, 1858-10-01

respondent of the n. Y. Herald, says:
"GOv Stevens, Congressional Delegate
from Washington Territory, and now il
Washington, has addressed q long letter
to Gen. Cass, alleging eBOrmity and lille
galty against the tax imposed on citizens
Of the United States by the British anthor
tiles assuming to exercise jurisdiction ovel
the whole territory in which gold has been
} found. The Governor asserts that state
of things exist in the newly discovered gold
regions that cannot be tolerated by Ameri
can citizens, and that the proclamations OIL
the Hudson Bay Company are illegal and
entitled to no respect from the Government
or citizens of the United States. General
Cass has privately replied 10 Gov. Stevens
letter to him against the Hudson Bay
Company's alleged Illegal river and mining
tax, assuring him he will give to the sub
jcct his prompt and earnest attention"
From the Boston Post.
Gov STEVENS LETTER. 49, The Union
prints an able letter by Governor Stevens,
the object Of which is TO exhibit the abso-
lute illegality of the imposition placed upon
the citizens of the United States, who
have emigrated inte the British possessions,
by the authorities there; and to ask the
intcrposition Of our government in behalf
Of the American citizens vino seek to enter
British territory. The Washington Union
says:
" We have the pleasure Of laying before
our readers this morning very interesting
and able paper, being a communication
from Gov. Stevens, delegate from Wash
ington Territory to the Secretary of State,
relating to the exactions upon American
citizens resorting to tho newly discovered
gold mines on Frazer river by the British
authorities in that section Of the American
continent At the present moment, while
these new "placers" are fixing the atten-
ton Of the world, this paper will be read
with eagerness by the whole country. The
subject is thas brought to the attention Of
the government, which, we have no doubt,
will take such action as the interests Of our
citizens and the Importance Of the matter
shall demand. 1t will be perceived from
the date of the communication to the Sec
retary Of State, that it was prepared pre-
vious to the receipt in,this country Of the
Instructions of the English home Govern
ment TO Gov. Douglas, of Vancouver's
Island. These instructions we are quite
willing to receive as the expression of a de-
sire to avoid any difficulty between the
American miners and the local authorities,
yet the exceedingly loose terms in which
they are couched lead us to fear that all
causes for complaint may not be removed"
Correspondence n Y Journal of Commerce.
WASHINGTON, July 90, 1858.
The New Com MINEs.-Gov Stevens,
Of Washington Territory, yesterday pre-
Sented to the Secretary of State, in writing,
a protest and argument against the assump-
ton by Gov. Douglas, of Vancouver's Isl
and, of powers to monopolize commerce
in provisions, &c, and to impose tax of
twenty-one shillings month, or any tax at
oil, upon immigrants from any quarter, for
the privilege Of residence. Some time in
May last, Gov. Stevens, anticipating the
difficulty, had directed the attention of the
government to it.
Gov Stevens alleges that there is no
positive law under which the Hudson Bay
Company can prevent Americans from i'm
porting into the British territery provisions
of any kind, and selling them there. He
contends that the charter of the company
gives them no monopoly except that Of
trade aUith the Indians.
The President had yesterday come to a
different conclusion on the question, and in
formed citizens Of California that this gov
ernment was .powerIess to afford any re-
dress in the case
He said the powers exercised by Gov.
Douglas, as factor for the Hudson Bay
Company, whether legal or not, had been
recognized as legal by the British govern
ment.
This would seem to put an end to the
question.
But CalfOrnians now here have given
information to the government that there
is imminent danger Of collision between
their people and the British authorities.
This will the more probably occur, if ad-
venturers from the United States should he
made to believe that Gov. Douglas acts
are arbitrary and illegal
1t appears to me to be proper and neceS.
sary for the President to dispatch a special
agent to VancouVer's Island, Frazer river,
and to confer with Gov Douglas on the
subject, and also to persuade our own peO-
pie that they must submit quietly to the
British authorities, hoping for the estab-
lishment of reciprocal commercial relations
between the United States and the British
territory, after the expiration Of tho Hud-
son Bay Co.'s charter, next May.
WASHINGTON, July 25, 1858.
Our government begins to realize the
importance of questions, heretofore thought
little Of relating to the rights and claims
Of the Hudson Bay Company on the Pacific
side Of the continent.
Unless q wise and liberal policy be pur-
sued by the British with regard to miners
in the Frazer river country, there may be
collisions that would lead to international