Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-01-13

year 1878 or any other arrangement Tor the par
iiliou OF The Oregon territory, 10 have been conciu-
ded in those days, between Great Britain ana 'h's
country, what would, in that case, nave peeo'Le
OF The exclusive ishls OF SPAN! -,
There would have been no refuge ioi me ou'-
tel States bul an appeal 10 the principles u VIC
Noulka convention -
Todeny then, The validity of the Nooika con-
yention. is TO proclaim the ilegality OF any tue
founded on discovery, exploration or settlement
prev;ous 10 The conclusion OF the Florida treaty
To appeal TO the Florida treaty as conveying
10 The United States any exclusive rights IS !" AZ
lach character Of encroachment and OF Viola'
ton OF he rights OF Spain 10 every act 70 winch
the United States appealed in the nrsolia'ion OF
1918, as giving them claim 10 territory on ue
Northwest coast.
These conclusions appear 10 the undersigned lo
be irresistible. =.
The United States can found no claim on as
covery, exploration and settlement eifec,eo pre-
viously to The Florida treaty, without admitting
the principles Of the Noolka convention, and Inc
consequent validity Of the parallel claims OF 1'
Britain founded on like acts; nor can lhey appeal
10 any exclusive right as acquired by Inc fluii
da treaty without upseiting all claims adnnceu III
their own proper right, by reason oil discovery
exploration and settlement anecedenl 10 mat az
rangement.
The undersigned trusts that he has now shown
that The convention OF 100 Qhe Nooika SOUND
convenlon) has continued in full and compete
force up 10 the present moment
By reason, in The frs; place, OF The commerce.
character Of some Of lis provisions, as such eA-
pre>sly renewed BY the convention OF August,
ISL, between Great Britain and Spain:
By reason, in the next place of The acqnieS,-
cence Of Spain in various transactions 10 wh'ch
il is mol 10 be supposed lhattb power would nave
assened, had she mol felt bound by The provisions
Of The convention in question:
And thirdly, BY reason OF repeated ac's OF .ne
Government of The United States, previous 10 'nc
conclusion Of the Florida treaty, maniiestins au-
herence 10 the principles Of The Nooska conVen-
ton or al least dissent from the exclusive pIelen-
sions Of Spain.
Having thus replied, and he hopes salislac'o-
rily, 10 the observations OF The American plehi
potentary with respect 10 The effect oil lhe Noo'-
ka Sound convention and The Florida treaty, as
bearing upon the subject If the present discus
sion, the undersigned mus, endeavor 10 SHOW
lba, even il the Noolka Sound convention mad
never existed the position OF Great Britain IN re-
gard 10 her claim, whether 10 The whole or 10 any
particular portion of The Oregon territory, Is ~
least as good as that OF the T. STATES.
This branch q, The subject must be considered,
first, with reference 10 pfincipI TO Inc fishl Oh
either party, Great Britain or la, Uniied states,
10 explore or make settlements IN The Oregon tei-
rilory without violation OF the rights OF pam !;
and next, supposiEg the first 10 BE- decided aiiif
ma,ively, with reference 10 The relative value
and importance Of the acts OF discovery, eSpioid-
lion and settlements effected by each
As ,ela,es 10 the question OF principle, The IN
dersianed thinks he can furnish no better arsu-
menr than that contained 10 the following words,
which he has already once quoted from Inc STATE
ment Of The American plenipoteniiaIy
sThe title OF the United States 10 The valley OF
The Columbia, is older than the Florida treaty OF
February, 1919, under which The United States
acquired all The rights OF Spain 10 The northwest
coas, of America, and exists independently OF MS
provisions" And again: "the title OF The United
States 10 The entire region drained by The Colum-
bia river and its branches, was perfect and CON.
plete before The date OF The treaties Of Join, occu-
pancy Of October, 1913, and August, 1927"
The title thus referred 10, must be that resting
on discovery, exploration, and settlement
II this Title, then, is good, or rather was good,
as against the exclusive pretensions OF Spain,
to the conclusion OF the Florida trea-
", so must the claims OF Grea Britain resting on
the sauie grounds, BE- good also
Thus, then, il seems manifest that with or
without the aid OF the Nootka Sound convention,
The claims Of Great Britain resting on discovery,
ex poralion and settlement, are, in point OF prnc-
pie, equally valid with those Of the United States.
Let Us now see how the comparison will stand
when tried by the relative value, Importance,
and authenticity OF each
Rejecting previous discoveries north OF The
i2d parallel Of latitude as not sufficiently aulhen-
ticaicd, it WILDE seen on The side OF Great Britain,
Ina, in l77S, Capt. Cook discovered Cape Flalle-
~. the southern entrance OF the straits of Fuca.
Cook must also be considered The dscoverer OF
Noolka Sound, in consequence of the want of
authenticity in the alleged previous discovery OF
that port by Perez.
In 1857, Capt Berkeley a British subject, in
vessel under Austrian ilors discovered the straits
Of Fuca.
In the same year, Captain Duncan, in The ship
sPrincess Royal entered the straits, and Traded
al the village OF Classet
In 1873, Meares, British subject, formed Inc
establishment al Nooka, which gave rise To The
memorable discussion with the Spanish Co
yernment, ending in The recognition, by that
power, Of The right of Great Britain to form
settlements in The unoccuped parts OF The North
west portion Of the American continent, and 10
an engagement, on The part OF Spain, TO reinslate
Meares in the possession from which nc had been
elected by The Spanish commanders.
In 1892, Vancouver, who had been sent from
England 10 witness The iulfment of The above
mentioned engagement and To effect survey
OF the Northwest coast, departing from Nooika
Sound, entered the straits OF Fuca; and after an
accurate survey Of the coasts and inlc's on ooth
sides, discovered a passage norlhwaTds INTO inc
Pacific by which he returned 10 NoolHa-havln2
thus crcumnavigaled the island which now bears
his name And here we have, rs far as relates
10 Vancouyers island, as complete case oil dis.
coyery, exploration, and settlement, as can well
be presented, giving TO Great Britain, in any ar
rangement that may be made with regard to The
territory in dispute, the strongest possible claim
TO the exclusive possession OF that island
While Vancouver was prosecuting discovery
and exploration BY sea, Sir Alexander Macken-
zie, partner in The Northwest Company, crossed
the Rocky mountains, Dir covered the head waters
of the river since called FfaZers river, and, lol-
lowing for some time The course OF that river, Ell
fscled passage 10 The sea-being The first clvl-
LIKED man who traversed The continent OF Amerl-
ca from sea 10 sea in those attitudes. On The re.
turn of Mackenzie 10 Canada, The Northwest
Company established trading pests in The country
10 The westward of the Rocky mountains.
In 1906 and 1911, respectively, the same com
pany established posts on the Tacoutcbe, Jesse
and the Columbia
In The year 1911, Thompson the astronomer OF
the Northwest Company, discovered The northern
head waters OF the Columbia, and, following lis
course ill jcincd by The rivers previously dis
covered by Lewis and Clarke, he continued his
Journey TO the Pacific.
From that time until the year 1918, when The
arrangement for The joint occupancy OF the ter
rilory was concluded The Northwest Company
continued to extend their operations throughout
The Oregon territory, and 10 occupy" il may be
said, as far as occupation can be effected in re-
gions so inaccessible and destitute OF resources
While all this was passing, The following events
occurred which constitute the American claim
in their own proper right
In 1892, Gray entered the mouth oflhe Column
bia river.
In 1905, Lewis and Clarke effected passage
across the Rocky mountains, and, discovering q
branch OF The Columbia river followed il until
they reached the ocean.
In 1911, The trading post or settlement Of As.o-
ria was established al the mouth OF the Columbia,
ON the Northern side OF that river.
This post or settlement passed during the last
War into British hands by the voluntary act OF
the persons in charge OF ia fact most clearly es
,ablished. Il was restored 10 The United States in
1918, with certain Northumberland reservations;
but il was never aclua " re-occupied by AmeIi-
"a citizens havinu from the moment of the orr