Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1845-1851, 1846-06-17

belonged to the British and thinking so still, and
acting upon the first half of the great maxim-ask
nothing but what is right shall not ask them for II,
much less fight them for it now.
come now TO the third geographical division Of
the contested country pupoScy reserved for the last
because furnishes the subject for the application OF
the second half of the great maXlu-submt 10 moth
inc that is wrong. | come TO the river Columbia,
and its vast and magnificent valley. | made n
description OF 1t, with an anathcna against lis allcna
ton. | described 1t by mctcs and bounds-by marks
and featurcs-and then wrote its name in its face. |
The iity-iour iortlcs rot hold Of my description
rubbed tho name-obliteratcd the fcaturcs-ex-
banded the boundarlcs-took in New Caledonia, and
all the rivers, lakes, bays, sounds, islands, valleys,
forts, and settlements, all the way up 10 fifty -four
forty and then turned my anathcna against my
self because their minds could not apply words to
things Well take no offence at this. There are
some people too simple to get angry with. All we
lido with them In the West Is 10 have them "cut for
the smplcs," after which they cured. They can
perform this operation for themselves, have it done
If by themselves, all they have to do is 10 rub their
eyes, and read again; If by others, the operator must
read, and caution the listening patient 10 stick the
word to the thing.
The valley Of the Columbia is ours ours by dis
Icovcry, by settlement, aud by the treaty of Utrecht
land has often, been admitted to Great Britain
to admit to her dspuiing IL now. do not plead her
title to that great country. | did that twenty years
larO, Wicn tncrc were lew 10 repeat or upplauu
what | sud. ! passed the ground which trod 80
long ago and which has been again so much trodden
OF late aud take up the question ut fresh pace-hc
admissions OF Great Britain! aud show that she has
concluded by her acts and words from ever set
ting up any claim 10 the river and valley OF the Co
umblo, TO any part OF the territory south of the
l0ih degree
| begin with Mr.. Astor's settlement on the Coum-
bia aud rest upon ii cornerstone IN this new cd
flee of argument against Great Britain. What was
that settlement Not mere trading post, for tenn
porary traffic, down corner, and without the know
ledge of nations. the sanction OF ms own govern
mcnt On the contrary, it was the foundation OF Il
colony and the occupation of the whole valley OF the
Columbia, and the establishment OF commercial
emporium, OF which the mouth of the river was the
seat and the Rocky mountains on one hand and east
Asia the other the outposts. Great Brit
ain saw II without oblccton-ihc united STATES win
appreciation; and every circumstance which proclaim
cd aud lcgitnatcd national undertaking sIgnalizcd
and COMMUNICATED It's commencement, existence, and
q, crthrow.
1t was in the year lsl0-four years after the re-
turn of Lewis and Clarkc's cxpcdlon-that Mr..
Asor with the enlarged aud comprehensive views oil
"mcrchdm piHcc,' projected from the eastern
shore of the Atlantic this great establishment the
eastern coast of the Pacific ocean. ship command
ed bv an officer OF the United States navy, reghtcd
with everything necessary for the foundation Of a
colony, sailed from New York to double Cape Horn
an overland expedition Of ninety men, led by gen
tleman OF New Jersey, proceeded from ~. Louis TO
cross the Rocky mountains. IN the spring OF ISL,
the two expeditions met at the mouth Of the Column
ba, and Immediately proceeded TO fulfil the intentions
of the bold protector of the enterprise. Astoria
founded It's dependent posts, the Okenakan was cs-
tabshed SIN hundred miles up the river: the Spoken
another dependent, was estabiShedtwo hundred miles
higher up, and at the base of the mountains: third
the Wahamath, established upon the river OF that
name 80 miles southeast of Astoria Parties Of
Traders and hunters covered all the waters of the CO.
lumbia river from head to mouth; fleets of baiieaus
carving up merchandise and bringing down furs, had
their regular arrival and departure from Astoria
Two more ships arrived from New Nork. Canton,
the Sandwich islands, New Archangel, the coast of
California were visited by MIR. Asior's ships. The
Pacific Fur Company was III full tide OF success. -
Astoria became the centre of an extended trade; her
name became known TO the world. This was notice
to tho world that American colony was being
founded on the Columbia, and power in the wide
world objected to 1t. 1t before the Spanish
treaty of 1919 and Spain did not oJJcct. 1t was al
ter all the pretended claims of Great Britain. now
set up, and she did not object. Special notice had
previously been given to the minister of Great Brit
ain and he had nothing to say against 1t. Special
notice had already been given to the Northwest COM
pany, and they invited to JOIN i'll the enterprise as
traders, which they refused to do because II was
an American enterprise. Far from Directing to the
settlement, they special agent across the con-
tnent to spulate with Nh. Asors agents that they
should conine themselves the valley of the Column
bia, which arrangement made. Special notice
was given government, its sanction obtained,
and It's protection solicited and if protection, in the
full sense Of the word not promised, IT was be-
cause felt to be impossible to send troops and
ships there in the event of the war, to prevent It's
falling into the hands of the British; but that was
to be protected, the general sense of the word
promised, proved at Client when peace came
to be made.
Two years passed off this way; Great Britain
made no objection; her agent, the northwest Company,
agreed to occupation OF the whole valley; and &C
quiesence under these circumstances, becomes adj
mission of American title which forever closes the
mouth of Great Britain.
In this manner the Columbia settled by Mr..
Aston; in this manner it was held by him for two
years Now for the manner III which 1t fell into the
hands of Great Britain. Two years had elapsed from
the time Of the foundation of Astoria, when intelll-
gence arrived at that place with the news of war be-
tween the United States and Great Britain, and IN
formation of departure of ship of from Lon
don TO join the squadron under Commodore Hyar, In
the Pacific ocean, and proceed to capture Astoria as
an important American colony. AT the same time
time several partners of the Northwest Company ar
rived at Astoria confirmed the information of the
British designs on the post and offered to purchase all
the stock hand goods and furs, of Mr.. Astor, as
the only means of preventing them from becoming 4
prize to British squadron. The agents of Mr.. As
tor sold under his duresSe, receiving the fourth
fifth part of what the property worth. Soon after
a slip of war from Commodore Hnyar's squadron ar
rived, took possession of the post without opposition,
but with all the ormaties ola British conquest, and
with great chagrn to the officers at the loss of their
expected booty. This is the manner in which the
British got possession of Astoria and with it the
whole valley of the Columbia As British conquest
they took it as such they agreed TO restore it under
the treaty of Client. And thus, as the settlement Of
Astoria and the occupation of the whole valley OF