The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1843-04-21

anu return 10 England. nus lney nave
not only spread a net all over Oregon. but
connected the strings which are to spring
il directly with England herself.
The stock of this company is divided
into one hundred shares. The holders
live partly in England and partly in Ame-
RIGA. The stock is not held in perpetuiiy,
and cannot be transferred like other stocks.
The owners have only life estates in them,
which descend by sort of hereditary en-
talment. Chief traders and factors, who
reside in America, are denominated part
ners, and have the entire management of
It's affairs. Each chief factor receives
one eighth Of one share, equal to from
800 to $4,000 a year, Chief traders
draw half that sum. or one-siXteenth.
Every year general council Of the chief
factors and traders is convened at York.
At this council reports are made from all
the stations, which are comprised in dis
tricts, and the best methods concocted for
succeeding operations. The reports are
forwarded to London, lor the inspection Of
stockholders at home.
The laws of this company are most ar
bitrary and ;yranncal, and from them no
appeal can be made. Life and death are
in their hands, us well as liberty and sla-
very. They determine the pay of their
servants, and withhold il at pleasure and
also set the price upon all articles Of con-
sumption, from which there is no devia-
ton; and also upon all articles they pur-
chase of the natives. And what is worse,
the leaders Of companies, and, in fact, any
superior, exercises the privilege Of shoot
ing down every one who disregards their
regulations.
Mr.. Sacum says: "Since 1928, a
party ofiorty or fifty trappcrs (Canadians)
with their women, stores, &c, generally
amounting TO one hundred and fifty or two
hundred persons, and three hundred hor-
SEES, 90 out from Vancouve, towards the
south, as far as 400 north latitude Unto
California, These parties search every
stream, and take every bever-skin they
find, regardless of the destruction Of the
young animals. Excuses, too, are UNI
Questlonably committed by these hunting
parties on the indians /; and every small
American party (save one) that has pas
sed through the same country has met de-
feat and death. The parties being much
smaller than those of the Hudson Bay
Company, the Indians attack them with
success; and Americans hesitate not to
charge the subordinate agents of the Hud-
son Bay Company with instigating the
Indians to attack all parlies.''
Mr.. Kelley says: "Whle was there,
the company surgeon of Vancouver, deli
berately seized an Indian who had been
guilty of some ipdecency, and proceeded
to mu,ilate his person; and, for this wrong,
neither the victim nor his friends dared to
ask for redress, or even 10 make any com
plant"
The men employed by the company are
generally from the Orkney Isles, or half
bloods from Canada. They are engaged
for five years al els or Ell a year.
Clerks are paid more. These men are
required to serve as lrappers, hunters, SOL
ders, and farmers. They are armed and
drilled, and as carefully disciplined as
though they were actually in garrison.
Any INSTRUMENTATION is severely punished,
not unfrequcntly with death. Formerly,
such men as were not re-cngaged, were
sent out Of the country, lest they should
be Of service to the American or Russian
fur traders. Since the company has cal
culaied on permanent occupancy of the
country, they permit them to settle south
Of the Columbia, on pledge Of loyalty,
and occupy lands of their own choosing.
TO encourage them to remain dutilul, they.
strictly insist on the return of all the in
crease, so that they can own none among
themselves. The American colony on
the WiIlamet were, for long time, COM
PEELED to borror cattle Of the company on
the same terms. by this process they
hoped To retain the complete asccndency
over all persons settling in that country.
Lately the Americans have obtained cattle
from California, which have increased
rapidly.
1t is said the British government, have
given assurance to the company that it
will no, surrender any part of the coun-
try north Of the Columbia, or iii, does SO,
it will remunerate them amply for all the
establishments they shall make. Encour-
aged so far, the principal attention of the
company is now directed 10 the occupa-
ton of the country. and the factors are