The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-08-19
The Proposed Abrsgstio" OF the Charter
OF the Hudson Hay Company.


The Proposed Abrsgasio" OF the Charter
OF the Hudson Hay Company.
From the \. Y Journal II Commerce
II is very clearly intimated by Sir Ed
ward Bulwer Lytton, the British Col0ni q
Secretary, that the Charter Of the Hudson
Bay Company, which expires in May, 1859,
win not be renewed, and that the Company's
territorial rights will be limited to that BAL
ren and inhospitable region Of country
which is wholly unfit for colonization, but
which il well stocked with those savage an.
imals which constitute the chief stock in
trade OF the great fur dealing corporation.
In substance, Sir T.. B. Lytton agrees to
carry out the following comprehensive rcso.
lutons which were proposed by Mr. Rocbuck
and which have been approved by the press
and people Of England. with very lew excep-
tions:
Il. That the privileges Of the Hudson
Bay Company about to expire ought not to
be renewed 2. That the legal validity of
the exclusive rights claimed by the Hudson
Bay Company under their charter ougb, at
once TO be determined by process of law.
3. That 80 much OF the territory hitherto
held by the Hudson Bay Company as may
be needed for the purpose OF colonization
ought, without delay, TO be resumed by the
Government Of this country"
If the revolt Of the Sepoys, and the sub.
sequent popular insurrection 10 British In
dia, were justly attributed wholly or in part,
to The uniitncss OF the East Iudia Company
to discharge the complicated and RESPONSE
bic trust OF supreme rulers Of that vast en-
pire and If the British Parliament deemed
Il necessary in the interest Of the Indian
population and Of humanity TO dcpose the
company, and transfer their power TO the
Imperial Government--th gold discoveries
ut Frazer River, the vast influx Of popula-
ton which those discoveries will attract 10
portions Of the Hudson Bay territory, and
the rapid settlement Of that desert region
which is likely TO ensue, render ii highly
c1pelicnt, II not absolutely necessary, that
the British Government and Parliament
should refuse TO permit the continuance Of
a monopoly which prevents n tract OF land
of 100000 square miles in extent from be
ing made available for colonization, and
which has always been used 10 perpetuate
the wilderness as hunting ground, and
herrnctically seal that vast territory against
the enterprise Of their fellow mcn.
The Hudson Bay Company consist Of
about 2i0 merchants, who claim monopoly
Of over 1000 900 square miller inhabited by
fifty nations or tribcs Their charter was
grnntc1 by Charles !. in go, when the coun.
try so oeded really belonged To France,
and IL, II this be true. no more valid IN law,
than il the Merry Monarch had made
prc4cn, Of France or Italy, and the rccipi.
ents Of his bounty now claimed the sovcr-
eighty over those countries. This ia gcner.
ally admitted, and the only reason why the
COmpiny's claim has never been dispnt.d
is, that the territory was no, needed by
the human family, and il was thought
that the only ue that could be made of il
was made by the Grcat Fur Company. OF
late years, however, as the pioneers OF civil
ization pushed further westward, the dlscov.
cry was made that large portions Of this re-
gion are ricn 10 agricultural capabilities and
mining wealth and that il has bern the pol
icy Of the Hudson Bay Company 70 conceal
from the ppblic all knovedge OF the conptry,
and utter unmindlu of national interests,
TO nae i, 10 the selfish spirit Of monopoly,
With the sole desir Of aecumnla,iog large
profits
The Company DOW plead, in arrest of
judgment, that they are en,itI'd TO consider.
alton for their services m pre-rving order
In the country, and cscl1d,ny ardent spirits
Excerpt after the manner mentiossd by
1aci,us--"io make solitude and call Il
peace,--it is bard 10 sec h0w the Company
can establish tbeir np-ri, q. cFicient poiicr-
men They have barred the doors against
all in,rueiers. and therefore nobody 10 quarrel
with. The moral t-nef, which they claim
10 have conferred % the Iodian. by prevent.
ing the Introduction of srdriiuoas iiquors- "a
PROVED To be a rank imp1~tnre, by DR..
Armstrong in his Personal Narrative Oi
the Discovery Of Northwest Pasage.
Abiding 10 the system of barter with the
Indians. a. dssrripd by tbrn, Dr. A. ssys !: