The daily union., 1846-05-01
FROM OUR ENGLISH FILES.


We find in the London Spectator OF the Attn OF
April, the following article upon the Oregon boun-
Diary. Il may be taken to represent, we presume
the three propositions upon that subject, which are
at this moment principally before the mind of the
English press and public. Ii should be recoleeted,
however, that the position of the Spectator in poll
tics is closely akin to that Oft he Morning Chroni.
Gle; and the Spectator, like the Chronicle, has
somewhat distinguished itself by its opposition TO
| all the American views ofthe question:
THE OREGON BOUNDARY QUESTION.
The last number Of the Quarterly Review con-
tains article on the Oregon question, which, ex
cept in technical argument on the subsistence OF
the Noolka Sound eonyen tion, is crude insufficient,
| and feeble in matter and conclusion. After show.
ing, and completely far he goes, our perfect
| right to the whole territory we claim the writer
proposes for acceptance the project Of "Mr. Dargan
| o. Alabama" Mr.. Dsrgans expressions are not
precisely clear as 10 his meaning, but the reviewer
considers il "a proposition for the 49th degree and
the straits Of Fuca." Except the souIherly ZIP OF
Vaneouver's island, which falls Just beyond the
i 49th parallel (but never would have been insisted
on by America had her propositions ever been en-
terained this scheme is better than former Of
/ fers Of the United States. But II we gave up
/ everything involving "honor" or value, the Guar
iery Reviews proposition is project smaeklng
| Of Laputa. Il suggests a mathematical line for
a boundary, when there is well. defined
mountain range within distance varying
| from few yards to some half degree. IL Is the
same as If protector to propose as a boundary
between France and Spain, not the Pyrenese, but
a visionary line draw along the plain on The French
L side.
/ Taking nature, science, and common sense for
guides, there are three boundaries Of fhe disputed
territory, (waiyng all discussion Of the American
claim TO the north Of 49o each possessing well-de-
6ned limits, and containing some geographical Prin-
i eiple
| /. The proposal of the British government a
contin uaton OF the Canada frontier along the 49th
parallel I'LL the northern branch Of the Columbia
Is struck and thence along the centre OF the river
10 the Pacific. The advantages of this are obvious:
we should retain the whole territory Of the northern
bank some Of il fertile and settled and all occupied
by US; and navigation such as 1t is, OF the Colum'
| ba Our title TO this boundary we believe to be un-
questionable; but unless by war, or the decision Of
an arbitrator, we not very likely get il. Amer
| ica has resisted il so long, she has dwet and we
have listened much upon her claims by the
discovery of the Columbia, "to all the country
which it drains" that we must fairly confess, for
her TO give II to voluntarily would seem secs
fee Of "honor," IN the same way as, il were to
give 1t her present threats after claiming It for
thirty years, we should sacrifice ours.
2. The proposal already made in the Spectator:
to leave the northern territory drained by the Co
lumba a neutral ground in principle assuming
the British right TO begin where the head waters Of
the Columbia cease, but practically taking for our
boundary the Chickeees river, line drawn from
the head Of its main trunk to Mount Rainier, and
then the continuation Of the mountain-range separ-
ating the Columbia and Frazer valleys, till the
i9th parallel is crossed when any natural boundary
may be settled on a glye-and-take principle.
| 3. Assuming that we resign what the Queen
in her last speech to Parliament termed national
honor" by yielding the right bank of the Columbia
to America, and the national honor and interest
too, by surrenderns the fertile land, settlements
and ports about Puget's sound and Admiralty inlet
there remains a further division by means Of the
Frazer valley. The character which distinguishes
the Columbia from the other OF the western
side of the entire continent of America is that it runs
to the in straight line; whereas the other rivers
run parallel with the coast, or Except perhaps, the
Frazer) short as to be useless for the pur-
poses of extensive inland navigation Both the north
and south branches Of the Columbia, however fol.
low this law Of the region, owing to the physical
character of its mountains, and ramiy in directions
parallel to the coast The network Of streams which
they form is very singular feature, needing the aid
Of a map tn make il clear. Suffice it here to say
that the main northern branch of the Columbia orr
ginates in about latitude 500, sweeps in oop-like
form to above 52o; and there receives the Canoe
river for a tributary, whose source is about $50. At
little distance from the source Of the Canoe river
are the head waters Of the Frazer, which also
sweed by various tributaries, take a nearly south
erly direction, till the northern branch ofthe Coum-
bia reaches the main stream IN latitude 46O
whence the course is nearly direct to the ocean, and
Frazer's river, in about latitude 49o, takes sudden
bend to the westward, falling directly into the Gulf
Of Georgia. the channel behind Vancouver's island.
The physical conformation which produces this pc
culiarity is ranges Of mountains running parallel to
~ Pacific, that prevent the inland waters from
descending directly to the sea, forcing them upon
circultous roues and in about $40, a range arises
which distinctly separates the valley Of the Frazer
from that of the Columbia. Near tie l2lst degree
Of longitude, these mountains called the Cascade
range, cross the 49th parallel and terminate their
westerly course nearly opposite the straits Of Fuca
Thus, as far as geography goes, we have nat
ural boundary in the straits of Fuca and along the
Tuxpam river to its head waters in the Cascade
range. This is substantially Mr.. Gallatns propo-
sal, as quoted by the Times lately, though it is
pressed rather mathematically than naturally; and
| something like this, we fancy, is the meaning of
MIR. Dargan, of Alabama in despite of the Quar-
terly Reviews more unfavorable Interpretation.
! 4. There is a mode Of compromise, still upon
| natural boundary and a geographical principle
| though involving inconvenience and an awkward
| form of territory. The Americans, long years ago.
struggled for the 49h parallel, less perhaps for the
right bank of the Columbia, than to get the ports
round Vancouver's island, without which their ves-
sells would have no accessible harbor at all events
might be overcome by dividing the inlets running
southwark from the end of Fuca's straits. 1t
would be seen on map, that these waters
ramify nearly up to Chckeeles river; and that
stream which falls into the head of Puget's sound
by Fort Nasqually, forms a definite line. On Fal-
saf's principle of"hidng mine honor in my neces-
sty," the Nasqualy river, Puget's sound and Ad-
miralty inlet. with the strip of land to the eastward
would form the British territory; and Hoods canal
with the country between that canal and the Pacific,
would belong to America. In point of substance,
the only difference between this and the boundary
we formerly proposed consists in the loss of Hoods
canal and the territory to the west of it, with the
inconvenience Of such close American proximity
The point of honor Is that gip. this terri
tory, well as the north bank Of the Coumbis for
ifleft to settlement, it is very likely might occu-
~ it first, or quarrel spring out Of its occupa-
ton.
! Whosoever of countrymen shall read the
thirty-yea history of the Oregon negotiations,
may pride himself upon the character Of the British
negotiators as accomplished dipomatists and gen