The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-01-31

edge OF the existence OF these negotia-
tons; and even if this were otherwise
she would have had no motive to COM
plain, as she was in the very act Of
J transferring all her rig ghts to the United
: States. f
But. says the british plenipotentiary,
Spain looked in silence on the contin-
ued occupation by the british Of the
settlements in the Columbia Tertiary
subsequently to the convention Of 1914;
and, therefore, she considered the Moot
ka Sound Convention 10 be still in force.
The period Of this silence, so far as it
could affect Spain, commenced on the
2Sth day Of August. 1914, the date of
the additional articles to the treaty Of
Madrid, and terminated on the god Of
February, 1919, the date of the Flori-
da treaty. Is there the least reason
from this silence to infer an admission
by Spain Of the continued existence Of
tho Nootka Sound Conventions In
the first place, this convention was en-
trely confined "to landing on the coasts
OF those seas, in places not already oc-
cupled, for the purpose Of carrying on
their commerce with the natives Of the
country, or of making settlements
there" 1t did not extend to the in
terror.
At the date Of this convention, no
person dreamed that British traders
from Canada, or Hudson's Bay, would
cross the Rockev Mountains and en-
croach on the rights of Spain from that
quarter. Great Britain had never made
any settlement on the northwestern
coast Of America, from the date of the
Nootka Sound Convention until the
22d February, 1879; nor, so far as the
undersigned is informed, has she done
so down to the present moment. Spain
could not, therefore, have complained
of any such settlement. In regard to
the encroachments which had been
made from the interior by the North
west Company, neither Spain nor The
rest Of the world had any specific
knowledge of their existence. But
even ifthe British pIenipotentiary had
brought such knowledge home to her
which he has not attempted-she had
been exhausted by one long and bloody
war, and was then engaged in another
with her colonies; and was, besides,
negotiating for transfer Of all her
rights on the northwestern coast of
America to the United States. Surely
these were sufficient reasons for her
silence, without inferring from it that
she acquiesced in the continued exis-
tence of the Nootka Convention. If
Spain had entertained the least idea
that the Nootka Convention was still in
force, her good faith and her national
honor would have caused her 10 COM
municate this fact to the United States
before she had ceded this territory to
them for an ample consideration. Not
the least intimation of this kind was
ever communicated.
Like Great britain in 1918, Spain
in 1919 had no idea that the Nootka
Sound Convention was in force. 1t
had then passed away, and was forgot
| ten.
The british plenipotentiary alleges,
that the reason why Great britain did
not assert the existence OF the Nootka
Convention during the negotiations be-
tween the two Governments in 1918,
was. that no occasion had arisen for its
interposition, the American Govern
ment not having then acquired the title
of Spain. 1t is very true that the Uni
ted States had not then acquired the
Spanish title; but is it possible to imag-
inc, that throughout the whole negotia-
lion, the ABritish commissioners, had
they supposed this convention to have
been in existence, would have remain
ed entirely silent i'll regard to treaty |
which, as Great britain now alleges,
gave her equal and coordinate rights
with Spain to the whole northwest
coast Of Americae At that period,
Great britain confined her claims to
those arising from discovery and pur-
chase from the Indians. How vastly
she could have strengthened these
claims, had she then supposed the Moot
ka Convention to be in force, with, her
paesent construction Of its provisions.
Even in 1924 it was first introduced h
into the negotiation, not by her COM
missioners, but by Mr.. Rush, the Amer
ican plenipotentiary. -"
But the british plenipotentiary argues
that "the. U. States can found no claim {
on discovery. exploration, and settle
ment effected previously TO the Florida
treaty, without admitting the principles
Of the Nootka Convention s'nor can
they appeal to any exclusive right as I
acquired by the Florida treaty.. without {