The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-23

sion temporary arrangement first made in 1878,
snd subsequently indefinitely confused, by which the
occupation Of the territory Three years after the Ash
burton capiiuhton by which England without any CON
sdcraon surrendered to the United States valuable dis
ict, and which now forms portion Of the State Of
Maine, Mr. President Polk pleased TO assert that
the title of the United States to the whole territory
OF Oregon was clear and unquestionable. Lord
award OF the King OF the Netherlands on the subject Of
the Maine boundary had been contemptnousy ignored by
the Cabinet at Washington offered to refer the Oregon dis
pute TO arbitration. This offer was refused angry and
menaolg language held in America towards England,
and war was mentioned in the British Parliament not
improbable alternative. Lord Aberdeen, however, gave
way The mouths Of the Columbia were coded to the
United States and line following the parallel drawn
Straits was determined upon as the future boundary
Of the dominions Of the two countries This line
has never been marked, but at the present
time a detachment Of royal engineers is engaged
in surveying the country and fixing the boundary The
only persons who derived benefit from the Oregon Con
venon the shareholders Of the Hudsons Bay Com
pany, who were quite wingt receive million Of dol
lars from the United States for the surrender OF British
territory, the value Of which as hunting ground they
had long before exhausted The discovery of gold in Ca
fornia and In British Columbia has however, given
new interest 10 The entire northwestern portions Of North
America and some ten or fifteen years ago. the Cab
net ut Washington was determined to enforce
its cx'reme rights territories then CON-
paratveiy valnelcss, no one can imagine that
the occupation Of an island which commands tho
entrance to the Fraser river, and therefore tho
gold regions Of British Columbia Is not an indication Of
cation o the celebrated Monroe doctrine The Americans
have asserted that the line II extended beyond the CONT
nent would include not only this island but the mouth Of
Fraser river. II the assumption to the mouth OF
Fraser river be correct, and Is which cannot DO
determined until the astronomical line has been actually
marked, free by Of rverain convention
must be accorded 10 the subjects Of this country But
the right OF England 70 island which lies OF the
must depend upon discovery and occupation If the
OF England TO the ISLAND OF San JUAN Bellevue has
be determined, the convention OF the Escurial the
ancient claims Of SPAIN and the present rights OF England
will have To be considered The boundary Of the United
States must 81 necessity hdr~ termination the Pacific
coast The whole territory OF New Albion New Gale
donia now called British Columbia first added to the
British Crown by Drake; formal possession of the same
territory next taken by Cooke and Vancouver and
against this the Americans have only adducc the visit OF
Captain Gray, who merely commanded merchant vessel
which in represented the nationality of the flag
under which he sailed Knowing the sensitive jealousy OF
the American people we afraid that English diplo-
macy may be incompetent to deal with that nationality
aggressive spirit which has marked the policy the
United States The occupation Of island the sovcr-
eighty of which is still sab jud'c, and which form
the subject OF negotiation, Is an exercise of power To
which the British government cannot tamely submit We
trust that the matter will engage the early attention of
the Foreign Office, and that will be made
which inconsistent with the dignity of the country
'ch The security Of those gold regions uhch ic believe
b. he u crcacing british liberty, British int,aions
and British commerce the northwest coast ef the continent
Gf North America