Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-02-27


ability Of the Hsnner IN which tie trrnto-
~ west Of the Rocky Mouatans hustle
seitird belongs also es-ea,ia''y 70 Ibis sub
leci. Under whatever nouinsirogssei-a-
'y that country may be placed, ard y has-
ever ~ ultimate destinies nav br, il il
nearly reduced tn a certainty that il viii
10 almost exclusively proplcd IS the su..
plus population Of the United States. Tie
distance from Grea; Britain, and the ex-
Z pense incident toemigrauou, frlid the ex-
peclation Of any baing practicable from
that quarter but on comparatively small
scale. Allowing the rate Of increase to b.
,he same in the United States and in the
North American British possessions. the
difference in the actual popu alton Of both
is such that the progressive rs.e wh Oh
wOuld within forty years aid three millions
to these, would within the same time give
a positive increase Of more ihan twenty
millions to the United Stalos. Aud If ciF-
cdmstances, arising from o alii.fs and hah-
its, have given superior flcj.i,cs to Erit.h
subjects OF extending their commerce with
the natives, and to that expansion which
has the appearance, and the appearance
only Of occupancy, the slower hut sure
progress and extension of an agricultural
population will be regulated by distance,
by natural obstacles, and by its own a.
mount.
There was no exaggeration in that COM
parative view; the superiority Of the pro-
gressive increase Of population in the T.
nited States was, on the contrary, under.
rated, The essentiaIdi difference is. that MI
grafton from the United STATES to Oregon il
the result Of purely natural causes, whilst
England, in orderto colonizp that country,
must resort 10 artificial means. The num-
Ter OF American emigrants may not, du-
| ring the first next ensuing wears, be as
great as srems To bp anticipated. Il will
at first he limited hy the amount Of prnvi
sjonS with which the earlier settlers can
supply them during the first vrar. aud ill
they can raise a crop themselves; and The
rapidity with which new country NAV be
! settled IS also lesspned where maze can.
not he proflabIy cultivated.
Whether more or less prompt. the resnl,
! is nevertheless indutitalie. The snow
tail sooner or later becomes an avalanche.
where the cult, ator OF the soil has oDrp
made permanent establishment, game
and hunters disappear; within Il few years
and the fur trade will have died its nalu-
raj death, and no ves,ge shall remain, at
least south Of Fuca's slrats. OF that tenn
porary occupancy, of these vested British
! interests, which the British Government
is now hound to protect. When the whole
territory shall have thus fallen in lhe nos
session of an agricultural industrious nom
uation, the question recurs. hy W hat rrin-
cip'e will then the right Of sovereignty all
along kept in abeyance be determined!
The answer is obvious. In conformity
with natural law, with that right OF occu-
pancy for which Great Britain las ALWAYS
cOntended, the occupiers OF lhe land. the
inhabitants OF the country, from whatever
quarter they may have come. will he Of
right as well as in fact the sole legitimate
sovereigns Of Oregon. Whenever sufTi-
clenty numerous, they will decide wheth-
er it suits them best to he an independent
nation or an integral part of our great
Republic. There cannot lie the slightest
apprehension that they will choose to be-
come dependent colony; for they will te
the most powerful nation bordering on the
American shores Of the Pacific, and will
not stand in need Of protection against
either their Russian or Mexican neighhors.
Viewed as an abstract proposition, Mr..
Jeferson's opinion appears correct. that
it will be best for both the Atlantic ard
Pacific American nations, whilst entertain
ing the most friendly relations, to remain
Independent rather than TO be united nm
der the same Government. But this con-
clusion is premature; and the decision
must be left TO posterity.
There is a point on which I wish not to
be misunderstood. The prolongation. in
1927, Of the convention of 1918, was pvi-
IDENTIFY intended as temporary measure.
since it was made revocabe at the will OIL
either party. The PIcnipotentiaries of the
two Powers had been unable to agree upon
the terms of definite arrangement, or e
ven in defining with precision the condi.
tons on which the convention of 1881
might be continued for determinate peri
cd. 1t will be seen by reference TO the
protocols and correspondence, that, aIlho'
it was generally admitted that neither par.
ty ought during such continuance to exer- |
else any exclusive sovereignty over the ter
rltory, the American Plenipotentiary de-
cIined to agree TO any convention contain
ing an express provision to that effect. or
accompanied by the insertion in the proto.
col OF declaration for the same purnnse
by the British Plenipotentiarles. The rea.
son was not only because an exclusive
light over Astoria and its dependencies
was claimed by the United States, but prin- |
'lpaIly because it was anticipated that. in
lrder Ia have n authnri,y on,,,I - Il