The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-09-09
JAMES q. KING,
New YoRK, 7th Sept, 1886.
Mr.. McLaas,s rsDLu,

sense you entertain OF my public services, and for
the fattering terms in which you have been pleased
TO give it expression. Such compliment, proceed
ing from such body Of my countrymen, would be
ample reward for greater merit than ! could pos
siby pretend to; and will not attempt TO disguise
the sincere eradication II has afforded me. Highly
as value IL, however, II gives me pleasure TO ac-
knowledge that, being myself upon the occasion to
which you particularly refer, only an instrument in
assisting the purposes Of Others the greater share Of
your appreciation is due TO those with whom | CO.
operated.
omitting for moment a more particular refer
ence TO the conduct and dispositions Of our own
government, may, without improperly, assure
you, that your reference TO the distinguished Brit
sh statesman by whom the negotiation on the part
of that government directed, is fully merited
and that upon any occasion OF congratuauon up
on the result, too much praise cannot be bestowed
upon his manly sense, and unwavering determi-
nation to promote an amicable settlement Of the
question.
am free, at the same time, TO assure you, gen.
uemen, that no can be more sensible Of the i'm
portanee Of peace to all interests Of the country and
especially TO those which you worthiy represent,
than | am or course where the honor Of the
country is involved, no one would stop count the
cost estimate the evils Of war; but it is crafty.
ing evidence Of the advance Of the age in which we
live that the rulers Of states not afraid to
knowledge that the national honor is more apt TO be
committed by hasty and impracticable demands
Unan by Wise ana utnely CONCESSIONS
Governments, like ours especially, can rarely dis
turb the peace Of the world, without mourning
weighty responsibility to the Of civilization
and human happiness, and, il not haZarding their
own stability, without seriously impairing their mo-
rnl influence.
certainly could not have been induced to return
TO political life as the representative Of my country
abroad, unless had been persuaded that, in the
crisis TO which you have referred, the views Of my
own government had been entirely consistent with
such settlement Of the Oregon question a ought
to have secured an honorable peace, and unless |
had entertained the hope that might be enabled in
| some degree to cooperate TO that end.
For myself, after several conventions of 1878,
and 1925 for the joint occupation Of the territory
(thelatter Of which received my support as senator
Of the United States,) | had always regarded the
Oregon question less dependent upon the force
Of title than upon the principles of an equitable par
| tition.
| Ii would have been unreasonable to expect after
such Acknowledgements Of the right Of Joint occu-
pancy, that either party would be permitted wholly
TO dispossess the other, at least without some
gard to interests which had grown up during their
| mutual possession. IL appears 70 me also, that all
| the previous acts Of our government had not only
been consistent with, but afirmatory Of this view
and | could see nothing in the national honor that
would justify, much less demand a departure from
1t. Possessing before, in great degree after
the treaty with SPAIN in 1919, all the title which,
country drained by the waters of the Columbia, and
which, if good for anything, was valid beyond the
SD parallel degree Of latitude, our government at
no time proposed more northern boundary than
| the parallel of 81, and never demanded more than
that Of 40. Having some knowledge, from my off
cial position at that time Of the policy and objects
of the convention of 1928 quite persuaded that
its main design to lead, in future partition of
the territory to the recognition Of our claim the
country, not north, but south of the 49th parallel
and between that and the Columbia river. A d.
| VISION OF the country upon that principle, with
reasonable regard to rights grown up under the joint
possession, always appeared to ma to afford Just
| and practical basis for an amicable and honorable
adjustment of the subject. Such also, | was salts
| fed were the views of our government at the time
engaged in my recent MISSION and in earnestly and
| steadily laborng to effect settlement upon that
basis, was but representing the policy of my
government, and faithfully promoting the intentions
| and wishes Of the President.
1t must be very rare, if in complicated differences
between great nations, peaceful relations can be
| preserved without some modification of extreme
pretensions; and upon the present occasion, from
the length of time for which the question had been
depending, together with the often repeated propo-
stons of both sides, the two governments could not
have been reasonably expected to come to an ami
cable arrangement without some mutual concession
Of their former demands.
If, on our side, by dividing on the 49th parallel
and the straits of Fuca, we yielded the southern
cape of Vancouver's island, Great Britain surren-
dered her previous claim to the jurisdiction and un-
occupied territory between the 49th parallel and the
| Columbia river At the same time we have effected
a material modification Of our former offer of the
surrender of the perpetual navigation Of the Column
| bia river to British trade and British subjects gene
rally. Although, from Difference to the views and
| opinions Of others, which it no less my wish
than my duty to respect, | earnestly endeavored to
effect settlement upon the basis Of allowing the
navigation of the river to the general trade for pc
Rod Of twenty years; nevertheless, when that, from
causes to which need not now particularly refer,
proved to be impractcable, in suggesting and urg-
ing that it should be restricted to the Hudson Bay
company thought | was ehecng an object even
| less Objectionable.
1t seems to me that, IN the present state Of COM
merce is not only the interest but the practice Of
| nations, independent of some inveterate notions Of
colonial policy, already yielding to more enlightened
views, to allow the greatest freedom of rivers and
ports to the trade of the world, and it may be OBJ
served that, until the United States and Great Brit
| ain shall determine to abandon the reciprocity Sc
| cured by the existing commercial convention, the
recent Oregon treaty confers fewer privileges of nav
igation than may be claimed and enjoyed under the
commercial convention | felt confident, moreover,
that long before the two governments would desire
to alter their existing commercial freedom, it, in
deed they should ever desire to do so, during the
continuance of peace, the Hudson's Bay company
would cease to have any occasion motive to nav-
gate buCn river aS IOluInDla Is KNOWN 10 De.
IL would not be easy to imagine any they could
make of it, during state of peace, inconsistent with
the commerce and interests of our own citizens.
Universal satisfaction at the adjustment of a DIFF
fculty so complicated and nveterate was scarcely
to be expected, and yet it IA source of satisfac
ton to know that its general acceptabentss to the
country at large affords sure guaranty of the con-
tnuance Of our future peace. The tone and tenn
per with which the negotiation was conducted in
their several departments, by both governments,
have been credable to their wisdom and modera-
ton, and have already served to elevate our own in
the opinion of other nations.
sincerely believe that these effects cannot be too
highly appreciated; and if any portion Of our fe-
ow.ctizens, in any section of the country, should
feel that they have not obtained all the territory or
advantages they had expected to acquire, it may be
hoped they will nevertheless be satisfied that the
national honor, far from suffering, has really been
elevated by the result, and that, in preserving the
blessings Of peace, and keeping our country scadi-
ly in career of glorious prosperity, they will be