The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-10-04

with the Indians we're ever characterized by a
sense of strict justice. The lowest mental in
his service was required to fulfill every prom
Use made to the natives, no matter what the
sacrifice. Hence the Indians fully believed
every thing said by the officers. and the conse-
quence OF such confidence told upon the con-
duct Of the natives in remarkable degree.
II such policy had always been the
uniform rule in all our dealings with
these savsges, a far different tale would have
beeen written Of our border difficulties.
BOUNDARIES.
The origin OF the boundaries Of that part Of
the Pacific coast originally included in the
territory Of Oregon may be fixed as follows:
The "Florida treaty" Of 1919, between the
United States and Spain, fixed the ferty second
parallel OF the north latitude, from the Rocky
mountains to the Pacific ocean, as the southern
limit Of the United states west OF those noun
tains. Subsequently, when Mexico threw off
the authority Of Spain. by treaty between the
United States and Mexico the same boundary
was continued.
BY the convention Of 1924 between the United
States and Russia, it WAS agreed that the peo-
pie of the latter country should make no settle
ment on the west coast Of North America or its
islands south Of the latitude of "a degrees 40
minues, and that the United States should
establish none north Of that line.
The same stipulations were made year
lAteT ny similar convention UetWeeu hu6eiu
and Great Britain as to the settlements OF tho g
two countries on the line OF 81 40.
The country lying between these parallels of
latitude--42 and "a 40-being the whole Of
Oregon territory (now Oregon and Washing
tom was claimed. respectively, by the United
States and Great Britain. Provisional ar
engagements, to facilitate navigation, trade and
settlement, were made from time to time be-
tween the two countries, subj oct to abrogation
at any time after a wears notice by either. But
there arose an increasing dissatisfaction with
these temporary arrangements by the people Of
the two countries Immediately interes ted, and
the quarrel assumed proportions that even
threatened war between these nations. The
older inhabitants we'll remember that Fifty
four forty or fight!' was the rallying cry Of
many ardent sticklers for the full measure OF
our rights in this country.
Happily more peaceful policy pre-
vailed and negotiations finally resulted in
the settlement Of the Oregon treaty, signed at
Washington June Is, 1876, and ratified at Lon.
don July 18th Of the same year. By this treaty
the 49th parallel Of latitude, to the Gulf of
Georgia, was established as the dividing line
between the American and British possessions
on the Pacific.
This territory appears to be naturally di-
vided by chains Of mountains that run nearly
parallel with the coast into three natural divi-
sions, viz: western, middle and eastern; the
first being bounded by the ocean on the west
and the Cascade range on the east, the second
extending from the Cascade range to the Blue
mountains, while the third is embraced be-
tween the Blue and the Rocky mountain ranges.
Those ~onderful snow-clad peaks that tower
far above all others, in the very midsummer
cold, pure and massive-Mounts Hood, st.
Heens, Rainier, Adams, Jefferson, etc.-stand-
ing like the hoary sentnels Of the ages, as they
are-belong mainly to the Cascade range.