Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1845-1851, 1846-06-10


the l,,ltst bearnr ,,pon our claim, ought To have
upon invest, cation of its extent but 10 show the ms
take into which the honorable Senator has oeen ieu'
when he consider, these articles as Identical, e.
Their in their objects in their terms. They are al
most as dssimar in the one in the other The
effort of Russia the same. ii was to procure a
recognition from the only parties whose Claims inter-
fercd with hers, Of her title to that part OF the
try This she effected BY stipulation with the Unit
ed States that they would assert pretensions north
of fty-our forty generally, and stipulation with
England that she would none north of the
line, and west of ten marine leagues from the coast
On her part, Russia rcllnqu>hed all her pretcnsons
south OF hftyfour forty, but without touching the
ictng claims oil the other parties, leaving them to
adjust these IN their own manner as they would or as
they could and both England and the United States
free this day To assert each It's own title, and
to oppose that Of ITS adversary, they were before
the execution of these conventions with Russia.
therefore remove from this discussion all the hon
orable Senator has said respecting the objects, the
terms, and the effect of this treaty between Eng land
and kussa. We were no parties TO 1t. III was form
ed year after treaty with the latter power, and
we had Just much right TO regulate the descent Of
The crowns Of Russia and England as those powers
had to regulate right to the Oregon territory. In
fact, they assumed no such monstrous preensons
And must confess my surprise that their arrange
ments introduced here as binding or controlling
our territorial claims And yet these two articles
placed by the honorable Senator i'll JuXta position,
though they parts OF the same instrument, and
his deductions respecting rights seem to be drawn
from the other side lndlscrlmlnately so much
So that the Senator actually says, II have shown you
the limits established with Russia In 1924 have
produced the treaties mot treaty. which establishes
them, and here, also, map which illustrates them,
and shows everything precisely as have read 1t from
the teaties, (not reaty) He then proceeds to pcint
out errors which 1t is not necessary 10 examine, for
they have reference exclusively the treaty between
Great Britain and Russia, and not to that between
Russia and the United States. Our treaty merely
provides that the parallel of ityour forty shall be
northern boundary. Now what have the errors
of geographers map makers, in the protracton of
the line between Russia and England, to do with the
PLAIN and undenlable boundary which limits our pos
sessions A boundary plain, indeed, that he who
may read 1t in the treaty. What, therefore, Is
the direction Of the other line-the Anglo-Russian
line which the Senator has discussed, and whether ii
goes to fifty-iye or ffysix, or sxy-One deg, or,
indeed, the north pole, touches little any
other question III political geography.
Then, sir, ffty-four is resuscitated brought to life
AN existing boundary, 10 which we may 60, but be-
yond which we may not pass. We can jam up to II
without any lmpuation upon our wisdom or our hon.
or sand he place ,cherc 1t uas," get there, and
there ii trW continue TO be.
1t will be recollected, sir, that the honorable Sena-
tor has staked this issue upon the existence of this
line Oh HIty-OuT lOrly ana WneH we point u Tue
Russian treaty, he attempts to meet us by his con-
sructon of treaty, and of the that led TO IT,
between Russia and England. We repudate this,
and refuse to have our line dnnitia,ed without
consent.
The line, then, exists, though the honorable Sena-
tor says it is confined by the precise terms Of the
treaty Ito tie islands aud coasts, and having
ner of relation to the continent" And again: s'This
is the Russian line on the continent with Great Brit
ain the United States have no continental line ei-
Their with Russia Great Britain
Strange assertions as | Shall show. Were this
so, still should have avorte line though
it might stop short Of the eastern extent of claim
and though the honorable Senator says we have ''no
boundary at fifty-four forty. But where does this
line stop in its easterly progress The honorable
Senator says it does not touch the continent. Why
he makes it an nsuar boundary in the very face of
express stipulation, that it shall extend TO the
lands and coasts, | know not As he gives no rea-
sons for this Limitation of the natural construction of
the articlo-not indeed, its natural construction
merely, but lis express and positive declaration-l
be permitted believe that is the of
the continent, and the island, "the islands adjacent to
it." Adjacent to what To the coast. To what
coast TO the northwest coast Of America. The
treaty recognizes two geographical dvisions-the
coast, or continent, and the adjacent islands the
honorable Senator says it is confined to the islands,
and does not extend to the continent or coast.
cannot argue this point.
BY each of these conventions he says "the Russian
claim confined to the coasts and islands and By each
the limit is giren both TO the United States and
Great Britain,' dc. IL was limit uholy in the
acater, not at all on tie land the British only reached
IL by going through Portland channel"
don't understand this at all, sir. The Senator one
moment says that the United States and Great Britain
have Joth the limit in the next, that our line
never touches the land, but the British line does. The
fact IS, they have not the line at all. Ours is
81. Ill I
lar for the distinction OF the Senator bel the
is wholly gratuiious, unknown TO the convention
The British line commences at point that paral
lei, and then quits 1t, running thence such
give TO Russia irregular parallelogram extending
north aud south along the coast, and in width
marine leagues from the sea.
But what is the meaning of the phrase northeast
coast Of America III this connection To what extent
may II be fairly said to reach In the British treaty,
as above quoted, the question is placed beyond
troversy. The Russian possessions, as between Eng
land and Russia, are limited to ten marine leagues
from the coast. AS between Russia and Is there is
10 limitation. aud If limitation be sought, it must
DC iound III the circumstances and in fair nrriica-
ton of the language to them.
Ii Is n geographical fact Nii known TO all who
have nveStirato tie subject that the northwest coast
Of is,crtca is the name by which large but indefi-
ne region upon the shores Of the Pacific, extending
eastward without positive limits, designated and
recognized, well iii works of geography and his
tory, In di diplomatic documents 1t descrip-
tive term, applied to vast country. | shall place
this beyond controversy by reference to unquestonabe
authorities.
In the very convention with England of 1918, by
which joint occupation of Oregon held the whole
country itself is distinguished by this appcllatlon
at is agreed that any county that may be claimed by
either party the northwest coast i America westward Of
the stony mountains" &c.
And twice in that instrument the said country is
alluded to- And 1t will be seen that this designation
carries the region described by it 20 the Rocky
tains in other words, designa,es the whole coun-
try bv that comprehensive term.