, 1858-11-26
Address of John Nugent, ESQ

uI'tsu COLUMBIA
J Having received from citizens Of the
United States, mining and trading on Fra
surs River and in its vicinity, a number Of
letters complaining Of acts Of injustice and
oppression at the hands Of the Colonial
Guthorities,-an being on the eve of my
departure to lay my report before the Gov
ernment at Washington, take this public
method of apprizing American citizens
soiourning in Fancouvers Island and
British Columbia, of the views of our Gov
Icrnnent in regard to theirrghts and stand
ing in these Colonies.
/ | need scarcely say that the Government
Of the United States expects Of its own
citizens abroad, decent conformity with
local regulations, obedience to the laws of
the countries they visit, and proper show
of respect for the authorities by whom
/ those laws are administered. This is exact
cd of strangers visiting the different States
of the Union, who are amenqble TO punish
meut for violation of the laws of those
States, or of the United States, as are
American citizens for infracton of the laws
of such foreign countries as they may enter
in pursuit Of pleasure or OF business. Such
Of our citizens, therefore, as have taken up
their temporary residence in British Co.
lumbia' and VanCouver's Island, are subject,
| like all other residents, to the laws Of the
Colonies and of Great Britain, and are
liable, like all others, to the penalties meted
out by those laws to persons properly con.
victed Of their violation.
am aware that an elaborate attempt to
impress these facts upon my fellow citizens
in these Colonies, would be supertluous.--
Their sobriety of department their decent
observance Of all the proprieties Of life, in
the midst of priyationS and annoyanceS Of
no common degree, and their obedience to
the law under very trying provocatlons to
its infringement, although they may not
have gained for them such liberal treatment
as was due to that forbearance and good
conduct,-haVe, nevertheless, commanded
the respect of the strangers among whom
they are cast, and cannot fail to be sub
jecls of pride and graduation to their own
Government.
N Considering the circumstances attending
the recent settlement of these Colonies, it
was scarcely to be expected that u we'll
regulated Government -runfd be- at once
built up, out Of the chaotic clements sud
denly thrown together in such confusion.
Much was to be pardoned to the inexpe-
rience Of an Executive hitherto. dealing for
the most part with savages, and, possibly
unpreparod by previous training for the
more refined exigeucies imposed by govern
mental relations with white population
much Of the cause of complaints that have
arisen was to some extent eXcusable, be-
cause due to the unlicensed rudeness Of the
subordinate officers of the Hudson'S Bay
Company and the Colonial Government,
who, by reason of their long isolation from
civilized society aud their habitual inter
course with Indians, had unlearned most
of the finer traits of humanity, and were
scarcely accountable for a grossness Of con-
duet that had become to them a second
nature:-aad, lastly, much was 10 be ex-
cused ia the ignorance and want of tone of
courts organized out Of such crude and unfit
materials as those, the only ones that were
at hand on the sudden influx Of the strangers.
In some instances no doubt, these courts
have fallen short of even the limited ex-
pectations justified by the peculiar circum-
stances of their construction, aud the
strange constituents Of which the were
composed. But it is not TO be doubted
that the British Government will, without
unnecessary delay, provide remedies for the
evils and abuses arising from this condition
of things-evils and abuses affecting not
alone the prosperity Of its own subjects, but
the rights Of citizens Of a foreign and
friendly power. \
The forbearance, in the meantime, of the
citizens of the United States: their quiet
observance Of the laws, under any aggres
sions on their rights Of which they may
have to complain, will not alone have its
reward in the consciousness Of having done
credit to their country--a country whose
institutions are based upon that all-per-
yading love Of order, and that spirit Of
obedience to the law which distinguishes
its ciiizens,-b it will, moreover, entitle
them to the active intervention Of their own
government for the redress of their griev.
ances, and for the protection of their rights
II llAL Tue OONcIulHeut VI tHS " ullGu DtNlcS,
/ upon proper cause being shown-atter re-
course shall have been had in vain to the
tribunals, against acts of oppression or in.
Iiustice-will so intervene for the redress
and protection Of its citizens in British Co
lumbia aud Vancouver's Island | am au,
thorzed aud instructed to give them the
most emphatic assurance If wrong be
done them, let them appeal to the courts
1t is to be hoped they will obtain justice;
but shOold those tribunals, unfortunately,
be too impotcnt, too Ignorant, or too cor
rupt to administer the law with impartiallty
!, and Rrmness, our citizens may reckon with
certainty upon the prompt and efficient
interlerence Of their own Government iu
their behalf The best guaranty eau fur.
nish them of the certainty of such interpo
} sition, will be found in the subjoined decla
II n. ....A-...