Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/120

108 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE struggle" with de Neuville as go-between Onis agreed to the line as laid down by the treaty which he signed on the 22nd of February, 1819, having agreed not only to 42 as the north- ern boundary of Mexico, but also to the proposition that the west bank of all streams should be taken as the boundary of the United States. 26 Furthermore, the article contained a renunciation of all rights and pretensions as affecting the Northwest Territory in these words : "... The two high contracting parties agree to cede and renounce all their rights, claims, and pretensions, to the territories described by the said line; that is to say: The United States hereby cede to his Catholic Majestey, and re- nounce forever, all their rights, claims, and pretensions, to the territories lying west and south of the above described line; and, in like manner, his Catholic Majesty cedes to the United States hereby cede to his Catholic Majesty, and re- tories east and north of the said line, and for himself, his heirs, and successors, renounces all claim to the said territories for- ever." With the conclusion and ratification of this treaty there was formed a new basis of claim on the part of the United States to the Oregon Territory, for, according to the arguments brought forward in all subsequent negotiations with Great Brtain, whatever claims Spain had possessed now belonged to the United States. It was obvious also that no American statesman or diplomat would minimize the importance of the work of early Spanish explorers, however slightly it might have been estimated by Adams for the benefit of Senor Onis. Of the possible claimants to the territory lying west of the Stony or Rocky Mountains upon the Pacific Ocean and north 26 Statt Papers, No. 103, 7, i6th Cong, ad Ses., Art. Ill contains this descrip- tion of the boundary: "On the Gulf of Mexico, at the mouth of the river Sabine, in the sea, continuing north, along the western bank of that river, to the 3 ad degree of latitude; thence bv a line due north, to the degree of latitude where it strikes the Rio Roxo of Natchitoches, or Red River; then, following the course of the Rio Roxo westward, to the degree of longitude 100 west from Lon- don, and 23 from Washington; then crossing the said Red River, and running thence, following the course of the southern bank of the Arkansas to its source, in latitude 42 north; and thence, by that parallel of latitude to the South Sea."