The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-04-15

uhtii permanent boundary could be
agreed on" In his letter to Mr.. Galla-
tin, of tbc 24th February, 1927, Mr..
Clay says: "Supposing Great Britain
to have any weIl-foundcd claim, if there
be (as there are believed to be) no other
powers than the United States and
Great Britain who can assert rights of
territorial sovereignty between AZ and
Sd 40, there can be no equitable divi-
sion of the intermediate space but an
equal partition. Such an equal parti-
tion would assign about the parallel OF
19 degrees as the common boundary.
The President regrets that the British
plenipotcntiarics have thought proper to
decline the proposal which you made of
that line" A distinguished senator,
lMr. Ecnton,l who has ever felt Il deep
interest in any thing which affects the
interests of the west, attributed, in 1912,
i'll his place as Senator, to the conven-
ton Of 1918 certain ':grcat faults :"
amongst them one, Sin assuming that
there was divers harbors, bays: creeks,
and navigablc rivers west OF the Rocky
mountains, some belonging to the Uni
ted States, and some to Great Britain
and that mutually of benefits was con-
ferrcd by giving to each party access to
the waters Of the other" Another was
GIN admitting claim on the part of
Great Britain to any portion of these
territories" Icon6dentially affirm, and
| appeal to our negotiations, that at no
period of them has our government in
sisted on a more favorable boundary
than the 10th parallel of latitude. The
convention of 1918 was renewed in 1927,
and has been acquiesced in by every ad-
ministration to the present moment.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, when it is not
even alleged that Great Britain has done
any act to forfeit or to impair the rights
which, from 1918 to 1S45, our govern
ment has admitted she possesses in the
Oregon territory, with what face can we,
before heaven and man, deny them? SIR,
as just people-asa Christian nation
we cannot, we dare not.
Sir, as we have been informed that no
honorable compromise of this ancient
controversy can be effected, and have
been called upon by the Executive to
maintain our just rights to this territory,
| am prepared to take my share of the
responsibility. My judgment has yield
cd to the force of the argument which
maintains our title to the valley Of the
Columbia, and 1 am prepared to assert
and to enforce it. l am unwilling to
surrender to great Britain the country
below the 49th parallel; and with an
amendment defining that as the limit to
which, at the expiration of the twelve
months, we shall extend our jurisdiction
and exclusive possession, am ready to
vote, for the notice.
Mr.. Chairman, see on this floor a
gentleman [Mr. Adams] of advanced
age, large experience, and great attain
ments, who was Secretary of State in,
1918, when the treaty of joint occupan-
cy was concluded. and chief magistrate
Of these States in 1927, when it was re-
newed. Of that gentleman, l. do not
intend 10 speak in terms of personal dis
respect. But, sir, it has been his fortune
to bear towards this question relation
the most important and remarkable.
His right hand claims the credit of in
serting in the Florida treaty the clause
on which our title to the Oregon terrific.
ry is based. He has said that the con-
vention of 1918 was the alternative to
instant war. In 1927, Mr.. Gallatin in
forms our government that the only rea-
was to preserve peace: That gentleman
now thinks there will not be war, if we
march in our troops, after the notice has
expired, and take possession Of the whole
country! Until the last session Of Con-
gress, he was not prepared to agree to q
termination Of the joint occupancy.
Then his mind was open to conviction
as to our title to a part Of this territory
now he would take possession ofthe
whole! When President of the United
States, he thought an. equal division Of it
with Great Britain was the only equita-
bic partition, and regretted that her
plenipo,entiaries would not accept it;
-F.