The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-11

70 and sovereignty over all the
territory then called Oregon and
I now comprising the states az Ore
son. Washington. idaho and that
part OF Montana weR. os the summit Of
the Rocky mountains and British ce.an-
osa. was . subject OF contention heswesn
the governments Of the United States AMI
Great Britain. The Arss negotiations Ter
the settlement Of the boundary between
British America and the territory OF che
United States west OF the Rocky mountains
having resulted IN failure. Il was provided
BY the third article OF the convention az
October %. ISIS. between Great Britain ana
the United States rs follows:
II Is agreed that any country thar may
De claimed by either party on The North
west coast Of America westward .af the
Stony mountains. shah. together with its
haroors, bays and creeks and the navixa-
taon OF ali rivers within the same. be free
and open for the term OF ten years from
the date OF the signature of the present
convention to the vesssis, citizens and SUBJ
1ecis OF the two powers II being well I'M
derstood that this agreement 10 not 70 be
construed TO the prejudice Of any claim
which either OF the two high contracting
parties may have to any part Of the sad
country. nor shah II be taken TO afset
the claims OF any other power or state TO
any part OF the said country: the only oh
1ect OF the high contracting parties. In that
respect. being TO prevent dtpu:es and Diff
ferences amongst themselves"
Other attempts 20 settle definitely and
finally the disputed boundary were made
in lsN and iS26 and In iss7. and were un-
successful. In the latter year the agree
msnt Of 1913 wa renewed for an indefinite
period. except that II was provided that
either government might annul the agree
ment after October 80. ls73. upcn Swing
twelve months notice TO tho other con-
tracing party. Under this asreement, un-
I'll the treaty OF June Is. 1874. Oregon was
In legal sense In the Joint occupancy OF
the citisena and subjects Of the two coun-
trtes. and during this period d Joint 90
cupancy the Hudson Ray Company and
tt co-adjutant. the Puget Sound Agricul-
tural Company. established numerous Trad.
Ing posts and forts And were active and
untirin9 Ia endeavoring 10 monopelise all
trade With the Indian trtbeS and 70 main
tain In that part Of the territory north of
the Columbia river. exclusive control in
the hops that Il might b held permanent
II - british sosi The agents and factors
OF the Hudson Bay Company were usual
" gracious and accommodating 70 Amer
lean travellers and emigsants arriving ~
their establishments. nevertheless they were
adroit and 1eafous Ia their efforts 20 carry
out the policy OF their master TO prevent
north Of the Columbia river. although By
the tsrms Of the conventions Of 1915 and
1871. equal privileges In the whole and
every part Of the territory claimed By
both countries west Of the Rocky snoun-
tains. and In the waters and hAybors there
OF was guaranteed alike 70 American citt-
xene and British sub5ectA The government
Of Great Britain had granted TO this COM
pany the exclusive right to trade with the
- Se~A~ nA<a9r Aaru akt0a w4fhl0
the 1imits Of a vast extent In British
America. including all the territory west Of
the Rocky mountains. and to maintain that
valuable monopoly oyer Ne much territory
as II could possibly cover the energies Of
this company were exerted to the usmost.
The United States government claimed NJ
the proper boundary an extension eastward
OF the iine agreed upon by treaty between
the United States and Russia. and after
ward confirmed BY 4 treaty between Rus
STA and Great Britain as the southern
boundary OF the southeast part Of Rus
sian American now called AlaskA. that b.
ing tie line OF 81 degrees - minutes north
latitude, but In several attempts mado
previous TO the treaty OF 1855 70 settle the
dispute. had offered to comprofniD by ex-
tending the line between Canada and the
United States territory east Of the Rocky
mountains. westward 20 the Pacinc ocean.
this Hire being the forty-ninsh parallel
THIS extremely generous offer wNs always
rejected and wae met by ccunter-pfopo-
satscn that the Columbia river from the
intersection Of fsa mort northeast branch
with the forty-ninth parallel 10 the ocean.
should be the boundary. and that the river
should b always free ana open 70 the
people ~ both countries. and thar the
United States should have detached p.eee
Of country fronting the Pacific OCEAN ana
the strait OF Juan de F1Sca and comprised
within the present counties Of Ciailam,
Jefferson. chehaiis and Mason, and that
there should be free 90 the United States
any Pacific coast barber on the mainland
or Vancouver Inland south OF the forty
ninth parallel which our government might
select.
The contention for sovereignty ala not
deter the hardy American pioneers Of the
West from emixrating 10 Oregon fntnae-
dsasely after the acquisition al Lerisssana
by purchase from Napoleon. the expedition
OF Lewis ana Clarke was sent by the
first great advocate Of the idea Of AmsYt-
can expansion. Pre4d~n; Thomas Jeff~r-
son. TO trace the great river Of Oregon
from its source and explore the country
through which II flows 10 the sea, the
explorers were followed by srspaers ara
fsrr traders after them came the mS<on-
aries. ard they were followed BY farmers
ard mechanics. who were accompanied on
their long and perflcus Journey by their
families for they came 20 settle down
permanently upon the soil and 10 set NJ
and maintain she Institutions Of the Amer
tran regutsie The conditions created by
ssps5nsaey however prevented our govern
rsens fran extending American laws o.
exercising governmental authority within
th~ territory pr4cr to the treaty % is<
Our government kept faith The pisr~ers
believed in their own capacity for self
government ard although they were ever
true tn their ssiegfancs TO the United
States their Necessities required that they
should have laws ard che governmental
machinery necessary - pysTerTe GOOD - der
ard protect individuals IN tsesr yirafs. and
90 this end. wsshors. waiting fer the "a &C.
ton % the rational government. they Sc
Up q provisional government Of their own.
which vas maintained from re year $50
ansf superseded by The terrat1sfsi govern
met. ,srossse<f By ~. organic act pssed
ay congress ia she vesr ssss. THIS prevf~-
fonzi government wss participated In by
British subjects and was respected By the
Hua~on Pay Company. bat only "a 4
mniteA extent. Nssssh of the Columbia river
It's laws could be ensorcst. bus nos - g.
Ire north SIDE TIE Hudson Gay Com