The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1859-12-31
From the London Star
a Sensible View Of The San Juan Dispute.

At any rate the question now Is, Which
chaune? The Americans say the most west
ern. which lies between Vancouvers island
and San Juan. This channel. they affirm is
the broadest and deepest. No matter for
that reply the British; the channel next the
main land is the one generally used But,
contend the Americans by all recognized
international law, islands, unless otherwise
expressly reserved. are held to belong to the
main land nearest which they lie, and neither
San Juan, nor any of the group of which
it is the larger, is given to you by the treaty:
they, therefore, belong to the main land
which is ours. San Juan. however, SAYS the
British, lies nearer to Vancouvers island;
but, reply lhe other side, that does not mat
ter. Now, there are surely grounds for dis
cussion by an impartial referee, and for fair
arbitration here. Yet this does not exhaust
the grounds ,f claim. An exceedingly
strong argument is used bv the United States
which deserves consideration. When the
boundary line was fixed at the fortv.ninth
parallel. it was contemplated to run it light
westward, aud it only stopped at the shore
between Frazer river and Roberts poi.t be
cause, if drawn further it would cut Van
couvers island in two, leaving the southern
or much smaller portion to the United States;
that was felt 10 he an Inconvenience, aud
it was therefore agreed that the line should
be drawn southward fem the point named,
for the purpose of including the entire Of
Vancouver's island within the British do
minions Well, when any ambiguity, real
or alleged, exists in treaty, the rule is
scattered one that it is to be interpreted in
accordance with its object. In this case,
the only object of taking the line southward,
instead of continuing it westward, was not
to divide Vancouver's island. If that island
had not lain in the way it would never have
become question about San Juan and the
rest of the Haro group, for they lie conside-
rably TO the south of the forty ninth parallel;
and the Americans may reasonably say that,
as drawing the line southwark was con-
cession ON their part, and that as their in
depreciation Of the clause fulfils the object
in view, it is the right one. A fair arbtra
tor, we think, would be disposed to give
great weight to this argument.
On the other hand, he would certainly not
be inclined to listen at all to an argument
on the other side used by some of our co.
temporaries and used apparently as the
chief ground of the British claim. San Juan,
as they say, is the key to the Gulf Of Geor.
Ola, and we may as well give up Frazer river
at once as holl it over to the Americans.
Now, what is this but shifting the question
from the ground Of right to that Of our oacm
interest," If the treaty really gives England
~, Sop Of N
is admirably cacnated to defeat it, for it, in
effect says: The treaty is of no consequence;
the island is necessary to us, and we must
have it," We have no hesitation in saying
that, if the English Government take this
ground. as the Times and Post have done,
it would furnish complete justification of
Gen. IIarney's seizure OF San Juan, and OF
the reported endorsement of that act by the
United States Government. British in
terests in that quarter are nothing whatever
to the United States, which has its own in
terests there too. But it is to be hoped that
the question will not be shifted to that
ground, which means contention, but may
be yet decided on the slow question of right,
and in this hope we confess, with pleasure,
we are encouraged by the temperate and
reasonable course understood TO have been,
up to the present moment, strictly adhered
to by our Government.
JnFFERsoN's GRAvE.-A student of the
University of Virginia, writing from that in
stituion, states that no veslige Of the marble
slab that designated the last resting place o
the author of the Declaration of Independ
ain tn II,-
visitors TO his tomb, by chipping off fragments
have completely demolished it, and by piece
meal carried it away. An uncouth granite
pedestal, disfgured, alone remains to mark
his grave.