The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-08

lean Observation-Disclosures which was instantly and prop
erly rejected This was no less in effect than that IN,
United States should surrender % Great Britain the
exclusive sovereignty the whole territory north
| OF as degrees; whilst that portion OF II which lies
between The 45th and the 49h parallels, embracing
the mouth and nearly the whole course OF the %
! umbia river should "be free and open TO the SUBJ
ects and citzens of the two States respectively fol
the purpose Of trade and commerce." reserving the
claims of the respective parties, not TO the whole
territory, but TO this section of i merely.
| This negotiation resulted in the adoption OF the
third article Of the convention Of the 10th October
tl9l8 under which the United States so far yielded
to the claims Of Great Britain to agree that the
whole territory should "be free and open for the
term of tan years from the date Of the signature oi
the present convention 10 the vessels, ciuzens, and
subjects of the two powers .rsl.
| The second negotiation on this subject, during
! the administration Of Mr.. Monroe, was conducted
in 1924, by Mr., Rush as the American plenipoten'
tary, under the instructions OF Mr.. Adams In
/ the meantime the United States had acquired the
Spanish title, embracing the whole territory In dis
pue, under the Florida treaty Of the 22d February
| 1875 and Mr.. Monroe had made his celebrated de-
elaraIon 20 the world, that the American continent
should no longer be subject TO colonization. Not.
wilhstanding this change in the relative position Of
the parties Mr.. Monroe, anxious TO settle the con-
| fcting claims of Russia, Great Britain, and the
| United States, to the territory on the northwest
coast of America, and knowing that this could only
| be done by compromise, authorized Mr.. Rush,
through the instructions from Mr.. Adams, dated
the 22d July, 1923, with a view to draw q
definite line Of demarcation, for the future, q
stipulate that settlement shall be made on the
northwest coast or on any OF the islands thereto ad
joining, by Russian subjects, south Of latitude SIS
by citizens of the United States north Of latitude 81
degrees or by British subjects either south of 81
north of SIS. | mention (says Mr.. Adams) the lat
tude Of 81 the bound within which are willing
| 10 limit the future settlement Of the United States
because il is not 10 be doubted that the Columbls
river branches as far north as 81" "As, however
the line already runs, in latitude ~ degrees to thu
Stony mountains, should II be earnestly insisted up
on by Great Britain, we will consent TO carry it il
continuance on the same parallel to the sea-
Mr., Rush, with great ability, attempted to exc
cute his instructions. He first proposed 81 degrees
and afterwards 40 degrees; but in vain. These prop
ositions were severay rejected by the British plen
poentiaries, (Messrs. Husktsson and Sra,ford Can.
ning) who proposed the 49th parallel as a perrua
| nent boundary between the two countries until il
| should strike the northeasternmost branch Of tn,
Columbia river (McGilliyrays,) and thence dowr
| the its junction with the ocean, "the navi
CATION of the whole channel being perpetually FIRE,
to the subjects and citizens OF both parties" Thi,
proposition was rejected by Mr.. Rush. and here the
negotiation ended. ..t..
The third negotiation on this subject took place in
l626-'27, during the administration Of Mr. Adams
and was conducted by Mr.. Gallatiu as American
plenipotentary, under instructions from Mr. Clay
then Secretary Of State. The third article Of IN,
convention of October 1918, was about TO expire by
its limitation; and most formal and serious ef
fort then made finally to adjust this vexed ques
ton; but it utterly failed. This negotiation display
great research and ability on both sides Mr.
/ Galatin in behalf Of the United States, again Of
fered to compromise the question by adopting tn,
49h parallel Of latitude the dividing line between
the two countries west Of the Rocky mountains
and to agree that the navigation Of the Coumbit
should "be perpetually free to the subjects of Grea
Britain in common with the citizens Of the United
States" provided this line should strike the north
easternmost or any other branch Of that river at
! point from which il was 'navigable for boats.
This offer was rejected by the British pIenipoten
tiaries (Messrs. Huskisson and Addington) in very
strong terms. They repeated the offer which hat
been made to Mr.. Rush on the part of Great Brit
ain in 1924, with this addition, that they were will
ling to concede to the United States the possession
Of Port Discovery, on the southern coast Of De Flu
cas- inlet and annex thereto call that tract of coun
l try comprised within line to be drawn from Cape
Fattery, along the southern shore Of De Fucis in
let, to Point Wilson, at the northwestern extremity
of Admiralty inlet; from thence along the western
shore of that inlet, across the entrance of Hoods
inlet the point of land forming the northeastern
extremity of the said inlet from thence, along tn
shore Of that inlet, to the southern extremi
ty of the same; from thence direct TO the southern
:, point OF Dray 3 Maroon, from tnence, along INT
shore of the Pacific to Cape Flatery, as before men
toned"
This proposition was rejected by Mr. Galatin
and the negotiation terminated in the convention o
August 9th, 1927, which continued the third article
Of the convention OF October, 1918, until it shout
be abrogated by the one party or the other, b,
giving notice of twelve months to that effect Thi
convention has since remained in force and eve
since under its provsic u.s. the subjects of Great Brit
ain have enjoyed the rights over the whole terri
tory the citizens of the United States. This join
occupation has continued for more than quarter o
century; and it is not to be supposed that the Brit
ish government will now consent by negotiation Il
yield to us the whole territory up to $40 40 afte
our government had thrice offered to divide il by III
parallel Of 49 degrees, and they had thrice refuse
this offer, even when accompanied by grant of tn
free navigation of the Columbia.
The next notice of this question will be found un
der the administration of General Jackson Ii
contained in the instructions of Mr.. Livingston I
Mr.. Van Buren,, dated on the 1st August, 1881
with copy of which, so far as they relate to th
' subject, you shall be furnished. From this, yo
will perceive that General Jacksons administration
so far from obectng to the occupation of the Who'll
territory by the British In common with ourselves
were entirely satisfied to suffer this state Of thing
to continue. These instructions do not proceed uE
on the principle Of claiming the whole territory fl
the United States, although they express stron
opinion in favor Of our right After stating that tn
term Oh JOINT OCcupauon was HueHDltely commune
for the purpose, in the language of the treaty "'
giving time to mature measures which shall ha,
for their object a moro definite settlement of ii
claims Of each party to the said territory" they
on remark that "this subject then is open for d
cussion, and until the rights of the parties can
e settled by negotiation, ours suffer nothing
delay" ..a..>.. .r.... .....,.
These instructions evidently look to a settleme
of the rights Of the respective parties by negotiation
and not to an absolute exclusion of Great Brita
from the whole territory. a. ID. f..
From the LIST of August, 1891, the date of M
Livingston's instructions to Mr.. Van Buren,, un
the 9th of October, 1s43, no further notice of 4
Oregon question was taken in any Instructions fro
this department On that day Mr.. Upshur, then q
Secretary Of State under Mr.. Tyler's admihistratio
TO addressed instructions to Mr. Everett on the su
to ect. Following in the course of compromise poir
RS ed out by his predecessors, Mr. Upshur says, ct
of offer of the 49h parallel Of latitude, although it
,u once been rejected may be again rendered. togeh
he with the right of navigating the Columbia up'
IT. equitable terms. Beyond this the President is n
o. now prepared to go. Nevertheless you may pr
o. pose or receive subject to the approval Of this go
| H. - ol,