The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-27
GOLD FIELDS In NEW CALEDONIA.
COZ srgYENs TO TIE SECRETARY or STATE,

WASHINGTON CRY, July II, 1858.
SIN. had the honor 10 inform you by my oolnmunl
cations OF May 18th and June 29th of the extensive Inn
migration OF American citizens into the British possess
sons of New Caledonia in consequence Of the discoveries
of gold placers' Frazers and Thompsons rivers,
and of the distractions which had been placed upon this
immigration by Governor Douglass acting chief factor
of the Husons Bay Company, and Governor OF VAN
couyers Island and its dependencies and assuming au
thorty the region in which the new placers have
been found. sh A aEsi A1 q
TO the government Of the United States the enormty and
absolute egality of the mpostions placed upon the
citizens of the United States by the British authorities,
assuming 70 exercise jurisdiction the whole territory
in which the late gold discoveries have been made and to
ask the interposon Of the government in behalf Of
citizens seeking to enter that Territory At
On the 2Sth of December 1851 his excellency James
Douglas styling himself governor Of vancovers island
and its dependencies issued proclamation declaxing
that all mines Of gold in Its natural place Of deposit
within the districts Of Frazer river and Of Thompsons
river belong TO the Grown OF Great Britain and that no
person will be permitted to dig search for or remove
gold on. from, any lands public or private within
said dstrict without first taking out and paying for
license ia the form annexed
The form Of license annexed IL as follows:
re having paid tho Of twenty shinss
for and gold and rom such Crown land within the
Of as shall assign TO him for that purpose during the
rs license produced by
A b., Commissioner.
On the eighth day of May, 1858, Governor Douglas
issued the following proclamation
PROCLAMATION.
BY his e1ccncy James Douglas and commander in chief
Of tho colony Of Vancouver Island and It's dependencies and vice
whereas commonly reported that eortan boats and other
have and whereas here
apprehend that other preparing and fitting boats
Now therefore, my proclamation, warning all
that such law ana infringement,
the trade with the lndns in the British the northwest
coast Of America TO the exclusion OF all other persons whether British
days tho Proca
nation all ships boats and vessels together with the goods laden
a oS hs " sa,t p;,h pessi,s an The norihys,, ca.i or
America bearing tho usons Company aud
suance from the officer Of the customs Victoria shall be
liable forfeiture and will be seized and condemned according to
my and seal house, Victoria this
drsi and nty eight and in tho twenty first year or ho Majesty
- JAMES DOUGLAS,
HiNt VIZ ta
usl BY his KxceIlency Is command,
RICHARD GolLEpGE,
ssGod save Quecn ~
copy of the sucrance referred to in the governors
proclamation follows: ,3at4 .ff
GENERAL sUFrERASCE
PoRr ycroRrl yancouvsr's Island
certify whom that the suneunce
@ a,sp s % Ss voyage s n"a@sa M
gated With proceed ~ Fort iAngiey
spos y %saSus er sss s deposited il % s u
law. ~ ,1 e. RoDK fINLAYsoN,
/ .r Pro liudsons iay Company
Customs yancouyer's Island
sa cospirroSs o. Brvpsr,scH
himself receive
other board but such goods belong the iudsons Bay
I'd That the also bIn himself not import
gnnpowder ammunition uens Of except from the United
Kingdom
y That ho also binds himself receive mo passongers except
said do produce aud permit from the
government At vAncouver's Island Fl
dsns.
The first consideration presented is the effect of these
proclamations, provided they should be submitted to,
upon the enterprise of the citizens of the United States
1t is estimated by most intelligent gentlemen Of the
Pacific coast that not less than forty thousand persons
will enter the "gold placers of New Caledonia within
the present year Nearly all these persons will be citi-
Of the United States The tax OF twenty shil
lngssay five tollasper month upon these forty thou
sand persons will amount ia year to two million four
hundred thousand dollars. The consumption Of pro-
Visions clothing &c. of these cannot be estimated
at less than thirty dollars per month at the fair cost Of
the supplies II the Hudsons Bay Company should have
the exclusive right of furnishing these supplies they will
receive from the miners the sum Of fourteen millions four
hundred thousand dollars But it il shown by evidence
taken before the British Parliament, that this company
hns been in the habit of charging for supplies furnished
to persons outside the company profit Of from two hun
dred to three hundred per cent Theso supplies cannot
be drawn from the present Of the Hudsons Bay
Company but must be obtained from the State Of Cali
forna and the Territories of Oregon and Washington
So that in fact these States compelled to make the
Hudsons Bay Company their factor for the sale of their
produce and allow them all the profits from the sale OF
goods to their citizens.
This simple statement is sufficient to show that state
Of things exists In the ewlydiscovered gold regions,
which cannot be submitted to by American citizens, un
less imposed by positive and imperative law.
have hesitation in declaring the opinion that these
proclamatons have been made without any legal bind
ing authority which should be respected by the citizens
or government of the United States.
The two important questions presented are, the au-
thoy of the governor of Vancouvers Island to impose
tax Of twenyon shillings per month upon every per-
searching for gold Frazers Thompsons rivers,
and the right to compel all persons in those territories to
purchase their supplies from the Hudsons Bay Company
The first question which propose to consider is the
right to impose the tax and demand a license NJ.
II Is well known that the right Of the British Crown to
all these mines, which properly roya namely, those
of gold and silver ancently claimed OF its
from the Kings prerogatve of coinage in order TO
supply him with materials The for this prerog
ativc mentioned by Blackstone, is sufficient to show that
it longer exist The materials for coinage have
not for centuries and probably never will be furnished
by the working Of mines by the Crown The foundation
the prerogative longer exists 'rone
ler" This prerpgative has become obsolete from
user. 1t has been exercised in the United King
DOM 1t las not been called in forge in Ireland although
considerable 'paccr washings have been worked there
of late years 1t has been applied this CON
tnent f.s,s
The late discoveries in Siberia California and Aus
traa have shown that the most extensive deposits Of
gold not In mines proper but dluscd through the
soil Mines proper, IN which it anciently supposed
gold was to be found bng entered by simple shafts and
developed by ads aud levels beneath the ground could