, 1858-07-02
The Present Charter Of the HudSOn'S Bay
COmDalV

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copy Of the present charter Of the Hudson's
Bay Company, under which that corpora
tion holds all the rights and privileges to
which it is entitled in Vancouver's Island
and New Caledonia:
Crolon Grant TO the Hudson Bay Company
of the srelusire Trade lcith the Indians ia
certain parts of North America, for a
further term of Itosuty-One gears, and up,
on The surrender Of former Grant.
VICTORIA r, Il. s.)
VICTORIA, by the Grace Of God of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain
and ireland Queen, Defender Of the
Faith:
To all to whom these Presents shall come,
greeting:
Whereas, by an Act passed in the Ses-
sion Of Parliament holden in the first and
second year of the reign of bis late Majes-
ty, King George the Fourth, instituted,
"An Act for regulating the Fur Trade, and
establishing q Criminal and Civil Jurisdic-
ton within certain parts Of North Ameri-
ca" it was amongst other things enacted,
that from and after the passing Of the said
Act it should be lawful for his said Males
ty, his heirs or successors, to make Grants,
or give bis or their Royal Licence, under
the hand and seal of one of his or their
Principal Secretaries of State, TO any body
corporate or company, or person or per-
sons, Of or for the exclusive privilege Of
trading with the Indians in all such parts
Of North America as should be specified in
any such Grants or Licences, respectively,
not being part of the lands and territories
heretofore granted to the Governor and
Company Of Adventures of England, tra-
ding to Hudson's Bay, and not being part
Of any Of our Provinces in North America,
or of any lands or territories belonging to
the United States of America, and that all
such Grants and Licences should be good,
valid and effectual for the purpose of secur-
ing to all such bodies corporate, or compa-
MES or persons, the sole and exclusive priv
ilege Of trading with the Indians in oil such
parts Of North America Except as there
matter excepted as should be specified in
said Grants or Licences, anything contain
ed in any Act or Acts Of Parliament, or
any law, to the contrary notwithstanding;
and it was further enacted, that no such
Grant or Lcence made or given by bis said
| Majesty, his heirs or SUCCESSORS, Of any such
exclusive privileges Of trading with the In
dians in such parts Of North America as
aforesaid, should be made or given for any
longer period than 81 years, aud no rent
should be required or demanded for or in
respect Of any such Grant or Licence, or
any privileges given thereby under the pro
visions Of the said list for the first period
Of 81 years; and it was further enacted,
that from and after the passing Of the said
Act, the Governor and Company Of Ad-
venturers trading to Hudsons Bay, and
every body corporate and company and per
sou to whom any such Grant or Licence
should be made or given as aforesaid, should
respectively keep accurate registers of all
persons in their employ in any parts Of
North America, and should once in each
year return to the Principal Secretaries Of
State accurate duplicates Of such registers,
and should also enter into such security as
should be required for the due execution Of
all processes, criminal aud civil, as we'll
within the territories included with any such
Grant, as within those granted by Charter
to the Governor and Company Of AdTon-
lures Of England trading to Hudson's Bay,
and for the producing or delivering into
safe custody, for the purpose Of trial, all
persons in their employ or acting under
their authority, who should be charged with
any criminal offence, and also for the due
and faithful observance of all such rules,
regulations and stipulations as should be
contained in any such Grant or Licence,
either for gradually diminishing and ulti-
mately preventing the sale or distribution
of spirituous liquors to the Indians, or for
promoting their moral aud religious im-
prOvement, or for any other object which
might be deemed necessary for the remedy
or prevention Of any other evils which had
hitherto been found to exists And where
as, it was in the said Act recited, that by
convention entered into between bis said
Majesty and the United States Of America,
it was stipulated and agreed, that every
country on the Northwest coasts Of Amer
lea to the westward of the Stony Noun
tains should be free and open to the citi-
zens and subjects Of the two powers for the
term Of ten years from the date Of the sig
nature of that convention; and it was
therefore enacted, that nothing in the said
Act contained should be deemed or con
strued to authorize any body corporate,
company or person to whom his said Males
ty might, under the provisions Of the said
Act, make or grant or give Licence Of
exclusive trade with the Indians in such
parts Of North America as aforesaid, to
claim or exercise any such exclusive trade
within the limits specified in the said arti-
Gle, to the prejudice or exclusion Of any
citizens Of The said United States Of Amer
lea who might be engaged in the said trade
with proViso, that no British subject
should trade with the Indians within such
limits without such Grant or Licence as was
by the said Act required;
And whereas, by an instrument under