Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-07-08
The Oregon Treaty.


sing its comments upon the treaty, and the
advantages gained from it by this country
WASHINGTON, June 5, 1916.
As the stipulations Of the treaty. which
the Senate has advised the President 10
frame, are contained in several of nv let
tiers, have thought synopsis in single
one, with some explanatory remarks, would
be desirable TO the public, as enabling
every one to see, at birds eve view,
what had actually been ACCOMPLISHED.
The treaty will consist Of 5 articles, ex-
elusive OF official forms, and will be en-
bodied Uerbatjm, as they were laid before
the Senate. The terms of the proposition
arc chosen from among the various offers
of the United States, submitted at different
periods to the BRUSH Government. No
new matter is introduced.
The 49lh parallel is the main basis Of
division and Is to constitute hereafter the
/ Northern and Southern boundaries of the
two countries, from the East side of the
4 Rocky Mountains to the ocean, with such
exceptions as are named in the treaty.
Great Britain is to enjoy the free navl-
CATION of the Columbia River during the
charter OF the Uudson's Bay Company.
which will expire in 1868. From the
! phraseology OF the ID article which con
talns this stipulation, some doubt arose in
the Senate as TO whether 1t would not eX-
tend to re-charter, should one be granted
The sound and legal opinion OF both
sides of the Senate agreed it would expire
with the termination OF the existing char
?. ter. This objection was mooted on the
first day of the debate, and Mr.. Paken
ham was consulted, OF course, without re
veaing what had taken place. lie set
lied the difficulty, by distinct assertion
on behalf Of his Government, that thi
present charter was designet as the limj
tation; and two Senators rose in thei
places, and made the explanation, will
semi-oliiciaI authority, which at once re
moved any cause of apprehension for fu
ture embarrassment, growing out OF thl
, privilege.
The newspapers insist upon confound
ing the year OF the operation Of the char
ter; the facts are simple and conclusive
After the great contest between the Hud
sou's Bay and Northwestern companie,
the latter was merged in the first BY an nc
! of Parliament, and in 1921 was juCorpC
rated for 2 i years. In 1872 the charte
was renewed for , years more, and wi
{ necessarily terminate in 1863, as hay
I before stated. The right Of i1int use
the L lumbia, is subject to the laws Of n,
, viEation and revenue Of the United State
bat no other laws are t. be created, whjc
may impair the privilege Of Great BsituI
or impose new restrictions.
The whole of Vancouyer's Island is r.
Iingui-hed to Great Britain, which At be
is Of little or no real consequence. II h'
been discovered near 800 years, and
e this day without a civilized settlements,
] is a barren spot, inhibited by few sra
e tering Indians. It's Southern position mil
be made valuable for Il foriifcatiun, as
= passes along the entrance Of the Straits
i. Juan de Fuca. But no advantage can {
gained in point Of defence, if our govern
ment will consent to spend as much none
: in military walls as that of Great Britain
:. On our side of the Straits there is poir
= iulting out which could be male 10 con
n mand at once the approach from the ocea
S and the passage through the Straits. III
n absolute possession of Vancouver's lslar
n and It's bays and harhors was made Sil
. qua non in the proposition.
E The right of passing through the strai
of Juan de Fuca, is common to both g
vernments indefinitely.
" There is a stipulation providing for Il
possessory rights of botn parties. No pc
J. feet title of course could be acquired {
t one side or the other, during a doubtful S
Of -vereignty. The British have settlement
on the north bank of the Columbia, and
few south Of it. The ownership is to
confirmed by The United States upon the
q becoming citizens, or it has the option
h a purchase at a fair valuation. should it
dictated by motives of public policy
other considerations. Any American sc
dement, north of the parallel of 40 will
Of compensated for by assessment. TIL
& stipulation upon our part, except in two i
IS stances, amounts to nothing more than {
} ordinary grant Of prescription.
le The offer OF Great Britain contains son
IS advantages not contemplated by Mr. NJ
Re Lane. There is letter from him date
e. on the day before the sailing of the Hide
s. MIA, which informs the Government th
Lord Aberdeen would accept nothing she
of the admission of a perpetual right
90 NAVIGATE the Columbia; whereas, the teri
!, submitted and accepted extend to peri
> of Is or II years.
u Mr.. McLane's recent correspondent
10 with the Department shows that in wns
re ever light the action OF the Senate on Il
= Notice was given to him, it had the ehe
Z of prescribing to a certain extent the COZ
~ promise which has been effected. |
ne states it was useless to make pretensio
n beyond the line indicated in the debates
Ill IL. Cborohar