HC Deb 10 August 1843 vol 71 cc492-3
Mr. Sheil

wished to ask the right hon. Baronet whether any proposition had been made as to the settlement of the Oregon territory question by the United States? He wished to know if there had been any official correspondence on the subject, and if there had been, he desired to be informed whether it would be laid on the Table of the House now, or in a future Session?

Sir Robert Peel

replied, that he was not in a position to lay the correspondence on the Table of the House; but he was prepared to state how the Oregon territory question stood. The right hon. Gentleman might recollect that in the message of the President, which had been delivered, he thought, on the 6th of December last year, a reference was made to the question of the Oregon territory. The President then felt that it would be very desirable to have, if it were possible, this matter adjusted in the treaty, which was then concluded by Lord Ashburton. The President, however, said— It became manifest at an early hour of the late negotiations, that any attempt for the time being satisfactorily to determine those rights, would lead to a protracted discussion, which might embrace in its failure other more pressing matters, and the executive did not regard it as proper to waive all the advantages of an honourable adjustment of other difficulties of great magnitude and importance, because this, not so immediately pressing, stood in the way. Although the difficulty referred to may not, for several years to come, involve the peace of the two countries, yet I shall not deny to urge upon Great Britain the importance of its early settlement. A communication had been received by the British Government from the American Secretary of State. The American government concurred with our Majesty's Government, in thinking that it would be advisable to enter into immediate negotiations on the subject. Since that communication Mr. Webster had retired from office, but there was no reason to suppose that a communication would not soon be made, containing some proposal to her Majesty's Government, and they had every expectation, from the disposition manifested, that it would be of a friendly nature.