The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-16


lin the name Of the king OF Spain) at every point
from $40 north along the coast wherever they land
Ell. Now, this was the year before The voyage OF
Captain Cook, on whose discoveries England has
latterly rested her claim solely. She rested
her claim in the discovery Of Sir Francis Drakei
but history gives US sufficient assurance that the
claim of the discoveries Of such a renowned free
boo.er-for he was nothing more-snd whose OBJ
eet was plllage and plumber, not discovery and ae-
QUESTION Of territory, is altogether apocryphal.
IL Is doubtful TO this moment whether he ever was
high north as 46o. In opposition to this claim,
England now comes in with the discoveries OF
Cook. She has, for years past, abandoned all pre-
tenee Of claim, the ground Of the discoveries Of
Sir Francis Drake. She claims under the diseoye-
Ties Of Cook-the NOotka Sound convention
and the voyage of Vancouver. Cook in his
own journal admits that before he sailed from Eng
land the account of this last voyage, published by
Quadra had met his eye in London; consequently
by his own testimony the claim under his alleged
discovery is not sustained Well, then she claims
under the Nootks Sound convention. What was its
origin An Englshman named Meares came to
Oregon in the year 1883, and erected hut or two
for the purpose Of repairing vessel, or making a
temporary stay with the design of trading. The
Spaniards made a settlement there IN the name Of
their sovereign, claiming the country. Shortly af.
forwards an English vessel, commanded by an in
diyidual named -, came into Noolka sound
and found his ship in such condition that IL was
necessary 10 repair il. He proceeded to the cree
ton Of huts, when the Spanish authorities seized
upon him and his vessel and his cargo, eonfses-
ted them, and sent him prisoner 10 Mexico or TO
Monterey, Il do not recoleet which, within the iu-
risdction ofIh Spanish dominions. Upon this state
menj being made to the British government, a re.
monstranee was Immediately forwarded To the
Spanish government, and the reply was that the
English subjects had trespassed upon the domin-
ions Of Spain England armed, and threatened in
slant hosulities with Spain unless she would give
redress not only for the injury done TO the property,
but for the assault upon her honor. What was the
result Spain, then controlled by Charles the
Fourth, who was himself controlled by the infa-
nous prince Of Spain, instead Of submit
ting TO these arrogant demands Of England, applied
directly, under the family compact To France for as
sistance in the maintenance Of her national rights
She appealed to all Europe in justification OF that
assertion Of her title which common consent had
conceded to her from the first discovery ofthat por-
ton Of the coast of North America What was
the reply Of France That she was ready To dis
charge her obligations under the family compact,
and was prevented from doing only by that
terrible condition of affairs which, some two or
three years afterwards resulted in tho decaptation
Of Louis XVI. Spain-wesk, enfeebed Spain
finding that it was Utterly impossible for her to
bear up against the colossal power Of England,
agreed to come to terms. What were these lerms'
What were the terms upon which England now
rests her claims TO the right OF sovereignty over this
great empire in the West The Spanish minister,
Nunez, makes his declaration before all Europe as
serting that the right Of sovereignty in Spain and
in Spain alone. Every letter which passed between
Count Nunez and Mr.. Fizherbert, contains an ex-
preston Of the same bold language and at the very
moment Of signing the treaty, with the mailed hand
OF England outstretched over her, the Spanish am
bsssador declares that Spain yields not one title of
the right OF sovereignty over the soil. Does Eng
land gain any title by that At that time Mr. Fitz-
herbert makes no assertion Of title on the part Of
Eng ind-not one word. Oh! what picture would
the secret history Of that treaty present Of the
diplomacy Of England! | do not cast discredit on
her for the acts Of her statesmen. rather give
them credit for that farseeing sagaeity which could
anticipate so many years more than half a century
since, the immense importance which this coun-
try was destined to attain in the scale Of nations
Will the Senate allow nae to read single paragraph
from the communication of Count Nunezl Here
il is:
That by the ates demakations takn of posses
sion and the decided OF sovereignty by
the spanards in these stations from the reign of Charles
vouchers for which shall be brought forward the
Of the nesotatOn all the coast to the north Of the western
called Prince Williams sound which in the 6ist de.
gree is acknowledged to belong exclusively to Spain
merce ON the OF the southern ocean, a, II existed
in the time Of Charles IT, had been acknowledged and de-
lary by England, in the eighth article of the treaty Of
Utrecht
In all the subsequent communications Of the Span
ish minister to the French and in all the correspond
ence Of Spain with England up to the hour Of sign
ing the Nootka Sound convention, the same Ian
guage is in substance held on the part of Spain,
claiming up to 60 and England never denied it.
That convention gave specified privileges to Eng
land. What were they' will state them in sub
stance The right to land upon such portions Of the
coast as were not occupied by Spain, at interme-
date points where the occupancy was distant, for
the purpose Of trading with the natives and holding
intercourse for the purpose Of repairing damages
to their vessels; and these secondary these permis-
sive rights are all that conceded by that con-
vention. And yet England has the efrontery at this
day to say that that convention gave her the right to
make ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS settements-and seize
upon the country occupied by Spain England,
Immediately after the signing Of Ibis convention fit
ted out, under Vancouver, few ships, to proceed
as his orders and his acts prove, and take
Of Nootka sound. Well, now what occurred in
that voyage? II Spain had agreed by this conven
ton to deliver to England the port Of Nooka sound
and Vancouver was despatched for the purpose Of
receiving 1t, as matter of course would not these
intentions have been accomplished, if such had
been understood by the parties as the object of the
convention But what is the fact Vancouver
reached Nootka sound. Did he make demand !?
None that ever heard of Ifso, it was not complied
with for so far from delivering TO him possession
Of Nootka sound, which is between fory-nine and
half and fifty, the Spanish commandment refused
to allow him to proceed by the gulf, or through
Queen Charotte's island or around the island Of
Vancouver, until he could get vessels ready to ac
company him, and he did accompany him Spain
held observation-disclosures possession-undis-
turbed possession from this period till 1875, when
she voluntarily abandoned it for the best of all earth
" reasons, because the difficulties of Europe then
had already begun to disturb her, and were such as
to prevent the possibility of her liking care of such
remote possession. Did England come in then
Certainly not-certainly not. No senator--no
gentleman can show that between 400 and $40 40
England ever made a settlement or established her
title to single inch of ground until it had been pre-
viously owned and occupied by others. But when.
ever it suits her purposes she requires something
IN addition to mere discovery to perfect title
Meares-who was the origin of this difficult
ty at Nootka sound-in a memorial made to
his own government, and proved by i'm
partial Witnesses to be FALSE alleges that he
had purchased land of native chief-Ma-
quinna--on Vancouver's island, and had thus ac-
quired the right to build and occupy, and possess
An American navigator, Captain Gray, and anoth-