The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-26


admission of Spain, that she had no right TO the sx
elusive possession Of the northwest coast. The his
tory Of her title had been very ably given by the
senator from New York, MIR DIX IL was tills
| by discovery, made in the l4th century, when she
began TO sail along the coast, which she continued
70 DO Tor many years, looking at it, and surveying
IT, But did Spain ever perfect that title and make
sucn as to be recognised perfect title by the law
OF natlonsf-snd II so, to what extent The senator
| from New York spoke If her title by discovery
included the whole coast; but when speaking Of her
making II good by occupation and settlement, he
did not show II was done beyond ago 30'. lie
/ therefore came 10 the conclusion, that although
Spain had discovered that coast yet when she con
yeyed to US all her rights by the treaty of Florida
Of 1919, she had no rights bat those derived from
discovery and couple Of locations on the coast.
not extending beyond 49o 3d. He therefore con-
tended, that under Spain we derived no exclusive
right to anything more than she possessed herself
This country, however, had rights there long before
that treaty was made, which, by the established
law Of nations, were good, and which had been TO
cognised by Great Britain. Now, suppose Spain
in 1919, instead Of conveying to this country all her
pretenslons on the northwest coast, had conveyed
them to Great Britain; he would ask would we have
surrendered Oregon on that occurrence Or would
We have insisted on the discovery by Gray, and the
subsequent settlements made by American citizens
| Certainly the latter could be done agIeeably with
the law OF nations, and principles recognised by
|
lie admitted that, and one they should defend The
difference between them, perhaps, to what
| they meant by the word Oregon" They had
purely an American title made by themselves, by
the discovery Of the Columbia, and by exploration,
by settlement, by possession; a title recognised by
Great Britain IN various ways and shapes. Ii was
for that he commended, and the executive or states
man who should settle IT, would do great service TO
his country. The only question then was, What
country dad the American title covert He would
say, the American title covered the territory lying
| between the Rocky mountains on the east and the
Pacific on the west, and extending from 40 to 49Q
north latitude. That was all they could claim The
country had been repeatedly described in the course
of various negotiations sometimes it was called
| the northwest coast, sometimes the valley Of the
Columbia, and at others Oregon. But by what
ever name il went, we had ever confined our title
TO the country between 400 and 49o. In 1903,
when the attention Of this country was first called
to rights there, Mr.. Jefferson authorized an ex
ploraton Of that country. And what were those
charged with that duty sent 10 explore Were they
told to explore beyond 49o-beyond the valley Of
the Columbia No; all they were directed to do
was TO explore the valley Of the Columbia. Again
in 1873, when Mr.. Monroes attention was directed
| TO the matter, they would find from a correspond
enee between the two governments that although in
the course Of diplomacy, we claimed up to $40 40 yet
when the two nations came to act, the proposition
was to settle this matter the basis Of ago The
same thing took place during the administration Of
Mr. Adams, and also that Of General Jackson, who
in giving instructions, through his Secretary State
Mr. Forsyth, TO Mr. -, who was authorized 10
undertake the exploration, directed him TO proceed
to the mouth Of the Columbia, and to examine the
territory lying along that river. Ii was confined to
that. There were no pretensions at that time to
$40 40.
Mr.. MILLER here referred to a report Of the
late distinguished senator from Missouri, (Dr. Linn,)
from which he read copious extracts for the purpose
Of W at Ansri al "A
below ago. Mr.. M. also displayed a map accom-.
panying the report and stated that the line of a9o
had been extended to the Pacific upon it--a within
being denominated "oregon territory and all with
out, British territory"
Mr.. BREESE here inquired the date of the report
from which he read.
Mr.. MILLER replied its date was 1893.
MIR. BREESE then asked IL there was not q note
appended to the map, stating the reasons why the
line Of ago had been extended to the Pacifc3
Mr. MILLER replied in the affirmative The
reason was, that line had been proposed by our gov
eminent az the boundary After reading the report,
Mr.. M. continued TO say, il in vain 10 contend
against the accumulated evidence on this question
as they found il through all previous negotiations
and down to this very day. When Mr.. Polk came
into Office he found negotiations going based on
that principle He adopted il, and made it his own
and continued it until at last he made a proposition
that very basis of ago, which rejected by the
British government and then he threw himself back
wthstanding the President, in his inaugural ad
Dress declared title clear and unauestionable
up to $40 40, he told us that when he came
into Office he found negotiations going on lead
ing TO compromise such as was proposed be
fore He said, although he entertained different
opinions, he found himself embarrassed by the
course Of his predecessors. What did he mean by
that Embarrassed by the acts Of Monroe Of
Madison, of Adams, of Clay, and of jackson. He
(Mr. M } once heard judge say that he would pro-
nounce judgment in certain case, If he were no,
embarrassed by the constitution. That of the Pres
ident was Of the same kind; and it was very strange
that the President Of the United States could deem
necessary TO make any apology to the country for
repeating what had been done by his predecessor
FOR the last thirty years. If the President and his
Secretary Of State embarrassed on this aues-
ton was not the nation embarrassed too2 Did thew
not feel that they treading on dangerous ground
in assuming different position before the world
from that of their predecessors--in taking ground
never taken before by the wisest and best Of mem
And were those who took stand upon that same
ground to be charged with n want Of nerve' What
was TO prevent the continuance of negotiation, and
the settlement ofthe question by compromise? What
was to prevent the country from standing firmly on
49o, and settling on that basisi Nothing had been
brought before them to change the position Of the
matter, but the resolution of the Baltimore conven-
ton. II was said the President was committed by
those resolutions. Now, when so much authority was
attached to them it well to enter into histo-
ry Of that convention. Mr.. M. here gave sketch of
the Baltimore convention and the manner in which
its resolutions were adopted, with great number of
details relative to the subject, but hardly fsu
hcient relevancy to the question: Of notice to report
As to the Baltimore convention, he would refer TO
two facts connected with the resolutions au-
ded to-how very properly he would not say--in
this discussion. They were smnggled into that
convention at time wheE three-fourths ofthe mem
6ers were absent II was fact that the Secretary
Of the Treasury, who was he believed, in favor Of
compromise en- 49o, was member Of that convcn-
ton. So also was Mr. Butler. Of New York, the
very particular friend Of Mr.. Van Buren--both of
whom were in favor of AGO. Mr. NJ. then alluded to
toast given on St Patrick's day in Baltimore,
complimentary to the "famy Of Oregon" In his
opinion, it came to fighting, that Irish title to the
whole Of Oregon" would be much better than the
Spanish title. As to settling rights for themselves,
which, had been spoken of, all he had to say WINS
that they could hardly succeed in thus setting at
naught the recognised law of nations. The word |
compromise" had been objected to. Why il was
first used by the President himsef--it ran through |
all the negotiations If there uere disbonor in