Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-01-09

Many DINER Country, WHOSE scoseio ".a, - -
days, visited the Northwest coast; while IN POI
of value and importance, surely the cisco'e.y
a single harbor, although n Tie mouth Of
$ important ny.r cannot, a giving claim 10 'e
ri,ory be placed in competition vi h me vas' G.
tent Of discovery and survey accomplished oy U
British navigatos.
! AS regards tx ploraiion inland, en'ife lnSii'
mus, he done 10 the memorable cxpioh ~ W
Lewis and Clarke, but those distinguished tfave
, ler: were not the FIST VINO eutctcd q Pass's
across The Oregon Territory from me iock
Mountains lulhe Pacific. As lar back as ~
; tba, f,a, had been accomplished BY MacEehzi
a British subject. In ne course u 'his cAfeu
linn. Mackenzie xpiorcd The upper waters OF
river. since called Ffascl's river, which, IN pr
cess OF time, was traced 10 lis junction with IN
sea, near the 49th degree OF latitude: mus i"riI
ing, in point Of exploration, a counleTfoise 10 ~
exploration OF that part oi the ColumDia, "h'c
was frs, visited by Lewis and CLARKE
Priority of settlement is the third plea on wfic
The American claim proper is made 10 resi-
In ISL, an establishment for The purposes
| trade was formed al The South SIDE u me Co'uA
bia river, near 10 lis mouth, By certain hihei'ca
citizens. This establishment passed Gullns ~
war into the hands OF British subjects; bui y wa
! restored 10 the merican Governments IN The yea
i 1918, by an understanding between Inc TWO 90
vernmenis Since then, il has mot, how;Veis oceil
! in reality, occupied by Americans ms IS 'h
case Of priority Of settlement.
The American plenipotcnliaY rays soni'
stress on !ile admission attributed 70 Lord CaSlie
reagb then principal Secretary of Stale ior + o
reign Affairs, that 'ihe American goyernmeh
had The most ample right 10 be relnsia'ea an" !.
be considered the parry in possession while !Ieae
inc OF the title" The undersigned IS mol INCL
ned 10 dispute IN assertion resting on Such re-
NJ,
first place, that The reservation implied by The
words "while treating OF the title" excludes any
inference which might otherwise be drawn from
the preceding words preJndicial 10 The tllle Of
Great Britain; and further, that when the auhori.
~ of Inc American minister is ihus admitted Tor
an observation, which is pleaded against Eng
land il is hui fair that on The part ofthe United
States. credit should he given 10 England for the
Authenticity OF a despatch from Lord CastereaSh
10 the Bril- ih minister al Washington, which was
communicated verbally 10 the government OF The
United States, when the restoration Q! The csta-
bli>hmenl called Astoria, or Fort George was in
contemplation containing complete reservation
Of The rights oil England, Ia The territory al the
mouth OF The Coumbia-(Slaement OF The BFi-
fish pienipoi, n,iareS, December, 1890
In fine, the present state oil The question between
the Two governments appears 10 be his: Grca,
Tie United States right Of Join. occupancy in the
Oregon Territory, OF which right She can be di-
vested, with respect 10 any part Of that territory
only by an equitable patilion OF the whole be.
tween The TWO powers.
Ii is, tor obvious reasons, desirable that such q
partition should take place as soon as possible
and The difficulty appears 10 be in devising a
line Of demarcaton which Shall leave 10 each par
~ that precise portion OF the territory best suliec
10 its interest and convenience.
The British government entertained the hopt
that BY The proposal lately submitted for the con.
sideralion Of the = merican Government that ob
jecl would have been accomplished.
According 10 the arrangement therein contem
plated, the northern boundary oithe United Stale:
west OF the Rocky mountains would ior a cor
siderable distance be carried along the same par
alel OF latitude which forms their northern boun
Diary Ut the eastern side oil those mountainS-thus
uniting the present eastern boundary OF the Ore
gon Territory with the western boundary OF the
United States from the i9ih parable! cownwards
From the point where the 19h degree Of lali
Jude iniersects The northeastern branch OF The Co
umbia river, (called, in thar palt Of lis course
McGiilvray'S river The proposed line Of boun
dairy would be along The middle OF that river ill
it joins the Columbia; hen along The middle q
the Columbia 10 the ocean-lhe navigation q
the river remaining perpeiually free 10 both par
lies.
In addition, Great Britain offers a separate ter,
ri,ory on the Pacific, possessingan excellent har
Dor, with further understanding lha, any ror
or ports, whether on Vancouver's island or on Tie
continent South OF The 49lh parallel, 10 which The
United States might desire 10 have access, shat
be made free ports.
Ii is believed hat by this arrangement ample
Justice would be done TO The claims Of the u
States, on whatever ground advanced, with rela
lion 10 The Oregon Territory As regards eX
lent OF territory, they would obtain, acre for acre
nearly hall Of the entire territory 10 be divided
As relates 10 tie navigation OF the principal ii
yer, they would enjoy perfect equality OF RICH
with Great Britain, and in respect 10 harbors, !
will be seen that Great Britain shows every dis
position 10 consult their convenience in that par
ticuar On the other hand, were Great Britain
10 abandon the line OF the Columbia as from
tier, and 10 surrender her right 10 the navigation
of that river, the prejudice occasioned 10 her b
such an arrangement would, beyond propo
ton exceed The advantage accTuing 10 the L
States from the possession Of ie@ more square
miles OF territory. IL must be obvious 10 every
impartial investigator OF The subject, lha, by ad
herring 10 the line Of the Columbia, Great Bfi
tain is no, Influenced BY motives Of ambition wit
reference To extent Of territory, but by consldera
lions OF utility, no; 10 say necessity which canno
be lost sight OF, and for which allowance ongh
10 be made, in an arrangement protesting TO b
based on considerations of mutual convenienc
and advantage.
The undersigned believes That he has now nc
ticed all The arguments advanced by The Amer
can plenipoien!iary in order TO show that The I
States are fairly entitled 10 the entire resio
drained by the Columbia river. lie sincerel
regrets that theirl views on This subject shout
differ in so many essential respects.
Ii remains for him 10 request that, as The Am,
rican penpotentary declines the proposal 0
tered on the part OF Great Britain, lie will hav
the goodness 10 state what arrangement he is, 0
The part Of The U. States, prepared 10 propose 70
an equitable adjustment Of the question; an
more especially ,hathe will have the goodness
define The nature and exten, Of the claims whic
The United States NAY have 10 portions OF III
territory, 10 which alusun is made in the concll
ding part Of his statement as il is obvious III;
no arrangement can he made with respect TO
portion of the territory in dispute, while claii
is reserved 10 any portion Of The remainder.
The undersigned, British plenipoleniiary, h;
the honor 10 renew 10 the American penipolel
liary The assurance OF his high consideration.
Il. PAKENHAM.
[CorrepOndencs 10 be eontinued.I