The Arkansas banner., 1846-03-18

|, they need defence; they emigraed there by thousands, aud they have right to demand our protection. Thousands more will go l his was not the case ii 1928, and therefore the same necessity did not exist for the ex- tension of the laws over the territory. leave the gentleman from Massachusetts and the gentleman from South Carolina to settle the matter between themselves. He went as far as General Jackson did, and as far as all the Presidents before him had gone but he is now opposed 10 this new doctrine of '1mas- terly inactivity
 The first question l have to settle with myself, is, Is Oregon oars2 By the treaty of l763, between Great Britain and France Great Britain abandoned all the country west ofthe Mississippifiyef, and ceded itt to France She now sets up her claim, founded on tbe Nootka Sound convention of 17o0; and it is under that convention that she now claims Oregon; and perhaps il Is the most plausible ii is as follows:
 Convention between Great Britain and Spain, commonly called Nootka treaty, sig ned Ssh October, 1790
 The principal object of this treaty is con talned in the Sd article; which is as follows i:
 ''Art. 3. In order to strengthen the bonds of friendship, and 10 preserve in future Il perfect harmony and good understanding be- tween the two contracting parties, il is agreed that their respective subjects shall not be disturbed or molested either in navigation or in carrying on their fshefieS in the Pacific ocean or in the South seas, or in landing on the coasts of those seas, in places not already occupied, for the purpose of carrying on fheiF con1aserce 1rifh h& na'ires of the conn try, or of making settlements thereat," &c.
 Under that treaty, she acquired no title to the soil, or right 10 the country, except for commerce, fishing, and hunting, and this was all she then claimed or desired
 Spain re-ceded to France the whole conn try west of the Mississippi in lS00. In 1903, the United States became the purchaser of all the title France thus acquired aud in ISIS we purchased the claim of Spain also, which gave us the whole and only legal title to the country west of the Rocky mountains.
 Alter our purchase of Louisiana, in 1903, we had become the rightluI owners of all the the country west of the Mississippi river, from latitude 42 to latitude 6l, and without any civilized nation te contest eur title ex- cept the claim of Great Britain, which she acquired under the Nootka Sound conven- ton in l790, and which was not considered valid, or of much folce previous to the year ISIS, as will be seen and better understood by reference to the correspondence be- tween our government and Great Britain upon the restoration of Fort George, which bad been taken by the British during the war Of 1872; and which was redeivered to the United States by the provisions of the treaty of Ghent:
 'sIn obedience to the command of his royal highness the Prince Regent, signlied in d despatch from the right honorable the Earl Bathurst addressed 10 the partners or agents of the Northwest Company, being dated the 27Ih of January ISIS, and in obedience 10 subsequent order dated the 2Gih of Jaly, from ". II. Sheriff, Esq, cap tain of his Maiesty's ship Andromache, ore the undersigned, do, iacoaforAsiiy 10 Ae frsi article cf Ae Treaty of Ghem, restore 10 tdc .gorernmeM of Ae UMted States, through is agent, ]. B. Provost, Esq, t!e seHteatca, Of FoH George, oA ths C0iumbia rirer.
 "Gilen under our lands, in lriplicatc, at Fort George. (Colambn liver,) this 9th day of October, 1919, .4. .s
 z=.l.. =,.s5. 5,.,-.. "F. HICKEY,
 ''Capiain of his Majesty's shlp Blossom.
 z...z..s. s.J. KEITH,
 GOT the Northwest Company. The acceptance on ihe part of the United States is ill these words:
 '.I do hereby acknowledge to have this day received, in behalf of the government of the United States, the possession of He Sct- Hemem designated adoue, in conformity to the first article Of the treaty of Client. Given under my hand, in triplicaie, at Fort George, (Columba river,) this 9th day of October, ISIS. ze-.
 U. B. PREVOST, Agent of the United Slates.'
 On the consummation of these acts of the restoration of the valley of the Columbia river, in conformity with the treaty Of Ghent, and the acknowIedgmen of our right ito be the party in possession while treating on the title" Mr. Greenhow remarks:
 s1He British flag ras Then formally lo,c- cred and that of Me United Slides haring been hojsted in Hs S'eGd occr tke tori, acaS Saiatsd by tAe Blossom
 '. The docaaeniS cited-Ate only ones achich passed betaeeen Mc commissioners on he occasion-are s9Giciem 10 sho~ 4iU no reser- ration or exception 'cas mule on he part of