The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-27

sage was deemed tho orerunner Of destruction" This
Company = 20 America precisely what the East India
Company - 70 ASA II has been suffered 10 extend
ts power from Labrador southwcslwsrdy 10 Lake SUI
penor, thence slong the hgas des ssaas of the Mis-
sss,ppi and the Missouri and 90 sweeping around BY
Inc base OF the Rocky Mountains TO the Slave Lake,
anu thence back 10 the extreme northeastern shores OF
the Atlantic. glance at The map will show the vast
extent OF these imperial doinnions tBoacheTs ~.
Dom not |, p. 81 When. by the aid OF the Anglo
American Provinces. Great Britain had sabdued Cana
da, this did not become incorporated with the posscs-
sons Of the Hudson's Bay Company On the contrary,
when the Independence Of the United States gave rise
20 relations in the Northwest. the Hudson's Bay
Company was placed by Britain the footing Of in
dependent Power and in regulating the rights OF mu
tual transit Ia that quarter Jaws Treaty contains this
clause: The country within the limits Of the Hudsons
Bay Company only excepted" That is TO say, when
the territorial commercial right Of the United States
10 be restricted, The Hudsous Bay Company put
forward an independent foreign State SO also H.
when there Is opportunity occasion extend British
rights in competition with ours in dealings with the
Indians il has repeatedly happened where the Of
the Company have at ali times been greatly injurious
to the Uuiled States But the contrary, IL the Unit
ed States any other Power seek to repess the pre-
tensions Of the Company. is longer left by Great
Britain TO stand its bottom as political COM
muni,y but ]. taken under the wing Of the British CO.
vernment. This, indeed, know Is the precise mode
10 which the East India Company has been made the
instrument Of conquering the hundred millions Of Hin
dostan.
Alter the Hadson's Bay Company had for length Of
time loded il in sole supremacy the Indians Of the
extensive region claimed by it. there sprung up com
pe,itor Of lis profitable fur trade n the Northwest Com
pany Of Moalreal. These two companies did not scru-
pie Ia engage Ia continual feuds growing out Of jea-
louses Of trade and mutual complaints Of violated pri
vleges; nay, they actually waged hosities against
the other in the guse Of sovereign states rendering
lafnr n aanIp
and bloodshed. earl Of Ssikirk, Claims, tSe.)
These enpire-coInpsnies, and their traders, trsppers
and agents, have been the Immediate instruments of
much Of that perpetual intermeddlng Of Great Britain
with the Indians Of the United States. which, from IT'S
to tho present day. has ceased be practsed
our injury and the fruits Of which were seen in every
Of the disasters Of the West and Northwest, from
the massacres Of Wyoming aud Cherry Valley aud the
defeats of Hamar and ST. Clair the later enterprises
OF Tecumseh and Black Hawk
This latter company, (,he Northwest Company so
called) il which fandulenty obtained possession
OF Astoria IN 1912, and hoisted the British flag the
Columbia. (I,rmgs Asforia.) It's differences with
the Hadson's Bay Company were at length adjusted;
10 1921 The two companies became one, continuing TO
act under the charter Of the Hudson's Bay Company
and by act of Parliament the Company received
grant OF civil jurisdiction which exercises at all
It's establishments. That is, the Hndsons Bay Com
psny is the medium through which Great Britain exer-
cises exclusive civil Jurisdiction all the territory Of
Oregon in which il is conceded, all hands, right
is least equal hers Nor civil jurisdiction only. Il
is known by the official report Of Mr. Slscum, who re-
Gently visited the territory behalf Of the United States
ha, the Company has, addition number Of minor
factories, one at Vancouver, the Columbia, which is
in all respects military post. though like the sepoys
and other troops Of Hndostan the garrison consists of
the servants Of the Company, not Of officers and
bearing the Queens commission. o. other establish
mcnts OF the Company (Which are in name as in fact
forts.) there known to be Fort Umqua, the Um-
qua; Fort George. Fort NeI Perces, Fort Okanangun,
Fort Colvlle and Kooante fort, besides Fort Vancou-
yer. the Columbia, or its branches; and Fon Mas
qually, south Of the strait Of Juan de Fuca.
The Committee will have occasion to submit 10 the
House sdditiona information on these points. when
they dispose Of that part of their instructions which re-
ers the statistical condition and political value OF The
country Of Oregon. II is sufficient for the immediate
purpose to have demonstrated that the plan Of the
British put end 10 American enterprise in the val
ley Of the Columbia has succeeded.
Still, this object has been accomplished under tho
shelter Of convention, which provides that the country
Of Oregon together with its harbors bays and creeks.
and the navigation Of all rivers within the same. shall.
for the time being. be free and open the vessels cti
and subjects Of The two powers and which thus
Processes to give equal present advantages to the people
Of each nation and PREJUDICE the ultimate rights Of
neither But the practical effect Of the convention is
the reverse, in that nearly all III. present advantages
enjoyed BY England, and the ultimate rights Of the
CUiteu Ctdtes sic scIlousiy cnuhngcfeu.
This arises from the peculiar organization Of the Hud
sons Bay Company. which in fact rules over the
whole country, aud has exclusive Of its trade,
Just as completely the East India Company in Hin
dostan at the period Of its early conquests there when it
was close corporation and Independent Of the control
of the Kings ministers Individual traders and ordi-
nary commercial companies cannot stand against it.
They cannot compete in resources with this great en-
plre-corporaon Besides which, powerful incorpo-
rated company like this, having exclusive privileges Of
trade by charter, and those privileges conveying terrific
ry as appurtenant to trade-a monster and anomaly
in its nature as il s-such company is in itself to all
intents and purposes territorial government Il has
all the civil and all the military machinery Of govern
ment. Nay, The act Of Parliament already re-
ferred to, gives to the courts Of Upper Canada the
same civil jurisdiction in all respects, within the parts
| OF America not within the limits of Lower or Upper
Canada nor Of any civil government Of the United
States, as they have within the limits OF Upper Canada
England may appoint justices Of peace or constitute
other interior courts in those parts There is pro-
vision IN the act to except citizens Of the United States
or country clsmed by the United States, from this
jurisdiction And these provisions precisely appli-
cable 10 the country beyond the Rocky Mountains, and
TO that only and there is ether part Of America
which they do apply This. indeed, is well understood
BY American citizens Of Oregon to be the fact the
Committee has been expressly informed. So that The
Hndsohs bay Company not only nonopozes the
trade Of Oregon but may control the inhabitants, and
even send them to Upper Canada to he tried for imputed
offences.
The privileges Of the Hudsons Bay Company operate
inurously in another respect Experience has shown
the necessity Of military posts among the Indans The
Company accordingly has its great post and its lesser
forts, all Of them British military posts in fact but with
the peculiarly that its Gag being the Queens Hag
the Government is enabled pursue the dlslngenuous
course OF claiming rights and territory of acts
performed by it, while in the breath dsavoa ing
all government responsibility for those acts But the
United States has military post there. II has no
gigantic company, like that of Hudsons Bay to be put
forward to act the ambiguous and insiduoi,s part OF
government or Of private individuals, the policy Of
state may render most convenient. If 1t establishes
post, il do openly and above board, 10 its own
name But this Great Britain objects to. that still,
the monopoly Of trade and Of civil aud military power