Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-01-31

self, also other question: and that Is, III the par
les cannot agree and if England offers arbitration
On fair and equal terms, by heads crowned or un-
crowned, how the Government of the United
States stand up before the world and decline
such offer
TIaEs JANUARY 3.
We think il must toeraby clear to the generality Of
peudced minds that grounds Of positive right the Anne
rcan Republic claim the Oregon territory and
think equally clear that the be determined
all grounds of abstract right In this respect the Uni
ted States nearly in the pedcament Spain in
the year 1885, Spain asserted proud and unlimited claim
to the whole northwest of America. In the belief
assumed belief of just title to this vast empire she seized
on the ships the cagoes, and the persons Of British Sailors
and destroyed the huts and factories of British settlers The
Spanish Minister Florida BIanca supported the violence Of
Don Estevan memorial which justified the pretensions
urged by the former in favor of his country district
tending far the 62d parallel of north latitude But
when the matter sied it out that these gigantic
pretensons rested vague expression the eighth article OF
the treaty Of Utrecht that insignia Of Spanish sovereign
y had been exclusively displayed Spanish settlements ex
cusively founded that That there had been Span
ish settlers was true That Spanish vessels had been in the
habit of touching there also True, too that those
had and the preceding century been secured by
ceson had been before admitted in the words, of the
Spanish Court that its rights that and those ports
were still not quite certainp What, then, did England
PROPOSE under the counsels of Mr. Pitt and what did Spain
assent to- under the administration of Count Florida Blanca
The proposed and the other accepted conditions which
every who loves peace and justice must approve now as
they approved then by the friends of peace and equity
conditions OF joint occupancy extending the whole Of the
northwest of North America hitherto claimed by SPAIN Eng
land did take advantage of her strong fleet of the
weakness of Spain, and the inability of the Court Of Yer
saes fulfil the pledge contained in the Family Compact
all circumstances highly favorable to aggressive policy and
bold Minister No; she acquiesced in participation of
trading and settling privileges with country whom she might
have reduced to gnobe capituaon And this prece
dent of policy once humane spirited, and just is the
which ought to be followed nearly the circumstances Of
the allow, on this crisis The joint occupation of
the Oregon by British and American settlers sno longer udg
ed expedien Partition recommended and desired. On
what principles ought that partition to be made Evidently
those of equal benefit and advantage In view of the
question, the Americans having exclusive right of
regnty cannottreat eowsubects tenants at will
drive them whatever OF the Oregon they choose
at the time claiming for themselves great credit for for
beaance They have both equal right the disputed ter
toya right arising from occupation nearly identical in
time and similar in purpose And if greater share of land
to be accorded than the other this award must
be made not recognition of right but of those considers
tons which the proximity, numbers and the past abors of
American settlers introduce necessary elements in the adj
ustmen of the which, all such inn
porant matters it is impossible TO merge in the technicaes
Of law the minutia of title
But if the award of territorial district may be modified by
cation be carried the extent Of positive deprivation and
that though the British settlers may lose in the superficial
Of their yet that they shall lose any of
those collateral advantages which absolutely indispensable
for the prosecution of their adesuch the great water
privilege of the Columbia and the harbor its mouth Now
in what way this partition be made these
advantages and the give counter-cam
only all that they may demand the right of their
possession, but all which their numbers and proximity
title them An equal line of partition would be continue
ton from the Rocky Mountains not of that line which has
already been fixed the commencement of the boundary
but of line degree to the south Of it. drawn the south
cape the outlet Of Juande Fucas Straits Thswould
nearly is possible, be the divisional line of the dspu
ed district and would give greater Of coast land
to the north than claim. But the 4sh parallel of
north latitude having already been fixed by the convention
IF London the of the boundary, such d.
vision of of the question We only to
show that starting point is not OF perfect equality.
As the already stands previous convention has rat
led certain principle of concession We have claimed
ii, that the circumstances of the and the ambiguity OF
right would have justified claiming And knowing this
feel that bound by duty counymen
resident in those districts to protest against any
careless compromise Of their interests
We soicitous push right to its points
We therefore, will claim for Them for ourselves that
capcious district between the southeast bank of the Columbia
and the Rocky Mountains We concede hiswe concede it
because prefer settlement to litigation compromise
10 contest, peace TO We concede naked right for
the retention Of undenable good But cannot acqu
in the surrender Of positive and ngeDoyed benefits
We think then, that epey purpose both Of honor and nfe
rest tcoud be anspe If the British Minister on ,con no,c
derores the duty Of making fresh proposals to the Gouen-
Of the United States ,rere 10 rene on his part the offer
made 10 England By Mr. GALLATIS, the Presidency and
under the direction Of Mr.. ADAMS. That proposal was to
take the 49h degree Of north latitude the sea as the
boundary line, reserng Great Britain Vancouvers Island
the habor Of st. Juan de Fuca and the free navigation Of the
Columbia This would be concession far as superficial
ares Of ground concerned II would leave the United States
masters Of the greater part of the Oregon But would
the principal advantage Of the country, the free navga
lion of the Columbia, the servants Of the Hudson Bay
Company well harborage anchorage and settlements
English vessels trading with China and our possessions in
Australia and New Zealand II would concede all that the
most successful could acqurea sovereign but barren
dominion but would all the commercial blessings Of
in honorable compromise and rational peace Il would not
eprve the native Americans Of any equitable advantage