, 1854-02-11
VancOuyer'S Island.


VanCOuyerS Island.
The following communication, sent to us
for publication from Vancouvcr's Island, ex-
hibits vast deal of that American spirit,
which capsizcd the tea in Boston harbor
and led to the declaration of American indie
pendcucc. The cncroachmcnts of the ITud-
son Bay Company's officials on the rights,
of the free settlers on the Island, is becOm-
ing more notorious and barciaced from year
to wear, and such as Her Majesty, whose
subjects many of them are proud - ack-
knowlcdged themselves, could not fail to
condemn and redress, if their grievances
could but reach theIhronc. The 81 per
acre, demanded and paid for lands from the
free settlers on the ISland-which, as we
are informed, passes into the vaults of the
Hudson Bay Co., as agents for the govern
ment of Great Britain, never reaches the
exchequcr of the home government, for
which it is professedIy collected Gov,
Douglass is all-powerful on the Island,
however, and can appoint his brother-in-law
to a position of power, profit and trust
without consulting any higher authority or
even the wishes of the people who are to
be affected by it. We rather think that if
vote of the Island could determine the
subjects there citizens of the United States,
the eagle would supplant the lion on the
national ensign, and acquire for us an intel
ligent, and valuable class of fellow-citizcns:
cory.
TO Ills EIoellcAcy James Douglas, Esq,
Gorenor Of TiaReoarer's Island, DC. 5c
SIR We the undersigned, residents Of
Vancouver's Island, having been made ac-
quainted, through proclamation issuedby
the local government, and bearing date the
7th January inst, that you have created a
court With powers exceeding those granted
to the bench of magistrates who have hith-
erto dispensed justice, and that you have
appointed Mr. David Cameron 10 the high
position of judge of that court, and have
invested him with jurisdiction over the
whole colony of Vancouver's Island and its
dependencies, in all matters of law and
equity, where the amount in dispute is of
the value of (G50) fifty pounds sterling and
upwards, do most earnestly pray that you
will weigh and review the subject, and tax
ing into consideration our sentiments in the
matter, will retract before it is too late a
measure SO obnoxious to the inhabitants ut
large
You have appointed Mr.. Cameron to n
trust which under all governments is repo-
sed only in men of the highest repute for
honor, honesty and impartiality, men,
who, though lifetime Of unwearied and ar
duous application, have proved their abli-
ity in the honorable profession of the law,
in men of the most acknowledged tenn
perance and discretion, whose characters,
having been for years at the bar of public
opinion, are adjudged worthy Of the conf
dence of the country.
Mr.. Cameron has hardly resided six
months amongst us, and in that brief space
he has not so conducted himself as to have
obtained the respect Of the community; he,
during the short time that he has Officiated
as a magistrate, has most signally failed in
impressing us with sense of his integrity
and uprightness; he has in that position
proved himself most singularly rash and
indecorOus in his language; he has exhib-
tied the most profound ignorance of the
duties attached to CommissiOn of the
Peace, and SO totally void of the little
practical knowledge necessary to conduct
the business of magisterial court us to
have padc himself laughing stock, and
indirectly to have brought scOrn on the
proceedings Of the whole Bench of Justices.
And this man, with whose previous career
none of us, who are so deeply interested
in the securing of upright magistrates, are
in the slightest degree acquainted, you have
invested with powers which, when even in
the hands of the chosen and approved Of a
nation, are sometimes harmful.
We therefore most respectfully beg that
you will on reconsideration alter your de-
cislon, and thus allay the painful excite
ment and alarm to which this proceeding
has giveh rise.
We express our most unqualified salts
faction with the court of magistrates as
originally constituted and we do most un-
hesitatingly affirm that, in our opinion, the
alteration that has been SO lately effected
in the hitherto existing arrangements Of
our courts Of justice, will in the present
state Of the country but lead to serious in
convenience.
We at the same time do join most hearti.
ly in desiring that steps may be taken by
the Government to obtain the assistance
of properly qualified legal adviser from
i i : 4 Il