The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-07
THE DAILY UNION.

have now 10 ocqualnt you that, after the receir
OF your dispatches the 18th instant by the WCa
edonis,n | had heightened conference wit
Lord Aberdeen; on which occasion the re-
sumption OF the negotiation for amicabl
, settlement OF the Oregon question, and the natur
OF the proposition he contemplated submitting 70
that purpose, formed the subject Of a full and fire.
. conversation. have now 10 state that instruction.
will be transmitted to Mr.. Pakenham by the steame
OF tomorrow, 10 submit new and further PROPOSE
uon on the part OF this government for partition
, OF the territory in dispute.
The proposition most probably will offer, sub
stantally-
First To divide the territory by the extension Of
the line on the parallel Of fortynine to the sea- thai
Is to say, TO the Of the called Birch's bay
thence by the canal De AFRO and straits of Fuea e
the ocean, and confirming 10 the United States
what, indeed, they would possess without any spe.
elal conhrmatlon-the right freely 70 use and nayi-
gate the strait throughout its extent
Second. To secure to the British subjects occupy
log lands, forts and stations anywhere in the region
north OF the Columbia, and south Of the forty ninth
parallel, perpetual title TO all their lands and sta
ions OF which they may be in actual occupation;
liable, however, In all respects, as understand TO
the jurisdiction and sovereignty Of the United
States as citizens Of the United States. Similar
privileges will be offered to be extended to citizens
Of the United States who may have settlements
north Of the forty-ninth parallel though presume
It is pretty we'll understood that there are ne settle
msnts upon which this nominal mutually could
operate. have no means Of accurately ascertaning
the extent Of the present British settlements between
the Columbia and the fony-ninth parallel They
are not believed by Lord Aberdeen TO be numer-
Gus, however, consisting, as he supposes, Of few
private farms, and two or three forts and stations
have already in previous despatch taken the lib
erty TO remind you that by their charter the Hud-
son Bay Company are prohibited from acquiring
title 10 lands, and that the occupations 10 be affect
ed nv this haV -.
sqaatiers Of that company, or by the Pugets Sound
Land Company, for the purpose Of eyading the pro-
hibition Of the Hudson Bay charter. They are in
point Of fact, also, according to Captain Wilkes's
account cultivated and used chiefly by the persons
employed on the service of the former company
and auxiliary to their general business Of hunt
ing and trapping, rather than with view as it has
been generally supposed, Of colonizing or Of per-
| manent settlement.
Lastly. The proposition will demand, for the Hud-
son Bay Company, the right Of freely navigating
the Columbia river. IL wiI however. as | under.
stand, discaim the idea Of sovereignty, or Of the
right Of exercising any jurisdiction police what
ever on the part Of this government, or Of the COM
pany, and will contemplate only the right Of nayi-
eating the riyer upon the same footing, and accord
ing 10 the same regulations, may be applicable to
the citizens Of the United States. | have already
acquainted you that Lord Aberdeen has very posi-
lively and explicitly declined to Of the navga-
ton OF the st. Lawrence in connection with that Of
the Columbia; and that IL il were desirable to
US to propose to offer one for the other he would
on no account enter into any negotiation in regard
to the St. Lawrencel
| have seen no cause TO change
the opinion that, in any attempt to divide the Ore
gon Territory, the obligation felt by this government
To protect the rights of their subjects which may
have been acquired or have grown up during the
joint occupation, would most probably interpose
the greatest difficulty in the way Of an amicabe ad
And in nhvnua that fhs al
reservation Of the right to the Hudson Bay Compa-
ny of freely navigating the Columbia, and that in
favor of the British occupants north OF the river
proceed from this source; although il is probable
that more or less pride may be felt at giving up now,
without what they may deem an adequate equva-
lent what has been hitherto rendered by our negoti
atsrs.
In fact, except in the surrender to the United
States of the title Of the lands not occupied by
British subjects between the Columbia and the for
ty-ninth parallel, and also the surrender Of the
jurisdiction over the river and the country within
the same limits | afraid it may, with some |
pausbity be contended that there is no very ma |
teral difference between the present proposition and
that offered to Mr. GalIan by Messrs. Addington |
and Huskisson, the British negouators IN 1897
1t is scarcely necessary for ME to state that the
Tell ir my Jury 20 uistise4 bss not received ny
would be accepted by the President: or, n submit
ted to that body approved by the Senate.
ndt IN ~, p,fHes si produced here that the
Senate would accept the proposition nov offered, at
least without any material modification, and that the
President would not take the responsibility OF REJECT
inc il without consulting the Senate. " there be
,ny reasonable ground to entertain och an impress
sion. however erroneous, offer less Objectionable,
in the frat instance, at least, could hardly be ex-
pected.
1t NAV be considered certain, also, in my opin-
ion that the offer now to be made Is not to be sub
nt,ed as an utmatum, and is not intended as such;
49, I h,va IN hat
will not be authorized to taccept or reject any
modification proposed on our part; but that he will,
in such case, be instructed TO refer the modlhcanon
to his government.
1t is not to be dsguished that, since the Presi-
dents annual message, and the public discussion
tina, has subsequently taken place in the Senate, it
will be difficult if not impossible, to conduct the ne
gotiation in its future stages, without reference to
the opinion of senators, free from speculation
as to the degree Of control they may exercise over
the result Whatever, therefore, might be prudent
and regular in the ordinary of things, think
j, of the utmost importance, upon the present occa-
sion the President should think proper to propose
anv modification Of the offer to be made by Mr..
| Pakenham, that the modification should be under
stood as possessing the concurrence Of the coordl-
nate branch of the treaty power .... 49,.
lii not easy to conjecture, with any certainty,
the extent to which this government might be IN
duced to modify the proposition, even If they should
be assured that the Senate, no less than the Pres'
dent, demanded it. must not escape Observation
that, during the preceding administration OF our
government, the extension Of the line on the forty.
ninth parallel the strait of Fuca as now proposed
by Lord Aberdeen, was actually suggested by
nv immediate predecessor az one he thought
Ibis government might accept and that, in regard
to those English subjects who would be left with.
in American jurisdiction by adopting that bounda'
lry, he considered the provisions of the Sec
ond article Of jays treaty as precedent for con-
venient mode of dealing with them BY the second ar
ticle ofJay's treaty, however British subjects would
not only be secured in the absolute THE to all the
LANDS and effects as fully as by Lord Aberdeen,
proposition, but would be allowed the option t.
Continue as British subjects and without any allie
Glance to the government of the United States, which
according to Lord Aberdeen's offer, as understand
it, they would not possess In point Of fact, there
fore the substantial points Of the present offer, ant
those which may be expected to be regarded
as most Objectionable, are little more than the EN-
bodiment Of the various offers or suggestions which
at different times, have in some form or other, pro
q ceeded from our own negotiators. ...
have myself always believed it the extension 0
e 1lAl