KATHARINE

328

much about bills

B.

JUDSON

the occupation of the Columbia

had been appearing regularly

Floyd's annual

he went to Mr.

Adams

The reduction of the army was under debate Congress, when a member asked if this was prudent when

about in

it.

the United States were planning a settlement on the Columbia. The bill to occupy the Columbia had been read twice. The

began that "The President of the United States be, and hereby authorized and required to occupy that portion of territory of the United States on the waters of the Columbia " River It gave lands to settlers and prescribed a government. It was H. R. 222, of January 25th, 1821. It was read twice and was to come before the Committee of the Whole

bill

he

is

.

.

.

the day after Canning's letter, that is, January 29th. He enclosed a copy, with a newspaper letter from Mr. Robinson, author of a book on Mexico.

upon Mr. Adams, though knowing Mr. Adams' character," but with conrelations had been "satisfactory and con-

Canning therefore

called

the "peculiarities of fidence, since their

fidential heretofore."

"Mr. Adams replied in the most determined and acrimonious United States did probably mean to make a new settlement on the Columbia, and that they had a perfect right to do so, the territory being their own." Being asked if this answer could be said to come from the tones, that the

Government, "he

replied,

with increased asperity,

in the af-

He

seemed determined to consider my interference respecting the Columbia as offensive and unwarranted." In the course of further conversation, he expressed "an em-

firmative.

repetition of the right the undisputed, indisputable of the United States to the territory of the Columbia right and an utter denial of any right on my part, as British Minister,

phatic

arrangements on Lord remark, Castlereagh's Canning quoted

to interfere with their eventual

that head." in a letter of

February 4th, 1818, to his predecessor, Sir Charles Bagot, that "It is always more easy to come to an arrangement on such subjects little

where the

territory in discussion

cultivated, than

is little known, or where enterprise and industry have led