, 1859-12-02
American Supremacy on San Juan Island

American supremacy on san Juan lSlan0.
A large and enthusiastic meeting of the
American settlers upon San Juan Island
was held at the warehouse of Baker &
Roberts, in the town of San Juan, on Fri
day evening, the 18th November, 1859.
On motion of S. D. Williams, Esq, the
meeting was organized by the selection of
James Howard, Esq, Chairman, and Geo.
W. Wiley, Secretary.
The object Of the meeting having been
stated, Messrs. S. D. Williams. Fitch,
Wiley, and Paul K Hubbs, Jr., were np-
pointed a committee to draft resolutions
expressive Of the sentiment Of the meeting
The following preamble and resolutions
were reported by said committee:
WHEREAS: We, the American residents
and settlers upon the Island of San Juan,
do firmly and conscientiously believe said
Island is part of Washington Territory,
being cast of the boundary line between
the United States and the British Posses
sions, contemplated by the treaty of l846,
viz: Through he middle of The channel Dhioh
separates The Continent from Vancourer's Is
land" and by acts of the Legislative As
sembly ofsaid Territory, constituted a por-
tion Of the county of Whatcom; and
WHEREAS: So believing, we have settled
upon said Island as portion Of the public
domain of the United States; aud
WHEREAS: The Governor of Vancouver's
Island, in a vessel of the Hudson's Bay
Company, did recently attempt to remove
from said Island, (within American juris-
diction aud subject TO American law, an
American citizen, amenable only to Ameri-
can law, for the purpose of trying him by
Court of Vancouyer's Island; aud
WHEREAS: The said Governor of Van
couVers Island, Immediately thereafter,
caused to be dispatched British vessels of
war, TO over-awe our people, and occupy
said Island; therefore
ResOlred, That the course of Gen. WM
S. HARNEY, U. S. Army-the able, distin-
guished and popular commander Of the mil
itary department Of 0regon-in promptly
ordering company of regulars to occupy
said Island as American soil, was demanded
by the exegences of the case. That said
act meets our heartiest appreciation, and
entities him to the gratitude of every Amer
ican, for thus asserting our clear and un-
questionable right and title to soil guaran-
teed to us by treaty-con6rmed to us by
occupancy aud long continued assertion Of
Jurisdiction.
ResOiUed, That the Island of San Juan
is ours by position, ours by necessity, ours
by every claim which can confer sovers
eighty.
ResOlred, That Gen. HARxEY's subse-
quent course in supporting American su-
premacy, was wise, prudent, conciliutory,
truly patriotic, and at the same time the
readiest solution Of problem which for
years might otherwise have been matter
of contention; engendering difficulties be-
tween the two great powers of the earth
That his conduct must meet at the hands of
the American Government, and the people,
the commendation and approval so richly
deserved.
Resolred, That the course of the officers
and men of the army, occupying said Is
land, entitle them to our warmest thanks
and admiration
Resotred, That the title set up by Great
Britain-to justify aninvasion Of American
soil, to kdnap and try by foreign court
an American citizen-the attempted occu-
pancy by British feet, blockading the port
of San Juan-is futile and preposterous in
the highest degree. Geography and by
biography clearly point out the boundary
line defined by the treaty That the chan
mel Of the Canal de Haro is the one alone
therein referred to, straightest aud most
direct, much the wider, deeper and the bet
ter of navigation as proven by the sound
ings. There can be no doubt Of the Amer
ican title. That the doubt, if any exist, is
entirely dispelled by the language of the
treaty, surrending as much of VancouUer's
Island as lies south of the forty-ninth par
allel to Great Britain. That such was the
meaning of the treaty, and such has ever
since been recognized, in the erection of
counties in the Territories Of Oregon and
Washington, and the exercise of judicial
Jurisdiction for years over said Island.
The meeting was ably and eoquently ad-
dressed by Messrs Fitch and Wiley, when
the above resolutions were unanimously
adopted.
On motion, the proceedings we're ordered
to be published in the Territorial journals
On motion, adjourned.
JAMES HOWARD,
Chairman.
GEO. W. WILEY, Secretary.