Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-10-22
From the National Journal.


an advanced post nine Upper Missouri,
with view 10 check the progress OF the
Brush Fur Agents IN their encroach.
ments on our Territory, and TO acquire
more Oh that lucrative Commerce INTO
our own hands, will be read with much
interest. Ii was the opinion OF the BrI-
fish North West Company that the most
valuable furs were 10 be obtained IN those
| sterile tracts oil country which lie IN The
vicinity OF Lake Winnipeg, where the
rocky and swampy districts are tavo,a-
o!e 10 The beaver, but unpropitlous 10
the multiplication OF the larger game.
In this tract Is to be found tue terrnory
OF The Assinlboln Indians, hue south
waru OF which lie the American line, and
the White Earth River, we believe the
only nasiBabie stream which runs from
the BRUSH territory toto tina, oi the Unl,--
ed D ates, aud which runs mo the Ms
souri,, al the very bend wnere The Sc
cretary OF War has ordered Athe esla-
oishment OF the new post. From tnIs
county the North West Company were
always most anXioua 10 exclude all com
petIlors, as we hnd ii stated IN The Earl
" Seikrk's Snetch OF The BRUSH Fur
| Trade, VINO goes on further 10 s,ale---
! - II any Que vi these Indians venture 10
sell a beaver SKIN TO trader who Is not
OF the North West Company, II is a
crime lor which he Is sure 10 experience
The seyerest vengeance" OF Tie yaiue
H.. Hun =, 4
merly spoken; and we rejoice 10 find,
from The letter Oh Mr.. Benton, thai tue
vast dispropornon whch has hitherto
existed between that and the value oil
our Fur Trade, Is beginning senslb!y to
dimlnlsl. We have SO unreseryGd
confidence lar the activity and enterprise
OF our own citlzens, tnat In the abscDce
OF impedlmeHts which are really insur-
mouni able, We have no doubt they will
succeed IN turning the current OF ,bat
trade, which has hitherto run to the
north east, into our naive channels
and, IN eticclng this most desirable
! change, it gives Us sincere satisfaction 10
see the General Government SO ready
to lend rs powerful assistance.
ST. LOUIS, APRIL 90, 1925.
DEAR SIR: The expedition ior the
Upper Missouri Is expected to leave
Council i}mlfs ao1ut this tine. Inc
treaties which will be formed with the
Indians, and the imposing appearance oil
500 we'll appointed men, will doubtless
nave good etfectupop the STATE Of the iur
trade; but nothing short OF The complete
execution of the plan OF the iae admln!s-
trs,ion can give TO that important inter
est the protection which it demands. A
permanent post at or beyond the NJ an
dan villages, 10 serve as a foiNt d'aHhui
to our traders, can alone enable our cl-
tizens to expel the Brush from the Up
per Missouri, TO recover the rich fur
trade OF the Rocky Mountains, and to
maintain their own position 10 that re-
mote region. Il is my intention to re-
new my exeriions, at the next session oil
congress, 10 obtain the establishment oil
this pos, and, | fatter myself, with bet
ter success than heretofore, inasmuch
as that stumbling, block, yciept seq
hensc," which was go, out Of Inc old Vel
low Stone expedition, can no longer be
thrown into my path. The present ex-
pedi,ion has removed it forever. The
cost of the whole movement, including
the purchase Of ten or dozen boats,
which can be sold hereafter, and REIN.
burse part OF the expense, will not ex-
coed the extra appropriation of s 10 900.
being $4,000 less than the estimate o!
the Quarter Master General JEssUF,
which itself was SO low that several gen
tlemen thought ii was take in. Even
if the expenditure of that sum has to BE-
repeated, the amount will be too incon-
siderable to furnish reasonable objec-
ton to national enterprise; still il
would be Of some avail ia the argument
to say, =" zue want no money, the troohs
are there - and TO be able to say this, a
par, of General Akinson's command
mnst be left above during the ensuing
winter. have to propose to you there
fore, to obtain the Presidents consent to
this arrangement, for your wishes are
well known to ne) dependent OF course,
upon the Generals opinion of his own
capabilly to provide for the subsistence
and the safety Of his men; points upon
which have no doubt, but of which the
officer commanding on the spot can be
the only proper Judge. Even If Con-
gress should refuse to make the post
permanent, we should still derive some
advantage from the stay OF the troops
during the winter, as the longer the visit