The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-28

tracing IL OF TWO hundred mllSs, lett ~,
reached the Pacific far north Of it, being time
south of SOP and the point of where he reach.
ed the Pacific, as well the region at the mouth OF
he river, had been discovered long before, though
that particular river might not have been seen.
i She admitted the priority Of the Spanish discov-
cries, but insisted that her own discoveries were
more perfect; but more perfect examination and
survey Of what was already shown gave her no tide
as a discoversr.
i He would take up these British discoveries and
examine them in order.
/ The voyages Of Cook and Vancouver alone were
undertaken by order of tho British government and
even they were undertaken for other objects than
discovery As 10 the rest, they the voyages Of
mere cruisers, and their discoveries, il any, were
purely accidental. Drake wa. sea-robber, a per-
ec buccanier, cruising not only against the Spanish
possessions and settlements, but against the com
merce of the world. Yet such was the morality Of
the court Of Ehzabsth that abe tolerated pirate and
homicide like Drake, because his deeds were sup
as no reliance was placed by the British govern
nent on the alleged discoveries Of Drake; he
i would pass them by.
The next was Capt. Cook; but he was not en-
ployed on duty Of this kind In proof Of this Mr..
D. would refer to the occasion of his voyage, and
4 In has the Parliament ofGrcat Britain offered
reward Of 10000 sterling to the discoverer of a
northwest passage through Hudson's bay.
And In l776 she made like offer Of f20 900, in add
Il
through the continent from the Atlantic TO the Paci.
nc above the latitude Of $50 To make the discovery
i OF this latter passage was the avowed object Of
Cooks voyage. What was the language Of his in
slructions from his government -.
with the Of the natives to take possession An
tho OF the king oil Great Britain, Of stua
lions In such countries as he might discover that had not
power ana 70 distributes smons the Inhabitants such things
ss viii rsmsn traces Of his having bean there's but he
should Ind the countries so discovered TO be inAabsd
IA q ia nv
setting up proper marks and inscriptions hst discover
srs and possessions" ..
The discoveries Of the Spsniards were well known
in England, and openly Published, before Cook left
10 the London Annual Register ofJune, 1776 Mr..
D. here read an extract expressly referring to the
Spanish discoveries the northwest coast, where
/ Cook afterwards went, an follows:
Several spanish issts. having bern sent from Acspu
+ %.s To- e.. s ,ad he
= :y u ss u On the q me nss
vsrs upon the ives, cosst Of his great continent hey e.
ba b. In %. q u. Z. q. md @
son ct port where this inhabitants TO be found
The indians shsy here ne, Th e.. ,aa 20 Be very 40
their trac and neat In their dress; but at the
60 s. s h,Sn s's s
roy OF New spain has recsissd his Catholic Msjestys
81 eeon and the several navy ofcers upon that voyage
have been preisreS i'm asned that these new di:coy
ss.s. as sc sIso Gsh soua 70 the S.SoaOSisas ssa
known in Spain By tbs name OF Bsccalao," ..
He also read from the London Quarterly Re
view Of 1922, showing the priority Of Spanish dis
coveries, and admitting that Great Britain had no
territorial rights:
The spanards visited the northern parts of the
INA. when Den Juan Perez 10 the corvette Santiago
tory in latitude degreer to which he gave the Of
Santa Msrgsrta being the northwest extremity Of Queen
al SoOsa about which we were once On he point Of roSs
to In the following the santiago and Felicdad
coast AMI d.:orsd IL latitude s. degree. %inusss high
and also LOFTY cape. in latitude 81 degree. minutes
which they gave the name q Engsno Holding norher
Thfee years after these spanish voyages Cook recon
notred this coast closely and proceeded high
as the Iey CsPsi wa. subsequently visited By seyera
Of the
that most excellent and Perseverng navigator Vancouver
as lar as the head o. LOOKS inlet IN ~ o. degree,
sufficiently clear that England has no claim to territorial
possession ~ Lond Quarterly Reriew.
While Great Britain held that the discoveries Of
Spain were enough to give her title to any part
Of the country she thought that the landing at Moot
ka by a Portuguese captain, the discovery Of the
head-waters Of small stream by an Indian trader
and the erection Of miserable hut wherein to dry
skins were a-suffcient to give her title to coun-
try three times large England, at six thousand
miles distance though the territory lay Immediately
contiguous to the Spanish possessions, and dis
covered throughout and taken possession of by au
thorized officers Of the government. England has
practsed on this principle always; but she could not
show rs good title to any Part Of her vast domn-
ions (unless, perhaps, to the island of England it.
self) as we could show to the whole coast of
North America Her charters TO her colonies " from
sea to sea- were valueess in the eyes Of Papst
as the Pope's charter to Spain would be in the eyes
va
unless followed up by discovery, by intent of settle
ment by acts of sovereignty, and by actual occupa
ton The French first discovered the Ohio, but the
British claimed it, went to war for it, and held it
because it lay between certain parallels and was
covered by her charter. - ~ ..#.
Captain Cook discovered Australia, a country
larger than all Europe, and took possession of il by
erecting pole and breaking bottle and Great Brit
ain holds il under that title TO this day. |
But it idle to discuss the mere question OF Ii
tie; for it was evident Great Britain did not claim
upon that ground. Her able plenipotentiary had
evidently amused himself, and attempted to draw
attention from the true points, by arraying the
American and Spanish titles against each other for
the purpose Of defeating both. However Ingenious
this process, it would not bear examination. There
could not was apparent, be two good titles to the
whole of the territory; but each might be good
portion and if both parties held the links OF the
entire chain, each holding portion, when united
would be complete. Or If one title was good and
the other worthless, the perfect would not be de.
stroyed il blended with tho spurious Great Britain
and the United States both assert claims. II she
had ours although hostile to hers, she would doubt
less assert as she would have, good title to the
whole against the world. As well may a nation
procure outstanding titles to territory, and rely upon
them, as landlord the lease Of his tenant the re-
mainder man the life estate, the tenant in common
his co-tenant. d.. ............ All ~
But by the following statement of Mcssrs Hus-
kisson and Addington, British commissioners IN me
negotia,ions of 1896 Il would be that they did
not rely upon discovery, but upon the Nootka con-
ven,ion. They say: .... -.
whatever that title may have been, however either on
the mart of Great Britain the part OF Spain prior to
the Convention OF $780, il iron thenceforwsrd no
longer TO be traced vague narratives OF discoveries sew
eraI Of them admitted TO apocryphal but In the text ana
stipul ations Of that convention itself" E.r,
| Whatever The title Of England may have been
prior TO the Nootka convention in l79O after that
instrument her claims were no longer vague and UNI
cer,sin hut were all embodied in that treaty The
r. :L.. y. Q.azax, u.erc Gxed hx the cnnxen-