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 FEDERAL RELATIONS OF OREGON any discreditable

sacrifice of

what they consider

43 their rights,

are willing to agree to reasonable terms of settlement." Under apparently favorable conditions, therefore, did Pakenham undertake the task of settling the Oregon Question when

he arrived in America in 1844.

The

surface of affairs

was

not even ruffled by the inept reference to Oregon in Tyler's Annual Message, where he again seemed to charge to the

The first British government the delay which had occurred. interviews with Upshur, in the latter part of February, added to the good impressions which Pakenham had already reand he could report to his government that the best 21 Furthermore the seed which Everett seemed to prevail. spirit had dropped about the ultimate concessions which might perhaps be expected from the American government appeared to be germinating as shown by some private instructions sent ceived,

Pakenham

after he left England.

22

"Should my apprehensions be verified (i. e. that the United States should refuse to accept the Columbia as a boundary), will endeavor, without committing yourself or your government, to draw from the American negotiator a proposal to make the 49th degree of latitude the boundary, with the proviso that the ports to the south of that parallel to the Columbia inclusive, shall be free ports to Great Britain. The navigation of the Columbia should be common to both; and care should be taken that the 49th degree of latitude, as a boundary, is to extend only to the sea; and not to apply to Vancouver's island."

you

A

what had been done was given Everett who, was he not charged with the negotiation, continued to though what bring pressure he could to bear upon Lord Aberdeen. hint of

He was

told that

Pakenham's instructions had been modified to

allow a great discretion, and from this he drew the conclusion that the British government no longer expected to secure the Columbia and would in the last resort accept 49 and Everett's suggested modification. "They do not, therefore, I imagine, much regret the agitation of the subject in the

&

Pakenham to Aberdeen, 27 Feb., 1844, Br. F. St. Papers, 34; 57-8 22 Aberdeen Papers, cited by Schafer, Am. Hist. Rev., 1911, 296-7. 21