Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 22.djvu/177



LAST PHASE OF OREGON BOUNDARY 167

When on October 20, 1818, 1 the line of the forty-ninth parallel from the Lakes of the Woods to the Rocky Moun- tains was agreed on, the difficulties in the way of a decision as to the Oregon country were too great, and the settlement was postponed by arranging for a joint occupation for ten years, without prejudice to the claims of either party. On the face of it this seemed to be quite fair to all interests, but in reality it greatly favored the Hudson's Bay Company, which soon was well established in the region ; it was in fact the greatest human economic factor. The agreement was renewed in 1828, but the necessity for some permanent form of government was becoming more and more acute, mainly on account of the in- creasing population of American settlers.

The sentiment in favor of the claim of the United States to the whole of the territory was so strong that in May, 1844, the Democratic Convention gave it a place in their party plat- form, declaring that the title of the United States to the whole of Oregon was "clear and unquestionable" and that "no part of the same ought to be ceded to England, or to any other power." During the election the issue was summed up in a phrase which has more alliteration than sound judgment "Fifty- four Forty or Fight !" President Polk adhered to the claim in his inaugural address, but the attitude of the admin- istration soon modified, for on July 12, 1845, James Buchanan, Secretary of State in Polk's cabinet, suggested the forty-ninth parallel, and offered to make free to Great Britain such ports on Vancouver Island south of that line as she might desire. 2 Pakenham, the British Minister at Washington, refused this, but in so doing misunderstood the sentiment of his govern- ment. London was favorable but by the time this news reached Washington the administration was not prepared to renew the offer. A British offer of arbitration made in December of the same year was refused by Buchanan. Then quite suddenly the way opened. As the result of suggestions emanating from Buchanan in February, 1846, and of the ready response in

1 For the diplomatic aspects of this whole question sc John Bansett Moore: History and Digest of International Arbitrations, Vol. I.

2 Sen. Ex. Doc. 1, 29th Cong., lit Sess. (Quoted by Moore.)