Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-06-18
Twfntp-Nintb Congress.
In Senate. Monday, June l, 1916.
Speech Of Gen. Cass,

Speech Of Gen. Cass,
with MR.. BENToS's REioINDER.)
On the bill to provide for the protection Of American
citizens in the Oregon territory.
(COarfrded from our last
The honorable Senator acknowledges the receipt,
in letter from Mr.. Kennedy, of extract from the
journal of the English House of Commons in TIA,
showing that commissares appointed for settling
the trade between England and France, and he de-
duccs from that entry the conclusion that commissa-
r;es were probably appointed at the same time TO
carry into effect the tenth article OF the treaty OF
Utrecht, which relates to limits There IS no ncces-
sity to make this a matter of deduction. We have
better evidence the subject to which have before
referred, and to which will refer again. 1t is the
statement Of Father Charlevuix the celebrated trav
eer, and historian Of the French settlements IN
America, who was sent to this continent by the
French to explore and describe their pos
sessions. He SAYS:
The negotiations between the courts for the bound
aries ceased although cOmmsa.es had been appointed
both sides since the 7l9 And this scooborated
il the statements Of such as Charevoix needs eoro-
boraon, De MOas who that there does not exist
in any written record nor in any maps or charts, single
document Showing that these frontiers 1.-THE boundaries under
the treaty Of Ueehi) definitely established. And
in 1922 proceedings this subject had been abandon ed
accounting Father Chareyox that not the least preex
might be given to violate the good understanding which
had been found difficult establish between the two
crowns Of France and England. The archives Of the Office
Of foreign Affairs contain chart memoir relating TO the
treaty Of Utrecht regarding these frontiers, do those Of
department of Marine and thus the assertion Of Charlie
yOix is fully sustained"
There is no doubt of the appointment of commits
saries There is no doubt they met and commenced
their diplomatic discussions. Prgets were probably
received and interchanged. And pe.haps the discor
dance among the historians, to which have already
adyerted arises from their reference to these papers,
and counter papers, and not to any final act of the
commssaries. | repeat, sir, what said on former
occasion, do dot presume to speak dogmatlcaly on
the subject. 1t is my opinion from proofs before
that line was finally settled under the treaty OF
Utrecht This. opinion | am ready 10 change when
ever the present evidence is changed into evidence
more satisfactory.
The honorable Senator SAYS, that when the celebrat-
ed map Of George Ill. is produced red line will be
found on it about tenth of inch wide, marked
boundaries between the British and French posses
sions In America, as fired by the treaty Of Utrecht.
have only to say, sir, that have already declared
war against one red-line map. Whether shall do
so against another it will be time enough TO determine
when see it, and examine the circumstances con-
nected with it.
So far sir, this discussion respecting boundaries
under the treaty of Utrecht has practical bearing
upon any question before But the Senator now
carries the line west of the Rocky Mountains posi-
ton not before assumed and which, if established, will
take from almost one half of the Oregon territory
There is not one of the authorities to whom he refers
who carries the line upon the parallel of 40 deg tc
Tie northwest ocean. 1ne senator says indeed, ina
Jefreys does; but the quotation he introduces from
that author does not support this view lie seems t.
attach much importance to this authoriiy mucl
so, indeed, that shall stop moment to examine it
"Thomas Jeffrles, esq.," as stated by the Senator
was geogrdPher 10 his royal higaesS the Prince o.
Wales" He was professed map maker, and hi
wrote work, published in 1850, entitled History
of the French Dominlons in North and South Ameri
ca" The Senator says: He takes credit to himsel
for making it (the line of D'Anvillc) more favorab,
to the French than the French had made it for them
selves" What changes he made, upon what prin
cipes are not shown. The remark is not calculated
to increase estimate of his accuracy.
The Senator says that So the latitude of 40 deg. L
the Western ocean is his limit of the British posses
sions" | will not assert that there is any mstak
here, for | cannot refer to the book quoted by tn
Senator but if the extract he gives contains all tina
Jereys says upon the subject, it certainly does no
justify the construction thus given to it. Jeffreys, a
quoted, says, speaking of the line:
Beginning at Davs inlet the coast of Labrador
New Britain, in the latitude of about DC degrees, an
Of important boundary through the Lake Abitibas dow
to the 49h degree Of north attitudes from thence to be
tnued to the Northwest ocean, settled by commits
soners under the treaty Of Utrecht"
Here is no continuance upon the parallel of 49c
but continuance without describing the course, afte
stating the parallel If, however, Jeffreys intende
to assert that the line followed the parallel of 49,
is at with himself and utterly unworthy of conf
dence In his WORK, published seven years afterward
IN lI60 to which l have already referred, he says
Canada, according to the English accounts,
bounded north by the highlands which separate
from the country about Hudson's Bay, &c. 81
limits towards the west extend over countries ar
nations hitherto undiscovered" Here is neither Al
nor the northwest ocean, But still further. In tn
work is map of North America, exhibiting Il
boundaries between the British and French possession
And upon this map is line which commences in IL
Hudson's Bay regions, and runs thence about sout
west perhaps 100 miles, nearly in the latitude of 4e
thence northery a curvilinear course 10 a poi
north of 49, and about north from the west end
Lake Superior, where that part of the map stops.
is line which evidently follows the highlands
stated above by Jeffreys because, with one exception
it divides the waters running north from those runnir
south. And 1t is thus marked {" Bounds of Hudson
bay by the treaty of Utrecht"
Douglas carries the line Indefinitely west. and tn
expression might be rendered consistent with its tie
mination east of the Rocky mountains, because Il
western boundary of the Hudson bay possessions (
limit of the British territory in that direction) W
unknown.
will not go this matter sir, but will take q
liberty of advering to the synopsis of the consider
tons connected with it which submitted to the Sc
ate a former occasion:
l. 1t is not shown that any line was established
the parallel of forty-nine to the Pacific ocean.
1.-THE country on the northwestern coast was tn
unknown, and believe unclaimed or, ut any raj
no circumstances had arisen to call in question al
claim to it.
g. The British nego;iators in 1918, and their mi
lister in 1914, fixed upon the yoysgs Of Captain Coo
in ITS, as the commencement of the British title
what is now called Oregon.
4. The treaty of Utrecht provides for the establis
ment OF line between the British and French co
MES, sincluding the Hudson Bay Company T
British held nothing west Of the company's poss,
sions, which, by the charters, included only |
a.. i