, 1858-04-30

only 10 TSuONo lFOlu Nltulu our OOIOeIS W
be free from its exaetion
The question, and the only question in
the affair is, whether, legally, the sheriff
was in the actual discharge of his duty
II be was, then there was no damage-ii
he was not, then what amount of damage
was actually done. That he was n the dis
charge Of his duty, the evidence is the fact
Of his being the duly elected and qualified
sheriff Of Whatcom county, and that San
Juan Island is part Of that county. But
that the fraud may be seen in all its bear
ings, we will state the amount Of loss actu-
ally incurred. The sheriff took with him
q posse cOmitatEs on proceeding to San Juan
Island, to collect the tax due, as he was in
formed its collection would be resisted. He
therefore notified that in pursuance Of law
be should seize and sell sufficient property
to the highest bidder to satisfy the demand.
Previous to doing so, however, desirous by
every proper means to prevent difficulty,
be and others with him, advised Mr.. Grif-
fn, the agent in charge, to either bid the
sheep in or pay The tar under yrOtest. That
the tax was lawfully due, and that as a
public officer, he was compelled to the
course that be had taken-that they ap-
preciated the unpleasantness Of bis posi-
tion, and would do everything CONSTANT
with duty to FREQ him from the censure Of
his employers Of the Hudson Bay Compa-
ny. Mr.. Griffin would have done so, but
for positive orders from the Chief Factor
Gov. Douglas, which he dare not dis
obey. His orders were to resist the col
lection of the tax with all the force at bis
command. He saw, however, that would
be useless as the sheriff was determined to
execute his duty at all hazards Had Gov.
Douglns, himself, been present, (and it was
O matter of regret that he was not, instead
Of Mr.. Griffin, the result would have been
the same. On Mr. Griffin refusing to pay
the tax, even under protest, be was asked
where the hocks we're? He said they
we're on the other side of the Island The
party then left, the sheriff stating that they
would next morning, seize the sheep and
sell them in the manner prescribed by law
They, however, returned about o'clock in
the morning and found near Mr.. Grifin's
house, As rams 10 pen-whieh were I'M
seized and about noon we're sold
to tho highest bidder.
Whilst the purchasers were securing their
rams and had taken some 81 Of them to
the boat-leaving one of the posse in
of the shepherds rode up and
gave the shepherds call" the rams obey
ing the well-known signal, jumped the pen
and ran away.
The whole damage then, if any, can only
be the "a rams and nothing else. So far
from The sheep being driren into the goods,
ths aOcEs tOers neither seen nor sought for.
The claim for hire Of the steamer Bearer,
is an item which in itself is sufficient to
stamp the whole affair as an unmtigated
fraud. The Bearer. SO far from bciag
hired steamer, is, as every. one knows, the
Of the Hudson Bay Company
Besides which she did not come to the
Island. She steamed up, it is true, came
out two or three miles from Victoria bar
Dor and then returned; by that time, who
ever was in charge, had come to the con-
clusion that it was better not to interfere
with sheriff in the discharge Of his duty.
Since then Gov. Douglas has been very
profuse in bis abuse, terming all concerned
"6libusters and sheepstealers" Were
they so in his opinion, why did he not give
orders for the Bearer to oVertake and cap
ture themH The fact Of it is, the Governor
himself was more than doubtful of the pro-
priety Of bis own course.
Hire Of 8 men days, at l2s. 6d.-say
80 per diem ! Another absurdity. The
Hudson Bay Company employ Indians at
from two to three blankets per month
Their shepherds pay is Ell per annum.-
Their Bailiffs, as was shown by contract
lately exhibited in court at Olympia, only
get eco per annum. Mr.. Griffin, the
agent at that time, received, we believe,
only Els per annum.
The Jumping charge of al 900 is only
equalled by the keeper Of tavern, who
entertained one of the Bonaparts, in his
travels, and who, the next morning, after
footing up the bill os largely as possible,
not making it reach beyond $50, put down
\ '$2O for kicking up a d-m fuss, general
ly"-with the idea that all that would be
looked at, was the aggregate and not the
items