The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-27

anoe Of that treaty, did surrender The ssulemen
OF Fort George IN the Columbia valley. Tha
settlement was not merely a fort; not mere
~ a iort was surrendered, bat the settlement com
prising Astoria and several other posts, and tha
settlement commanding the iehois paiisy If the Coiin,
bta rirsr IL was, then, the raiiey Of the Collnbit
that was surrendered by the British government
which government then acknowledged the right o.
! the American government "to be reinstated and e
be the party In possession while treating the ques
ton of title "
| That was the relative position of the two parties
PRIOR to entering into the treaty of joint occuPa.
uon-the United States in possession, Great Britain
setting up claim, but acknowledging our right to
the possession while adudicating the claims of the
respective parties. That would have been our right
mad II not been for that treaty. That treaty sus-
Ponds that right but il provides that nothing in il
shall be construed TO impair affect the rights OF
either party Hence, IL you terminate the treaty il
you annu the treaty, the right OF the United States
10 exclusive possession under the treaty of Client is
revived, and Great Britain cannot-dare not--resst
the restitution OF that valley II is no cause Of
war--no war movement. IL is carrying into effect
our treaty stipuauons; and the effect OF giving this
notice will DO to suspend the joint occupancy to re-
store possession TO US; and when in possession, we
wh De ready TO treat upon tho title, and not I'LL
lhen Is II, them matter of no consequence which
party ID IN possession while treating upon the title
Carry on the negotiation now; leave the treaty Of
joint occupation in force, and Great Britain is the
party IN possessionj but give this notice. terminate
the treaty and the United States will be the party
IN possession Then, can you say that there Is no
object IN giving this notice. The object is simply
as 10 who shall have the peaceable right To the un-
moested possession while negotiating on the title;
and II negotiations should commence and should be
terminated because no ground be found on which
the parties can agree, matter Of no consequence
whether we are In possession, peaceable posses
slon, possession by actual surrender, or whether
Great Britain shall be in possession, and we have to
turn her OUT But gentlemen may say that Great
Britain will never acknowledge this exclusive right
OF the United States to the possession Of the valley
Of the Columbia before the question is settled
In reply To this, ] say that Great Britain has
acknowledged that right; and that she has not only
acknowledged II IN words, but by a solemn act
that must stand prominent in the history OF that gov
ernment so long as that history shall exist she has
estopped herself from denying right TO the pos
session. She has nowledged il, and has once
restored possession under that knowledgment
Can she refuse again TO make similar restoration
when the parties, IN respect Of their rights are sm
larry situated! lfshe does refuse to make that res
toraton when the notice shall have been given, and
shall have expired, she will have TO violate her
solemn treaty stipulaons; she will become the ag-
gressor; she will be violating her plighted faith in
the eyes OF the civilized world; and she dare not take
the responsibility Of such act Of perfdy and bad
faith, after she herself has acknowledged her
obligations by performing the same act Of sur
render.
Hence insist that the notice is the rightfu rem
cdy, that it is the peaceabe remedy that it is the
only peaceable remedy by which we can get pos
session of the valley of the Columbia. Il is the only
ONE and any man who refuses to go for this peace
fu remedy, must either avow himself against the
possession of the valley OF the Columbia, or he
must ayow himself in favor Of i1dr as a substitute
for this peaceful remedy.
Gentlemen who oppose giving the notice say that
they are for getting possession. But how getting
possession Why they are for continuing the
treaty OF Joint occupation IN force and then for steal.
ing possession in violation Of that treaty Of joint
cupaton. Yes; they are for adopting the high,
the chlvalrous course OF stealing into that country
under treaty Of joint occupation, and then seizinc
II in violation of the treaty itself. Will that not
lead 10 war Is that the peaceful remedy, Will
not that wound the pride of the British government
Sir, aver that the attempt to carry that policy
leads inevitably to war; and not only war, but il
puts on the wrong side. II convcts our govern
ment Of an act Of duplicity and perfdy II arraigns
the whole civilized world against u.s. and renders us
subject to the charge that fathless and dis
honorable. But if we rely on the treaty stipula-
tons of the country--if we stand high on our I'M
deniabe rights, and give the notice according to the
treaty, and demand possession under the treaty Of
Client, and insist upon tiff we require the surren-
DER we have done once before-then, sir, we get
peaceful possession Of that country; and when in
peaceful possession, then stand on high
ground and say TO Great Britain, "Certanly we
deprecate war; we are ready to negotiate, and are
willing you should take your own time to bring that
negotiation to a determination. You may do il with
all the care, with all the delberation you may de-
sire; and you take your own time to terminate
it," But, in the mean time, we are in possession,
with the acknowledged right of possession, until we
| arrive at an amicable adjustment.
Such conceive to be rights under the conven-
ton between and Great Britain, and such the
reason which should mpel to pursue those rights
strictly and not be guilty of any violation Of right
which would put us in the wrong Sir, when
shall have recovered the possession ofthe valley ofthe
Columbia under this peaceful remedy, and our people
shall be there in the unmoesed enjoyment Of their
rights their settlements spreading both the north
well the south side Of that river and upon all
it's different branches and tributares-while these
negotiations for the settlement OF the title pro
ceeding, we find that our interests not only be-
coming more important, but that our power is be-
coming sweed and tripled, and that too by a fair,
straightforward, honorable course of proceeding
Great Britain will discover then that it is impossible
to out of that valley, if she should try
She will see then that this people strong enough
to maintain their rights; and she will that moment
relinquish all claim to the valley OF the Colum-
bia.
But choose to be frank and candid in the decla-
ration of my sentiments this question For one,
| never will be satisfied with the valley of the Co
lumba, nor with 400 nor with $40 40 nor will |
be while Great Britain shall hold possession of one
will never agree to any arrangement that shall recog
Mise her right to one inch Of soil upon the north
west coast. And for this simple reason: Great
Britain never did own, she never did have valid
title one inch Of that country. The question was
only one of dispute between Russia Spain, and the
United States. England never had title to any
part of the country. Our government has always
held that England had no title to it In 1896, Mr..
Clay, in his dispatches to Mr.. Gaatin said "ltis
| not conceived that the British government can
| make out even colorado title to any part Of the
northwest cast" Not that she could not make out
title; not that she could not make ont incontro-
vertible title but that she could not make out color
able title--not shadow Of title--not much of q
shadow as would give coloring to the transaction
! That was the doctrine Of government twenty
years ago. That title has undergone changes
since, for the joint occupation has been in force
and the treaty Of joint occupation provided that the
rights of neither party should be affected impair
ed thereby. Our government has held ever since
that title is clear and unquestionable.
do not propose tn go into the history of that T.
tle do not deem il necessary to go into an elab
crate discussion Of the various modes by which Ii