THE WEST SHORE. 21
the river. With such undeniable rights and equities As the ten year period of joint occupation drow
on both sides, a complete surrender by either was near to its close, new commissioners were appointed
impossible, and after a full discussion, a treaty of and the wholo subject was again opened. Tho claims
joint occupation for ten years was agreed upon, by of the United States, as previously outlined, were
which nominal possession of Astoria should be given again urged, and the projwsition was made to divide
to the United States, but actual possession and own- on the fifty-first parallel, Great Britain taking all
ership should remain in the Northwest Company, an north of that to fifty-four-forty. Great Britain do.
English corporation. clined to acknowledge tho claims as set forth, and
Iu 1819 the United States government added the urged substantially tho same claims as in tho prevU
Spanish title to its claims by the Florida purchase, ous discussion. After a number of communications
which also included all Spanish claims north of the had passed, the English commissioners proved that
forty-second parallel. During the ten year period the boundary line follow tho forty-ninth parallel west
the question was spasmodically discussed in congress, until it struck tho Columbia, and then the mainchan
and much correspondence on the subject passed bo- nel of that stream until it reached tho ocean, naviga
tween the two governments. The United States urged tion of the river to bo open and fro? to tho subjects of
its Spanish title as its right by original discovery, both governments. As a counter projKuition, tho
also that the mouth of the Columbia river was hers American representative ( ffered tho forty-ninth par.
by dual right of discovery and settlement; and, there- allel to the ocean. Tho difference was that in tho lat
fore, following the general rule which had bnen ob- ter case all of Washington Territory west of tho Col
served by European nations in colonizing America, umbia and the southern portion of Vancouver island
all the country tributary to the river and its conflu- would belong to tho United States, and in tho former
ents was also subject to her dominion. As the Col- to England. Neither projwsition win accepted, and
umbia sweeps northward to the fifty-third parallel, it negotiations were closed, but in 182(5 wero again re
was urged that, by this title alone, the government opened, when another commissioner was sent to Lon
had indisputable right to the whole region lying bo- don. England again offered tho lino of tho forty,
tween the forty-second and fifty-third parallels. In ninth parallel and tho Columbia river, with a sop iu
1820 the Czw of Russia issued an imperial ukase, by the shape of a slice of Washington south of Gray's
which exclusive title was asserted on tho coast from harbor and Hood's canal thrown in. The American
the Arctic ocean as far south as the fifty-first parallel, proposition was tho samo as before, with freo naviga.
based upon original discovery and undisputed occu- tion to tho sen from all branches of tho Columbia ly.
pation for upwards of fifty years. Both England and ing north of that line. Tho claims of titlo wcro sub
the United States formally protested, and separate atantially tho samo as before , cicept that tho United
negotiations by both governments were carried on States added that of "contiguity," claiming that Ike
with Russia, resulting, finally, in the full acknowl- iwpulous settlements in tho Mississippi valley con.tL
edgement of Russian title as far south as fifty-four tuted a strong claim to tho extension of authority
degrees and forty minutes, which at once became the "over tho contiguous vacant territory, and to tho oe
northern limit of the claim of the United States. An- copation and sovereignty of tho country as fir as tho
other step was the promulgation of tho celebrated Pacific ocean." Tho pioneers who a fow years laH
" Monroe doctrine," In his message to congress Do- toiled warily across tho mile, of plain and mountain
cember 2, 1823, President Monroe said that tho separating tho Mississippi valley from that of ho
"American continents, by tho free and independent Willamette, wero not so forcibly impres.M with ho
position they had assumed, are henceforth not to bo "contiguity" of to two a. was Mr. Gallatin .tho
considered as subject, for colonization by any Euro- American commissioner. To .fft England . claim
pean power." This elicited a formal protest from of settlement and potion by reason of lraser.
both England and Russia. In February, 1821. Gen- po.t and other , . of ho Hudson . Bay Urn any,
eral Jes up submitted to congress a proition to which had a ta ttimo we.t Urn.
establish a chain of post, from Council Bluffs to tho pany, Mr Gal atin den ed that mer fur trading fac
Pacific by which, " at the expiration of tho privilege torie., Wing simply print eotrrprb could U cou;
grT c4 toyBrit L on thowater.of sidend settlement. such a. wero necmary UrM
granieu w unusu j &f Uj region; but by do-
" . ".. n.;,.; io,tlr tfffnJM t "Dmrot, upoD fottmlmj vt A.t-.rl. by IU
our -TT -b -tuh- t, Uoa iwiBc For Cuny. An, ly ibftk Foc of
flu. propo.it.on to for Uy tf j;, ,ul, tWffiB, ft ,.,
the ii.puW tcrntory, ud it tM moo w oo v 0
the future negotiations.