The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-02-05

Oregon.
Great Britain would not undertake, in her
own name, 10 fDonopolize the trade Of the |
Northwest Coast, from California to Alaska,
with Mexico and Russia to remonstrate
agains. il as we'll as the United States; bp.
she endeavors 10 do this by the indirect a.
gency Of the Hudson's Bay Company; for
the company applies its system Of undersell-
ing to the Russians rs well as the Americans;
It has factory on the Bay Of San Francisco,
and is now engaged in the general commerce
Of the Coast, raising aRd carrying provisions
TO the Russian settlements, provisions and
lumber 10 the Sandwich Islands, and coast
productions 10 Great Britain. To be sure,
all this is beyond the charter of the company:
but it is present in Oregon at all only as
squatter; and the breach of charter is evad-
ed d'by organizing the members Of the Hud-
sons Bay Company, and IFS officers, into
sub-company for general trade. denominated
the Pugit's Sound Company.
The Hudson's Bay Company, therefore,
that legal monster, a commercial corporation
with powers Of sovereignty, plays in Areri-
ca the same double part, which has devolv-
ed OH the East India Company in Asia; and
like that, will, if not arrested in its progress,
add new empires TO the sway of Great Bri-
tain; for Oregon alone is of thrice the ex-
tent of surface Of the B. itish Islands.
To all this, counter suggestions may be
made, Of the inferior actual po,Der of the
Hudson's Bay Company, as compared with
the East India Company, and, of course, its
inferior dangerousness.
We reply, first, that the principles Of dc-
tion are the same in both cases, and the am
biguous relation Of each to the British Go
yernment, and TO foreign countries, is the
same; and their tendency and operation are
the same; which, if nothing else, would de-
mand the attention of the Federal Govern
ment.
Secondly, it is the future, as we'll as the
present, which we are discussing in this mat
ter. II concerns, not the Lifetime of man,
but that of nation, in which centuries are
b',i as day. The destiny of vast regions
OF this Continent is nvolved,- regions
which, destitute though they now be, of po-
pulation and intrinsic power, are one day
10 become the abode of millions of men,
And how long is it since the East India Com
pany was no more powerful in actually, than
isthe Hudson's Bay Company now2 A ve-
ry, very short period on the page of history.
Thirdly, there is identity of character (if
not equality of degree) in the danger to be
apprehended from the Hudson's Bay Com
pany. This company enters into Oregon a
foreign intruder, as the East India Company
did into the territories of the Great Mogul.
Though protesting to be nothing but a COM
mercial association, organized for purposes
Of gain, yet, according to the published re-
ports of its agents, addressed to the Coloni-
al Office. it acts (in Oregon) for the acquisi-
ton Of power alone, neglecting, nay, delibe-
rately sacrificing, all considerations of pecu-
MARY profit, in the execution of the plan of
acquiring and establishing for itself (that is
for England) the control of the navigation of
the river Columbia; in other words, of the
as yet unappropriated mastery of the COM
merciaI capabilities of the Pacific Ocean,
And if the company lose money in this ope-
ration, Parliament can assume its debts (and
its acquisitions) as it has done those of the
East India Company, in similar crcumstan-
ces.
For, indeed, very imperfect idea of the
thing in controversy between the United
States and Great Britain have they, who
imagine that it is nothing but certain
number of acres of wild land in North Amer
lea. If it were so, why should the English
Government perseveringly refuse the offer,
more than once made, so honorably, and in
an amcable spirit Of compromise, by our
Government, 10 divide the disputed territory
into tioo (nearly) equal parts, by line,
which, being the continuation of our bound
airy up to the Rocky Mountains, has reasons
in it's BEHALF amply sufficient to justify the
English Ministers at least, in agreeing to its
extension to the Pacific?
We repeat that her refusal to do this, in.
dicates sinister and most iniquitous purpose
and one which we are bound to withstand
unyieldingly. Which is the purpose of OBJ
tanning the monopoly of the Pacific Ocean
instead of fair participation of this witt
the United States. And much as we de-
precate war with Great Britain (or any othe,
power,) we avow perfect readiness to NEE
England in arms ON this question, if she
choose, upon ii, TO invade America; for {
war of aggression and invasion on her part i
will be, in which we entertain the most un
doubling confidence Of our ultimate triumph
as in past times, and of her ignominious anc
utter expulsion from this Continent.
OurRAGEous.- find the following
going the rounds of the papers. Doubles
il was invented by some crusty old bachclo
who should have The "canons Of the church
fred off at him for his manifold ungallantry
at is said that a girl was struck dumb a