The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1846-01-14

Britain, in relation to the northwest coast of A.
merica, before she had ceded all her rights on
that coast to the former by the Florida treaty of
22d February, 1919. The convention of Joint
Occupation between The United States and Great
Britain was not signed at London until the Goth
October, lSlS-but four months previous 10 the
date OF the Florida treaty i, and the rafcations
were not exchanged, and the convention pub
lished, until the 30th of January, 1919.
! Besides, the negotiations which terminated in
the Florida treaty had been commenced as ear
| ly as December, 1915, and were in full progress
on the goth October, 1918, when the convention
was signed between Great Britain and the Uni
ted States. 1t does not appear, therefore, that
Spain had any knowledge of the existence of
these negotiations; and even if this we're other
wise, she would have no motive 10 complain, as
she was in the very act of transferring all her
rights to the United States.
But, says the British plenIpotentiary, Spain
looked in silence on the continued occupation by
The British of the settlement in the Columbia
territory subsequently 10 the convention Of 1914; !;
and, therefore, she considered the Noolka Sound
+ convention to be still in force. The period of
this silence, so far as il could affect Spain, COM
menced on the 2Sh day of August, 1914, the
date of the additional articles to the treaty of
Madrid, and terminated on the 22d February,
lSl9 the date of the Florida treaty. Is there the
least reason from this silence to infer an admis-
sion by Spain of the continued existence of the
Nootka Sound oonvenon2 In the first place,
This convention was entirely confined 'o landing
on the coasts of those seas, in places not alrea-
lay occupied, for the purpose of carrying on their
commerce with the natives of the country, or of
IY,oI T. 4
to the interior. At the date of this convention,
no person deemed that British traders from Can
ada or Hudsons Bay would cross the Rocky
Mountains and encroach on the rights of Spain
from that quarter. Great Britain had never made
any settlement on the northwestern coast of A
merica from the date of the Nootka Sound con-
vention, until the 22d February, 1919; nor, so
far as the undersigned is Informed, has she done
SO down to the present moment.
4 Spain could not, therefore, have complained
of any such settlement. In regard 10 the en-
croachments which had been made from the in
terror by the Northwest Company, neither Spain
nor the rest of the world had any specific know
ledge of their existence. But even if the British
penipoentary had brought such knowledge
home TO her-which he has not attempted--she
l had been exhausted by one long and bloody war,
and was then engaged in another with her colo.
nies and was, besides, negotiating for the trans
fer of all her rights on the northwest coast of
America TO the United States. Surely these
were sufficient reasons for her silence, without
lnterrng that she acquIesced in the continued
existence of the Nootka convention. If Spain
had entertained TIE least idea that the Nootka
convention was still in force, her goo faith and
her national honor would have caused her 10
communicate this fact to the United States be-
fore she had ceded this territory TO them for an
ample consideration. Not the least inmaton
of this kind was ever communicated.
Like Great Britain in 1918, Spain in 1919 had
no idea that the Noolka Sound Convention was
in force. 1t had passed away and was forgotten.
The British plenipotentiary alleges, that the
reason why Great Britain did not assert the ex-
stence of the Nootka Convention during the ne
|got;aton between the two governments in 1918,
was, that no occasion had arisen for its interpo
|silion, the American government then not having
acquired the title of Spain. 1t is very true that
the United States had not then acquired the
Spanish title; but is II possible to imagine, that
throughout the whole negotiation, the British
commissioners, had they supposed this convention
to have been in existence, would have remained
entirely silent in regard to treaty which, as
Great Britain now alleges gave her equal and
coordinate rights with Spain to the whole north
west coast of America? At that period Great
Britain confined her claims to those of discovery
and purchase from the Indians. How vastly
she could have strengthened these claims, had
she then supposed the Noolka convention TO be
in force, with her present construction of its pro-
visions. Even in 1924 il was first introduced into
the negotiation, not by her commissioners, but
by Mr.. Rush, the American plenpolentiary.
But the British plenipotentary argues, that
the United States can found no claim on discov-
cry, exploration and settlement effected previ-
ousy 10 the Florida treaty, without admitting the
principles Of the NOotka convention;' NOR can
they appeal to any exclusive right acquired by
the Florida treaty, without upsetting all claims
adduced in their own proper right, by reason of
discovery, exploration, and settlement antecedent
to that arrangement.
This is most ingenious method OF making
two distinct and independent titles held by the
same nation worse than onee-of ARA ying them
against each other, and thus destroying the va
lidty of both. Does he forget that the United
States own both these titles, and can WELD them
either separately or conformity against the claim
of Great Britain at their pleasure? From the
course of his remarks, it might be supposed that
1 Great Britain, and not the United States, had &C
quired the Spanish title under the Florida trea-
Ity. But Great Britain is third party--an entire
stranger to both these ttles--and has no right
whatever to marshal the one against the other.
! By what authority can Great Britain interfere
in this mannerf Was it ever imagined in any
court of justice that The acquisition of a new IL
lie destroyed the old one and Uice perSd, that
the purchase ofhe old title destroyed the new
one? In question Of mere private right, il
would be considered absurd, if a stranger to both
titles should say TO the party who had made set
lla..n4 nLa III &C