The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-03-27


known.
There is another thing which throws
doub, ON this part of our claim, aud when
we should carefully and thoroughly exam
inc before we take steps that may plunge
The nation into war. | have seen iac'
stated in book, written apparently win
a view Of maintaining the soundness OF our
lille. by Mr.. Robertson, gentleman
whom | do not personally know, bu' VINO,
,s understand, is connected with one oil
the Departments Of the Government anu
written in a spirit which abundah'y eA'
empts him from all impulatlon OF Pari'ailty
IN Great Britain. The writer does mol
Give his authority, but he says, speaking
Of Inc exploration by Lewis and oiatHe'
that the object Of their expedition was not
~ make discoveries, but that II was purely
commentator the purpose Of opening
,rude west Of our possessions, ana ina,
they applied TO Spain, England, and 80
a., nassnotts. and ar,"-"y oold'ueu ',e"'.
M -.....r,- uoes not profess, indeed, 10
%. =" 4 literal quolation--that ls, It had not
the usual marks of quotation, but Is nitro
duced as a transcript from the instructions
given, aud that at time before we got
louisiana. II this be so, II entirely repudi.
ates so much Of our ground of title as rests
upon the exploration of the Columbia river
! by Lewis and Clarke. | do not say that
/ such is the luct: all | say is, that this Is
gave subject Tor discussion. We may be
able 10 answer the difficulty. We may
say thai, though these instructions were
given before We had the know ledge OF the
/ Louisiana treaty, vet that the exploration
IS valid under that treaty. hope 1t may
turn out to be So, bu, without u fuller ~
yestigaion ! am not prepared TO rush to
arms aud defend our title as so clear and
unquestiunahle as 10 set all doubt al den.
ance. | Will not do any such thing. /
choose that those " no are entrusted With
the duty Of conducting our foreign relations
shall first remove these difficulties out OF
our way, before they call on me TO take a
decided step which may lead 10 war.
Our next ground Of claim rests on the
purchase OF Louisiana. This - the best
OF the whole, aud It Is possible that thus
ground of tile may yet prevail, provided
the negotiations are conducted as they
should be. The bounds Of Louisiana on
the north and on the west have always
I been matters Of doubt and uncertainty. Ii
/ it be true that Louisiana extends to the
ocean, then the country on the coast IS
clearly ours, and our title To II Is good.
These are strong arguments upon our SIDE
which have not been used by our dIPle.
malists Ii is said that by the treaty O
l7G3 Great Britain relinquished 20 France
all her claims west Of the Mississippi bu
: claims to WHAT Claims to the wholt
country as far as the Pacific or only 5,
far as the line Of the French possessions
: Here is another question which may CIV,
] rise 10 discussion. Oar claim, therefore
even under the Louisiana treaty is not, il
my view, so perfectly clear and unques
lonable as to justify US 10 going TO war 70
il I'LL all other possible expedeuts shaI
have failed, every one &c them. We mus
. Try TO obtain it peaceabIy, Il that be posi-
be but if, after all our efforts we canno
7 DO this, then comes the question, sha
shall be our next step
But now comes IN the title most relic
upon by those who 20 up to 81 40 ; an
that is, the title under the Florida treaty
= in which were ceded to US all the rights Z
b Spain north Of latitude IL degrees. Thu
l. IS held by some gentlemen to be a clalI
u so Obvious, so clear, so unquestiouable, ;
q FAR beyond every thing like honest duul
Is or hesitation, that we ought forthwith I
N fly to arms and enforce rs acknowIedg
" ment But let Us lock il. Whist is tai
y little : Ii it be so perfectly clear, so "a
e beyond the reach Of any thing that ca
~ possibly shake II, II seems TO me that som
II 1t those eminent men TO whom our negf
u latlon has been entrusted, hose deco
l. adorn the pages Of oar history aud who's
IL characters elevate the American nam,
D. must have been aIl utterly false to the
~ trust becau.e, in view Of a right clear a
IL the noon.day sun, they have been ready
81 compromise those rights, to yield up po
/" ton Of the territory, and, 10 the langual
" Of some very emphatic gentlemen, " 10 dl
y member the union.' Can this be poss
81 bic The very fact would seem IN IN
u view to be sufficient IN iIselfto throw stroG
DOUBT over our right 10 any thlng beyor
> the attitude Of 10 degrees. BY exhibltin
Or such an extraordinary confidence in tn
10 ground Of ulIc, and by being ready to 9
e :, 10 war in support OF 1t, We do seem To ca
u an lmpuIailon on the intelligence or the il
OF legrly, not only Of those negotiators, br
- all the Congresses since their time. ! as
IT, then, what ~ this title Of Spain north
p the latitude Of 10 degrees What is II
u language Of the treaty? The treaty W;
L" entered into that we might ge, Florida
- that only was the original object Of it f
III We had no disputes with Spain about tt
~ north west coast. But we put into I'll
W treaty nm article by which Spain relir
W. pushed to us all her rights, claims or
u pretensIons' to the country on the coast
VI the Pacific north of latitude ~ degree
&c Now, mark the difference in the langua!
u applied to Florida and the northwest coas
y Spain cedes to us Florida out and out. 81
n' gives US a perfect title she talks nothlr
)" about cedlng rights aud claims, but 81
- makes TO US warrantee deed but wht
H. .k..