Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1846-03-12
Letters of Albert Gallatin,
oN rnk
OREGON QUESTION;

II The u nied States have ike same iight
as Great Britain, aud are equally bound
To protect theT citizens residing ~ the
4 Oregon territory IN the exercise ot all
the rights secured 10 thea by tho cob
/ yeution. II has been fully admitted that
I these rights embrace The right Ia settle
! ~ and over any part OF the territory, aud
that 10 be, IN all cases whatever, aAa-na-
bic only To the jurisdictions al their own
country. The subjects of Great Britain,
who are not IN The emplny Of the Hud-
sou Bay Company, ave fahidden /" trade
with the natives and The company does
M fact control and govern all the British
subjects residing ~ !!ie territory. THIS
gives strong guarantee against the
violation, by rash individuals, oi Tie
rights of the citizens oft the United States.
Should any as them, however, he DIS
iuIbed IN The exercise of their lrgltlnaie
rig hts, and the company should be unable
or unwilling To relieve and alSeHDily
them, the United Staies would be Justly
entitled To appeal 10 the Brush Govern
ment for the redress of II vh'!shon ot
rights secured by the convention for
the British Government has preserved "A
control over the Hudson Bay Company,
aud does, IN fact, through II, govern tho
British subjects who lessde Ia the terri
tory.
rhe Uniied States are placed, IN thai
respect, iD very different situation. 1t
is nol believed that The General Govern
mcnt Is authorized To incorporate, Us a
polIlcal body, a commercial company,
with such powers as would give II an
riicien, control over the private clilzrns
residing IN the territory. Such deIega-
ton of powers, either by any "i The
States or by Congress, is wholly incon-
si>tent with our institutions. The United
States may indeed give 10 their citizens
in Oregon a reg gsslar and complete judi
ciary system /; and they may also extend
to them, as the British government. has
done on its part the lawsoi an adjacent
Territory. But an executive local powrs
is wanted in this 49,, AS II is everywhere
else undes any form of G"veTnH.fa
Whatever, to cause the Laws tn be exc
culed, aud to have that general control
which is now exercised, through the
Hudson Bay Company, by the British
Government. There are besides various
acts of Il public, though local nature,
such as oI ening ROADS, making bridges,
erecting block houses for projections
agains, the natives, providing for tho
destitute, SC, all which are performed
by the Hudson Bay Company, and can-
not be accomplished by insulated indIvI-
duals, bound by no legal association or
gove.nnrnt.
Wkcther any measures may ba devl5-
ed, other than n territorial governments,
that will be sufficient for the purpose Nv
tended whether all The Americaa cilt,
lens residing 10 Oregon might aot be IN
corpolaled aud made bod polite, with
powers equivalent To those vested Ia the
Hudson Bay Company, aud wuh tho
reservation by the General Government
of check or control analogous 10 that
reserved by the Government oi Great
Britain, are questions worthy u serious
consideration. But Great Britain has
the same interest as the URaed States tn
prevent collision during the continuance
OF the convention; and II lis believed that,
if negotiations SHOULD be renewed, With
an equal and SINCERE desno on both
sides to preserve friendly relations, there
would be M dIai, ully al tins time ~ COM
lng to Oh understanding on the subject.
Ii would srem sufficient that this should
he accompanied with PROVISIONS, prevent.
ing the possibility OF the powers eXer-
clsed bv the United States beng ever
applied to British subjects, aud with aA
eAplicu declaration that these powera
sIould never be couslI ued as an adtnis-
sion by Great Brilanoi any clam oi tho
United States To exclusive sovereignty.
There is another iinportant SUBJECT
which has rot, il H. believed, ever heen
discussed by the two Powers. This "a
the ella uu To the ownership OF the plac'a
settled and imprOpCd under the congeu-
tinn. Ii secips To me that, on the prln-
clples Of both natural and ,nlernatmnas
law, these sights, 10 "a defined extent,
should be respected by each Fower ~
sperllvcly, whose sovereignty oycf the
pn.lion oi the lHrrtory R wlgch SUCH in.z
prov ed settlements may be situated @il.
ultimately bc recognzed. II amrar-
alsn ,hat the United States 'aay. IN CON
lormily with the conycnlb'n aud without
ullrcling III any shape the claims aivhnc-
ed 10y Great Britain, pass n law declaring
taat they abandon or giant without was-
raniy, to such of tn.Ir citizens ms shhh
have made actual aud bona fJe s"tllo-
men,s IN any pat oI Oregon, !'d"r ihH
conycnllun. all the rights al aud claims
to the ownership oi the soll, on ~hlch
such settlements shalt have brea made,
which the United States mny now ~
hereafter claim or acquire llm'llng n"d
defining the exlen, al .he gsaut III tho
same manner IA would be done II such
/ grant was absolute aud promising that
the title should he confirmed, ~ case aud
whenever the sovereignty m the UnIIed
States was recognised OF asserted aud
malntaiurd.
\ The acts which the Government 81
the United States may do, ~ conformity
with the convention, embrace Two OBJ
iecis; the measures applicable io the
tc,,ii,ry vi.bn then ncknuw lodged limlis