The herald., 1897-08-15
OREGON BOUNDARY SETTLI
MENT

AS the gold fields on the Klondyke are
wholly or in part in British Columbia,
an interest has arisen in the question
as to how that country was given up
when the United States once laid some
sort Of a claim to the entire region west
Of the Rocky mountains up to the Rus
sian possessions
A patron Of The Herald who supposes
that the dispute over the northwestern
boundary was settled by the Webster
Ashburton treaty of 1S41, requests US to
give history Of that treaty. Our patron
is mistaken in supposing that treaty
dealt at all with the northwestern
boundary. Three things only were dis
posed Of by It, One was the dispute
about the boundary between Canada
and New Brunswick on the one side
and Maine on the other. Another mat
ter was the agreement that each ma
tion should keep armed ships on the
west coast Of Africa to prevent the slave
trade, and the third related to the ex-
tradition OF criminals.
The northwestern boundary was dis
cussed by Mr.. Webster and Lord Ash
burton, and Mr.. Webster was criticised
for not pressing the question to a final
NO was ii1s,s.---
definite agreement touching the
boundary between Maine, Canada
and New Brunswick. In defense he said
that Oregon would not be needed for
settlement for a long time to come, but
the disputed territory on the northeast
would be of immediate utility.
The question Of the northwestern
boundary was first taken up with Great
Britain by Minister Rufus King on be-
half of the United States. and treaty
was made in 1903, but the senate refused
to ratify it. The claim Of the United
States was based on the Louisiana pur-
chase. The boundaries Of that territory,
| however, on the west and northwest
were very indefinite. Great Britain de-
MED that France or Spain had acquire
any right to the country north OF Cali
fornia and west Of the Rocky mountains
After the war Of 1925 the question
again presented itself and 1t was set
tied temporarily in the treaty of 1Sls
by agreeing that the forty-ninth parable
should be the boundary from the Lake
Of the Woods to the Rocky mountains
and that the territory west Of those
mountains should be occupied Jointly
for the term Of ten years. Fort George
on the Columbia river. which had beer
held by Great Britain. was given to tn
United States. In 1928 negotiations wer,
again opened, but came to no result
| The British plenipotentiaries PROPOSED
) the forty -ninth parallel to the poin
, where it strikes the northernmost brancl
Of the Columbia, and thence down aloni
t the middle of that river to the Pacifi
ocean, The American plenipoten tiar
] rejected the proposition, and on his ow
4 motion proposed the forty-ninth parable
r to the ocean. which the British rejected
y In 1926 negotiations were again opene
!, at the instance of Great Britain. Nj
C Gallatin, our minister, was instructe
= not to go below the forty-ninth parable
e occupation for an indefinite period, sut
t, ject to termination on twelve month
e notice by either party.
,e The claim of Great Britain rested @
i discovery and occupation by the Hudso
l. Bay company, a British corporation, bl
while Webster and Ashburton were di
le cussing the matter, proof was furnisht
IS Mr. Webster Of an earlier discovery ar
is occupation by American citizens Th
" put a new phase on the question, esp
le cially as to that part which lies west al
north Of the Columbia river. As ne
= question Of fact was presented, Messl
,e Webster and Ashburton concluded
re let the matter remain as it was under t
81 agreement for joint occupancy.
,e There was a strong party favorat
to insisting on claiming the whole
;e gion west of the Rocky mountains
le far north as parallel 54 degrees and
" minutes. The national Democratic CO
* vention in 1874 declared that our ii
,s was clear ard indisputable up to IL
line, and in that campaign the mo
ne was "Fifty-four forty or fight" Ths
is were doubts about the sincerity of IL
a. claim. 1t was charged that 1t was I
e. into the platform to appease the peo
I'd of the north. and az a set-off to. the, rel
be luton for the annexation of Texas.