Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1859-10-20
The San Juan Affair.

Island trouble creating any very serious
difficulty. between Great Britain and this
country. much more Importance was at.
tached TO it than subsequent investigation
and explanations seem to have warranted.
To correspondents of the Victoria Ga
zette, We are indebted for few notes rela-
ting to the history and population of this
little Island. Sometime in December l6-
So. or the early part of lS54-about the
time of the meeting,of the Legislature OF
Washington Territory, which, in appor-
.ioning county bca1ir}asies, described San
Juan and other islagds of the Archipelago,
as part and parcel Of the county of What
com--the Hudson Bay Company sent hith-
err. per steamer Beaver, a flock of sheep,
some / 800 in number. in charge of Mr..
c. J. Griffin, then clerk and now a chief
trader in the Hudson Bay Company's SER
vice, who has since resided upon the ISL
and in charge Of te Compsny's property.
For three preceding years, during the pro-
Der SEASONS, salmon fisheries, for which
ihis locali y offers superior inducements
lad been pursued ty employees OF the
company. who returned to the fort Victory,
40 soon as each season ended; and no per-
anaasnt occupation of The ISLAM was ei..cat-
el until the landing Of the sheep at the
<ime mentioned, nearly seven years aft
Ter the ratification Of The treaty. Up TO the
present time no English subject has be
come settler upon the island, except the
representative of the company alluded 10
in the foregoing. nor does The colonization
laws whic!i bear upon Inc northwcs coast
possessions Of her Majesty. recognize the
cxistsncs of Possessory right to prop
crty in this island, or fealty in any in.
habitau;s who at Il subsequen period
nigh; erect houses ihereupon.
Superiority Of soil or pssturage facilities
were the considerations inducing the
srsnspos,a.ions hi Lcr of Hudson Bay
Company stock. as their influence ov er
the InIians obyiste those difficulties which
less fortunat.s individuals had to overcome
or submissivey bear, in the onslaught Of
savage marauders. Il Is hardly reason
able 10 suppose that had the company no
doubt as to the Crowns rights in the
island, So much superior and more eligible
soil. where white oak, cedar. fir and pine
abound. AMI where broal acres unobstruct-
cd grass covered plain invi;ingly promise
abundant aud almost SPONTANEOUS crops,
would have been neglected, and compar-
alive Ellen turned into sheep pasture,
at time when such strenuous efforts were
or at least supposed to have been made to
populate The neishboring northern Indi-
ans.
Tbs S.r Ffs1cis;, H,a, Joyrnal pub :
lished the following story Of the com
meneement of the difficulty. showing that
it orig mated about the hogs of an English
squire, though il has since grown to some
what formidable dimentions:
1.-The Island Of San Juan, or Bellevue.
is considered to be disputed point be-
between America and English territory
II is between fifteen and eighteen miles
long, by seven At the widest part. II is
populated chiefly by American squatters,
al English squire. an employee OF the
Hudson Bay Company, and number of
unruly hogs. some of whom belonged to
the aquire. The quarrel is all about these
hogs. Sail hogs persisted in breaking
through the hedges and digging up and
eating the potatoes Of Mr. Cutter. an
American settler. lie gave them, that is
their masters, a fair warning, and then
shot oae Of them, which turned out to De
boar bclon sing to the Squire. Mr.. Cut
ter was sorry. or offered to pay, but the
Squire had sworn vengence; he attempt
ed TO kaye CATER arrested and brought TO
Victory; there 10 BE- tried and transported.
Now there happend to be some Uuited
States troops. under Gen. Harvey, at hand,
and when 4 British war steamer arrived
from ,,Victera to carry OF Mr.. Gutter. Gen.
H,rnsy refused 10 deliver him up. 1t was
then that the question arose as 10 whose
jurisdiction the Island Of San Juan belongs.
To the following dispatch dated Wash
ingtoa, Oct IL, we can attach but little
consequence. although more serious con
sequences than we have heretofore antic-
cipated may be Tie final result:
cit is understood that the British Min
,ster. Lord Lyons, has received FeremP'
tory and important dispatch from hit' gov
eminent. demanding explanations from our
government Of the course OF Gen. Harm ey
in the San juan affair. to which the Secre
tary Of State is now preparing reply.
which rill vandicate fully our lights. and
doubtless cover the whole ground of the
controversy to the satisfaction of the
American people. The whole matter will
be laid before the President on his return
tomorrow.
A communication has been received
from the British government, through
Lord Lyons. requesting that their acknowl
edgment may be conveyed To Mr.. Ward,
our Minister to China. and Com. Tatnall,
Al