Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 19.djvu/127

FEDERAL RELATIONS OF OREGON 115 furthermore, about half the members of Congress were seeking monopoly privileges for trading with the Indians "who occupy the vast region extending west to the Pacific Ocean." Such a monopoly would not be subject to the objections obtaining against similar organizations in settled communities and only by some such scheme could American citizens hope to com- pete with the British North- West Company and push their trade to the Pacific, aided by the natural geographic ad- vantages of the western territories. Nothing came of the report, and it is only interesting as throwing light on Calhoun's views of the western situation. The same session, however, saw the real beginning of Dr. Floyd's long campaign on Oregon in the introduction (19 December, 1820) of a resolution calling for a special com- mittee to inquire into the "situation of the settlements upon the Pacific Ocean, and the expediency of occupying the Co- lumbia." 8 Floyd was made chairman of the committee which was authorized, and for it reported to the House on the 25th of January, 1821. This report contained a long and detailed account of the claims of the United States, placing especial emphasis upon those so recently derived from the treaty with Spain, and adducing the Louisiana Purchase to support Amer- ican discoveries and settlements.^ The report concluded that the most modest pretensions of the United States would carry the title to 53 N. Lat. The value of the fur trade, which the North- West Company was monopolizing, was emphasized while other natural resources in timber, fish and a fertile soil were pictured in attractive terms. Accomipanying the report was a bill dealing with two matters, occupation of the Columbia and trade with the Indians. For the first the President was to be authorized and required to occupy the territory of the United States "on the waters 8 Hist, of Cong., i6th Cong, ad Ses., 679. 9 In all the discussions from this time the claims of th United States were based upon (i) Gray's discovery of the Columbia; (2) the Louisiana Purchase; (3) Lewis and Clark Expedition; (4) Astoria establishment; and (5) the Spanish treaty of 1819.