The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-30
THE DAILY UNION.
COMMUNICATIONS.
MIR GA1LArlN AND OREGON Of onl'-.

with the interest attaching TO whatever comes from
so able and veteran pen. would render all
homage 10 their calm spirit, ana the patriotism
which dictates themj and acknowledge myself in
stricted by some passages In them, The public are
under obligations 10 an eminent and experienced cit
zen who, at his lime of life will take the trouble OF
selline with his fellow-citlzens ON momentous
questions Of public concern. Such men, when their
lives known TO have been pure, their past ser
vices valuable, and their talents acknowledged,
cannot be otherwise than useful counsellors
though all their counsel or opinions be not adopted
| As one American citizen, regret that Mr. Gala
tin dispRrages our Spanish title 10 Oregon. That
this has been disputed point between the United
States and England, we oil know but the superi-
orlty Of the Spanish title over all others TO the whole
Of the northwest coast Of America except the Col
umbia river, discovered by our own Captain Gray,
has never been called in question except by Eng
land. Even England silently acquiesced In Il for
upwards oftwo centuries--that Is until Cook made
his third voyage In l77S and the reasons offered for
her silence by the venerable statesman scarcely APP
pear satisfactory, any more than that her charters
TO her American colonies, purporting in mere words,
to make grants from the Atlantic TO the Pacific,
could uproot SPANS title the shores OF the latter
founded upon voyages OF actual discovery. But
further England herself, az remarked by Mr.. Blu
chanan, did not, in her convention OF lI9O with
Spain though she n effect dictated II, venture 70 in
serl single word, going TO impair the ultimate
sovereignty which Spain had deserted for centuries
over the whole Of that coast, at least for up az
81 degrees north After considering all the argu-
menis urged by Mr.. Gallatin, | cannot but regard
Mr.. Buchanan's an Of preponderating weight on the
other side, and will not weaken them by attempting
10 repeat them-as he handsomely said Of Mr.. Cal
houns In reference 10 another branch Of the discus
sion. Nor can anything new, as Mr. Gallatn remarks
be now advanced on the subject. The superiority
and suffciency Of tho Spanish title, wero hrst
brought into our negotiation with England by MIR,
1 n IZDl Al. a.. al
Mr.. Adams as Secretary Of State, Ia person little
likely 10 omit anything important 10 the inyestiga-
ton } during the administration Of Mr.. Monroe, and
were demonstrated on grounds both Of authority and
reason, which the American public viii probably
think have never since been satisfactorily answered
| by England.
Although Mr.. Gallatin does not attach the value
To the Spanish title which our government lnyaris'
bly, has perceive with pleasure that he notices The
"untennble" position assumed by England, that our
resort to the Spanish title weakens our own. Here
the veteran dipomatist sustains Mr.. Buchanan, whs
is peculiarly emphatic and irresistible under this
head in his note Of the 30th OF August That the
union Of two strong titles amounts 10 no title at all
is, indeed, strange position for England 10 take
Il is somewhat new principle in diaectics. Can
It be that pressed by the weight Of either one OF our
titles singy, despair leads her 10 the denial OF both
when in conjunction | could hardly venture 70
think this, but for recalling other items Of her diplo-
macy with the United States.
For example; after the Of 1912, she con-
tended that had lost rights to the fisheries Sc
cured by the third article Of the old treaty Of peace
in l763 the war having, she said, annulled that
treaty. MIR. Adams then our minister in London
replied no; and in most powerful note, addressed
to the British government, maintained that thai
treaty was not a common treaty TO be abrogated by
war, but treaty which, acknowledging our indie
pendenee was also in the light Of treaty Of part
ton which divided an empire and was nece ssariy
| Refrain this ,rineipte
Mr.. Adams also contended, that the very fisheries
in question: having been originally Explored and made
productive by the people Of New England long be-
fore the revolutionary war, this fact added strong
equity TO our nex,iDgushabe legal rights under the
treaty Of 1883. Britain replied, that The too argr
mems cIashed, aud destroyed each oihsrt
| Again: when Mr. Rush, in the negotiation OF
1924, above referred 10, first claimed for the United
States the right Of navigating the St Lawrence, as
natural right, and as sanctioned by treaties OF the
European alliance entered into at the Congress Of
Vienna, in 1914, and by other authorities, Britain
denied claim. Mr.. Rush, after first sustaining
himself on the ground so taken, followed the anal
ogy OF Mr.. Adams's argument respecting the fish
cries. and contended that the fact Of the early inhab
itants Of New England, New York, Pennsylvania,
and other States, then the colonies, having, by their
bravery and blood, largely helped the English to
conquer Canada from the French in the old war oi
1885, and thence TO get dominion over the st. Law
renee added strong equity to legal claim 10 its
navigation. Britain replied that the arguments elphed
and destroyed each oihcri
gon-frst, by our own discovery, exploration, and
settlement and, secondly, by the cumulative title Of
Spain, which obtained by treaty from Spain in
lsl9-elash and destroy each othsrt
| Mr.. Gallatin pertinenuy notices fact which is
not n little curious in this connexion Ii is, that
England has invariably denied our right to the Co
umbia river, on the ground of Captain Gray first
discovery, because his ussssi nothing but mer
chant resell Yet she claims Fuca straits inlet, as
first discovered, she alleges, by Captain Berke.
ley, an Englishnan, who, as she knows and admits
was nothing but the master Of a merchant pessei
bound on a mere private adventure; and, to mend
the matter sailing under the Austrian flag!
| am compelled to notice other things, showing
the contradictions into which England falls in the
uphill work of endeavoring TO make out her title to
Oregon.
MIR. Buchanan contends, that the Nootka Sound
convention OF 1870, was one of those ordinary trea
ties liable to be annulled under the general rule Of
public law, by the war which followed between the
parties in 1916. This the British minister, MIR
Pakenham, denies, maintaining that its provisions
were beyond the reach Of destruction by war. II,
thus takes ground precisely The Of that taken By
HE government against Mr. adams on the fishery ques
| ton,
know he says, also, that the convention was re-
vived if ever aunullcd by treaty Of 1874 between
England and Spain; but this Mr.. Buchanan shows
not 10 nave Dee he case, by the recent admission Oh
the English foreign secretary, Lord Aberdeen.
Next let me notice another contradiction Of the
gravest Importance in its bearing upon an existing
and primary question. England now claims the
navigation of the Columbia. Let us remember how
far south of 400 this river emptics into the Pacific
though that is the line she has heretofore been ready
to offer as the basis of compromises yet she claims
TO navigate, equally with ourselves, this great stream
to its very mouth, although, taking the above line
as the division, whole degrees Of territory would be
our exclusive dominion north of that line!
Now, what can be the value to her subjects in the
barren and struggling settlements, If there be any
there, along northern branch Of the Columbia
where the 10Th degree Of latitude, not yet run, may
happen to strike 1t, compared to the ncaculable val.
ne to the people Of the U. States who, in 1924 lived
upon the upper waters Of the river ST. Lawrence,
lakes, or other waters flowing into ii, to have had
the navigation Of that rver' Why at That time, the
St Lawrence was the only outlet TO the ocean, in
that direction to large portions of the people of New
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan Illinois, Indi.
ara, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire Nearly
all these States had immediate interest in that
gatlon, with all the tceming productions of their in