The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-07
GEORGE BANCROFT.

because
try well, and to him more than to any
other one man credit is due for courage
ously maintaining our rights and for the
anal triumph Of our cause. Mr.. Bancroft
was secretary Of the navy In the cabinet
Of President Polk when the treaty set
ting the Oregon question was made, and
while in that Office he caused copy of
wilkes chart OF the Haro channel to be
made for use of the navy department.
Soon afterward he became minister to
England, and 1t must have been one of
his first official acts AFTER his arrival In
London to communicate to the secretary
Of state information that 1t had been init
mated to him that questions might arise
with regard to the islands east Of the
Haro channel and at the same time he
asked for instructions to meet any such
questions, at the Threshold, by the bold
assertion of the center or that channel
as the line which by the treaty. inter-
preted according to the intention of the
high contracting parties, had been fixed
as the boundary. He said he was well in
formed that some of the islands were val
liable, and he asked for the copy Of
wilkes chart which he had caused to be
made while at the head of the navy de-
partment. There seems to have been no
opportunity afforded him 70 take up the
subject for discussion with the British
premier in q regular way, but in 1S4S he
took occasion to speak or It in a merely
casual conversation with Lord Palmer
ston who professed to be not well In
formed in regard to the subject.
This gave Mr.. Bancroft the chance he
was looking for to mention his map. and
naturally Lord Palmerston expressed a
wish to see 1t. Mr.. Bancroft sent 1t to
him and followed It later with other maps
and a note in which he took the pains to
say: 1.-THE surveys extend to the line Of
10 degrees, and by combining two Of the
charts your lordship will readily trace the
whole course OF the channel of Haro.
through the waters of which our boundary
line passes" This was an emphatic as
sertion of our right which Mr.. Bancroft
had been anxious to make at the very
Threshold of the controversy. respect
ing our right to the islands to the east
ward Of Haro channel, which he foresaw
was to come. Lord Palmerston must have
been unprepared to meet the issue so bold
" rendered, for In replying to the note he
failed to controvert Mr.. Bancroft's asser-
ton, but evaded It by craftily observing
that the Information contained in the
maps would no doubt be of great service
TO the commissioners who were to locate
the boundary, ''by assisting them in de-
termining where the line Of boundary de-
scribed in the treaty ought to rum
1t was nearly quarter of century
afterward that President Grant was called
upon to select a man to present the case
of our government to Emperor William.
Mr.. Bancroft was then our minister at
Berlin, and by reason OF his position, as
well as his knowledge Of the subject and
superior ability, pre-eminently the right
man to undertake tho delicate task. Presi-
dent Grant wisely chose him. and he fully
met expectations by his able presentation
of our case and by his complete success
in winning a favorable decision. His great
skill Is well illustrated by the Introductory
part Of his memorial to the emperor, in
which he said:
'The treaty Of which the Interpretation