The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-02-04

COMPANY W luaintaiu thci sway uNtl turcN
millions of square miles partly by their
own Incidence or mismanagement. A blue
book has just been published by order Of
the House OF Commons, containing the n.
port Of Select Committee appointed to
enquire into the state Of the British posses
sions under the administration of the llud-
sons Bay Company, and for those who have
the strong appetite nec ssary Tor food oil this
kind, TO wade through whole pages Of con
Trajectory and sadly indigcstcd evidence, We
have no doubt the report may ilnd charms.
We shall content ourselves with saying that
accounts Of the management Of the Com.
pany are pretty well balanced, pro Il ton.
On tho one hand, they. the Company, have
been accused OF cruelty and oppression To-
wards the Indian tribes--ci unjust, Il not
fraudulent. dealings in the system of barter
by which their traffic is constructcd-of
corruptng the natives with ardent spirits,
and discouragng missionary efforts for their
improvement and. lastly Of violence and
persecution agains, those who have attempt
cd TO trade in the natural productions OF the
country.
OF course, TO this (" side Of the shield -
there Is u reverse. and the Company, by
their friends are lauded TO the skics as pat.
terms Of generosity towards the Indian, for
bidding him the use Of ardent spirits, en-
couraging him TO cultivate the soil, and 10
become, in fact, u Christian. Al the mo-
nopoly the Company are said TO require Is
that of spirits and iurs,
The London Saturday Rsp1r, that takes
very moderate view Of the case, while
not inclined to run away with the idea that
the company have acted in the exclusive and
tyrannical manner that there is but little
doubt has been justly ascribed to them, thus
quietly remarks: "On the other hand. We
cannot ascribc 70 them the Improbable vr'
tues laid TO their charge. II they freely
make advances Of food and neccssarics TO
the Indians, which are sometimes not paid
for by the furs Of tho following season, they
take care to maintain such scale Of prices
a. amply TO cover any loSs on this head !;
and in the meantime, they rsfd,n The ndiiue
tribes N that state Of dependence wh,d. they
find II 10 to, interest 10 psrpdua's. A for
making sacrifices TO promote the advance OF
civilization and the teaching Of christianity,
the loss that IN said On that subject the bet
ter for the company. II We have to take
an account Of their annual profits, which we
believe have never fallen short Of ten per
cent. on the nominal capitalize soy nothing
of the large portion which has been carried
to stock, making up more than half Of the
capital Of 100000 which stands against
the names Of the shareholders and were W.
10 compare the entire amount Of all that had
ever been expended by them To promote cd
ucation, TO maintain christian missionaries, or
10 teach their subjects any OF civilized lie
the result would certainly show the prudence
Of avoiding any further reference to 80 deli
cate topic"
The whole case o! evnogelzing lies in the
few words We have italcizod--tbe mass Of
the Indian trtsr have been kept in state
that left them neither time nor inclination
to become Christians, whilst no doubt, n
few aook oonneyts were always on hand for
I exhibition NJ Exeter Hall. on the occasion oi
any public enquiry such as the present., To
Ta,sfy and blind the guided British people
A. 10 the remarks that the Company have
managed their affairs well paying agents by
shares in the coDccrn-sll We can say s.
small blame 20 them. The British complain
Of the south u the United States in xifully
keeping proper instruction from the negroes
~ as IN retain them IN bondage by means Of
their ignorance here in country that IL
held Wy company Of private individuals the
very fact occurs, and yet there are no con
ficting sectional interests 70 b. regarded,
and only very faulty and obsolete charter
TO b. abroga,ed 10 give fair chance Tor
missionaries ~ evangelin. the inhabitants Of
three million Of square miles, without let OF
blndraboe viii the Iiritisb Parliamen,
give the missionaries this chance, or will thu
blandi shments Of Mr. EDWARD ELLicE and
Sir GEoasx Srxrsos, assisted by timely and
delicately offered presents Of few ,ablc
dreseDs carry the day. Nous rorm.
Hss~rved Sections on Railroad Gvs"ts.