The Arkansas banner., 1846-01-28

Spanish charts as the St. Roc existed, and in his account of his voyages declare, ''aee can nooc safely assert that Her6 is no S3ch rjrer as Hat of fhe' Si Roe, ds laid d0Jea ip the .SDaRiSR charfsp Vancouver, also, in April, l792, explored the same coast but his own journal gives conclusive evidence that hefailed to discover the river. He even disbeleyed it when informed by Capt. Gray of his dis coyery. Gray gave copy of his chart to Quadra, at Nootka Sound and Vancouver obtained copy from him, and guided by that chart, he visited and entered the river on the 20th of October, l792.
 So conclusive is the evidence in favor of Gray's discovery of the river, that il has been attempted to eyade our claim on the novel and wholly untenable ground that his discov- cry was made not in national but in pri- vae vessel.
 Having presented an able argument on these grounds, Mir. c. proceeds to consider the exploration of Lewis and Clarke, by which the Columba's numerous branches were discovered many years before they were visited by any subject of Great Britain. He contends that our title by discovery is clear, both to the head waters and outlet of the Co lumbia.
 Next he proceeds to settlements by Amer ican citizens in 1904, and 1910, and 18ll, their possession by the British during the war, and restoration after peace.
 Next he says we have added to our claims by priority of discovery, exploration, and set dement,, those of France and Spain Tine former by the treaty of Louisiana, and the latter by the treaty of Florida.
 He says that the cesslen of Louisiana gave us undiSpuied title west of the Mississippi 10 the summit of the Rocky mountains and pos sessions of Spain It also added strength to our title to Oregon, by restoring the imPor- tant link of continuity westward to the Pa cifc, which had been surrendered by the treaty of l763.
 He then proceeds to make an elaborate ar gument on the title which continuity gives, and brings forward the contest between Great Britain and France, which was terminated by the treaty of 1763, as having arisen on the side of Great Britain on this very right of continuity from her colonies, now the United States, extending westward to the Pacific. 1 The result of this contest, he says, fore closes Great Britain against contesting the principles, particularly against us.2
 He then proceeds to the consideration oi the treaty of l763, which fixed the Mississip- pi as the boundary between France and Great Britain, and says "it in effect extnguishes in favor of France whatever claims Great Britain may have had to the region lying west oi the I Missssippi'' Itcould not effect the night of Spain, but 1t prevented the right of continuity previously claimed by Great Britain from extending beyond t, and transferred it to France This right was transferred to us by the treaty of Louisiana, and, says Mir. C., .'certain Ii is that France had the same right
 of continuity III virtue of her possession ol Louisiana and the extinguishment of the right of England, by the treaty Of l763, to the
 whole country west of the Rocky Mountains, and lying west of Louisiana, as against Spain,
 which England had 10 the country westward of the Alleghany mountains, was as against
 France with this difference; that Spain had nothing to oppose to the claim of France Si
 the time but the right of discovery and even
 that England has since denied whilst France
 he'd, opposed to the right of England, in her
 case, that of discovery, exploration, and set
 clement. It Is, therefore, not at all surprl- sing, that France should claim the country west ol the Rocky mountains, as may be
 inferred from her maps, on the same prln-
 ipe that Great Rrian had claimed and dis
 possessed her of the regions west of the Al
 leghany; or that the United States, as soon
 as they had acquired the rights of France
 should assert the same claim, and take meas
 !.
 view to occupation and settlement Bu
 since then, we have strengthened our title hy adding to our own proper tltle, and those O France, the claims also of Spain, by the treaty of Florida, as has been stated"
 ; Mir, C. next proceeds to set forth the claims by discovery, which we have acquir ed from Spain. With reference 10 the ob
 jecton that we claim under conflicting titles : which destroy each other, he says: "Such might, indeed, be the fact, whill
 they were held by different parties; but since : we have rghtlully acquired both those o : Spain and France, aud concentrated the whol, : in Sur hands, they mutually blend with eaci
 other, and form one strong and connecting l chain of title against opposing claims ol al : others, including Great Britain.
 l He then returns to the consideration o the restoration of Astoria after the war. H. quotes the admission of Lord Castlereagh [, : Nr. Rush, as reported to Mir Adams, ou f Secretary of State, ''i5et Lord C. admitted in tte most ampic ertenf, our right 10 6e re 3 installed, and to be tde party Posession 'otiL l frcating of hte fille,
 He then proceeds to quote the language 0 r the convention, and refers to the negotiation l and quotes the stlpulations that none of tn = offers made by either party should, in an Q manner, affect their claims to any portion C f the territory, and states that our claims an : titles have been improved and strengthene e by various circumstances since the negotia : tlons, particularly by our increase of popula : ton and settlements westward and the em f grationto.. the territory; andsaysin cogclusiol 8 ''There can be no doubt. now, that tn 0 operation of the same causes which impelle # our population westward, from the shsres n the Atlantic, across the Alleghany, to the va l. ley of the Mississippi, will impel them or e ward with accumulating force across tll
 Rocky mountains. into the valley of inc CT