treaty in 1919; and secondly, right
derived from discovery, exploration and settle.
ment.
flrst, ihen, let MS examine the Spanish title
quote from MIR. Buchanan's own letter and ac-
knowledgment-,o show Nv it stands:
hat Juan de Fuca, Greek in the service of
spain, In 1892, discovered aud sailed through the
stfai'. now bearing his name, from its Southern
10 lis n orihern extremity and thence returned by
the same passage, no longer admits of reason
aoie dnubt. An account of this voyage was pub
llshed In London, in 1925, in a work called the
fHgIims, by Samuel Purchas. This account
was received from the lips of Fuca himself, at
Genoa In April, 1896, by Michael Lock, highly
respectable English merchant.
Durlng long period, this voyage was deem
Ell fabulous, because subsequent navigators had
endeavored IN vain to find these straits. Finally,
after they had been found, it was discovered that
The descriptions of de Fuca correspondent so accu-
rateiy with their geography, and the facts pre-
sented by nature upon the ground, that it was no
longer possihe to consderh his narrative fabulous.
'Jusiice has, at length, been done 10 his memory.
and these straits which he discovered, will, in ali
future time, bear his name: Thus, the merit of
The discovery of the straits of Fuca belonos TO
Spain; and this nearly two centuries before they
had been entered by Captain Berkely, under the
Austrian Flag.
'lti is unnecessary 10 detail the discoveries of
me , paniards, as they regularly advanced to the
North from their settlements, on the Western
coasts OF North America until we reach the vow
age OF Captain Juan Perez, in 1874. That Ma
vlgaior was commissioned by the Viceroy of
Mexico, TO proceed in the corvette SANTIAGO TO
the Coz OF North latitude, and from that point to
examine the coast down to Mexico. He sailed
from San Bias on the 25th of January, l771 In
the performance OF this commission, he landed
hrst on the Northwes, coast of Queen Charlotte's
Island near the 51tho OF North latitude: and
thence proceeded South, along the shore of that
Island aud of the great Islands of Quadra and
Vancouver; and then along the coast of the con-
uneDt until he reached Monery," (Which is a
bout the 42ndo N. latitude.) 'He went on shore
and held intercourse with the natives at several
places, and especially at the entrance Of bay in
latitude 49i degrees, which he called Port San
Lorenzo. The same now known by the name oil
Nootka Sound
sin addition to the journals of this voyage
which render the facts incontesable we have
the high authority Of Baron Humboldt in its ia
vor. That distinguished traveller, who had &C.
cess to the manuscript documents in the CITY of
Mexico, states that Perez and his pilot, Esieran
Mastenez, left the port of San Bias on the 24lh
oil January, in l77l. The 9th of August thew
anchored Che first of all European Navgators)
In Noolka road, which they called the port Of
San Lorenzo, and which the iilustIous Cook,
fur years gfterwards, called King Georges
Sound"
"in the next year l775, the Viceroy of Mexi-
co, again fitted out the Santiago, under the com
mand Of Bruno Hecata, with Perez her former
commander, as ensign, and also, schooner CALI
ed the Sonoro, commanded by Juan Francisco de
la Bodega Quadra. These vessels were COM
mssioned to examine the Northwest coast OF
America, as far the G5th degree Of latitude
and sailed I'm company from San Bias, on the 9th
OF March, 1873. 1t Is unnecessary TO enumerate
the different places on the coast, examined by
these navlgators, either in company or separately
Suffice II 10 say, they landed at many places on
the coast, from the 1ist to the 57th derfee OF
North latitude, on all of which occasions thew
took posse ssion Of the country, in the name OF
thelr sovereign, according TO prescribed regua-
ton; celebrating mass, reading declarations, as.
seriIng the right of Spain to the territory, and e.
reclIng crosses with inscriptions, TO commence
rate the event. Some Of these crosses were af
forwards found standing by British navigators'
| Again, Mr.. Buchanan says: "CompaTed with
this ancient claim of Spain dcquieSced in by al
European nations for centuries, the claim of Grea
Britain founded on discoveries commenced at 81
! late period as 1918, must make an unGavorabl,
first impression;" but, again in former part o
his first communication, Mr.. Buchanan says:
| alt may be observed, as a striking faci, which
must have an important bearing against the claim
! Of Great Britain, that this Convention 8, (tb,