The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-06


people, IL was not designed 50 20 operate, bat was
des gned for country in the hands ofhunters, trap
pers, and Indian traders. n
| The Hudson Bay Company, so oiien represented
as colonizng Oregon, has interests directly opposed
TO agricultural settlements. The fur-trappers have
been iii my information is eorree aided Ia establish.
ing themselves on the south side of Oregon. Fur.
trading companies usually require their discharged
hands 10 leave the country, aud resist instead oil
promoting colonzAtion-of necessity destructive n
their trade. Tile Puget Sound Company is agri-
cultural and It's settlements are IN violation of our
convention with England; and the notice required is
10 forbid such inifacton of the treaty. That right
TO plant colonies can be dedueed from the conven-
lions OF 1918 and 1897 is too plain 10 admit OF argu-
ment. The claim, If any, must be drawn from the
convention between England and Spain, called the
Nootka convention. II that convention be still in
force, II must be because Il was the declaration OF
rights, not the grant Of advantages; aud thus, for
| the sake ofargument, will consider IT,
| That Spain had the exclusive right OF occupation
on the northwest coast Of America, far her dis
eoveries extended, not denied; but the question
| was, Had she, without having occupied the eoun-
try, an exclusive sovereignty over iR Denying this
pretension of Spain, Great Britain demanded indem-
MITIGATION for the seizure of British vessels at Nooka
| sound by the Spanish authorities. This led to the
| agreement upon which Great Britain has built her
| claim to territory in the Oregon country. Before
entering upon the consideration of the terms Of the
convention itself, will refer to the events that lsd
TO il.
Long before the voyage Of Meares, the port OF
| NoOtka sound known To the Spanish naviga-
tors the usual OF the trading vessels in
the north Pacific. Meares in l76S visited il and built
vessel there. For the use Of his men he erected
hut on tho shore, by permission of the Indian king
| and threw some defences around il, enclosing, ae-
| cording to Vancouver, about an acre Of land.
Meares, IN return for the kindness of the Indian,
(Maquinnn,) gave him pair of pistols. In his mar
ratye he gives detailed account Of the transaction,
but does not call II purchase; that an after,
thought, and first figures in his memorial. Sir, II
there had been nothing beyond the narrative OF
Meares, the temporary character Of his location
would he fully established. There it appears that
when about to sail, leaving a part Of his men be-
hind him, he bribcd the Indian king, by offering him
The reversion Of the hut and chattles on Shore to
permit his TO remsin in peace, and complete the
building Of the vessel they had commenced.
| To show the character of Meares, the purpose OF
| his voyages in the North Pacific, aud the country
| along which Britain claimed the right 10 trade,
will refer to the work Of an EnglishmsD, colempo-
rary with Meares, and one of the most cnteTprIsing
of the navigators of the north Pacific. 1t ID "Dix-
ons's voyage round the world" Thus il appears
| that Meare5 was fur-trader, and Of poor charac-
ter for his calling and more important STILL it alp
pears that the coast from Cooks river 10 King
Georges sound the extent Of the region in
which British cruisers traded. This taken in con.
| neXion with the 9Th article Of the Nooka conren-
ton serves TO fix the latitude ia which Joint 81 tile
ment would be permitted
The message Of the king Of Great Britain, com.
muncating the transaction at Nootka, refers only to
| the seizure of vessels not q word about lands Of
which British subjects had been dlspossessed.
And when the proposition to vote an address Of
thanks TO his Majesty for the conduct and
ful termination Of the negotiation, neither in the
House OF Lords or Commons did any one claim
an acquisition of territory; and to the bitter irony
and severe assaults OF Mr.. Fox upon the position
in which the territorial preentions OF England had
| been left his great rival, Mr. Pitt, then minister,
made no replay, but pressed the commercial ad-
van'ages gained by England.
The only link remaining to be supplied and
which completes the claim Of construction, is the
| animation and final action Of Quadra and Van
| couver, when sent commissioners to carry out
| the first article of the convention.
II, then, no tracts Of land could be found which
| had been purchased by Meares, if no buildings of
which he had been dispossessed, and the Spanish
flag was never struck that of Great Britain, Spain
| still maintaining her settlement at Nootka. The par
alel north Of which the joint right of settlement
lists must be drawn through the northern extremity
of Quadra and Vancouver's island; the estab-
llshed rule OF nations being, that settlement on an
island is held 10 extend to the whole of the island.
Oregon territory, then, is divided into a portion
where have possession above the treaty, and
over which we can exercise all the rights not incon-
sstent with the trade permitted TO England; another
portion, in which, admitting the Nooka conven-
/ ton TO be still in force, have, with England, a
joint right Of trade and settlement this being lm-
ted to the south by ins down through the head Of
| the Quadra and Vancouver island. Between these
portions if there be any territory, it is in the cond
lion of a joint right in England and the United
States to occupy for fur-trade, and the agricultural
settlements violation of the spirit Of the treaty.
Whenever the joint right by convention ceases,
we must, ut once, assert our exclusive rght or
| thenceforward possession natures into right on
the part of Great Britain. ID uring the con-
! tinuance Of the convention, the title remains
unimpared; we are in possession establish over
the undsputed part Of our territory whatever regu-
| lations may be necessary to promote good order
| and encourage emigration of agricuturasts. Be-
tween England and the United States, the party
having bread in Oregon must triumph
No army can be sustained there for any consid-
cradle time by either country, if the food must be
transported from abroad to support it.
Never had man better right to cry "save me from
my friends" than the President of the United States
| on this occasion. His positive recommendation
has been made subordinate to his suggestion. He
has urged to extend protection to our citizens in
Oregon, but advised that notice be given to ter
inmate the treaty OF Joint occupancy for reasons
given. All this has been reversed, and the posi-
tive unqualified declaration of perfect title to the
| whole of Oregon up to "a deg 40 min. comes
| strangely from those who claim to support an adj
ministration that has offered nearly the same COM
promise line which had been time and again pro-
posed by his predecessors Sir for the honor of my
country, hope that we have not been for thirty
years negotiating when there no conflicting
claim; and for past as for the present Executive,
utterly deny that they have proposed to cede
away part of the territory, when our title was
complete to appease the voracious demands of Eng
land. 1t was difficult and doubtful question; it
was the adjustment of an underlined boundary. II
the President should find himself compeIled IN close
this question in twelve months, without any appro-
priation, without any preparation, he will be con-
strained to chose between compromise or war mea-
sures with the country unprepared This will be the
result off action; and ifhe should effect treaty by
such boundary as will not compromit the honor Of
the country, for one much, sir, as | wish to
retain the whole terrltory-w give my full
support heretofore, and prepare for my share
of whatever responsibility attaches. Sir why has the
South been assaed in this discussion Has it been
with the hope Of sowing dssension between us
and our western friendsi Thus far think it has
failed WHY the freuuent reference TO the conduct