[10] is in no view *whatever necessary, and can have little other effect than as an offensive intimation to Spain that our claims extend to the Pacific Ocean. However reasonable such claims may be compared with those of others, it is impolitic, especially at the present moment, to strengthen Spanish jealousies of the United States, which it is probably an object with Great Britain to excite by the clause in question.

The British govern

boundary.

No. 8.

Mr. Canning to Mr. King.

FOREIGN OFFICE, April 20, 1826.

The undersigned, His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, has the honor to request Mr. Rufus King, ment invite negotia Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, to have the goodness to inform the undersigned whether Mr. King is provided with instructions for the resumption of the negotiations of last year, with respect to a settlement of boundaries upon the northwest coast of America.

The undersigned is particularly induced to make this inquiry by having received from Mr. Vaughan a copy of the communication, lately addressed by the President of the United States to the House of Representatives, of that part of Mr. Rush's correspondence of last year which relates to this important subject.

The undersigned has to add that the British plenipotentiaries, Mr. Huskisson and Mr. Addington, are perfectly prepared to enter into conferences with Mr. King thereupon; and either to renew the proposal brought forward by Mr. Huskisson and Mr. Stratford Canning in their conference of the 13th of July, 1824, and unanswered, or to bring forward another; to discuss any new proposal on the same subject, or which may be suggested on the part of the plenipotentiary of the United States. The undersigned has the honor to renew to Mr. Rufus King the assurance of his high consideration.

The parallel of 49°

United States.

As by the convention of 1818 the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude has been agreed to be the line of boundary between the terthe ultimatum of the tories of the United States and Great Britain, east of the Stony Mountains, there would seem to arise, from that stipulation, a strong consideration for the extension of the line along the same parallel, west of them to the Pacific Ocean. In bringing themselves to consent to this boundary the Government of the United States feel that they are animated by a spirit of concession and compromise

which, they persuade themselves, that of Great Britain cannot but recognize, and ought not to hesitate in reciprocating. You are then authorized to propose the annulment of the third article of the convention of 1818, and the extension of the line on the parallel of 49 from the eastern side of the Stony Mountains, where it now terminates, to the Pacific Ocean, as the permanent boundary between the territories of the two powers in that quarter. This is our ultimatum, and you may so announce it. We can consent to no other line more favorable to Great Britain.

*

[12]

"He [the President] is very desirous of an amicable settlement of all the points of difference between Great Britain and the United States on just principles. Such a settlement alone would be satisfactory to the people of the United States or would command the concurrence of their Senate. In stating in your instructions the terms on which the President was willing that the several questions pending between the two governments might be arranged, he yielded as much to a spirit of concession as he thought he could consistently with the interests of this country. He is especially not *now prepared to authorize any stipulations involving a session of territory belonging to any State in the Union, or the abandonment, express or implied, of the right to navigate the St. Lawrence, or the surrender of any territory south of latitude forty-nine on the northwest coast." "II. The President cannot consent that the boundary between the territories of the two powers on the Northwest Coast should be south of forty-nine. The British Government has not been committed by a positive rejection of a line on the parallel of forty-nine; but if it had been, its pride may take refuge in the offer which, for the first time, you are to propose, of a right in common with us to the navigation of the Columbia River. There is no objection to an extension of the time to be allowed to British settlers to remove from south of forty-nine to a period of fifteen years if you should find that it would facilitate an arrangement."

*

*

*

*

The latter part of our conversation was of a more conciliatory nature. Mr. Huskisson said that it would be lamentable that, in this age, two such nations as the United States and Great Britain should be drawn to a rupture on such a subject as the uncultivated wilds of Mr. Huskisson obthe Northwest Coast. But the honor and dignity of both jects to dividing Van countries must be respected, and the mutual convenience of

couve' Island.

both parties should also be consulted. He then objected to the straight line which we proposed, as having no regard to such convenience, and observed particularly that its cutting off the southern portion of Quadra and Vancouver's Island, (that on which Nootka Sound is situated,) was quite inadmissible. I told him that, taking only convenience into consideration, their proposal was far more objectionable.

Hon. HENRY CLAY,

Secretary of State.

*

*

ALBERT GALLATIN.

*

Mr. Gallatin proVancouver south of

on the mainland.

I

Mr. Huskisson then asked me whether I was authorized to deviate from the forty-ninth parallel of latitude as a boundary. poses to exchange did not think that he had any right to ask the question; 49° for an equivalent but, as it was only from courtesy, and to avoid, at the opening of the negotiation, expressions at all savoring of harshness, that I had used the words "whilst insisting on the forty-ninth degree," instead of the word "ultimatum;" and as, in fact, the United States had nothing to conceal, I answered the question: To the fortyninth parallel of latitude the United States would adhere as a basis. If, on account of the geographical features of the country, a deviation founded on mutual convenience was found expedient, a proposal to that effect might be entertained, provided it was consistent with that basis; that is to say, that any deviation in one place to the south of the fortyninth parallel should be compensated by an equivalent in another place to the north of that parallel. I must observe that what I had in view was the exchange of the southern extremity of Nootka's Island, (Quadra and Vancouver's,) which the forty-ninth parallel cuts in an inconvenient manner, for the whole or part of the upper branches of the Columbia River north of that parallel.

Hon. HENRY CLAY,

ALBERT GALLATIN.

Secretary of State.

No. 12.

Extract from Vancouver's "Voyage," vol. 1, page 312.

*

*

*

"As we were rowing, on Friday morning, [June 22, 1792,] for Point * we discovered two vessels at anchor Spanish explorers Grey, preceded Vancouver. under the land. * * These vessels proved to be a detachment from the commission of Señor Melaspina, who was himself employed in the Philippine Islands; that Señor Melaspina had, the preceding year, visited the coast; and that these vessels, His Cath*olic Majesty's brig the Sutil, under the command of Señor Don D. Galiano, with the schooner Mexicana, commanded by Señor Don

[14]

C. Valdes, both captains of frigates in the Spanish navy, had sailed from Acapulco on the 8th of March, in order to prosecute discoveries on this coast. Señor Galiano, who spoke a little English, informed me that they had arrived at Nootka on the 11th of April, from whence they had sailed on the 5th of this month, in order to complete the examination of this inlet, which had, in the preceding year, been partly surveyed by some Spanish officers whose chart they produced.

"I cannot avoid acknowledging that, on this occasion, I experienced no small degree of mortification in finding the external shores of the gulph had been visited and already examined a few miles beyond where my researches during the excursion had extended."

*

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*

No. 13.

*

Mr. Everett to Mr. Webster.

*

*

LONDON, October 19, 1842.

*

*

*

SIR: Lord Aberdeen, in the conference which ensued after the exchange of the ratifications, observed that his only subject of regret in Lord Aberdeen connection with the treaty was, that the boundary between wishes to settle the the two countries on the Pacific Ocean had not been provided for; and expressed a strong wish that I might receive instructions on that subject.

*

DANIEL WEBSTER, Esq.,

*

*

*

Oregon boundary.

*

EDWARD EVERETT.

*

Secretary of State.

On arriving at the Foreign Office I was told that Lord Aberdeen wished to see me, and was conducted to his room. He informed Lord Aberdeen me that he wished to read me a copy of a despatch which wishes to negotiate he had addressed to Mr. Fox, directing him to make known without delay. to the President the strong desire of Her Majesty's government to engage, without delay, in a negotiation for the settlement of the boundary between the two countries on the Pacific Ocean, and his wish that instructions should be sent to me for that purpose. * In the conversation which ensued, he dwelt with great earnestness on the danger to the good understanding between the two countries so happily established by the treaty of Washington, to be apprehended from leav ing this question in its present unsettled state.

DEAR SIR:

be best carried on at

When Lord Aberdeen spoke of instructing Mr. Fox on the Oregon quesMr. Everett thinks tion, he added an expression of his regret that the negotiathe negotiation can tion should fall into his hands. He has on many occasions Washington. expressed a wish that I should be charged with the negotiation. Could I hope to bring it to a successful issue, it would of course be very agreeable; but it seems to me out of the question to carry on such a negotiation anywhere but at Washington.

are

Full powers sent to Mr. Everett

Washington, October 9, 1843.

SIR: The President directs that you take an early occasion to bring again to the attention of Her Majesty's government the to negotiate on the subject of the claims of the two countries respectively to Oregon boundary. the territory west of the Rocky Mountains. The difficulties which the conflicting claims of Russia to a portion of this territory have heretofore interposed, are now happily removed by the treaty of April, 1824, which defines the limits within which that power engages to restrict its settlement; so that the questions now to be settled rest exclusively between Great Britain and the United States.

*

*

*

The offer of the forty-ninth parallel of latitude, although it has once been rejected, may be again tendered, together with the right of navigating the Columbia upon equitable terms. Beyond this the President is not now prepared to go.

*

*

*

*

*

You will receive herewith the necessary powers to negotiate upon the subject. If, however, the British government prefers that the negotiation shall be conducted in Washington, that arrangement will be perfectly agreeable to the President.

EDWARD EVERETT, Esq.

A. P. UPSHUR.

No. 17.

The negotiation

Mr. Everett to Mr. Upshur.

[Confidential.]

LONDON, November 2, 1843.

SIR: By the steamer of the 16th October, I had the honor to receive your despatch No. 62, inclosing a full power from the Prestransferred to Wash ident to treat with this government for the adjustment of the Oregon boundary, and containing your instructions on that subject. I lost no time in applying for an interview with Lord Aber

ington.