Year: 1859

From the London Times of Sept. 29th.
The San Juan Island Trouble.


We are so accustomed to territorial disputes with the
American people, in which Engishmen can hardly be
brought to take interest while their adversares give
play to all the excitement peculiar to them that we can
hardly be surprised at the course which the socaed San
Juan dispute has taken. The American papers, and
perhaps the American Government will Judge of the
most advantageous to themselves by the tone of
public opinion in England 1t is to be feared that the
people of this country, immersed in the vortex of Euro
pean politics. will treat the San Juan question as they
have treated many Others and that the Cabinet of Wash
Dgton will find the apathy of British opinion an excel


lent ally in dealing with British Minister. It is with
no wish to dssension between kindred nations, or
to be wanting in that courtesy which characterzes
modern politics. that express hope that on this
question the Government of Great Britain will be found
true to itself and to those hardy and trusting adventur
ers who under the supposed protection Of the British
flag, have spread themselves the globe. We are
totally unsuccessful in conceang from the world that
the habtua practice of the English Government in Yield
ing to every demand of the American Government and
every usurpation of American enterprise tends lower
the esteem IN which the of Britain is held and the
effect the dependencies of the English Crown is far
more important than any notion which may be en-
cOuraged in the minds of Frenchmen or Russians The
fact is that the Government and people of the United
States, by concentrating their whole power and all the
vehemence of their disposition on the politics of their
continent, have been able to win advantages over





felt at home not without the very greatest effect on
the subjects of the British Crown in North America
There may be something radically wrong the relation
which the colonies of this country bear to the parent
State They may be suckers and not feeders alleged
by more than one disciple of the Manchester school,
There may be why we the inhabitants of an
island the northwestern shores of Europe, should
trouble ourselves with the concerns of few sets at the
distance of SO many thousand miles but long as we
pretend to the supremacy great empire-so long
aS OREGON British (Oumhia ln0L,,
to the protection of our fleets and armies-so long we
send out governors and secretaries generals and reg
ments, so long are we bound to support the national
dignity on the shores of the Pacific much if the
French Emperor had declared against us, and we
were fighting for the leadership of Europe.


With respect to the right to the Island of San JUAN
not here called upon to pronounce dogmatcally


The evidence to our thinking, incnes strongly in favor
OF Eng land. There can be doubt that the channel"
which used in 1916, the period of the treaty was
which placed the island under the dominion OF Great
Britain. The claim of the Americans arises from the
fact that since that time another channel has been used
by steamers, and has become equally well known with
the former. But that the question ought to be what
the channel within the meaning of the treaty of 1916
is plain enough However, the dispute is like another
dsputeone to be settled by negotions where scientific
measurement and legal Interpretation have failed 1t is
the act of General Harney, of the United States army
which has caused the great complication in this matter
This ofcer not content to allow matters to remain in
the state during the last thirteen years. or even


to wait while the question was referred home to the two
Governments thought proper to take military possession
of the island ard to issue proclamation establishing


the law of the United States, and commanding the pay
ment of the regular Customs duties levied the ports
of the Republic 1t appears that the Americans in their
usual manner had been talking of their undoubted right
to the island and their determination to occupy it, and
that Governor Douglas with the less characteristic
moderation o Engish authorities had been holding back
from making anything more than verbal claim At


last however, the intentions of the Americans were no
longer in doubt. They laid in large supplies and col


eced materials for building barracks and constructing


Notifications they encouraged squatters to occupy the
island, and finally number of American troops were
landed with large quantity of ammunition while rein


orcements sent tor from Oregon and wherever else
restless spirits might be found willing to embark in the
enterprise of oustng the Britsher from portion of his
territory The moderation of the British authorities
evidently arose from no fear of the superior force of their
adversares, for the of the ships of on the
station would have been quite sufficient to crush the few
troops which General Harvey had placed on the island


But the temper of the Government at home is so un-
certain and the tendency to underestimate these Amer
ican disputes is strong, that in Office might
we'll be afraid to call upon the military naval author
tiles to assist him against presumng enemy Gov
Douglas, in the true style OF colonial authority en-
deavored " to avoid collision" He might have re-
moved the Americans from San Juan and held that
temporary possession during the negotiations, which
the Americans boast but the fear Of the Colonial
Secretary for the time being before his eyes, and he
thought it better to conne himself to wewtten pro-
test, which probably his opponents laughed at.


The American officer who has committed this act was


induced probably by the expectation that it would make
him great Harrison, jackson and Taylor raised
to the Presidency by their warlke exploits. The CON-
mander who rescued Hungarian years since from
an Austrian brig would probably have been started for
the high Office if he had only taken the precauon
of firing into his enemy what question, then that if


Harvey had been superior in al encounter with the
Brtshers he would have been OF great posi-
ton in his native State if not in the Councils of the
Federation? Governor Douglas has probably deprived
the bold commander of his mered reward by not send


ing against San Juan force small that it could have
been readily repulsed and left the gallant American free
to give glowing narrative OF his brilliant exploit We
have every reason to hope that President Buchanan-a
man of sense and judgment-wl see the necessity OF
treating this suect proper manner, and leaving the
Pacific boundary between the two nations to the dec-
sion of diplomacy. We cannot suppose that the Amer


leans however eaed at their presumed victories the
English American questions, will think themselves
powerful enough to withstand the arguments that could be
brought against them England pedceabe enough while
the sembance of legality observed to learn that


the Republic was disposed neither to recede negotiate


No kind OF boasting hectorng is, hope likely Il
have any effect the Government OF this country. We
have yielded more than ought many American ques


tions smp because the public opinion OF the country
cannot be enlisted in these patry disputes while the des
TIMES of the world are being decided at doors Bu


there has probably yet been an instance OF spO


in dgpute between the two nations which has been vic


lently seized by Of them the sole responsibility
" an inferior officer Such act requires explanation
from the Government at Washington and doubtless MI
10 Buchanan will at declare that Gen. Harvey acte
e without bis sanction, and that the position of matter


has been way changed by this appeal to main force
Il OF the Island itself we know nothing, can we be


eve that the possession of it is of much value to ethe
# party though it is certainly worth more to US than
A. = -