Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-11-06
The Victory of Peace.


We have already stated that the admins.
traton Of President Grant bad achieved an
other triumph in the recent settlement, by mu-
tual arbitration, Of the San Juan Boundary
question Those who remember tho Presi-
Dental campaign Of ls4l, which resulted in
the election Of Polk and Dallas, will remem-
Der the familiar batlle.cry Of the victorious
party, and which tended not a little to their
success--"5l-40 or fight; }" aud it will also
be remembered that, after once fairly in office,
in 1916, by what is known as the Packon-
ham Treaty, they failed to get 5i-40, and
did not fight. Those who remember these
historical facts, scarcely need be told that
the San Juan Boundary question, referred to
Emperor William, of Germany, and recently
decided by him, bad its origin in disagree
ment as to the actual boundary line estab-
lished by that treaty. 1t seems that the
Democratic rulers Of that day, having got
into the way Of concession, actually went be-
yond the requirements Of the treaty, aud por.
mitted DETECTION Of the line to crafty the
wishes of their English neighbors.
After consenting to the parallel Of forty
nine degrees as the boundary line, it was dis
covered that It would divide Yancouver's
Island, which was well inhabited by English
people, and that the largest and richest por-
ton Of the Island would fall into possession
Of the United States Government The
English Government asked that the line be
changed at this point, so as to preserve to
Great Britain her rich possessions on this
Island The Democratic Administration,
which was elected upon the pledge that the
boundary line should be 6Ny-lour degrees and
forty minutes, or there would be war, having
yielded and consented to a settlement on forty
niue degrees, now consented to this further
demand. The Treaty bearing upon this point
after stating that the boundary line should
continue westward along the forty-ninth par
ale, reads, to the middle Of the channe
which separates this continent from Vancouv
er's Island, and thence southorly through tn,
middle Of said channel aud Of the Fuei
Straits to the Pacific Ocean"
BY reference to the map, the ground o
difference between the two Governments ma.
readily be discovered. The article Of th
Treaty referring to the line at Vancouver
Island recites that it must pass " through th
middle of the channel and of the Fuoa Strait,
/ to the Pacific Ocean" Between the mai
land and Yancouyers Island there is an arch
| ipeago, in which there are two straits th
one nearest the Island known as Canal
IIaro, aud the other as Rosario Strait. Whic
Of these Straits was to be accepted as the on
meant by the Treaty, was the question in dis
puie, the United States claiming that it {
course meant the one nearest to the lslanJ
since the variation from a straight line ha
only been made for the purpose Of allowin
Great Britain to retain possession Of tn
Island. England, however, having been gran
ed An inch was bound to take an ell, and ther,
fore insisted that the Rosario Strait should |
+ the boundary This dispute was not only ca
{ culated to Affect national honor and the priC
! Of the American nation, but it also involve
9 the ownership of the Island of San Juan al
several other Islands of less value, anon
them Lopez and Orcas. BY running ii
boundary through the Strait of Canal d
Ilaro, these Islands would come into posse
sion of the United States but by running
through the Rosario Strait they would go
Great Britain.
Under all the circumstances, the title
the United States to these islands was S
clearly equitable and just that many Of on
leading statesmen have not even felt dispose
to submit the case to arbitration, but hel
that Great Britain's claim should be treate
as preposterous and entitled to no respect
the hands of our government. Under Ii
treaty of Washington, however, it was col
scented to refer this whole question to an arb
traitor for settlement, and there can be I
doubt as to the correctness of the decisio
whi1h Emperor WILLIAM has Just made.