Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-12-01
PIONEER "REMINISCENCES.
THE SETTLEMENT OF OREGON.
The Oregon city Claim.


In petition OF 43, the opposition to
the recognition of DR.. John Nc
Luughliu's claim to the tract of land
including WallalIet Falls, the Ore
gon City claim, is grounded upon:
|, He does not make such tract
his continuous residence, but his
time Is divided between Font VAN
couver, and elsewhere; :, He is II
British subject; 3. He claims tracts
in ether localities; /, Like tn" - dog
in the manager, when other, would
utilize the water power at the falls
by preparation to erect mills, he also
then prepares to build, and as with
his superior facilities, he could un-
dersell Americans, his threatened
competition deters enterprise; 5, He
has disposed of lots wilhotst himself
having title.
British Subjects and citizens of
the United States then Inhabited the
Territory. Did they not enjoy the
SAME prlvileS IS to occupy lands and
make homes? Were not the pos
sessory rights of each entitled to the
same recognition and respect? 1t
can hardly he questioned that until
the sovereignty of the soil was re-
cognized to be i'll the United States,
until Federal jurisdiction and law
were extended over the territory,
the American citizen enjoyed TO
greater privileges than the subject
of the Queen of Great Britain.
Until thu establishment of law and
courts within the territory, all of
whatever nationality were possessed
of the same rights to occupy and
utilize land, their guarantees OF fu-
turs ownership and confirmation of
title being equal.
If British subjects, IN common
With American citizens, could not at
that time, by occupying lands In
Oregon acquire possessOry rights IN
such land, then DIR. Mclaughlin
was q mere squatter at Wallamet
Falls, whose rights to such claim
continued only while actual posses
sion WAS maintained. His right to
the claim was of course subject to
! whatever conditions of settlem ent
should be prescribed by law, when
the territory became an organized
government; if he were an alien,
and that class were disqualified from
acquiring lands, then DR.. McLough-
lin would be compelled to elect
whether he would continue his alien
age, or become citizen of the Uni
ted States. Should actual residence
upon the land for a prescribed per-
iod be imposed as o condition to &C.
quire title, he would have to COM
ply with the law or forfeit. In
short, whatever the law should i'm
pose, would have to be performed by
every British subject, in common
with every American citizen.
There may have existed an edu-
Gated conviction Oh the part Of the
American residents Of Oregon, that
in no event could Oregon south of
the Columbia river be ever recog-
nized as British territory. So be-
lleving, their jealousy against Brit
lsh subjects Selling the most valua-
able claims may be extenuated. To
such jealously may be attributed the
presence in the" Petition" OF the
frivolous insinuations, detractins
from the tone of memorial of
grievances, lowering it to mere dog
matte trade.
However natural such feeling, it
was none the less unjust. In 1918,
the United States and Great Britain,
the national claimants Of the terri
tory had entered into treaty pro-
viding for its joint occupancy for ten
years. In 1927, that condition OF
affairs had been continued until ter
minated after twelve months no.
uce had been given by either ma
ton. The country westward Of the
Stony Mountains had continued
and was then free and open to the
vessels and subjects of both ma
tons" The faith of the two ma
tions for quarter-eentury had been
solemnly pledged that the British
subject and the citizen of the Uni
ted States might settle in any part
of the vast region west of the Rocky
Mountains aud from 400 to $40 Az
North latitude, and that no preju-
dice to the territorial claim of either
nation should enure for such settle
ment. As nations, neither could oc-
cupy in prejudice of the other; but
for British and American citizens in
an equal degree the country was
free and open; both were equal be.
fore that treaty, the supreme law of
our land. Nay, more, acts Of Con-
gress had been suffered ut different
sessions to pass the Senate or House
of Representatives, mot concurrent
ly, for it was not intended they
should become law while the terri.
tory was in dispute) but foreshadow-
ing Legislation encouraging the
settlement of Oregon by dona.
atoms of land to all who would set
tie, regardless of nationality. The
boon was extended to our native
born to 60 to Oregon; it was alike
offered as an incentive to the Briton
there to become an American citizen.
Congress voluntarily indicated pol
icy encouraging settlement; it held
out inducements to both native-born
and alien to settle and take land in
Oregon; it virtually promised that
when the sovereignty was determined
to be in the United States, such
land should be confirmed to such
settler. Under the joint occupancy
Treaty, under the spirit of the fore
Swallowed legislation of Congress,
intended to invoke occupancy of
Oregon and to secure favorable
settlement for the United States, Dr.
John Mclaughlin by the expressed