The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-24

the Columbia river and establishing trad
ing posts and large possessory rights,
which tended to cloud our title more and
more. Fortunately the interest of the
Hudson Bay Company was adverse to the
immigration of white people. as they
might set up demand from the COM
pany's old Indian customers for furs, cor
rupt the company's voyageurs and break
down that thorough and mastery control
which the company had fully established
and maintained over their employees and
the Indian tribes. Otherwise the English
might have filled the country with sethe-
ments.
The attention of many of our citizens
was awakened to the subject by the Ash
burton-Webster treaty in 1912, which es-
tablished boundary in Maine, but failed
to establish boundary in the Northwest.
Senators Linn and Benton, of Missouri,
finding the administration Indifferent,
made efforts to induce immigration, and,
melted by newspaper publications, up
ward of 900 emigrants crossed the plains
in 1912, and in 1S43 twice that number.
England, too, became aroused. In 1912
the British minister, Henry S. Fox, was
instructed to propose negotiations for
settlement of the Oregon question. Mr..
Webster, President Tyler's secretary of
state, accepted the proposal, but the move
ment stopped here. The question slum-
bered until February "a IS43, when Rich
ard Pakenham, the British minister, re-
newed the proposal. At the time Mr.. Up
shur had succeeded Mr.. Webster, who had
been, literally speaking, frozen out" of
Mr.. Tyier's cabinet, and Mr.. Calhoun sue
ceeded Upshur. and on August y, 1874, de-
clared his readiness to begin next day, in
reply to Mr.. Pakenham's reminder.
Mr.. Calhoun showed commendable
spirit in proposing, without circumlocu-
ton, the forth-ninth parallel. as his party
was clamorous at the time for ''iifty-four
forty Or fight" Mr.. Benton says:
Tha Baltimore presidential convention had
followed a pernicious practice, of recent inven-
ton, IN laying down platform OF principles on
which the canvas was to be conducted, and $40
for the northern boundary of Oregon had been
made canon OF political faith from which
there was 10 be no departure except upon the
penalty of political dannation. Mr.. Calhoun
had bravei this penalty.
Mr.. Pakenham declined that part of the
proposition which carried the line to the
Pacific ocean, but offered a continuation of
the 18th parallel from the Rocky noun
tains to the Columbia river, then TO follow
down the river to the ocean. The nego-
tiations here hung fire" for months,
when Mr.. Pakenham, III January, 1915,
instructed by his government proposed
arbitration, which was declined, as Mr..
Polk, of Tennessee, at the time had been
elected president, and in his inaugural
declared for 5i-i0. This riled the spirit of
our British cousins, who put on their war
paint and war was inevitablel
But the Mexican nation was organizing
an army TO recover Texas, and the United
States was about 10 be sandwiched be-
tween two belliserent nations, and would
have to carry on war with England on the
north fer free soil. and with Mexico on
the south for territory favorable to the
spread of slavery.
Great Britain, after the refusal of arbi-
tration, quietly awaited results. At last
Mr. Buchanan. secretary of state July -.
Is45). addressed Mr.. Pakenham, by direc-
ton of President Polk, proposing to ne
gotiate on Mr.. Calhoun's offer of the 10Th
parallel TO the ocean. This offer was
declined. Party clamor, on learning Mr.,
Folks offer, became most violent and Mr..
Buchanan withdrew it. Another lull fol-
lowed, and Mr.. Polk recommended 10 con-
gress strong measuresto assert and secure
our title. The sentiment in congress to
give England the notice was advancing
favorabiy, presaEing war; ana congress az
last authorized the president to terminate
the joint occupancy.
Sir Robert Peel regretted the breaking
off Of negotiations. and with the frank
ness and integrity which constitutes the
true statesman, says Senator Benton.
''openly expressed his regret in parliament
that the offer OF 80 degrees, when made bv
the American governments, had not been