The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-02-07
MR.. BUCHANAN'S LAST LETTER TO
q Mr.. PACKENHAN, f97
The .american Title to Oregon.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
!. Washing ton, August 80, 1845.

. r,
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 3 Tx
! Washing ton, August 80, 1845.
CONCLUDED.
And, in the first place, he cannot but
commend the frankness and candor
Of the British plenipotentiary in depart
ing from the course Of his predecessors,
and rejecting all discoveries previous
to those Of Captain Cook, in the year
I77s, as foundations OF British title.-
Commencing with discovery at a period
so late, the Spanish title, on the score
of antiquity, presents strong contrast
to that Of Great Britain. The under
signed had stated as a historical and
stsfriking fact, which must have an i'm
poftant bearing against the claim of
Great Britain, that this convention, (the
Nootka) which was dictated by her 10
Spain, contains no provision impairing
the ultimate sovereignty which that
power had asserted for nearly three
centuries over the whole western side
Of North America as far north as the
6ist degree of latitude, and which had
never been seriously questioned by any
European nation. This right had been
maintained by Spain with the most Wig
liant jealousy, ever since the discovery
of thu American continent. and had
been acquiesced in by all European
governments. 1t had been admitted
even beyond the latitude of 81 degrees
40 minutes north by Russia, then the
only power having claims which could
come in collision with Spain; and that.
too, under sovereign peculiarly tena-
cious of the territorial rights OF her en-
pire." These historical facts had not
been, as they could not be, controvert-
ed by the British plenipotentiary, al
though they wtre brought under his
particular observation, and were even
quoted by him with appreciation, for
the purpose ofshowing the inconsisten-
CIV Of several titles held by the Uni
ted States. In the language of Count
Fernan de Nunez, the Spanish ambas-
sador at Paris, to M. de Montmorin,
the Secretary Of the Foreign Depart
ment of France, under date of Paris,
June rs, 1890: "By the treaties, demar-
cations, taking Of possession. and the
most decided acts of sovereignty exer-
,cised bv the Spaniards IN those stations
from the reign Of Charles II, and author
lied by that monarch in 1892, the orig
inal vouchers for which shall be brought
forward in the course of the negotia-
ton, all the coast to the north of the
western America, on the side of the
South sea as far as beyond what is cal
led Prince Williams sound, which is
in the s1st degree. is ackno wledged TO
belong exclusively to SPAIN"
,a, Compared with this ancient claim of
SPAN, acquiesced in by all European
nations for centuries, the claim of Great
Britain, founded on discoveries com
menced at so late a period as the year
1873, must make an unfavorable first
impression.
Spain considered the northwest coast
of America as exclusively her own.-
She did not send out expeditions TO ex-
plore that coast, for the purpose Of rem
dering her title more valid. When it
suited her own convenience. or promot-
ed her own interest, she fitted out such
expeditions of discovery to ascertain
the character and extent of her own
territory; and yet her discoveries along
that coast are far earlier than those Of
the British. N
90 That Juan de Fuca, Greek in the
service of Spain, in 1892, discovered
and sailed through the strait now bear
ing his name, from its southern to its
northern extremity, and thence return
ed by the same passage, no longer ad-
mits of reasonable doubt. An account
ofthis voyage was published in London
in 1925, in a work called the Pilgrims,
by Samuel Purchas. This account was
received from the lips Of Fuca, at We
nice, iniApril, 1896, by Michael Lock,
aIhighly respectable English merchant.
q During a long period, this voyage
was deemed fabulous, because subse-
luent navigators had in vain attempt
ID to find these straits. Finally, after
hey had been found it was discover
ID that the descriptions Of de Fuca cor
so accurately with their ge-
and the facts presented by ma.
ure5 upon the ground. that 1t was no
onger possible to consider his narra-
ion as fabulous. II is true thar the
opening Of the straits from the south
les between the 48th and 49th paral-
els of latitude, and not between the
,7th and 4sth parallels, as he had sup
losed; but this mistake may be easily
Explained by the inaccuracy so common
throughout the sixteenth century in as
ertaining the latitude ofplacesin new
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