New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-04-30

OulDo2 ~ ~ aoneo
de1S6t ana ovyefshSox It: n Ms he VII
| enlisted Senators Finn and Benton mi
President Tyler in the matter, and thu
saved our country from the loss Of one Q
the fairest portions Of these United States
Since that time various negotiations hav
been suggested, but until the presen
commission, all efforts at settlement hav
been fruitless and unsuccessful The Dem
ocratic rallying cry in the presidential
campaign of 1874 was "54:4O, or fight,
and it was during the administration
of James K. Polk that the Senate adopted
the following resolution by a vote O
thirty-eight to twelve.
Reso,5ed (twO-thirds of the Senators con
! curring), That the President of the United
States be and he is hereby advised to accept
the proposal of the British government
accompanying his message to the Senate
dated June III, 1876, for a convention to set
tie boundaries, ETC., between the United
States and Great Britain, west of Rocky Or
Stony mountains.
In accordance with this resolution q
treaty was made and ratified, making the
forty-ninth parallel the boundary line be-
tween the possessions of the two coun-
tries, from the great lakes to the Pacific
Ocean. But as this would cross Van
couver's Island, and place within the
jurisdiction of the United States the most
important settlement in British Columbia,
it was agreed that when the line reached
the coast it should continue s'to the centre
of the Gulf Of Georgia, and thence south
ward through the channel which separ-
ates the continent from Vancouver's
Island, to the Straits of Juan de Fuca."
The question now before the Joint COM
mission is, where that charmed lies. AS it
is determined SO will be the possession of
a whole archipelago Of islets which have
been found bordering on the disputed
territory. It would seem that there are
three channels through which ships of
burden could make their way to British
Columbia: ''The most Southern passage,
known as the Rosano Channel, lies next
to the coast Of Washington. It's adoption
as the continuation of the boundary-line
would place the whole archipelago of
islets in the possession of England. The
Haro Channel, claimed by the United
States, lies along the coast of vancouvers
Island, and would bring the archipelago
within the United States. These two
channels are about twenty miles apart at
the entrance, and, approaching toward
the mainland, they are but five miles
distant from each other. The dispute
now is as to whether the island of San
Juan, in its connection with the
already described, shall be con-
sidered as the territory of England or the
United States. The Territory of WASH
ngton, in its exercise Of jurisdiction, have
egislated for and over the domain of this
sland, and claim that the Hudson's Bay
Company, an English corporation, having
consented to that jurisdiction by submits
ion to the legislative authority of Terri
Dry of the United States, are estopped
rom now denying the fact that the island |
8 within the territory of the United States. |
t is q fact also that this island for the
most part lies below the forty-uinth paral-
Ell, and this is an additional ground why
he claim oft he United States should be
-.
The whole subject is now in fair way
or final adjudication, and there can be
10 doubt but just and fair determine
ion will now be made which will be
cceptable to both governments. As it
), there is but narrow strip between
be boundary of the Washington Terri
Dry on the north and Alaska Territory
n the south for the British government
, occupy on the Pacific coast; and be
he possession little or much, it is mani
'st destiny that the flag of the republic
ill in the course of few years float
yer the whole of the northern part of this
estern continent.