The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-12-08

morning a clear and thorough review of the
San Juan question, now pending between our
Government and that of England, and which
threatens to involve the good relations between
the two countries.
The dispatch Of Lord John Russell. TO which
General Cass has already replied in an able
manner, was not such as to awaken any good
feeling or amicable disposition on this side of
the water, and strenuous efforts were made in
London at the time it was written to excite the
public mind there on the question. Palmer
ston's organ, the London Post, was excessively
belligerent and the London Times and other
English journals followed in nearly the same
strain. By the last steamer we have advices
from London which assert that the English peo-
pie took little interest in the subject, and that
the course of Palmerston and Russell in the
matter was little more than an effort to raise an
excitement In order to divert the attention Of
the British public from other questions. The
English press has also Gained down, and be-
come quite silent upon 1t. Palmerston and
Russell are deserving of severe reprobation for
the course they have pursued, for nothing can
be more criminal than their attempt to endan-
ger the good relations between the two eoun-
tries, in order TO hide their own errors in ad-
ministration.
In addition TO the facts and arguments pre-
scented by our Washington correspondence, we
can add the following, which we have received
from an authentic source. Mr.. McLane, while
Minister at London, writing on the 18th of May,
1896 TO the State Department, detailing a con-
yersation he had held with Lord Aberdeen on
the 18th of the same month, in which the Brit
ish Minister laid down certain propositions of
MS Government on which they were willing to
settle the Oregon difficulty, says:
al have now to state that instructions will
be transmitted 10 Mr. Pakenham, by the steam
er of tomorrow, to submit new and further
proposition on the part of this Government for
a partition of the territory in dispute.
The proposition most probably will offer
substantially.
First-to divide the territory by the extern
sion Of the line on the parallel of forty-nine to
the sea; that is to say, TO the arm of the sea
called Birch's Bay; thence by the Canal de
Haro and Straits of Fuca to the ocean; and
confirming TO the United States what indeed
they would possess without any special confirm
alton, the right freely TO and navigate the
Strait throughout IFS extent
The second and third paragraphs Of the above
extract from Mr.. McLanc's dispatch have been
Incorporated in a note from Lord John Russell
to Lord Lyons, Of recent date, with declara-
lion that Lord Aberdeen does not remember
about It; but Lord John has purposely omitted
Pakenham, no doubt, may be still found in the
archives Of her Britannia Maesty's Legation at
Washington, and perhaps it would be well for
General Cass to ask Lord Lyons for a copy of
them.
The facts we publish to day show conclusively
that we are entirely right IN claim to the
San Juan Island, and that even the British
Government knows that we are; and yet the
British Cabinet, for Interior purposes of their
own, set up unfounded claim, and write in
solent dispatches to Washington IN support Of
. it. 1t is gratifying to know that Mr.. Buchanan
has made up his mind to treat the subject seri-
ously in his message, and to call upon Congress
to provide at once the means for defending our
rights.
The Heralds Washington correspondent
says:
WASHINGTON, NOU. 5, 1859.
have satisfactorily aScertained that, though
diplomatic rules, and perhaps prudential con
siderations, prevent the State Department from
disclosing the exact state Of affairs to the pub
lie, yet it is believed that serious difficulties
may, and probably will, grow out of the dispute
between the United States and England, in
reference to the island of San Juan, or Bellevue
in the Straits of Juan de FGca. 1t is generally
conceded that General Harvey was entirely
right land not crash" or precipitate" OF
"hasty," or " imprudent," as British partsaHs
have called him) III taking possession of the
island for the protection of the United States
citizens there, and for the maintenance of the
rights of this country to the island, under the
Pakenham treaty of June 10, 1916. That treaty
was negotiated at W Washington by Mr.. Buchanan
then Secretary Of State, to close the "a degrees
40 minutes controversy. 1t was ratified by the
constitutional majority of the Senate of the
United States. The first article is in thes,
words:
- From the point on the forty-ninth parable
of north latitude, where the boundary laid down
in existing treaties and conventions between
the United States and Great Britain terminates
the line of boundary between the territories o
the United States and those of her BrittaniC
Majesty shall be continued westward along tbs
said forty ninth parallel Of north latitude to the
middle Of the channel lckich separates the con
tine7n from TaHcoureT's Island, and theme,
Southeriy through tie middle Of the said chan
mel, and o. EHca'S Straits, to the Pacific ocean
provided, however, that the navigation of the
whole of the said channel and straits, south o
the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude remain
free and open to both parties"
1t is utterly out of the question for the Uni
ted States TO relinquish Bellevue. 1t is essen
tial that it should be retained and fortified for
isles and the coasts of Washington Territory IL
that vicinity. You may rely upon it that the
present Administration have no idea of relin
gushing 1t. MIR. Buchanan drafted the treaty
b. of 1916, and declares there is no ambiguity il
1t; that he understood its effect perfectly, anC
that 1t was intended TO include Bellevue. Gen
Cass, it viii be recollected, voted in the Unite,
States Senate against the ratification of thi
treaty, because it relinquished Vancouve
Island and between 40 degrees and 81 degree
40 minutes.
1t would be curious to present a record of tn
vote on that treaty ct this juncture. BIRTHS
bullying and humbuggery will not answer an
purpose IN this affair, except to exasperate th
American people, and induce a more determiI
ed and summary course by the Administration
| have unquestionably reliable authority for tn
fact that Palmerston constrained Lord job
Russell, against his wishes, TO write a most in
pudent dispatch IN reference to Gen. Harvey
conduct; but upon Its receipt, Gen. Cass unde
the instruction Of the President, sent an answe
in which he gave Palmerston "a Roland for h
Oliver" In a few weeks, all this will com
out. Lord Lyons is sorely grieved and pc
picked at the aspect of things. He is plai
quiet, sober, unobirusive, Presbyterian parse
looking parsonage, old bachelor, neith
popular nor unpopular. 1t is reported that
does not fully agree with his Government
their course on this question, but, with the ga
liant Admiral Fanshaw, condemns the condu
of the Hudson's Bay agent, (Douglass,) vi
has made most of the trouble.
The President viii submit the eorrespon
ence to Congress at the opening of the sessio
and will ask for means-money and men
enable him to defend the rights of our COUNT
and uphold the honor of its flag, at all hazar
and to the last extremity. And it will be Civ
10 him Gen SCOTS visit 10 the Pacific had