, 1860-03-16
The San Juan Difficulty.
OFFICIAL NARRATIVE OF THE DISPUTE FROM THE
REPORT oF THE sEcRErARY OF WAR.

The San Juan DillCuIIy.
OFFICIAL NARRATIVE OF THE DISPUTE FROM THE
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR
The President will communicate to the
Senate, in compliance with a resolution
adopted by that body on the 9th inst,
report from the Secretary Of War trans
mitting the papers relating TO the recent
difficulties at San Juan Island They in
clude quite an extended correspondence, Of
which we lay before readers the principal
points, as follows;
The FIRST Of these papers is Mr.. Marcy's
despatch to Governor Stevens, of Washing
ton Territory, dated the l4th July, 1855.
Negotiations we're then on foot which ter
minated in the organization of joint com
mission to settle the disputed question Of
the boundary between the Territory of
Washington and the British possessions;
aud this despatch has an important bearing
upon the case, as embodying the same pol
icy that has been pursued by the present
Administration. The officers of the Unit
ed States are directed TO abstain from all
acts on the disputed grounds calculated to
provoke conflicts, so far as can be done
without conceding the exclusive right Of
Great Britain over the premises, and, IN
til the title is settled, neither party is to
exclude the other by force, or to exercise
exclusive sovereignty within those limits;
but this mutual forbearance is 10 imply no
concession on either side.
On the 18th of July, 1859, Brigader
General Harney, commanding the military
department Of Oregon, ordered Captain
George Pickett, Ninth Infantry, TO take
post with bis company on the Island Of San
Juan, for the purpose Of protecting the in-
habitants from the incursions Of the North
ern Indians, and TO prevent any interfer-
ence by the British authorities with the
American citizens residing there.
This order is based upon petition sign
ed by twenty-five Americans, stating their
defenceless condition and their continual
apprehension Of an attack by the hostile
Indians at whose hands they had suffered
many Optrages.
General Harney's despatch Of July 10Th
narrates the origin Of the recent difficulties
with the colonial authorities Of Great Brit
ain. An American had, after refusal by
the Hudson's Bay Company's agent to Sc
cure pig belonging to the company from
trespassing on his field, shot the animal
The next day Mr.. Dalles, chief factor Of
the Hudson's Bay Company, visiting the
Island ip British man-of-war, attempted
to arrest the American for the purpose Of
taking /him 10 Victoria for trial The
American resisted, and seizing his rife,
threatened to shoot Mr.. Dalies if he att
tempted TO take him. These facts were
represented to General Harvey by the U.
s. Inspector of Customs at San Juau, and
led to the decided action on the part Of The
General above referred TO.
On the Sd Of September Mr.. Drinkard,
then Acting Secretary Of War, communi-
Gated TO General Harney the surprise felt
by the President that he should, without
instructions, have taken military posses
sion Of disputed island at the very time
when joint commission Of the two govern
ments was engaged in settling the title. II
the British authorities had attempted to
disturb the status Of affairs he was right to
anticipate their action; but the President
reserves decided opinion upon his course
until the receipt OF more definite intelli-
gence. lie is especially anxious to know
whether the General had, before acting,
consulted with Mr.. Campbell, the Commis-
sioner on the part Of the United States.
At the date of Gen. Horney's despatch
of the 7th of August, three British vessels
Of war had been despatched TO the island,
while Captain Pickett had been reinforced
by three companies Of artillery, with their
guns. The opposing forces fortunately con
ined their operations to diplomatic skir-
mish between their respective commanders
Captain Hurnby, Of the British navy, de-
manded the immediate withdrawal Of our
troops, and, failing to obtain this, proposed
a joint military occupation. Capt. Pickett
declined both until further instructed by
General Harney, and each concludes his
portion of the correspondence by disclaim-
ing all responsibility for any collision which
might occur With this despatch is the
proclamation Of Gov Dauglas, warning the
lntruders of her Majesty's soil, and Gen
Harney's answer, warning the Governor
that the island belongs to the United States,
and that he will permit no interference by
the British officers
The Generals despatch of August Stb
states that the island had been for some
months under the jurisdiction of Washing,
ton Territory, that civil officers had been
appointed and taxes collected, and that no
attempt to exercise jurisdiction had been
made by Governor Douglas, until the affair
.cf the pig