The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-04

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we all have a solemn duty 10 perform IN endeayor-
| ing 10 ascertain the truth Of this question: ask
| them 10 consult the authorizes Or they have not
done so, but have no doubt they hsve,) and state,
if they can that there is one solitary writer on the
law of nations who has ever maintained that dlscoy-
cry without sette~ent and possession gives any IL
tie al alll That this may not rest merely on my
assertion, allow me TO read the only extract which
shall quote, from an author Of UNREASONABLE
thority and universally referred TO in questions Of
this sort. will ask the secretary read it, il is
somewhat heightened THE secretary read fol-
lows from Vattel, chap. xyili;l
An mankind have equal right things that have
Yet alsn inO the possession OF any one; and those
things belong TO the person who nt takes possession Of
them When, therefore nation hnds country uninhab
ted and without IL may lawfully take Posssssion
Of H. and after II has sufficiently made known its will IN
this Tespset cannot be deprived Of by another ma
furnished with Communion from tRsr sovereign and
meeting with Stands other lands In desert state, have
this title has been usually respected provided was soon
after followed by real possession
But IL Is Questioned whetherH nation by the bare
act Of taking possession appropriate to Itself countries
which does not really occupy, and thus sngoss much
uyas IL is dicut to determine that such
would be absolute infringement OF the natural rights Of
and rePugnani 10 this views Of nature which having
destined the whole earth supply the wants Of mankind
in general gives nation right to appropriate 10 hse
not hindsrng other. from deriving advantage from
The Law Of nations, will therefore not acknowledge the
countries except those ofwhch has really taken SEXUAL
possession in which has formed settlements or Of which
with desert countries in which those other hal
in their transient visits erected monument 10 show
their having taken possession Of them they have paid lit
tie regard to empty ceremony the regulation Of
the popes who dvideda great part Of the world between
| the crowns Of CASTLE and Portugal"
You see that this writer, Vattel-one Of the most
authoritative Writer'S on the law Of naons-sets down,
as "empty ceremonies" these very things on which
some Of our public men, and amongst them our
Secretary Of State, found the claims Of Spain, and
through Spain, those OF the United States. Spain,
at an early stage Of these explorations, very far
south 10 be sure made discoveries, and set up
| some monuments, and TO this an appeal has been
made establish claim in the face Of authority
which declares that they were idle ceremonies, and
gave title at all. Now let state 70 you in very
few words the great historical fact in regard to the
whole ofthe Oregon territory. Several gentleman par
ticuary my friend from New York in my rear, Mr..
Dnl-wenI through a very interesting detail Of the
| several discoveries made by Spanish nayigators on
that But il remarkable fact, that, although
that narrative has extended from the earliest period
of the Spanish possessions IN America, there ~ not
one that has any application to this subject before
| liza. The discovery Of Perez in that year, and
| Heceta in l775, the first Spanish discoveries
that gave them semblance Of right-even il dscoy-
| cry alone could confer a right-o any portion OF
the northwest coast OF America, except in Califor
MIA. Now thus question il one of grave Importance
ana u IL so Nay Important tnat the people OF the
United States should really understand II, as II has
become in some respects, question for their deci-
| sion, that will not rest upon my own bare
ton even to this great historical fact to which
allude have before me a very full collection Of
all the discoveries made by Spain the northwest
coast Of Amerca-made by Mr. Greenhow, a gen.
tleman employed in the Office Of the Secretary OF
State in obedience to the direction of the former Sec
rotary Of State. IL is here stated broadly and
quivocslly that, from the FIRST discovery Of America
to the taking possession Of Nootka sound ia 1889,
no civilized nation ever made any settlement, how
ever slight on the northwest coast Of America
from the bay of San Francisco to Nootka
sound; and at that period the country was open
| and uninhabited. This fact is very important,
stated toe, by a writer who certainly is not unfa-
vorable to the claims of the United States that beg
leave to quote from him. Mr.. Med here quoted
from Greenhow.l Now, have heard it declared
this floor, by gentlemen protesting great zeal for
the maintenance of our rights, and no doubt enter
tanning conscientious convictions of their Justice
that the discoveries of Spain were valuable ac-
count other antiquity. He seems to think that
there is peculiar force the fact that these discove-
: ries were made three centuries ago. Now, Mr..
, | President, | have always understood that ancient
possession constitutes title but that ancient dis
covery not followed by settlement should give any
right, is what confess am totally incapable OF
comprehendng; and would be very happy If some
senator this side OF the house would inform me
: on what ground such claim can rest. 1t is in
vain, Mr.. President to disguise the fact; and be-
eve that il the Spanlards were claiming, their
title would mot be regarded worth anything at
all by any civilized nation the face of the globe.
This is in fact the merest fgment brought for
' ward, and gravely urged in any discussion. II
Spain now much in possession she ever
was repeat her title would be considered as Of
the slightest value Her first alleged discovery was
that Of de Fuca in 1892; bu that discovery
er be adverted to atfording any ground OF tide in
| r. IL IL
whole story as fabrication and deny that such q
man as de Fuca existed Nobody, therefore
+ in any Of the previous Degotiations-no minister
:. Of the United States attached any consequence al
all to this early discovery. But putting that OF
the question, as fable as unuuestonably is
? and worth nothing even if made Spain never
claimed it, but on hecon,rary denied it, the first
n Spanish discovery on the northwest coast Of
o America was in the year l774. But the Secretary
of State says, and says correctly, that Spain had
e claimed this country for three centuries; and ht
c also SAYS, upon what authority do not know-fo,
have not been able to find it-that MI the nations
Of Europe conceded to Spain the right to this terri
II ritory. Now, if there is any evidence in history
II that the nations Of Europe acknowledged this claim
o | should be happy TO see it. The Secretary o
State TO be sure, refers to acknowledgment made
l. by the queen Of Russia But that amounts t.
e nothing. The Spanish government complained tina
u their subjects had been interrupted in their peace
l. able possessions by the Russians, and the queen
Is replied that she had given general orders that her
Is subjects were not to interfere with those of Spain
and that If the rghs of the latter had been violated
she was sorry for it--she knew nothing Of it. Moth
a ing decided. This is the only historical fac
II that have been able TO discover giving the sishtes
II evidence that any nation Of Europe having a RICH
e to contest this claim, any interest to do go or any
n nation having such right had acknowledged
n this title Of the Spanish government The anuquit,
s Of these discoveries therefore, even made total
3 destroys all claims founded upon them. To be sure
d in l774, Perez discovered, very specifically. Moot
n ka sound-he made exploration. In IT'S
; Heceta landed at the mouth o. the Columbi
e river, rather the bay, and inferred that there
be river. These the first Spanish discoveries
J. but will be remembered that they not publsht
n to the world till 1902; afterwards Cook discovered
d Nootka sound. and explored il and if this
mere question Of discovery, which it is not, shout,
regard the British claim about good the Span
sh to Nsotka sound, for the Spaniards VIGOROUSLY
i kept their discoveries secret; published then
ill long afterwards; and before they were published
Cook discovered and explored Nootl<a sound. TIL,