Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1860-01-14


thisimportant subjcc. 'Without q recog-
nitionaof this policy on their part, It Is al
most impossible to institute negotiationl
! without any reasonable prospect of isue'
cess. n| 't*Fs sNn3 a& S"c@4a7 sfuaw sA.
10 Untii = sfecent period there was aeoot
reason To believe that should be able u
announcs to- you on the present occasiof
that our difficulties with Great Britain
arising out OF ths Clayton and Buiwer
treaty mad been 6naIty adjusted in man.
nefaike honorable aud satisfactory to both
| parties. From causes, however, which the
British government had not anticipated
they have not yet cclnpleted treaty arrange
ments with the republics Of Honduras and
Nicaragua, ,inpursaance Of the understand.
ing between theatwo governments. 1t is
nevertheless, confidently expected that this
good work will ere long be accomplished
Whilst indulging the hope that no other
subject remained which could disturb the
good understanding between the two coun
tries, the question arising out of the ad-
verse claims Of the parties to the Island OF
San Juan, under the Oregon treaty Of the
18th of June, 1916, suddenly assumed a
| threatening prominence. In order 70 pre-.
vent un fortunate collisions on that re mote
frontier, the late Secretary of State, on the
18th Of July, 1855, addressed note to
Mr.. Champion, then British minister at
Washington, communicating to him copy
Of the instructions wnich he tMr. Macy)
had given on the l4th of July, to Govern.
or Stevens, Of Washington Territory, hav.
ing a special reference to an "apprehend-
ed conflict between our citizens and the
British subjects on the Island of Jan Ju-
an" To prevent this, the Governor was
instructed .that the officers of the Terri
tory should abstain from all acts on the
disputed grounds which are calculated to
provoke any conflicts 60 far as il can be
done without impl lying the concession to
the authorities Of Great Britain Of any ex
elusive right over the premises. The IT..
tie ought to be settled before either party
should attempt to exclude the other by
force, or exercise complete and exclusive
sovereign rights within the fairly disputed
limits. lf- N.' " s.' .-s.
In acknowledging the receipt on the
next day of Mr.. Marcy's note the British
minister EXPRESSED his entire concurrence
Sin the proprietv of the course recon-
Territory by your Mr.. Narcy's instruc.
tions to that officer and stating that he
had "lpst no time in transmitting copy
of that document to the Governnr.Ge General
of British North America, ana had "ear-
nestly recommended to his kxceir ncy to
{ Ike such measures as to him mava appear
best calculated 10 secure on the part Of
the British laenl authorities and the in
habitauts of the nei Oh borhord of the line
in question, the exercise OF the same snir
it of farhearance which is incu lcated bv
vou Mr.. Marcy on the authorizes and
citizens Of the lnited States
Tins matters remained upon the faith
Of this arrangement until the 9th july last
when Gen. Harvey paid a visit to the Isl
aud. He found upon it - American res
,dents with their families, and also an es-
sabfshment of the lIudson's Bav Compa.
ny Cor the purpose Of raising sheep. A
short time before his arrival one of these
residents had shot An ~ itnal belonging to
the company, whilst tresnassing upon his
premises, tor which however. he offered to
nav twice its value: bnt that was refused
Soon after the chief f,ctor Of the compa-
nv at Victoria Mr. Dallas sonin.hw Of
Governor Douglas. came to the Island IN
the British sloap.ot-war Satellite" and
threstened tn take this American Mr.
Cutler bv force tr Victoria, to answer for
the trespass he had committed The
American drew his rifle and told Mr. Dal
las If any such attempt was made he would
kill him on the spot. The affair then en-
ded.' =#= s"a
Under these circum .tances. the Amer
lean settlers presented a petition to the
General. "fhronch the Y. s. Inspector OF
Customs. Mr. Huhbs. to place force up.
on the Island to protect them from the In
dams as well as the Oppressive interference
oftne authorities OF the Hudson's Bav
Company at Victoria with their rights as
American citizens The General imme-
dia,elv responded TO this petition. and or.
dered Capt. Geo n Pickett, Ninth Infant
rv, "te establish his company on Bellevue.
or San Juan Island. on some suitable pc
sitou near .he barber at the southeastern
extremitv.' This order was promptly
oheyed, and n military post was establish
ed at the place designated. The force
WAS afterward inrreased, so that by the
last return the whole number OF troops
then on the Island amounted in the aggre-
gate to 69l men. =
Whilst do not deem it proper on the
present occasion to go further into the
subject aud discuss the weight which ought
to be attached to the statements OF the
British colonial authorities, contest,ng the
accuracy of the Information On Whieu the
gallant General acted, 1t was due to him
that | should thus present ms own reasons
for issuing the order to Capt PIcNett--
From these it is quite ctear hls object was
to prevent the authorities on Vancouver
Island from exercising jurisdiction over
American residents on the Island OF San
Juan, as we'll ~ TO protect them against
the ncursions OF Indians. HEs r5=E
Much excitement prevailed for some
time Throughout, that region, and serious
danger OF collision between the parties
was apprehended. The British had large
naval force in the vicinity; and it is bot
ali net of simple justice 10 the admiral ON
that station TO state that he wisely aud
dscreetly torbore TO commit any hostile
act, bat determined to rctsr the whole nj.
ta,r io his Government, and await his in
structions. FaE 7a. 's - zaH,
This aspect OF the matter, in my opinion,
demanded serious attention. 1t would
have been = great calamity for both ma
.ions had they been precipitated into acts
OF hostility, not OH the que estion Of title to
the slnnl. hut me re v cunceruinp wha,
should be its coadition during the interve
ming period whilst the two Governments
might bc employed in settling the question
to which OF them it belongs. For this
reason Lieut General Scott was dispatch
ed on tl,e lTth ofs siSeptem ber last to Wash
IN rtan 1arriI Dry. 10 4 ak q inn M u, nte nnIn