The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-28

"sha we much injustice (said he to the ehsrace
ofwo enshtenei nations a. TO suppose they would svs
their blood and treasure or ths acquisition OF 30 distant
Barren spe, Of groundP
With many high compliments to England tn
report concludes, that Spain must not be deserted
at moment of Danger and, accordingly, the AS
sembly voted an Augmentation OF the naval force
? But the reluctance OF France 10 engage in wal
with England soon became so apparent, that Spain
finding herself pressed, with haughty urgency, fol
u categorical answer, and considering that Grea
Britain had augmsnted her navy 10 a hundred and
ftly-eght sail Of the line, while her own numbered
but seventy line ships, finally, IA October Of the
same year. submitted TO necessity, and signed, at
the Eseurial, the celebrated CoEyESrios Dos Moor
KA; the same since claimed by England as the
basis of all her territorial rights on the northwest
coast.
Ii behooyes US to examine, with strict care the
| provisions Of that Convention.
! Its first and second articles declare, that "the
buildings and tracts of land OF which the subjects
of his Britannia Majesty were dispossessed" in
1889, shall be restored; and that just reparation
shall be made for all acts Of violence and forcible
seizure of property, on the north west coast.
Its third article secures 10 both nations the navL
CATION and fishery in the Pacific and South Seas,
"subject, nevertheless, TO the provisions and re-
strciions specified in the three following articles
that is to say, the 4th, 5th, and 9th.
| The fourth article prohibits British subjects from
navigating fishing within ten sea leagues of
sny Spanish settlement
And the fifth article, the most important Of the
whole, lying at the very basis of the present dis
pute, reads thus:
"AKI 8. II is agreed that well In the places which
be restored TO the British subjects by virtue Of the
Of North America or Of tie Islands sdjscsn situated to
the north ofthe avsdy occupied by spain wherever
noe nes II he s month y x s or .A.
make any the subjects Of the other shall have fres
pOlesAOn" CThe 9th article refers to south Amsres)
Observe, pray you, the wording Of this article.
The species Of joint occupation thereby established
i'd to be, well at Noolka, land lie there restored
10 British subjects, AZ IN other parts OF the north
west coast "suaitd 10 the north If the parts ALREADY
OCCUPIED BY Spain" OCCUPIED" Is the word, not
even legally possessed; and "utrsddy occupied, I"
that is the date of the convention, to wit on the
2Sh October 1890 That, at that date, Nootks
had been "already occupied by SPAIN" is fact
which no one Pretendst to deny; fact established,
indeed by the memorial of Meares itself.
But the latitude OF Nootka is little north ofJorty-
nine aud half 1t follows, that by that very Con-
yentiOn to which the British commissioners appeal
in which they profess to discover the sole authentic
source of all territorial rights the Northwest
Coast England has not shadoio Of claim south Of
toty-nine aud half aud but joint rgh Of settlement
north Of that latitude.
| Is this a new view Of the subject new inter-
probation Of that Convention and the reciprocal
! rights it confirms II may be new to many
members Of this House. II may be new, even
among the arguments called forth by the ne
gotiatons on this subject; for our negotators,
TONS not admitting that the Nootka Convention is
still IN force, may not have deemed il necessary
scrupulously TO test the bearing Of It's provisions
II is not TO England, no matter with what skill
full ingenuity she has hitherto kept it out Of sight
To the British Cabinet it is nearly old as the
Convention itself 1t is established by that COM
mentary on the Convention, of all others the most
authentic namely the debates in Parliament occur.
ring bu, few weeks aler its signature, and grow
ing Of the usual motion for address Of thanks
| to the King, on the occasion.
In the Lords the Duke Of Montrose moved the
vote of thanks. How does this apologist of the
crown construe the rights accruing under the Con-
vention' Hear him:
we are only restored to Nootks but may Parie
pate northern Ishtmtnt we should find at any
time that northern situation would he preferable
for the carrying on Of the usde-Parhdmeniory History
| rot p, p. 934
In the Commons the mover of the address did
not even allude to the acquisition, by the Conven-
ton, of any territorial rights whatever; but GER
tain loyal Mr.. Smith, who followed him, boosted
in the exultation Of his heart,
THAT the phoIs Of Prince HiAan Sound free
for us to settle on no place being occupied there BY Span
Prince Williams Sound lies in sriy north latitude,
more than seven hundred miles north Of Nootka.
If Mr. Smith were still alive, he would have To set
tie that claim with the Russians, not with us.
But the chief debate in the Lower House, and
that which is decisive OF the entire question, was
between the two master spirits of the day, Fox and
Pitt To it invite your special attention.
Mr. Fox, whose patriotism no man ever doubted,
first makes a concession of the greatest Importance
to Spain. He said:
He was as much friend to the claims of Spain
TONED by the treaty of Utrecht as Count Florida Banes
any spanish otsas my wsa and
on the seas and Coasts of spanish America The
and extravagant claims from extending the
term Spanish America gnd coasts hs,s ssa. had no
,ts Of s0aaisb a'o Tbs osestoO
still remained for the limits Of spanish America were still
undetined"-p. osl.
Following up the same argument, he adds:
",vb.e ouT admitted right Of ss,,l,msp, on the North
west coast commenced Was completely underlined. u il
said at NoOke did not knOw that ooka 'cou'd be
''or'd"-"'d'
And again:
Thus we had sipe up all right 10 ser except
porery purposes TO The South Of e Spanish setHemsnf, or
We had obaned an admis sion Of our right to settle 10 the
moth and syen that we had not obtained with cearness
A snansh settlements were the only mark of limits sup
pose to meet with farther to the north than
we ed a whether