The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-11
Boundary Disputes With Our Kortberp
Neisbbors, Settled apd Unsettled.
ADuu address Before tbe Washington gioueers jupe Z 3s
By Judge c. II. Hartford.

the fur trade ia Oregon. The conditions
exSsing Just prior 20 the treaty OF 49,
are shown In the following extract from
the mrs; annual message 20 congrens by
President James X Polk
Beyond all question the profectioo OF
eur laws and our jurisdiction. civil ana
criminal. ought TO be Immediately EXTEND
ed over our citizens In Oregon. They have
had just cause 10 complain Of cur lang
neglect Ia this particular. and have In
consequence been compelled for their csen
security and protection 20 establish pra-
vissonal government for themselves
Strong in their allegiance ard ardent -
! their attachment to the United Ssafee.
they have been thus cast upon their own
resources. They are anxious that or
laws be extended over them. and recon-
mend that this b done by congress with
tent TO which the British pariiA ment has
proceeded in regard 70 Britain suhtects
In the territory by its act OF July :. io1.
for regulating the fur trade and estnh-
fishing q criminal and civil Jurtsitction
wtthia certain narts at North America
BY this act Great Britain extended her
laws and Jurisdiction. civil and criminAl,
over her subjects engaged In the fur Trade
In that territory. by II the courts ee
the province Of Upper Canada were en-.
powered to take ccgnixance Of causes c1vll
and criminal Justices Of the peace and
other judicial officers were authorized 70
be appointed in Oregon with power 20
execute all process issuing from the courts
Of that province. and 10 ST and hold
courts Of record for the trial at criminal
ofYenses and m.sdsmeanors' not made the
subject Of capital punishment. and also
OF civn cases where the cause Of action
shall not exceed In value the amount -
sum Of mn
subsequent to the date Of this oct ef
.r1> "a - - -
| British crswn' to the Hudson Huy
| Company 81 the exclusive trade with the
| Indian trib<s IN the Oregon territory. sup.
| 1ect TO . reservation that u shah not
! operate 20 the exclusien 'oe the subjects
| Of any foreign states who. under a. by
| force Of any convention for the time bolu9
| between us and such foreign states r.
spectively. may BE- entitled to and sAal,
| be engaged Ia the said trade Il b muG0
| 10 Be regretted that while under this act
| British subjects have enjoyed ne PRO.
| tecticn of Britain laws and British judicial
4 tribunals throughout the whole Of Ore.
| gon. American cittsens In the same tori.
| tory have enjoyed no such protection frem
| their government. Al the same time. the
result illustrates the character oe cur
| people and their Institutions. h ep1ko a
1 this neglect they have multiplied a.
| their number 10 rapidly tncysaetng n tAAk
territory. They have made no appeal -
I
selves Ia their new hosues hy the adou-
| ton Of republican Institutions fos ths1n-
| selves. furn3aAlat anbtAsr sxampis cf ~
|; trust that segf-g0vernment % inoes@ut ~
the American breast ard must psoeoa =
| u due 20 them thar they Should - e.
bsacsA aN1 protected " Ur lawa~
Imme1lnsoly after The pfCvinfonal euv.
~ the legislature aeht aAesncs4al =
conores1. setttng forth the true coadsttoA
i % the ihhAbstants. IAls wns presented
| 20 the tinted States senate By Thonaae
| n. Benton. and IA his Introductory ~
marks that grsat American statesman
/ passed the following thcemtum upeu the
memorial and the pioneers Who drafte0 Il:
''These petitioners stated that. Ter tho
| preservation Of order. they haA among
themselves established . provisionaI ana
| temporary government. subject 70 ~
! ratification Of the United States eoveru-
| ment. The petition sets forth. IN strong
and respectful Language. arguments Why
the citizens residing IN that section e
country should be projected for the pur-
| pose OF preserving their rights. ana also
~ . means Of preserving order. Tho
| memorial waa drawn NJ In Z manner cred.
| liable to the hody by which Il was pre-
sented. 70 the talents by which 4 vAs
| dictated. and 10 the patriotic seuttsnsnts
| which pervaded Il: and the applica41on
4
| for It's moderation. reasonableneas ana Jus
| tice. As the best means Of spreading thu
contents Of this petition before the couu-
try. and doing honor 20 the ahilfty. ana
| enterprise of thoee who presented i. ~
moved that Il b reaa At the bar Of the
| senate"
/ have quoted Benson's words 10 prove
that the pioneers we're nat a lawiess class
Of people nor ignorant nor disssysi TAey
| aid mt forsake their homes and seek lyee-
dom IN the wilderness. 70 sscap> frosn
| persecution or oppression They were
/ simply American expAnsicntsts. Whe IN
| the long ago had faith 20 believe that the
| American republic was destined 10 rule
the American continent: they had dtecsv-
| cred that th~ land Was GOOD the climate
| sasubrtous. the scenery Grand. and that
! all the natural conditions were conducive
TO heaish, prosperity and happiness. and
they came to oregon to Be the foundefs
| OF the rev states.
The boundary ~ finally agreed 10 ana
| Described In the treaty Of is>s was pro-
| posed hy Lvyd Aberdeen. who ut that
| time was the British secretary Of stAto
| fer foreign affairs. and his offer waa sub
| usstted 10 our secretary Of state ~ the
| Brit IN minister NJ Washington. The lire
| follows the 18Th parallel westward 10 the
! middle Of the channel which separates the
continent from Vancouver island. and u
| drawn thence south~rsy through the mid
| die Of the ssld channel and Of Fuca'o
! straits TO the Pacific ocean. Precedent
Posh submitted the osfer 40 made By the
| British government for consideration ~
the United States senate. and pursuant "a
| resolution os the senate II was accepted
| and the treaty was very soon afterwards
contaminated The president ana hts
| cabinet felt that we were sarrendesing Z
| isrg- ana valuable territory to which ous
| title Was perfect Rahsrt J. Walker. SEC
| ressry ~ the treasury in the cabinet al
| President Polk protested against the
| treaty. and In isss which was after thu
| purchase 81 Alaska. III = letter published
in the Washington CITY Chronicle. ~ ~
platness the transaction as follows
We own now the whcis western Pacific
/ coast froru Lever California To tho Arctic
sea- except British Columbia, which
saGasssf my earnest protest In the cab
| tn@t, was c~ded 90 England IN 1sH | sag
1ed~d for eur title TO che whole u Oregon.
| from the fsrfy-seeons parallel norfhwasd
| 10 Russian America. was IN truth cieAs
and unueesssorabss British Columbia
vas lost 20 us By the Dcss unfortunate
diplomacy. extending through = IonG
| period OF time
Why Ne 30 wsisinwiy yielded u Nr. Waik.