The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-08-13

his power to abrogate any of the rights or PRIVILEGES
of the Hudson Bay Company. In fact, so far as
he had gone, he had received the sanction of the
officers Of that body in this region. Moreover, that
the British Government regarded treaties as sacred
and binding in all cases.
B. Touching the point by whose authority thu
"suiferances" to Frazer River navigation arr
granted s....- ...
His Excellency stated that they were granted by
virtue of the power vested in him representative
of the Crown, well as by consent of the agents
the Hudson Bay Company. The exclusive right o
the Company to trade and navigation necessarily
| excludes the transportation of any property save
| theirs except by their permission.
The Speaker suggested that the miners, having
been allowed to go up the river, and the Govern
ment having in greater or less degree assumed
| control OF the stream, it would follow that these
people had right to be supplied with provisions,
exclusive of the COmpany's monopoly and there
fore tha: British vessels, duly cleared here, had
| right to proceed up the river for that purpose.
His Excellency replied that he must repeat that
he had no authority to diminish or interfere with
the Company's rights and privileges.
/ The Speaker suggested that the Hudson Bay
Company had not the means of supplying the large
number Of people that would be at the mines with
in short time, and that it appeared probable that
starvation or calamties equally serious would en-
| sue. 1t would therefore be necessary and proper
| to allow vessels to carry provisions.
Ills Excellency replied that the matter had given
rise to serious deliberation and attention Already
| permission had been granted to two American
steamers to carry passengers and provisions under
| certain restrictions Necessity had compelled this
action, and had also forced him to act more or less
| illegally but not unjustly. Should an emergency
arise, permits would of course be granted to other
vessels for like purposes and every possible means
be adopted for the prevention of suffering in the min
ing region.
The Speaker suggested that merchants in Eng
land, in view of the restrictions put upon trade,
would not be likely to send out supplies and emf
| grants thus indicting double injury, first
| country, next on our colony. 1t was also to be
| feared that merchants would presume, from the
fact of the company being the only large pur
chaser, that they would be more or less at the lat
| ter's mercy, who would buy only at price fixed
by themselves; that is to say, the ships would have
no other market than the company, to which they
might take their supplies.
His Excellency replied, that far from having the
effect feared by the Speaker, the Company's prvi-
! legs would produce a result exactly the contrary.
He thought the present condition of trade offered
greater inducements to the British merchants than
an open traffic would do. Touching the price of ar
tices, that depended entirely on supply and de-
mand. He quite sure, and the House must
also know, that the Hudson Bay Company were up
right and honorable, and not likely to stoop to un
fair dealing.
4. Touching the future government of Frazer
River:
His Excellency said, that as this was matter at
present under negotiation, he would not make any
| facts known, in conference; and that the
House might know the general outline of his poll
cy, he would read extracts from his last dispatches
to the Home Government.
The Speaker wished to inquire whether the Hud-
son Bay Company, having the exclusive right to
trade, could transfer any part of their rights to
others; that is to say, whether they could grant
sutferances to any other parties to trade.
The Governor suggested, that in issuing suffer-
ances, the Company did not transfer their rights;
in fact, that the regulations and stipulatOns did
not interfere with them. The House must recollect
that it was the conjoint act of the Governor
Executive and the Governor part of the Hudson
Bay Company. His Exceency added. that he had
been actuaed by two motives: lst. To do full JUS
tice to the Hudson Bay Company. I'd. To promote
by every Legitimate means the welfare and pros
perity of the Colony. He was always willing to
impart information to the House and was pleased
that this Conference had been asked
The Speaker replied that the Conference had been
asked lst. For the sake of information; it being
the misfortune of the House of Assembly not to pos
sess any Government members; that is to say, any
one to supply information upon the acts and inten-
tions of the Governor and Council. 2. That the in
formation furnished verbally would save his Excel
lency an immense amount of trouble in writing
which this House, aware of the pressing demand
upon his time, desirous of Obviating. They
did not wish to add unnecessarily to the cares of
Office, but had duty to perform in endcavOrng
to promote the interests and welfare of their CON
stituents and of the colony. Therefore, they had
taken this means of obtaining the desired nforma-
ton. In the name of the House, he begged to thank
his Excellency for the courtesy shown, and was
pleased to find that the explanations resulted in
showing that little difference of opinion existed be-
! tween the House and the Governor.
| The deputatiOn then Withdrew.
TIE OTHER SIDE.
The San Francisco papers are endeavoring to
throw cold water on the Frazer River excitement,
but they have to admit that there is gold to be
found there, and the emigration is still towards
that region. The Herald has a number of letters,
saying the whole thing is a humbug, but still the
people will 90. There were 5000 persons at Vic
tora on the 10th, their way to the diggings, and
a crowd on their way.
One of the Hernlds correspondents writing from
Fort Hope, July 10th, says:
Many of the sensible ones who have money! the
moment they became satisfied of the fraud, pre-
pairing to leave. Others are holding on, like Mi
cawber, "waiting for something to turn up" that
they may get even. And great many are build
ing boats that they may ascend the river, fully de-
termned not to go back to California to paving dig
gngs until they have taken hold of the elephants
tail, not being satisfied with look at his trunk.
How many of these poor fellows who leave in their
boats and canoes, will come back to tell the tale,
time, which developes all things. alone can tell.
The steamer Surprise runs to Fort Hope, about
go miles up the river. and although at her depar
ture there were 5000 people in the place, she
did not take up her full complement of passengers
so well satisfied have people become of the gross
ness of the fraud The Surprise is due to day to-
morrow, and should she arrive in time for this letter.
| will add a p. 5. On her last trip down she brought
the most disastrous news for the land spectators,
etc. 1t soon discovered that the news would
and something must be done to keep up the excite
ment. In the aggregate, the full amount which
has been dug out of the whole extent of the Fra
River mines, since the excitement about their
richness first started, is about fifteen thousand
dollars.
1t was known here that the Hudson Bay Com
pany had in the Fort about $4,000 in gold dust
which had been accumulating from various sources
for the past nine months at the time they made their
last shipment to England ofwhich has been sent
to San Francisco. This done for the purpose of
| counteracting the bad news carried to San Fran
cisco by the returning miners who left here on the
Panama. This is the first shipment, | am credibly
informed, that has ever been made by the Agents
| of the Hudson Bay Company toa American port,
and also done for the purpose Of allowing the land
spectators still further opportunity to make
money. know for certainty that the amount
shipped was only fraction over S20,0 0,000-probably
by the time it reaches your city it will have in
| creased tenfold.
1t is estimated that for every dollar that will be
taken out of these mines, at least four hundred will
| be expended in getting it-except, probably, in a
few isolated cases; and if these reported rich dig
| gings do not fall short at least thousand per
! cent. of the most moderate stories written about
! them, will be much mistaken.
| The town of Victoria somewhat resembles San
! francisco in '49-except, indeed the gold dust,
Mexican dollars, gambling, &c. The town. for
miles around on both sides, is literally covered
with tents, some of the occupants making boats,
others pursuing various occupations, but by far
the vast majority of them doing nothing, and wait
ing for the endless and convenient cry of speeula-
tors-the ''fall of the river-to take place, which
important and eventful epoch, ii is now suppose d
will occur about the first of October.
Town lots, in this place, have fallen in the last
few days more than two hundred per cent. few
houses are still being erected. There are now
about one hundred wooden houses, probably few
! more In six months from to-day, there will not
be left people enough in the place (if they get
! away to inhabit them. ....--.. ...
Mr.. E. W. Corbert, writes from Victoria;
| have seen and cOnversed with people from the
| Fork of Thompson and Frazer Rivers, and their
report is nearly the same what know Frazer
| River to be, below Fort Yale. My opinion is
from all l can learn, and from what | have seen,
that this Comparatively speaking) great gold dis
say, mind you, comparatively speaking; for that
there is gold here, cannot deny, for have seen
it. The color be got at almost any point on