Page:History of Oregon volume 1.djvu/632

Rh cessors, who had offered to adjust the boundary on the 49th parallel, two of them also offering the free navigation of the Columbia; and a proposition had accordingly been made, repeating the offer of the 49th parallel, but withdrawing the free navigation of the Columbia; and which in its turn had been indignantly rejected by the British plenipotentiary. He was now of opinion that the year's notice required by the convention of 1827 should be given, and the treaty of joint occupancy terminated, before which neither government could rightfully assert or exercise exclusive jurisdiction over any portion of the territory.

In the mean time he recommended such legislation by congress as would be proper under the existing treaty, and considered it beyond question that the protection of the United States laws and jurisdiction ought immediately to be extended over Americans in Oregon, who had just cause to complain of long neglect, and who had been driven to organize a government for themselves. The extent to which jurisdiction might be extended over the territory should be in full as far as the British government had gone in the act of parliament of July 2, 1821, by which the courts of Upper Canada were empowered to take cognizance of civil and criminal cases, and to appoint justices of the peace and other political officers in Oregon. He also recommended that the laws of the United States regulating trade and intercourse with the natives east of the Rocky Mountains should be extended over the tribes west of the mountains; that a suitable number of military posts should be established on the route to Oregon, to give protection to emigrants; that an overland mail, as often as once a month, should also be established; and in addition to these proposed measures, congress should be prepared,