Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-09-02
THE HUDsoN's BAY COMPANY AND OREGON.

The Montreal Herald, speaking of the visit to
Washington lately made by Sir GEORGE SIMPSON
and Mr.. FNLAysoN, thus remarks upon its object
this visit has we believe, been altogether satisfactory
and there every hope lis object will be shortly
tanned but United States contemporaries have pub
shed of the nature OF the negotiations
representing them leading TO sale OF certain territory in
Oregon by the Hudsons Bay Company the United States
and these have been copied and comment
ed upon by of Canadian journals propose giving,
from documents kindly furnished TO concise statement OF
the real matters and interests involved which, might have
been taken for granted do not embrace any ranseence Of
territory, but meey the abandonment by the companies in
question, and the purchase by the United States OF certain
possessory rghsfarms snd, and other propertyhed by
them within the United States territory settled by the treaty
of 1876 BY that treaty. may be remembered the United
States Government guaranty, respectively, to the Hudsons
Bay and Puget Sound Companies the possession Of all their
forts, farms, lands ock herds and other property the
north side Of the Columbia and south OF latitude 40 deg
And this without any stipulation the allegiance of the
parties thus holding tracts Of land within the
regnty Of the United States.
This clause in the treaty. win at once be seen, placed the
companies and tae United States Government whom they
owed no allegiance, in very anomaous POSITION and was
therefore, accompanied by the following proyiso, which,
appears should have been absolute and optional
the part of the sovereign Power to whom the territory
ceded. The proviso the effect that, the ua-
ton of those farms and lands should be considered by the
United States be of public and Political importance, and
the United States Government should signify desire OBJ
tain possession OF the whole, part thereof the property
should be transferred the said Government
alton, to be agreed upon between the parties.
Now although those possessions comprise Of the most
valuable portions of the territory, both in commercial and
agricultural point OF view although their retention III the
hands of foreign chartered companies scarcely fail to be
dsastefu (not stronger tem) 30 the American Gov
ernmen and although they have already excited degree Of
jealousy and wi the part OF the American citizens IN
the Oregon Territory, which there every to fear
be likely become nveterae and ultimately lead
to serious difficulties between the two countries, the United
States Government have not yet adopted any steps to take
advantage of the poviso 10 the treaty above MENTIONED by
which, and by which alone, all these threatened difficulties
may be avoided
Under these circumstances the Hudsons Bay and Puget
Sound Companies have through the British Foreign Secre
tay, thought it advisable TO take the initiative in the NATTER
by calling the attention Of the United States Executive to the
facts Of the and suggesting the wisdom and expedency
of their purchasing these anomalous rights upon the basis of
the poviso often alluded to- This, them is the object of
the negotiations mentioned by United States conempora
res, which will be brought amicable conclu
sion, and which, will be seen, involve ansference
whatever of any territorial rights but merely the sale of pr
vae property situate in foreign territory, but belonging to
British subjects.