The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-12-19
VOL. VINO. 26.

hdi ana ciVii lNEisuicuon Wiihln certain
f, parts OF North America" BY this act
] Great Britain extended her laws ard iu-
: rlsdicIlnn civil and criminal. over her stub
jects engaged IN the fur trade in that ter
! riioFy. BY it. ihe courts of the province
: of Upper Canada were empowered To
, take cognlzance Of causes civil and rxim-
: inal. Justices OF the peace and other i,l-
dlClal officers were authorized 10 be ap-
; pointed in Oregon, with power TO execute
all process issuing from the courts oil that
| province and 10 "sil and hold courts Of
/ record for the trial Of criminal offences
and misdemeanors, moi made the SUBJ
. ject of capital punishment, and also Of
civil cases, where the cause of action
/, shall not exceed in value Tie amour, OF
sum of two hundred dollars"
Subsequent 10 the date Of the ac, Of
parliament, grant was made from the
british Crown" to tie Hudson's Bav
Company, Of the exclusive trade with
u, the Indian tribes in the Oregon territory,
, subject TO reservation that il shall not
operate 10 the exclusion "of the Indian
tribes in the Oregon territory, subject TO
L reservation thai II shall not operate 10
The exclusion "ofsutjec,s of any foreign
State who underor by force of any con-
venuon for tie time being. between us
and any foreign State respectively, may
be entitled 10, and shall be engaged in.
the said trade"
1t is much to be regretted, that willie
under III act British subjects have en-.
joyed the protection of British laws and
British judicial tribunals Throughout, the
whole Of Oregon, American citizens in
the same territory, have enjoyed no sucl,
protection from their government. At
the same time, the result illustrates tho
character of our people and their. insli,a-
tons. In spite OF liI;s eglecl, they hare
multiplied, and their number is rapidly
increasing in that territory. They have
made no appeal 10 arms, but have peace.
, fully fortified themselves in their new
homes, by the adoption of republican in
siiluiions for themselves, furnishing an
other example that self government is in
berent in the American breast, and must
prevail. Il is due TO them that they
shoald be embraced and protected by our
Laws.
1t is deemed important that our
laws regulating trade and inter-
course with the Indian tribes east of
the Rocky mountains should be ex-
tended to such tribes as dwell be-
yond them.
The increasing emigration to Or
egon, and the care and protection
which is due from the government
to its citizens in that distant region,
make it our duty, as it is our inter-
est, to cultivate amicable relations
with the Indian tribes of that terri
tory.
For this purpose recommend
that provisions be made for cstab-
fishing and Indian agency, and such
snb-agencies as may be deemed ne
cessary, beyond the Rocky noun
tains.
For the protection of emigrants
while on their way TO Oregon;
against the attacks of the Indian
tribes occupying the country through
which they pass; recommend that
suitable numbers of stockades and
blockhouse forts be built along the
usual route between our frontier
settlements on the Missouri and the
Rocky mountains and that an ade-
quate force of mounted riilemen be
raised to guard and protect them on
their way. The immediate adoption
of these recommendations by Con-
gress will not violate'the provisions
of the existing treaty.
1t will be doing nothing more for
American citizens than British laws
! have long since done for British sub.
jects in the same territory.
ltrequires several months to per-
form the voyage by sea from the At
lantic States to Oregon; and al
though we have large number Of
whale ships in the Pacific, but few
of them afford an opportunity of in
terchanging intelligence, without
great delay, between our settlement
in that region and the United States.
An overland mail is believed to be
entirely practicable, and the impor-
lance of establishing such a mail, at
least once month, is submitted to
the favorable consideration OF Con-
gress.
1t is submitted to the wisdom of
Congress to determine whether, at
their present session, and until after
4 the expiration OF the years notice,
any other measures may be adopted
consistently with the convention Of
| 1927, for the security of our rights,
and the government and the protec-
/ ton of our citizens in Oregon. That
it will ultimately be wise and prop
err to make liberal grants of land to
| - \