The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-02-03
How the United states Obtained this
Coast.
Written for the INDEPENDENT.


and especially those living upon the
Pacific Coast, there seems to be an un-
certain understanding, if not an entire
ignorance, as to the manner in which
the government of the United States
became possessed of what is commonly
known as the Oregon region.
What is designated as the "Louisi-
ana purchase" has been popularity sup
posed to extend to the Pacific ocean.
1t is curious fact that the United
States census report for 1870 has as
sisted in the propagation of this error.
1t contains map on which the "Pur-
chase. is stretched to the Pacific.
Louisiana, as discovered by the
Frenchexplorer, La Sale, and claimed
by the King of France as part of his
dominions, extended from the Ale
ghanies to the Rocky mountains, and
from the Rio Grande to the farthest
springs of the Missouri. This is so
stated by Parkham in his "History of
the Great West" and by other writers
who have Investigated the subject.
The French held this territory until
the year 1862, when, by q treaty of
peace between France and Spain, Of
the first part, and England and Portu-
gal of the second part, France ceded to
Spain all the country known as Louis
lana. In the year 1900 Spain retro
ceded to France the province Louisiana
in exchange for certain lands in Italy.
The region then transferred was of the
same extent as that originally pos
sessed by the French.
The acquisition of Louisiana by the
United States took place in 1903, dur
ing the administration of Thomas JEFF
ferson. By Il e treaty of cession the
whole region as owned by France be-
fore the grant to Spain, came into the
possession of the United States. In
the negotiations with Spain for the
adjustment of the lines which were to
separate the two countries it was con-
tended by the former power that the
Louisiana ceded to Spain, retro-ceded
to France, and by France transferred
to the United States comprised no
more than New Orleans, with the
tract in its vicinity east of the Missis-
sippi river. This position was main
tained with pertinacity by the Span
ish sovereign, but was, however, left
an open question for the time being.
At the same time the United States,
in these negotiations, never MAIN
tanned that the Oregon region was in
cluded in the Louisiana purchase.
In the year 1887, two vessels, the
Columbia, commanded by John Ken
drick, and the Washington, by Robert
Gray, left Boston on u voyage to the
northwest coast of America. 1t was
the idea of the promoters of the ven
ture to open up fur trade, and also,
if possible, trade with China. The
vessels, having been separated in Il
gale, joined each other in Nootha
Sound, on the west of Nancouvel's Is Is
land. The larger of the vessels, the
Columbia, remained in the sound,
while the Washington made trips up
and down the coast, procuring furs,
which We're put into the Columbia.
Captain Gray then took command of
the Columbia, made a voyage to China,
and returned to Boston by the way of
the Cape of Good Hope. Kendrick, in
the Washington, explored the bays and
sounds of the region, and anticipating
any European explorer, passed through
the Straits of Juan De Fuca from one
end to the other.
In 1891 Capt. Gray was again in
command of the Columbia and busily
engaged in exploring the inlets and
passages Of the northwest coast. The
English navigator Vancouver, had
declared that there was no river in
that part Of North America. Gray,
however, discovered a large stream,
and sailing up 1t for considerable
distance he gave the name Of "Colum-
bia" to 1t. This discovery and ex-
ploration Of Gray constitutes the first
link In the chain of title Of the United
States to the Oregon region.
President Jefferson, In 1903, recon-
mended to Congress that an explora-