New-York tribune., 1871-04-24
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
SAN JUAN.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., April 23-The oldest
anu LOT many years the only matter in dispute between
INC ohted states and Great Britain was the North West
question: involving at first the jurisdiction
o great extent OF country lying between the Rocky
Mountains and the Pacific Ocean the Columbia pivor
and latitude $40 40 north tthe whole of what "a
now Washington Territory and the greater notton n,
| British Coumbia), and recently the posses-
sion OF group OF Islands in the Gulf OF Georgia
the most important of which, San Juan, is only
| 10 miles long and seven wide. II IL now
sem-ofcially announced that the Joint High Commi.
sion after most stormy debate on this subject baS>
agreed upon basis for its probably arbilra.
| ton by a friendly power-and this matter which
twice very nearly involved the two countries In war il
very little understood even among majority Of the
Senator's who 10 consider the protocol OF the Commits
sion, review OF the whole question with history Of
former negotiations cannot fail TO be Of much general i
/ terest
THE JOINT OCCUPATION TREATY OF 1918.
The misunderstanding between the United states and
Great Britain, in relation 10 the Northwestern boundary
| is than half century old, though the discussion
did its present form until after the ratinca
On OF the treaty Of 1896 which, account of gnor
Of the physical geography OF the country through
which the line to he extended, was indefinite In
Of It's terms and was, therefore, differently inter
preted by the Commissioners by the two nations o
establish the boundary Previous 10 this treaty the ter
| ritory west of the Rocky Mountains and north OF
1
| der what known the joint occupation
treaty af 1918 which continue years, but
renewed in 1923 10 remain In force until either nation
should give notice OF its disco tnuance. THIS
cordng to Benton, "the most ndious and perricous OF
all agreements being easy TO be adopted and hard
TO be got rid Of" For the country remote that
American settlements weremaic in II, and the British
through the power of the Hudson Bay Company, really
held the exclusive control The folly OF this policy
well illustrated during the administration Of President
Tyler when the tide Of emigration tuned toward the
Pacific coast, and he recommended Withholding the pub
| lie land in what was then known oregon from the
settlers until tie two Governments had agreed upon a
title, contingency which, according to Of bis
ges-that with which he transmitted to the Senate
the treaty of 1si2wes too remote TO be counted upon
within any given period.
But even the obstacles which tho Government threw
in the way, added to the dangers and hardsaps of the
six months Journey across the Plains and over the
Rocky Mountains, could not stop the hardy Western
pioneers, aud in 1928 at least 5000 Of them settled on
the Pacific coast, and 10 protect them In their rights,
carly In the latter year Mr. Linn, Senator from Mis-
souri, introduced bill for the purpose Of establishing
Presumption law for the Territory, carefully wording
it so that British claims should be interfered
with. This led TO long debate of the whoe
question, and, in speech favoring the bill, Mr.
Benton protested aans the persistent attempts or to
British TO fix the boundary between the two countries AT
the north bank OF the Columbia, with equal rights ~
navigation in the river and TO the haTbor 40 s mouth
"They had openly proposed it In negotiation" he says;
"they had gone far TO tell cur Commissioners
1885, that treaty boundaries could be- made
that river became the lne and its waters and the harhor
| at the mouth made common 10 both nations. This
cherished ilea Of dividing by tie River had peryadcd
every British negotiation since 1878. AZ secret:
the British begged il; refused K. LO.l AshltJu
there Is TO know brought out tie same prOpo.
ton" Gn the negotiations Of ls9 The that the
North-Wes boundary que don not settled then
at the Columbia River, was that the two Missouri Sem
tors being sounded the subject, repeed the s8gg's
ton with an earnestness that put END 10 IT, II tey
had yielded. Benton says the Valley of the Coumu
would have been divided. The IN passed tie Senate.
but failed in the House; its moral eject however vas
such to foster the American colony at the non, Il
the Columbia and Oregon was e the United States.
THE TREATY OF 1916.
In 1874 an attempt was made in the Senate 20 pass
resolution advising the Government to ve the aotce TO
terminate the Joint occupation of the North Western
Territory but the commercial interests of the country
became seriously alarmed and saw in the delivery Of the
notice disastrous depression In our foreign trade, and
so it defeated In the same year. however, negotia
tions were commenced for final settlement of the
Oregon boundary but the death Of Mr.. Upshur seere
tary of State who killed by the explosion OF =
cannon interrupted them for six months When they
were renewed. Mr. Calhoun, who had succeeded Mr..
Upshur and Mr. Parkenhamithe representative OF Great
Britain, times but were unable TO agree Mr.
Calhoun bluDy proposed at once, as s utmatum, tho
continuation Of the 10th parallel the boundary line To
the Pacific Ocean. This Mr.. Parkenham declined but
offered to continue to the Columbia River distance
OF 800 miles, and then follow this river to the ocean,
After four months Mr. Parkenham seeing that no under
standing possible. proposed an arbtraon but ths
Mr. Calhoun also refused. At the time Mr. Calhoun made
his 10th parallel proposition his party was prosecuting
Presidential canvass in which the raying cry was "t-
40 or ght" meaning that all OF the northwestern terri
tory as far north as latitude $40 40 belonged 10 tho
United States and that would hold it even NJ thu A.
pense Of a war with England. Mr. Calhoun therefore,
showed considerable independence for had bis offer been
known it would have brought down upon him the ndig
nation Of his party, and on account OF TINS polnef
pressure behind him he could not II he would ye'r
anything below the 49th parallel. Mr. Polk was eeo'ed
and in his inaugural address. March 4, S4' sad ,"a'
our title to the whole of Oregon (meaiDg mp 10 o ~j
was clear and indisputabe, and added 'nat nc
meant 10 maintain that title. This DECLARATION io"S'"
the war spirit In Great Britain, and IL eoh'nueu T" III
crease until, in July, 1s46 to avoid war ""i'" '"o
Democratic party had invited Mr. b"eha'''h' 'A''
sacretarv Of state was obliged to resume the egoa
,ion ar the point where Calhoun had ie' H an" as""
| e,,ooa ,bo line Of 400 TO the ocean THIS was
| & - rot,sed The offer becoming known, raised
,or,n in the Democratic party whlch causeo 'o "e
,,hdra1vn and the question went INTO congress- "ns
a h,t,er debate arising on recommendation III '"o
,.n,,s Message that the notice which was to aoro
| =. ,ho oint occupation OF the country I've AZ o'eo
e e Dur,ns this debate, several prominent Democrats
n, ttacked the President for his supposed retreet
s"on, tbe "54-4O" demand 1t may be well TO remark
80 that this supposed "54-4o" claim was basedo con-
| ,ion concluded with Russia In 1924 and tne aSsu"P
% that the parallel Of SO 40 from the sea to the k"cSy
.,n,ons had been established as the dividing iine
Sa,ween the United States and Russia No such line
as however ever established. and so far as was pro-
'ossd and discussed t only asa northern Brit en-
| line and not as northern American one.
The withdrawal Of the .s' ofer oy the United STATES
- much disappointment In England, and so great
ras the desire to have this vexed question amesbly