The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-14

| policy, the occasion was still ahead when she might
hope TO put forth this claim with better prospect OF
success. But Of this hereafter. For the present
must return to the negotiations al Client that we
| may see IN what manner the old question was ex.
| eluded, and the nep put forward. And first as TO
| the old one-that Of the line between the Lake of
the Woods and the mountains, Fron the peace of
1888, that line had been disputed. Three times
previously 10 the treaty Of Ghent had i, been the
subject OF formal negotlalon--in 1884, in 1903, and
~ 1907 la the last of these efforts, the negotators
on both sides had agresd upon the 49th parallel of
north latitude al the line Of boundary, but no con-
| Ventlon 10 that effect was then concluded. That
question being therefore Open when the negotiators
| convened at Client, the American proposed TO the
British It's final adjustment with the other questions
OF boundary, And further, in order that no excuse
might be found for excluding IL, they proposed il
IN the identical form upon which the negotiators on
| both sides had agreed in 1907. But no. The Brit
lsh negotlators, having determined that IT should be
kept out for future use, met the proposition by pro-
/ posing 10 add condition which they knew the
American negotiators could not, as they did not,
| accept. This condition was, that tho subjects OF
England should have through the United States to
the Mississippi the free right ~ way and the free
\ navigation Of that river.
| Such were the devices by Which the adjustm ent
Of the old question was then evaded-lhat Of the
line between che Lake Of the Woods and tho noun
| tains.
| And now, sir, let it be seen by what other de-
/
line forming the boundary Of Maine let il be seen
| by what devices IL was set down In the treaty of
| Client for that future negotiation by which that
State has since been dismembered, and the noun
tain chain which before we held as military bar
rer against England, given to her military bar
/ rieT against Us.
These, then, were the facts When the negotia-
tons commenced, the British negouators proposed
| TO the American that the United States should cede
70 Great Britain that part of the present State OF
Maine which formed an angle between the two Brit
Ish provinces of New Brunswick and Canada in
| order TO straighten the communications between
those provinces. This they proposed should be
done by revision of the old and hitherto undis-
puted boundary, as fixed by the treaty Of 1888.
BY the very terms Of this proposition Of cession the
British negotiators acknowledged the right of the
United States to the territory which they sought
then to acquire. Tins territory had ever been'in-
cuded within our organized limits Great Britain
had never, up 10 that mOnsnt, dropped hint i'm
peachng our title, or suggesting any pretenson, up
on her part to inch OF that territory. Never had
| she even limited the existence Of any doubt or un-
| certainty as to the old boundary in that region.
Nor did her negotiasors then, at the commencement
Of the negotiations, drop such hint But when the
American negotators treated this proposition for a
cession Of the territory an effort of the British
| government to dsmember the United States, stated
| their own want Of authority 10 make such cessIon,
and declared that they would never, therefore, sub
n
done, the British negotiators, seeing that all pros
pect Of obtaining the territory by cession was at an
| end instantly changed their position, and then, for
the first time claimed the territory for Great Britain
as a matter Of right-as thing to which she had al
ways had title. Then, for the first time, did they
set up the shameless pretenson that the true line OF
| boundary was not where il had ever been known
and recognised to be- but that 1t through that ter
ritory so as to throw to Great Britain, matter
of right, the identical angle which, but few
weeks before, they had asked our negotiators
| to cede as a thing belonging to the United States,
and desired by Great Britain. Under these circum-
stances it was that our negotiators q speak not o.
the wisdom Of their conduct in this particularly so lar
Welded as TO allow article to be inserted IN the
treaty providing for the resurvey OF the line. mus
was this nsp question Of boundary started at Ghent
by the British negotators and together with the old
! question Of which I have spoken, kept in reserve
| by them for the future of their government in
treating with
| Here, them it is to be remembered, that at the
conclusion Of the treaty of Client, fioo questions OF
boundary remained to be settled; one an old one,
the other new one; the frst that from the Lake Of
the Woods to the Rocky mountains; the second
! that through the territory Of Maine.
And now SIR | come to the next negotiation in
the order Of time, that which ended in the conven-
ton of Goth October, 1918. This, too had the ad-
justment OF boundaries for its object And what
was the RESULT With a steadiness Of purpose which
system alone can give, Great Britain again pursued
and again obtained, the desired end. 1iro questions
of boundary remained unadjusted, when the nego-
'iations oprnsd-the old one, and the nep one
Of which have spoken. Were both of them set
ted' No, sir, no Faithful to herself-fathfn to
the unbending principles of her system, Great Brit
ain found means to adjust the old one only, and to
hold the still in reserpe for the future In
| that convention, the line from the Lake OF the
Woods to the mountains was fixed; the other,
through Maine, was left to a more suspicious hour
But was this alb BY no means. That would have
been but half the fruit of her policy. Too wise to
adjust both questions at once, she was too wise also
to adjust even one, without being ready with anofhe'
to take its place. Then il was, therefore, that her
| cair1 to Oregon was first brought forh--then II
was that, as at Ghent she had caused her then
claim on the line Of Maine to be Get down on the
face Of the treaty for after arrangement so here again
she caused this gel claim to Oregon to be liked
upon the face OF the convention, likewise, for afte
adjustment. THO questions, therefore, remained tc
be settled when the convention was signed-the ne,t
one Of the Maine line, first started at Client, and
since settled by the Ashburton treaty; and the still
of Oregon, started in this last negotiation
and perpetuated to this hour by the convention o.
| the 9th of August, 1927.
In the order Of time, the next negotiation is tina
which terminated in the Ashburton treaty. And tc
this, the most important Of ALL desire the especia
attention Of the Senate. desire it, because IN thu
transaction, more than in all others, the policy o
Great Brain--that policy which has resulted Sc
UTOntuDIy 10 no UlSastTOus'y W out
is displayed not merely in the results, but in every
feature upon the face Of the correspondence Ant
here, in the first place, let it be remembered, tina
when this negotiation began, not only did the t,o
questions of boundary--that of Maine and that o
oregon--stand open for adjustment, but other ques
tons, also, Of the greatest moment. These wer
the question of the "Creole" involving the safety
of large interest peculiar to the States of the south
the question of the "Caroline," involving the in
tegrity of our soil, and the violated honor OF on
country; the question of .'impressment and the RICH
Of search" involving the freedom Of the seas, thu
independence of our flag, and the security of ou
commerce throughout the world. These were thu
questions, every one Of which, as well as the two
questions of boundary, had been discussed between
the two governments, but remained still open wher
Lord Ashburton arrived. He came, in what char
acteri That Of "plenipotentiary Of her Britannia
Majesty on an extraordinary and special mission Il
the United States" He came, with what object
With an "unfeigned desire to settle this 1.-THE Main,
boundary and all other questions OF difference be
tween US, Cthe two governments,) on. principles o
Cancellation and justice"
Such was the minister, such the objects Of hi