The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-13
ofhc.l document. Of ,hs highs.t eharaeter and au-


new lease of their charter for twenty-ons years.
The application was made in letter Of that date,
from J. Pely, esq, governor Of the company, to
Lord Geneeg, then secretary of state for the col
ones This letter sets forth the grounds Of the APP
pication. II states all that the company have done
to carry out the purposes Of the British government.
II tells how they have driven the Americans out OF
the fur trade, and got it all for themselyes-how
they occupy the whole country by twenty-five per
manent establishments, (this was in 1885, and
many distinct hunting partes-how they keep six
armed vessels, one Of them steamer, of the coast
how they have in one place begun farming, and
mean To export agricultural produets-how the
country is as fine farming ground as any in Amer.
iea-and, finally, how they confidently hope that,
"rih care and protection, the British dominion may
not only be preserved in Ibis country 0hieh Il has been
so much the icish Of Russia and America 10 occupy, 10
he exclusion Of British subjects, but British interest
aud British influence may be maintained paramount
on this Interesting part Of the coast Of the Pacific"
Thus far-and it is very far-Governor Pelly,
speaking to the government Of the compsny's pur-
pose and policy
But this is not all On the LIST of February
1887, George Simpson, esq, agent OF the company
IN America, writes to Governor Pelly on the same
subject. lie says, "the possession Of that country
(oregon) 10 Great Britain may become an object Of
rsry great importance and strengthening their
claims tOh by forming the nucleus cf colony, through
the Establishment of farms and the settlement Of
some Of our retiring officers and servants agrcul-
turists" This too went to the government with the
application for new lease. or course the company
got their lease To the British government such
Arguments were altogether irresistible, But, be II
observed, into the lease thus granted in 1888,
the government. introduced phoiIy condition.
Lord Genelg tells them in his reply, that they may
have their tTale monopoly as before, but" he
adds, s." will be indispensable TO introduce into the
new charter such conditions may enable her Ma
jes,y grant for the purpose Of settlement and eOlOni
cation any Of the lands comprised in IT," And accord
ingy in the charter inserted proviso reserV-
ing to the crown, in the largest terms full right to
Establish colonies" and "govern" them land an
mex them TO other colonies belonging TO the
crown"-and this in any Of the Glands granted"
What were these lands so granted? The northwest
Of America not "under any civil government Of the
United States" That is sptry inch Of Oregon, down
to latitude 42o.
Summing all this up, we may see what kind of a
Temporary occupancy" is in the purpose Of Eng.
land and how she means to recede Of herself, If we
let her alone. The governor, Pely, says to the
secretary "take Of US, and protect us, and we
will secure the country for you, and very fine
country il isl More than this, you may control the
commerce Of the Pacific from it." Eyes" adds the
superin iendent, Simpson, "and we are making a
tile for you sruy day. we have got the nucleus Of
regular colony there already" Gin 1872 True"
replies the government, "and you shall have your
charter but mark, we must reserve the full right to
down even to ~ degrees.
In view Of all this, to trust to temporary occu-
patton" goes little beyond any mans fancy-ex-
cept the renowned Sir Abel's.
But again: how does all this bear on the question
Of terminating the joint occupation by "notice;'
See how the case stands. Negotiation at stop
"no compromise, which we ought to accept" ESQ
says the message) now expected by the President
our title Recommendations government and country
resolved as one man not to abandon it-our citizens
in Oregon wholly unprotected and unrecognised by
on-the "joint occupation" placing the whole coun-
try under British Jurisdiction, monopolzng its trade
and planting the flag Of England on its best strong
holds-the interests Of England in the land daily aug
menting-ourown, too, daily increasing in magnitude,
and at the same time the mind Of our people daily
becoming more fervd the subject--the two antag-
onist populations in Oregon constantly approach
ing each other as tenants in common-the right of a
Joint occupant, all that is now claimed by England,
but further claim alleged gro,cing u, by "se and
occupancy" around the "nueeus Of colony"-the
policy of British colonization avowed and provided
for by aw-and now in view Of all this imagine an
obecor to the "notice" standing up to say, "le us
hold on to this Joint occupation while longer
our rights must be sustained indeed but let US wait
ttle-to be sure we have not got much by wait
ing since 1918; but then the notice. is dangerously
Dangerous Why, if we mean to assert our claim,
what can be so dangerous TO IL this state of things,
which i, seems bitter irony and mockery to call Joint
occupn,ion"-when, in view of the law as it stands on
the British statute book, there is only one occupant;
and oar statute book is only blank on the subject;
and that, too, mainly by reason Of this same 'join,
occupation" Why, in the name of all that Is rea'
sonabe if this be not case for terminating the con-
ven,ion without the loss of hour, when or where
| or how is such a case ever to arse'
But it is urged, notice will force us to cope with
England in the East, and we shall thus lose the
country. This position assumes that notice will
bring war, when that is the very point in question.
We say war must come sooner ,oihoa the notice than
,ctt H. But there are other, and, in our judgment,
| more conclusive answers to this objection. We
shall endeavor to give them tomorrow, and at the
same time we may say word or two of tho proPo-
son jug, submitted by Mr.. J. r. Ingersoll, TO au-
thorze the President to open negotiations to termi-
nate the convention by mutual consent.
REFORM OF THE HALL.
| The country is indebted to Mr.. Owen for the first
movement which Inns been made duFing the present
session, for correcting the papable defects Of tho
hall Of the House of Representatives. Some reform