The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-15


authorities is set forth in the following message
from the British Governor of Vaneouver colony ::
THE SAN JUAN IMBRoGLIo.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,,
Fictoria, Aug. 3, 1859.
To the Legislative Council and House ofIhe
Colony OF vancouvers Is srd:
GENTLEMEN: have to communicate, for
your information, the intelligence Of the land
ing of detachment of United States troops on
the island of San Juan, avoweAey (see enclo
sures Nos and, p for the purpose of forming
a military post, and of assertingafe sovereignty
of the United States'to that Islan.l.
Having received no information from any
quarter that the United States ever contem
plated taking possession of any.psrt of the dis
puted territory, while the boundary line re-
NAMED unsettled, l am forced ID believe the
late unwarrantable and discosrieous act, so
contrary to the usages of civilized nations, has
originated in error, and been uh4ertaken with
out the authority of that Goverrptent.
That impression is corroborated by letter
Ia copy Of which is here encsosed) from the
Hon. w. L. Marcy, Secretary for the United
States, dated Washington, July IL, 1858, to her
Majesty's Minister at Washington, which con-
tains instructions from the PRECEDENT of the
United States to the Governor ot Washington
Territory, and displays in the dearest manner
the conciliatory and moderate views entertained
by his Government on the subject of the dis
puted territory.
Though the right of Great Briaain to all the
islands situated to the westward of "Vancou-
yer" or "Rosaria Straits is to our minds
clearly established by the first Srticle of the
treaty of 1916, and though those islands have,
since the foundation of this Colony, been con-
sidered as dependency of Vansonver's Island,
it is well known to you, gentlenrep, that, out OF
respect to the construction that has been put
upon that treaty by the Government of the
United States, we have abstained from exer-
cising exclusive sovereignty over chem.
Convinced that any assumptiSn ON either
side of exclusive right to the dispnted territory
would simply be a fruitless and mischievous
waste Of energy, neither detracta1g from, nor
adding force TO, the claims of either nation,
wise and considerate policy enj5ins upon us
the pat Of leaving so important a national
ties, and Of avoiding complexities foreign to
the views and wishes of, and probably embar-
RAISING to, both Governments. ~,
Immediately on being informed of the land
ing Of United States troops at San Juan, her
Majesty's ship Tribune, under the command of
Captain Horribly, was dispatched TO that quar-
ter and soon after detachmeneof royal engi-
neers, and royal marine light infantry, were or
dered from New Westminster, by H. NJ. ship
Plumper, Captain Richards, AND those troops
will be landed at San Juan, tor protect the
lives and property of British subjects.
Yon will observe, gentlemen, srsm enclosure
No. l, that the captain in commanl Of the Uni
ted States detachment of troops, in public
notice, dated 9th Of July, assumes the exer-
else of exclusive sovereign rights IN the Island
of San Juan, while the PresidenFof the Uni
ted States altogether disclaims such preten-
sions, and seeks at most TO discontinue the
joint right of sovereignty and domain IN com
mon with Great Britain. We ;may presume,
from that circumstance, that 5he notice IN
question was framed in ignorance of the inten-
| ton of the United States Government and
that the pretensons set forth vii, got be main
tanned.
Entertaining such opinions, have not failed
to impress upon her Majesty's .saval officers
now stationed at San Juan, the desire of her
Maesty's Government to avoid every course
which may unnecessarily involve the suspension
of the amicable relations subsssbng between
Great Britain and the United Seates; at the
same time those officers have BEEN instructed
and are hereby prepared to assert the rights
and maintain the honor and dighi-y of our SOW
ereign and her dominions. ] have the honor
to be, gentlemen, your most obed,ent servant
JAMES DOUGLAS.