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 390

LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE

ability to

manage

their

own

affairs

was no more than

their

just due.

Of

international problems connected with Oregon, besides from the possessory rights of the British Com-

that arising

remained in 1859 the matter of marking Although President Polk had refrained from pressing this matter, events soon demonstrated that it would have been a wise act on the part of Congress to have immediately made appropriations and given authority whereby a commission for the United States could act with a similar panies, there the boundary.

still

body for Great Britain to settle definitively the line indicated by the treaty. In his first Annual Message (December, 1851) President Fillmore called to the attention of Congress the Government to take this step, and he

desire of the British

recommended an appropriation. 17

Nothing was done, how-

ever; and subsequent reminders proved as fruitless. President Pierce, in his second Annual Message, 18

said,

"There is a difference of opinion between the United States and Great Britain as to the boundary line of the Territory of Washington adjoining the British possessions on the Pacific, which has already led to difficulties on the part of the citizens and local authorities of the two governments." This difficulty arose over the question of the San Juan Islands; the British government contended that the main channel of the Strait of Juan de Fuca was east of the islands, while the United States Local disturbances took place both it was west. over possession and jurisdiction. 19 No action was taken to end the controversy, which was allowed to become more acute until it required, in 1871-2, a court of arbitration to decide insisted that

Had that the disputed land was American and not British. the line been run before 1850 it is probable that no contest would have arisen and great expense as well international friction would have been avoided. 1

7

as considerable

Richardson, Messages, V, 119.

q See report of Secretary of the Interior, Sen. Ex. Doc. No. i, 33d Cong., 2d (1854); Sen. Rep. No. 251 34th ist; H. Ex. Doc. No. 77, 36th ist. The whole matter is discussed in all its phases in the papers presented to the Emperor William, 3d. 1872, H. Ex. Doc. No. i, i

4d