Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/54

 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE

46

proposal until the question of title was settled, and as to that, the United States had a clear title to all the area drained by the Columbia and considered itself the party in possession until

Thereupon Pakenham dequestion should be settled. clared he did not feel authorized to enter into a discussion this

of the territory north of 49, which was understood by his government to be the basis of negotiations on the American side as the Columbia River was for the British. Here, on the twentieth of September, the negotiation stood, and here they remained for some weeks.

Meanwhile the

campaign was being waged and in Oregon was made the leading issue;

election

the West, especially,

consequently everything pointed to a renewal of Congressional agitation in December. In view of this situation Lord Aber-

deen

felt

that there

States (would)

could be

little

hope that the "United

relax their pretensions, and meet us in any

scheme which we could safely and honorably adopt. Under these circumstances and taking into consideration the state of excitement so prevalent in the United States on this subject,

by which the free action of the government

fettered,

sirable

if

not altogether paralyzed, to have recourse

...

I

think

...

to

it

is

will

greatly be de-

arbitration." 28

No opportunity, however, offered itself to Pakenham before the middle of January to carry these latest instructions into Calhoun that there were papers still under consideration, and in view of the impatience manifested in the United States, Her Majesty's Government had authorized him to propose arbitration as the fairest mode of settlement and suggested an interchange of notes on the This suggestion was promptly rejected although subject. effect.

At

that time he reminded

Calhoun expressed the hope that the problem might

still

be

solved by negotiation. Pakenham thought that, although the proposal had not been accepted, no harm had been done and 29 perhaps it had even accomplished some good. Across the ocean Everett had been continuing his efforts

&

F. St. Papers, 34:86. a8 Aberdeen to Pakenham, i Nov., 1844, Br. 29 Pakenham to Aberdeen, 29 Jan., 1845. Ibid., 88.