Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/209

 FEDERAL RELATIONS OF OREGON 197 government, instituted by Lord Castlereagh and definitely formulated by George Canning, to let the question rest as it was so long as the situation did not jeopardize British in- terests upon the Northwest Coast, although there was always a perfect willingness to discuss the issue whenever the govern- ment of the United States so desired. Adequately to review the situation as between the United States and Great Britain in 1823-4, it is necessary to recur to an incident taking place in January of 1821. Stratford Canning, then minister from Great Britain, sat, as he frequently did for he found the social life of the American capital very tedious and to be relieved by any kind of diversion in the diplomatic gallery of the House of Representatives, and from there heard some portion of the debate on the proposition to form an establishment on the South Sea. Soon after he saw the account of the debate in the National Intelligencer together with some editorial comment not hostile to the project. Since the Intelligencer was considered the official organ of the Administration, Canning was disturbed. He sought an in- terview with the Secretary of State not, as was his custom, to talk over informally the topic which brought him to the executive offices, but for "official conversation." In the course of a long interview 22 he protested that the Convention of 1818 prevented any such action as that which appeared to be contemplated by the, United States; he recalled the episode of the Ontario and the surrender of Astoria, and said that the action of the United States as reported by Bagot had not been looked upon by the British government as a laughing matter. Adams explained to him that such was the relation between the executive and the legislative under the Constitution of the United States that the former was not held accountable for discussions which might take place in Congress, although, 22 Adams reports at length the conversation in his Memoirs, V 241-0 and fthe nd interview) 249-59. In A" :1 ' Tu:J - *-* "-- - ? the conversation to paper i
 * red it in his Diary. He en<

he conversation) will certain prepared. Let me remember it.'