The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-02
TO THE EDITOR OF THE UNION.


take the liberty, through the medium of your
paper to vindcate myself from the charge of error
mace by the honorable senator, Mr.. Benton, in his
speech Of yesterday reported in the National In
telgencer Of this morning. That report presents
| the honorable senator as saying ''there were two
sets Of commssares to be appointed under the tenth
article Of that treaty-one to determine boundaries
between the French Canadian and the British II ad-
Bay terrtoric the other to determine them be-
tween French Canada and the British Atlantic colo
MES in the SOUTH The former was to be done in a
year, the latter without limitation Of time. Com
sissaries acted under the first they failed to agree
| under the last and these two sets Of commissaries
are COMPOUNDED by Mr.. Greenhow and his follow
ers."
With due respect to the honorable gentleman
from Missouri, the confusion is wholly his part in
this case. With the treaty of Utrecht between
Great Britain and France before me- say positive
ly-and if it be otherwise speak fasely-that the
only mention Of allusion to. connissaries for the
settlement Of limits The American continent, is con-
| tanned in the tenth article, which here copy at
length:
"The said most Christian king shall restore to
the kingdom and queen of Great Britain, to be
possessed in full right for ever the bay and streighs
Of Hudson together with all lands, SEAS sea-coasts
rivers, and places situate in the said bay and
strcights and which belong thereunto, tracts OF
land or Of sea being excepted, which are at present
possessed by the subjects Of France. All which,
they are, and likewise all fortresses there
ed either before since the French seized the same,
shall within six months from the ratification of the
present treaty. or sooner, if possible, be well and
truly delivered to the British subjects, having COM
mission from the queen Of Great Britain, to demand
and receive the same ,entre and undemolished, to-
gether with all the cannon and cannon ball which
are therein, as also with quantity of powder, lift
be there found, in proportion to the cannon ball. and
with the other provision of war usually belonging
to cannon. 1t is, however, provided, that it may be
entirely free for the company Of Quebec, and all
other the subjects of the most Christian king what
soever, to 60 by land, by sea, whhcrsoever they
please out of the lands of the said bay, together
with all their goods merchandlses arms and effects,
of what nature condition soever, except SUI oh
things are above reserved in this article. But it is
agreed on both sides, to determine within year. by
commissaries to be forthwith named by each party,
the limits which to be fixed between the said
bay of Hudson, and the places appertanng to the
French; which limits both the British and French
subjects shall be wholly forbid pass over, there
by to go to each other by sea or by land. The same
commissaries shall also have orders to describe and
settle, in like manner the boundaries between the
other British and French colonies in those parts"
This article thus provides for the appointment of
commissaries to determine within a year "the limits
ohch are TO be fired be,oeen The said bay Of Hudson and
the places dppertainir,g 10 the French-and "he SAME
CONTESTANTS shall also hare orders to describe and set
lie IN luxe manner the boundaries befiUeen the other Brit
ISL and French colonies in those parts" These are
the only commssares for the settlement or determi-
nation Of limits mentioned in the treaty.
Other commssaries were indeed to be APP
pointed under the treaty Of Utrecht, besides
this one set to whom the whole subject
Of boundaries thus committed. BY the
eleventh article an estimate is to be made Of
the damages sustained by the British from the
French in the Hudson's Bay countries "by commits
saries 10 be named at the reqsiion Of each pary" and
"he same comnissGrss" to inquire into the COM
plants of British subjects in the West Indies and
Africa By the fifteenth article, relating to the Five
nations of Indians and their friends III /, 10 be dis
tinciiy settled by commisnies Dho are and pho are mol
10 be accounted the subjects aud friends Of Great Britain
or Of France"
The error of the honorable senator from Mis-
souri, in asserting that two sets Of commssaries
were appointed for the settlement Of boundaries
under the Utrecht treaty is thus rendered obvious
Il is clear that provision made for but one set:
we know certainly that they determined of the
questions relating to the boundaries OF the other
British and French colonies in Amsrica," and have
no evidence worthy Of moments notice in sup
port of the belief that they settled any "Rmis be-
t,cesn the Bap Of Hudson and the places appsrtaning
N, FTtnch." All that has been adducsd as evil
dence Of such a transaction, amounts indeed TO no
more than the bare and unsupported assertions Of