Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1857-03-28
THE HUDsops BAY GOVERNMENT.

The Hudson's Bay committee of Parliament had held
several meetings and examined several witnesses among
the rest Sir George Simpson He said he held the post
of Governor of the Territory for the Hudsons Bay Com
pany for the period of thirty years There was
fixed seat of government, but there was seat of
council HIS authority extended the Whole Of -
companys territory The nature Of the aunritv 90 ~
council was merely advisers, and to vote mon |
questions as were brought before them Tht oo:1
could outyote the Governor but it had never Aeen
The present population of the Red Hyer terrtoy -
about s 600. The settlement had been establisbe -
forty years There was much diferenAe of Gilman t
tween Minnesota and the Red river settlenert
In reply to questions by different memberx tie wits
proceeded to state that the Indian settlementof he R
river was approved of and encouraged by the cooan
In the companys territory there were nineteen mit
airy stations of the Established Church. twelve of Roll
Catholics four of Weseyans and of Presbyterian
There was also Roman Catholic mission on the 81
Lawrence another at Albany, and another at Fort Will
liam. The company paid the Roman Catholic Bishop Of
Rupert's Land salary of three hundred pounds they
also give him e100 year in aid Of schools, besides
stipends to chaplains at different stations. With re-
gard to the executive power of the companys terri
tory it comprised governor and council Of sixteen
chief factors In the Red river settlement the recorder
governor of the district he had executive power
well as judicial The rest of the territory governed
by the witness himself The tenure of land bylease
for 999 years The directors in London had egsla
tive power regarded their territory, but they had
the supervision of acts If person wished to 60 out
and settle in the territory he could get land at shings
other charge The companys servants going out from
England engaged for only FIVE years but six out of
eight of them remain for twenty thirty years. and many
of them become settlers and remain for fe The pay Of
laborer going out from England used to be el but it
was now 600 year. From being common laborers
many of them become boatmen and fishermen, and get
from $50 to Gao year The sixteen chief factors were
partners in the trade of the company. The laws under
which the settlement of the Red river governed
printed the laws posted the church doors
they had no newspaper in the country He believed the
settlers would be perfectly satisfied with the existing
state of things in the settlement but for agators who
had an eye the trade The agtaors come from with
out not from within the settlement. The average time
between goods bought by the company in London and
delivered in parts of the settlement was as long as
seven years the minimum would be between three and
four years that is he meant the period elssng be-
tween the goods being sent from England and the time
when the directors in London received the money for
such goods. The Governor and Company here in Lon
don appoint the Governor of the Territory and ne was
their He (witness though Governor for thirty
seven years, resided the greater part of that time
North America. During the period of his tenure o.
office there had been only nineteen cases of murder IN
the settlement and that according to his knowledge
| was fair representation of the crime of the settle
| ment