The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-22

retary of State, during his presidency-s member
i OF this body at the time. the treaty was ratified
which made US party to the treaty Of Utrecht
anu always man 10 consider and 10 understand
what he was about. In fact, Washington wanted
no other sort OF mea about him. The writer Of the
letter, (llmothy Ptkln author of the work on sta
tlstics,) on reading account Of the talk here
about the treaty of Utrecht and seeing what lack OF
Information was IN the American Senate wrote
letter TO a member Of this body, (Mr. WEBsrER, to
give him his memoranda of that treaty some forty
years ago. This letter is an invaluable testimony
ofthe events to which it relatesi it combines the tes-
! timony Of two eminent men; and 1 send il 10 the
secretary's table to be read Ii is dated Utica, New
York, April 9, 1916:
IL perceive by the debates in the senate on the Oregon
question: that In the decision Of this important subject
little stress Is laid by Of It's members the line settled
betwsen France and England under the treaty Of Utrecht
in 3 and that by others II is contehded that evidence
actually exists that such settlement was made under that
| treaty. ......
g" was somewhat surprised that General Cas- should
have yentured, in public speech q have placed himself
among the latter upon the statements Of Mr. Greenho
clerk In the Department Of State have for long time
considered that this line adjusted by commSsses ap
pointed under that treaty and in reading the speeches Of
Sessrs Cess and Benton and your sigHani questions
on the subject Thought proper to examine my documents
hd msmoandums for some proof Of tbs opinion had thus
formed On such examination found the following extract
on this subject from Mr. Hutchnss Historical Narrative
and Typographical Description Of Louisiana and West Flor
ias' printed a. PhllsdslPha in l7st ,,...,
who then I believe seogrsphsr TO the United states
proceeds TO says As to Canals New France the French
airy than the pole fhs avidy Of Great Britain was equal
but France having been unfortunate in the Of ITO the
Utrecht in INA. IL assigns Britain and Hdsoa, Bay
on the north Of Caaads to Great Britain and commissioners
afterwards on both sides aseetqnsd the hai by magi
nary line running rom cape PrOmOHor In New Britain
the Atlantic In hy degrees thirty minutes north
lstitude then southwest to the Lake MsgaEng Mistas
SIM from thens further southW direct to the latitude Of
forty nine degrees All the lands to the north the mag
French.
These were at that time he adds the true limits Of
Louisiana and Canada CroLes Grant Subssng long
after the death Of Louis XIV.
The above Is taken from long commune alton
made to Mr. Jefferson by Colonel Pickering the
January 1904 when the treaty Of MIR King and Of bOunda
RES was under and Of course AFTER Pur
chase OF Louisiana presume, therefore II is correct
though relative 10 Kings treaty some difference Of opinion
existed between Jefferson and Pickering have been
able In this place 10 have 10 this work Of Hutchns
II was, no doubt, well known TO Mr.. Jefferson.
81 am not able to inform you whether he answered In
whiting the above communication OF Colonel Pickering
bat from his declarations made and others the
AID Of January 1906 he then fully believed this line have
been thus settled In pursuance Of the treaty Of Utrecht
AT that time, onVersng with and others at a din
ner party on the iayoritS subject Of Lewis Clark expe
dtion to the Pacific he declared according to my mem.
oandum made at the tme that by the treaty OF Utrecht
Ia 7J between the English and French the line between
Louisiana and the English country was settled in latitude
40 degrees and that this the why in our treaty
with the English, In 1883, our northern boundary was
degrees
Not having seen Hutehins mentioned or referred to in
this debate been Induced to send you this extract
from him and also my above memorandum 10 bring the
same to our notice and recollection (rdsa quanta raj
1s posIt y
This is the letter OF Mr.. Pitkn, with THE extracts
from Mr.. Pickering. IL is not the recollection of an
old man, but the written-down account Of what he
saw and knew forty years ago, and written down
at the time he saw II and knew it, IL is full and
complete to the point in question. The reference 10
Hutchns's historical narrative, and typographical
description Of Louisiana, is correct. The work is
not in library, but several friends have sent me
copies Of IL from different parts Of the United States
and, on comparison, find Mr.. Pickering's extract
to be correct to letter. The reference of Mr. Pit
kin TO what passed, in his presence, at Mr.. Jeffer-
sons table, in 1906 in relation to the Lake OF the
Woods, recalls fact which ought to be taught m
the schools to the little girls, in their tiny geo.
graphies, instead Of being disputed by bearded men
in the American Senate. That lake, for an hundred
and thirty years, has been a landmark among ma
lions; for more than sixty years-from the date Of
our national existence-it has been a prominent
mark in national boundaries.
The treaty Of Utretcht made il so! and he that
does not know this great historical incident may
find il out by tasting the intellectual crumb which
fell from Mr.. Jefferson's table in 1906, and which
Mr. Pnkin has preserved for feast this day in the
American Senate. Mr. Jeferson's table was one
at which something else besides the body was
fed. | was never at it but once, and then
which was in fact-what a certain American minis
ter said Of the king of Portugal's dnner-"ereel-
lent, but for the conversation, which divine.
And now will say that saw Mr.. Pickering once,
and under circumstances to remember him also. IL
was at the extra session of Congress, in lSl3-he
member Of the House Of Representatives, | look
er-on from the hot and suffocating gallery better
paid for my sufferance than those who are listening
to me now. | saw aged man, always in his seat
always attentive, always respectful The decorum
of his conduct struck me- | inquired his names it
turned out to be one who had been formed in the
school of Washington, Of whom knew but little
up to that time but through the medium Of party
watchwords, and of whom | then said that, If
events should ever make me member Of Congress
| should love to initiate the decorum.
The line of Utrecht is termed, by Mr. Pickering.
an Imaginary" line. That is correct 1t was new
er run, nor intended to be run, possible to be
run. The treaty required it to be "determined; ~
and it was determined by astronomical points and |
lines and by geographical features-the high lands
parting two systems Of waters-those of Hudsons !
Bay and those Of the Canadian lakes. And here |
will say there two sets Of boundaries to be
established under this treaty of Utrecht: one |
on the north Of Canada, which was done as stated
within the year limited; the other on the south of |
Canada, between Acadia and the British colonies on
the Atlantic, for which no time was limited, and |
which was never done. Confoundng these two |
sets Of boundaries, of which was determined |
minds which cannot apply words to
things.
Mr.. Pitken in this letter. speaks of long COM
made by Colonel Pickering on the 18th
Of January, 1904, to Mr. Jefferson, when the treaty
Of Mr.. King under consideration, and after the
purchase Of Louisiana. Without doubt that was
The identical paper transmitted by Mr. Madison to
Mr.. Monroe, with his official despatch to that min
srer OF February 18th, 1904, "a paper stating the
authority ,ohich the decision Of the commissioners
under the treaty Of Utrecht rests, and The reasoning Cd
posed 10 the construction making the 49h degree Of iaii-
ude the northern boundary of louisiana" men
toned that paper once before when it was pretty
we'll cried down by the senator from Michigan,
Mr. CAss.] | mention it now again. under better
auspices, and with hopes Of better results The
'uthor is found, and found where he ought to be,
among those who feared the effect of rejecting the
fifth article Of Mr.. Rufus Kings treaty of 1903 |
That treaty settled whole northern boundary
With Great Britain, from Psssanaquoddy bay to
he Lake Of the Woods, and to the head of the Mis-
ssippi; the 9Th article oft brought the line from
1lN ~