Mississippi Democrat., 1846-01-07

INFH'fShSNh u NNuhitt utNWUGH utE
claims and those Of France, resting on
her side on this very right Of continuity,
extending westward from her settlements
10 the Pacific ocean; and on the part of
France on the same right, but extending
to the region drained BY the Mississippi
and its waters, on the ground Of settlement
and exploration. Their respective claims,
Ohio river, the waters Of which the colo
nial charters, in their western extension,
covered, but which France had been un.
qicstionably The fret to settle and explore.
II the relative strength Of these different
claims may be tested by the result Of that
remarkable contest, that Of continuity
westward must be pronounced TO be tho
stronger Of the two. England has had al
least tho advantage Of the result, and
would seem to be foreclosed against con.
testing the principle --particularly as a.
ganst us, who contributed SO much 10 that
result, and on whom that contest, and her
example and pretensions, from the first
settlement Of our country have contribut.
ed 10 impress Il so indclibly.
| but titt utuiN VI AtOOt WDttU tGTIilftlHt~
ed that memorable and eventful struggle,
yielded, as has been stated, the claims and
all the chartered rights Of the colonies be.
yond the Mississippl. The seventh arli.
Gle establishes thal river US the permanent
boundary between the possessions Of Great
Britain and France on this continent. SO
much as relates 70 the subject is ia tho
following words "THc confines 5et,ccgn
the domin,ons of hs Britanic majesty in
that part of the world The continent Of
America) shall be fired irrepocabiy BY a
line dra,on along The middle Of the Mis-
sissippi riper, from lis source 10 The riper
Ibcrpiiie; and from thenceby line drapn
uions the middle Of his ripsr and The
lakes Mawipas and Pontchartrdin, 10
the sea-" &c.
This important stipulation, which thus
establishes the Mississippi as the line "fr-
ed irrerocabiy" between the dominions Of
the two countries on this continent, in of.
feet exiingushes in favor Of France what
ever claim Great Britain may have had to
the region lying west OF the Mississippi.
II of course could not affect tho rights Of
Spain the only other nation which had
any pretence of claim west OF that river:
lbul Il prevented the right OF continuity
previously claimed by Great Britain from
extending beyond II, and transferred il TO
France. The treaty of Louisiana rastor.
cd and vested in The United States all the
claims acquired by France and surrender.
ed by Great Britain, under the provisions
Of that treaty to the country west Of tho
Mississippi, and, among others, the one in
Iquestion. Certain il Is that France had
the same right Of continuity, in virtue Of
her possession Of Louisiana, and the OK.
tingoishmen. Of the right of England, by
the treaty Of 1853, TO the whole country
west Of tho Rocky mountains, and lying
west Of Louisiana, as against Spcin, which
England had TO the country west of the
Allegheny mountains, as against Franco
with this difference, that Spain had no.
thing TO oppose to the claim Of France, ot
the lime, but the right Of discovery and
even that, England has since denied:
while France had opposed to tho right Of
England, 10 her case, that Of discovery, OK.
pIoraiion and settlement. is, therefore,
not at all surprising that France should
claim the country west Of the Rocky noun
lains, las may be Inferred from her maps,)
on The same principle thst Great Britain
had claimed and dispossesscd her o. the
regions west Of the Allegheny or that tho
i United States, as soon as they had acquir-
ed the rights Of France, should assert tho
same claim, and take measures immedi.
ately after to explore Il, with view to
its occupation and settlement. But since,
we have strengthened our title by addingto
our proper claims and those Of France, the
claims also OF Spain, BY the treaty Of Flo
rda, as has been stated.
i The claims which we have acquired from
her between the Rocky mounlains and the
Pacific rest on her priority of discovery
Numerous voyages Of discovery, commcn-
cling with that OF Maldonado Id 1898, and
ending with that under Galiano and Valdes
in 1892, we're undertaken by her autbori-
ly along the northwestern coast Of Anne.
rica. That they discovered and explored
{ not only The whole coast OF what Il now
B called The Oregon Territory, but still far
I lher north. is fact too we'll established to
be controver,cd at this day. The voyages
which they performed will accordingly be
/, passed over at present without being par
: iicularly alluded 10, with the exception Of
that Of Heceia. His discovery Of tho
r mouth Of the Columbia river has been al
: ready referred 10. |, was made on the
: 18th of August, l775, many years anteri-
} or 10 the voyages Of Meares and vancou-
yer, and was prior 10 Cooks. who did not
, reach the northwestern coast until IT'S.
The claims il gives 10 Spain Of priority Of
+, discovery were transferred 10 Us, with all