| Show it the S F 11 N t 1 7 later f horn jonii Britis li columbia C 0 Inan bia by the arri arm al of the steamer forwood we it have ave ettes front from victoria Vict orid V J lp to the lust the news ii s from the seat of wai wall on or I 1 san juan island besent every thing aulet 1 we vt e extract from tire the gazette REPLY OF GOV DOUGLASS 10 oett GEN HARNEY government HOUSE victoria Vanci lv vers es island 13 ill august brigadier gen win fa list hainey ney conman con manding d the troops in the department of oregon bin on the evening of the irth dinst I 1 had the honor of receiving your dispatch dated daled lort fort vancouver aug ag uth oth 1839 in reply thereto 1 must thank you for fort le e flank and stra straight igli tor forward ard manner ln in which ach you con muni cate to me your ur reasons for occupying the island of degn san juan in in the hato archipelago with nith a portion of the military forces of the united states under 3 our command I 1 am glad to find that you have done so under tinder your our general instructions from the president of the united sates as military C commander of the department Depart mert of ore oreon oregon on arid and not by direct authority emanating from the cabinet at washington ya you u state that the reasons which ch induced v vou ou to take that course are the insults and I 1 indignities which the british authorities of vers island and the establishment of the hudsons Hud sons bay company have recently offered to american citizens residing on i hie island of san juan by sending a brit ish ship of war nar from berls island to convey the chief factors r icdora of the hudsons Hud sons bay company to sanjuan for of se seizing 17 ing an american citizen and forcibly transporting him to vers island to be tried by v british laws las 11 I 1 will gift explain for your our information that the agents of the loe hudsons Hud sons bay company hold no official position in in vanc ers island nor exercise any official power or authority antho tho rity and are as entirely distinct from the officers of the executive government as are any of the inhabitants of vers island to the reported outrages on an american citizen I 1 be beg to give the most unhesitating and u unqualified u a if f il denial aone of her bajes tys ships 1 have a ve ever been en se sent tit to convey the chief fai rector factor or a any y officer ir of or the hudsons Hud sons bay y CP company t to 0 S san it juan for the purpose pose or of seizing an A american in e rc a citizen ti zen n nor or purpose Eur has as any attempt ever been made to seize aidy ai y american citizen and to transport him forcibly 1 to vers for trial as represented by you up to a very recent period but one american lea c citizen has been resident on san juan about the commence commencement tit of the present year a few american Ame ritan citizens began to 11 a suat just 21 upon the island and upon pon one occasion a ollai om lai u was made ad e 1111 me file by bj a british subject ua of some for committed against his property by an american citizen but no attention t was waa paid to that complaint compla lut out of consideration and respect to the friendly government Covern ment to the alleged offender bei be i longed and whose I 1 think it can uw not e denind have bavi alnas been treated with marled maike marl ed tt attention by all I 1 lie he Br british illish authorities in these parts with wilh reference to san juan in particular I 1 thie baie always alays acted with the utmost caution to prevent so far as might be in in my po power iny ill feelings arising from collisions between british subjects and Ameri american eRn citizens arid and have in that respect cordi cordially alIV endeavored to carry out the views of tire the united states government as ex presa d in in a dispatch front mr air ala clarc Jl arc rcy dated daled july to lo her Maje minister ister at washington a copy of which I 1 herewith enclose for your oration as I 1 presume that the document cannot be in in your I 1 possession po ion Fol following loing the dignified policy recommended by the dispatch I 1 should in n any well grounded case case of complaint against an american lea n citizen have referred the matter to the federal authorities in I 1 n washington territory well assured that it if wrong had been committed reparation m would have folio followed A ed I I 1 deeply regret that youdia you did not common cate with me for information on upon the sub subi i eject lect of the alleged grievance you would then I 1 have learned tiow how unfounded was the complaint and tbt he grave action you have adopt e 1 binig might have I 1 ve been avoided I 1 also balso deeply regret that at you did not mention the matter v verbally vei ally bally to me when I 1 had the pleasure of seeing you at victoria last month tor for a few words from froin me would I 1 am sure have moved from your mind aay aai erroneous im pres and you would have ascertained personally from me how anxious I 1 hare ever been en to to cooperate co operate to the utmost of my power w with it the officers of the united states gov j eminent in in any measure which m might I 1 ht be mutually beneficial to the citizens c of f tte the two boutries cou tries having given you a distinct and emphatic i denial of the circumstances which you allege ae ge induced you to occupy the island of san ju juan n with united states troops having shown you that the reasons you ass agn do not exist arid and having endeavored to assure you ou of my readiness on all occasions to act for t the e protection of american citizens and for the tit e promotion of their welfare elfare Vt I 1 must call upon you sir if not as a matter of right at least as a matter of justice and humanity to withdraw the troops now quartered upon the island of san juan for those troops are not required for the protection of american citizens against british authorities and their continuance upon an hiland the sovereignty of which is in dispute not only is a a marked discourtesy to a friendly government but complicates to an unusual degree the settlement in an amicable manner R to of the question of sovereignty and 1 is also S iso calculated to provoke a collision between the military forces ottlo friendly nations in in a distant part of the world I 1 have the honor to be sir Yourl most obedient servant JAMES DOUGLASS the following was brought by the steamer from victoria wa iva find it in the be sacramento standard dard the force of the else united units tz states on san juan island I 1 ow consists of five companies of infantry air ami four of artillery A co company m of sappers and miners were mere on th the e v way fly there under an american engineer for the purpose of erecting a line of earthworms earthworks earlyw earth arks works besides the field guns gum belonging to the artil iry ler companies compani eol three guns had been landed from the massachusetts arid and placed in position commanding san juan harbor all is quiet however governor douglass seems determined to resort to hostile measures forthwith but admiral baynes of the british pacific S aad ton ron slid and col moody of the british army recommends a conciliatory settlement arid and to await a via it advices advises from the government it ap appears ears that gov douglass backed by chofen the ill e Coie nial lal legislative assembly issued or 01 der del a for the bombardment of tte tle island and admiral baynes refused to carry the order into effect A council of war was held at the government house victoria or on the dinst to take into consideration the renewed offer offense lse offered 0 by the americans in fortifying sari san J juan uan the council was composed of gov douglass douglas admiral baynes col moody judge bagbie and capt decourcy prevost and henry of the english squadron Siu adron explanations from the U S officers were strongly insisted upon by several members of the council but the war party failed in the effort to convince admiral haynes of the propriety of their course it is said sad general harney will call on the governor of washingto i territory lern lory for volunteers un as he has refused joint occupancy gen harney h has a a addres addressed ed the fol following loing letter to gov douglass department OF OREGON rort FORT VANCOUVER AUG 6 S his excellency janice james do douglas anglas nglas C B cover enior of fran Vait coliver couver island V ice dwinal oi of me he samel alne SIR I 1 have tb elionor to in you of the receipt of an official copy of a protest made by you to the occupation occupation of san just island in fillet son oil 1 d I by y a company of united states mates troops under my command this aforesaid copy was furnished by capt hornby b V 1 of her Maje styls ship to the elie united cited states spates officer in it command at san juan island capt george Pick pickett etl or of the lie ant ninth infantry ot of the american army together with ill a communication threatening a joint occupation 0 c c pupation of the sari san juan island by the f forces 0 r c es of her Maje ships tribune plumper and satellite Sat elite row now in in the harbor of t that list island by your orders as the military commander omma rider of the ibe department of oregon assigned to that command by the orders of the president of the united states I 1 have the honor to state for 3 our information that by such authority auth only invested in mine me I 1 placed a military command upon the island of san juan to protect the american citi citizens ens residing reding SI on that island from the and indignities in the british Britis li authorities of vancouver island arid and the establishment or of the hudson lay company have recently itly offered themay sending a british shi ship war front vancouver island to convey tre alie chief factor of the hudson bay company to san juan for the he art an american ameria a citizen and fortify him to vancouver Vv er island to belli led by british laws law s I 1 line reported this attempted outrage to my government and they will doubtless seek alie I 1 is proper redress from the british govern goi eminent in fit the meantime I 1 have the lonor honor to 1 your excellency excellent that I 1 shall not per nit anit axe petition of that insulting insul tind ind shall retain a on sari san juan island to protect it its citizens 1 ti zeris in file united staffs un uni i til ill I 1 receive further orders from my government et I 1 have haie tire the honor to be very your obedient servant sp W S HARNEY brigadier general USA |
