Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-06-18

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belonged to the British and thinking so still. and
acting upon the first half of the great maxim-ask
nothing but what is right shall not ask them for it.
much less fight them for it now.
come now to the third geographical division Of
the contested country puposey reserved for the last
because il furnishes the subject for the application of
the second half Of the great maxim-submt to moth.
ing that is wrong. l come to the river Columbia
and its vast and magnificent valley. l once made
description Of it, with anathema against its aliena
ton. described II by meies and bounds-by marks
aud features-and then wrote its In its face.
The ifty-four forties got hold Of my description
rubbed out the name-obliterated the features-ex-
handed the boundares-took in New Caledonia, and
all the rivers, lakes. bays, sounds, islands, Valleys
| forts, and settlements all the way up ifty-four
forty and then turned my own anathema against N.Y.
self, because their minds could not apply words to
things. Well | take no offence ut this. There
some people too simple to get argry with. All we
do with them in the West is to have them scout for
the smples," after which they are cured. They can
perform this operation for themselves or have it done.
If by themselves, all they have to do is TO rub their
eyes, and read again if by Others the operator must
read, and caution the listening patient to stick the
word to the thing.
The valley of the Columbia is ours: ours by dis
covery, by settlement, and by the treaty of Utrecht
and has too often, been admitted to Great Britain
to admit to her dispuiing il now. do not plead her
title to that great country did that twenty years
ago, when there few to repeat or applaud
what / said l passed the ground which trod so
long ago. and which has been again so much trodden
of late and take up the question at fresh place-the
admissions Of Great Britain and show tina. she has
concluded by her own acts and words from ever set
ting up any claim to the river and valley of the Co
lumba, any part of the territory south of the
10th degree
begin with Mr. Astor's settlement on the Column
- inf cd
ifice of argument against Great Britain. What was
that settlement Not mere trading post for tenn
porary traffic. down in corner, and without the know
ledge of nations, the sanction of his own govern
ment On the contrary, it was the foundation OF a
colony, and the occupation of the whole valley Of the
Columbia, and the establishment of commercial
emporium of which the mouth of the river was the
seat, and the Rocky mountains hand and east
ern Asia on the other the outposs. Great Brit
ain saw it without Objectionable United States with
appreciation and every circumstance which proclaim
ed and egitimated a national undertaking slgnalized
and commemorated its commencement, existence, and
overthrow.
1t was in the year lSl0-four years after the re-
turn of Lewis and Carke's expediton-that Mr..
Astor with the enlarged and comprehensive views Of
a "merchdnt prince" projected from the eastern
shore of the Atlantic this great establishment the
eastern coast of the Pacific ocean, A ship command
ed by an officer of the United States navy, freghted
with everything necessary for the foundation of a
colony, sailed from New York to double Cape Horn
an overland expedition of ninety men, led by gen.
teman OF New Jersey, proceeded from 81. Louis to
cross the Rocky mountains In the spring of 1911
the two expeditions at the mouth of the Column
bia, and Immediately proceeded to fulfil the intentions
of the bold protector of the enterprise. Astoria
founded its dependent posts the Okenakan was es-
tablished six hundred miles the river the Spoken
another dependent, establishedtw two hundred miles
higher up, and at the base of the mountains; third
IL ~ The,
T name go miles southeast of Astoria. Parties Of
traders and hunters covered all the waters of the Co.
lumbia river from head TO mouth; fleets of batteaus
carrying up merchandise and bringing down furs haC
their regular arrival and departure from Astoria
Two more ships arrived from New York. Canton
the Sandwich islands, New Archangel, the coast Of
!. California, were visited by Mr.. Astor's ships. The
Pacific Fur Company in full tide of success
Astoria became the centre of extended trade; he
name became known to the world. This was notice
to the world that American colony was being
founded on the Columbia, and no power in the wide
world objected to it. 1t before the Spanish
treaty of 1919, and Spain did not object. 1t af
ter all the pretended claims of Great Britain,
set up, and she did not object Special notice had
previously been given to the minister of Great Brit
ain, and he had nothing to say against it. Special
notice had already been given to the Northwest Com
pany, and they invited to join in the enterprise as
traders, which they refused to do, because it was
an American enterprise. Far from Directing to the
settlement they sent special agent the con-
tinent to stipulae with Nh Asors agents that they
should con6ne themselves to the valley of the Column
ba, which arrangement made. Special notice
was given to our government, its sanction obtained
and its protection solicited; and if protection, in the
full sense of the word, not promised it be-
cause it felt to be impossible to send troops ant
ships there, in the event of the war; to prevent it:
falling into the hands of the British but that it
to be protected, in the general sense of the word
,,co1 mod hon,
to be made
Two years passed off this way; Great Britain
made objection her agent, the northwest Company
agreed to occupation of the whole valley and
quesence, under these circumstances, becomes adj
mission of American title which forever closes the
mouth of Great Britain.
In this manner the Columbia was settled by Mr.
Astor; in this it was held by him for two
years. Now for the manner In which it fell into the
hands of Great Britain. Two years had elapsed from
the time of the foundation of Astoria when inelli
gence arrived ut that place with the news of war be-
tween the United States and Great Britain, and in
formation of departure of ship of from Lon
don to join the squadron under Commodore Hillyar,
the Pacific ocean, and proceed to capture Astoria
an important American colony. At the same time
time several partners Of the Northwest Company ar.
rived at Astoria, confirmed the information of the
British designs the post and offered to purchase all
the stock hand. goods and furs, of Mr.. Astor, as
the only means of preventing them from becoming a
prize to British squadron. The agents of Mr.. As
tor sold under his duresse, receiving the fourth or
fifth part of what the property worth Soon after
a ship of war from Commodore HIlyars squadron ar
rived, took possession of the post without opposition
but with all the ormaities of British conquest and
with great chagrn to the officers at the loss of their
expected booty. This is the manner in which the
British got possession of Astoria, and with it the
whole valley of the Columbia. As a British conquest
they took it as such they agreed to restore il under
/ ,bo Of Ind inns tba