The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-02
THE DAILY UNION.

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two countries, and wishing to secure the sovereign
ty and possession Of part that coast entered into
negotiations with Russia for that object; and by
the convention Of the 2oth of February, 1878, more
than ten months after the date OF the convention
between the United States and Russia, Great Brit
ain accepted stipulation restricting her TO the
coast lying between $40 40 and 500 OF north lat-
tude. In thus accepting this restriction on the
south either Great Britain tacty reliDquished any
pretensons to interfere with the territory OF the
United States, or the Russian government under
took 10 prevent such interference $50 far as she
could do II by treaty. with the rights Of the United
States, 50 recently acknowledged by herself under
the solemnity Of treaty forms. The former is to
be presumed rather than the latter, and magnan-
imous spirit would attribute such aekno wledgment
by the British government to a consciousness of
the superior title Of the United States 10 that terri
tory above all other nations-they having there
the entire Spanish tite-rather ian to the tame
submission Of nation possessing power more ex-
tensiye than that Of Rome in the penlEude of her
glory.
IL may be said that the arrangement between
Great Britain and Russia did not affect any con-
Aicting claims as between Great Britain and the
United States, to any territory south Of $40 4O but
the value Of this suggestion will be properly appre.
eated when it is considered that in the negotiations
between the United States and Russia notice
taken by either party OF any claim whatever OF
Great Britain TO any part Of that territory, which II
is not 10 be supposed would have been the case had
any knoton tesi founded clam the part Of Geeat
Britain existed. nation Of her power would
scarcely have been treated with much indifIer-
ence, not TO say disregard by the other contracting
parties. Moreover, had Great Britain considered
herself In 1924 possessing any right over the ter.
ritory south of $40 4 or had she considered herself
az having "a claim not IN respect to any part, but
To the whole, limited to Alright of lont occupancy
IN common icih other States leaving the right OF
dominion in allegiance" II is not to be imagined,
as observed by the present distinguish d envoy Of
Great Britain to our government--in speaking OF
The pretensions OF Spain 10 the same tsrrory-that
Great Britain "would have psssivey submitted To
see the contendng claims Of Russia and the United
States To portion Of that territory the subject OF
formal diplomatic transactions between those two ma
tons"
Ii was important to the interests Of the United
States, that an arrangement of this kind should be
made with Russia after had succeeded to the
title Of Spain, Russia had eight establishments on
that coast Of very considerable antiquity at So and
So degrees north latitude, composed Of several hum
bred Individuals and the principles Of continuity
as established by Great Britain this continent,
might well claim u more southern boundary; and
she was the only power whose claim we might have
found difficult 10 resist, being cotermnous with u.s.
in our extension north the principle CONT
guilty. Believing the grounds set forth to be con-
elusive Of the title Of the United STATES In the terri.
80 ~ fn,,;J".-d aa..ss..,, a. 80 -, d;."'
80, - 49, non,;dsr,,;ons ,h., h.ua .sIIsd 49,,
80, ,h. sgor,s Of abls d;no,,,I;ss I, 49, 49,,
svsr no, h. ;nannronri.t, 10 nocs the ust y.ma,r.
orI "a pa,hwrI, IN HI. counnnicotion 10 On G.
Lo'u S's,n - 49,. a0,h 80 n",aho IsTS TT.
"a .I, ill No, he dsnsd ,b,, tho nn,;n aI;.o, =,
| So -, - CT, 60. ,ha ,,,,.i -, - -
territory taken by either party from the other dur
| ing the war As 4 necessary consequence of such
stipulation, each party reverted 10 their boundaries
oJo,e ~. .s.,,;..J ~ "a. -. ~ 49,
,o.s P,J;s, hsJ 49,, ar,r;o,,,i 60 \, 80, !.
~. 49, IL;,.J 81 haJ 49,, s,11,,;,.J ...rr;. :,
VIC - J,n.,J -, LIZ" ,,,f' a..
'eI ~ - 20 - LII sa.n ' N "''''
"'.'' I'm Gus a, al, :; ;.'.y .,,.1 H., A. A.;
- $50. ~, ,h. Iro;,sd s,,,.s All 10, - !.
on. "" s, - 'S. hn,,naar,, L. IT, .. d;d 80
on, ~ son,ss,sd bonndarv. and Z; rea, Rr;,,;o
! therefore, bv the act of treating with the UniteJ
states, Recognised that naion in former Dimensions
excepting so far as the j, bsi had interfered with
them; and il was the object of the treaty Of Chen
to cede such rights to territory as the , beHi hat
Fconfeued.n
These remarks being applied to the condition o.
the question concerning the territory Of Oregon il
with the first article of the treaty Of Client
will be seen to have peculiar and powerful force
The ias beii had given to Great Britain the Amer.
lean setuemsnt Of Astoria at the mouth Of the Co
lumbia rivef--the symbol Of sovereignty and Il
tie there-the Possession of which had been acquired
previously, and rested "other titles than those
which Great Britain could confer" The main OBJ
ject of the treaty of Client "the mutual resora
uon Of all territory taken by either party from the
other during the war"
The United Safes claimed title to the whole terri
tory in virtue Of discovery exploration and settle
ment; and "wthout reference to the title by which
it acquired" they reverted to the right it ex.
listed before the war. Before the war they had excu
sVe possession OF the territory oioregon-ofa part IN
the name OF me whoie' ny the war we lost 1t; and
6y the uncondl'onni surrender OF this part on the
inc oth OF oclooer' loio' without any reservation
Whatever we were rom that moment again In the
exclusive possession ana became severegns de tacto
Il not de J~e, oil the whole country claimed; the
British government, through their authorized func-
uonary, admitting, I'm the most ample extent, OUT
right to be renstated ana TO be the party In posses
sion while treating OF the title"
This right Of possession we now, and from
thence, have wholly enjoyed and we cannot be de.
prved of the right, except by force, or by voun-
tary cesson our part. Having thus our SOW.
ereignty acknowledged fourteen days after the res