_WASHINGTON, December 23, 1837_.
The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:
The Secretary of State, to whom has been referred the resolution of the
House of Representatives of the 9th of October last, requesting the
President to communicate to that House "at its next session, so far as
in his judgment is consistent with the public interest, whether any
foreign power, or the subjects of any foreign power, have possession of
any portion of the territory of the United States on the Columbia River,
or are in the occupancy of the same, and, if so, in what way, by what
authority, and how long such possession or occupancy has been kept by
such persons," has the honor to report to the President that a trading
establishment called "Astoria" was founded at the mouth of the Columbia
River about the year 1811 by J.J. Astor, of New York; that his interest
was sold to the British Northwest Company during the late war between
the United States and Great Britain; that this company held it, and were
left in possession at the time the country was formally delivered to the
American commissioners, and that this company afterwards united with and
became a part of the Hudson Bay Company under that name, which company,
it is believed, have from the period of such union occupied the post in
question, now commonly called "Fort George." The Hudson Bay Company have
also several depots situated on water courses in the interior of the
country. The principal one is at Fort Vancouver, on the northern bank of
the Columbia River, about 80 or 100 miles from its mouth. It is known by
information recently obtained that the English company have a steamboat
on this river, and that they have erected a sawmill and are cutting
timber on the territory claimed by the United States, and are shipping
it in considerable quantities to the Sandwich Islands.
The original occupation was under the authority of the purchase of J.J.
Astor's interest, and it has been continued under the provisions of the
conventions of 1818 and 1827 with Great Britain. By the third article
of the first of these conventions it is stipulated that the territory
claimed by either power westward of the Rocky Mountains shall be free
and open for a term of years to the citizens and subjects of both. By
the second convention this stipulation is extended and continued in
force indefinitely, liable, however, to be annulled at any time after
the 20th of October, 1828, at the will of either party, on due notice
of twelve months.
Respectfully submitted,