, 1859-12-09
IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION.

The following communications were rccdtly
received by Surveyor-General Tilton fromlhe
General Land Office at Washington:
GENERAL LAND OFFICE,
Sept 90, 1859.
JAMES TMToN, ESQ.,, Surveyor General:
SR:-Application has been made to tleDc-
pRrtmcnt by the Rev. J. B. \. Broulct, CJ in.
structlons to the Surveyor General in Wasting
ton Territory to survey aud set apart Wha Is
known as the "SL jam $ Catholic MiSbn"
claim, in virtue Of the confirmation of such clims
by the lst section Of the act Of CopgressIan-
proved Aug. II, 1865, establishing "the TERROR.
ial government Of Oregon, in which ID is declred
"that the title to the land, not exceeding $40
acres, then occupied as missionary stalons
among the Indian tribes in said territory togdher
with the improvements thereon, be confined
and established In the several religious socities
to which said missionary stations respectfully
belong"
The location Of this mission places il on a taet
Of country which it is understood has len
claimed under the Sd article Of the treaty On.
cluded in 1916 between the United States Ind
Great Britain, in which it is agreed that 'the
possessOry rights Of the Hudson's Bay Compny.
and Of oil British subjects who may BE- alrady
in the occupation Of land or other property aw.
fully acquired within the said territory, s6al bs
respected"
We gather from connected plat Of the Terri
tory, that the country on which these "poSes-
sorry" rights existed is on the north side Of hs
Columbia river, extending from Townships a
north, range west, and township north, ranges
2 and east, embracing some 6O, 1000 acres.
is claimed, on the part Of the mission, thai
these posSessOry rights are now extinct, BY he
expiration Of the Charter, on the goth May lat,
Of the HudsOn's Bay Company and in support
Of this ayerment reference is made to the repott
Of the Select Committee on the Hudson's BaT
Company, communicated from the Commons 70
the Lords in the year 1857, and dispatches Of the
18th July, and 14th August 1sbs, from the
British Minister, to Sir Edward B. Lytton, to
Gov. Douglas Of British Columbia. The report
distinctly shows the pOssessOry right was merely
license to the Company to trado-did not con-
vey title TO the soil; and one Of the dispatches,
Of 10th July, 1858, according to the transcript
furnished BY Rev. Mr.. Brouilletl explicitly de-
clares that "the legal connexicn Of the HudsOn's
Bay Company with VancOuver's Island will
shortly be severed by the resumption Of the
Crown Of the grant Of the SOIL" and adds that
the legal rights on the continent opposite ter.
inmates in Nay next" Qe59.)
The possessory privileges thus shown to be ex-
tinct the title Of the United States Is disencum.
bered, and becomes absolute in the premises.
and consequently they are no longer an iInpedi.
ment to the survey Of the lands formerly covered
thereby.
You will, therefore, proceed to extend the lines
Of the public surveys over the tract Of country
In question, where the aforesa.i possessory pFiyI-
leges have become extinct; viii make regular re-
turns oft1rTey, and transmit approved township
plats thereof laying of the Mission, on the pri,s-
eiPtes laid down in the 9Th section Of the act Of
Congress, approved 9th September, 1850, u.
). Statutes, Vol. Q, page 498, and appropriately
representing 1t on the plat Of tho township in
which the same may be situated, and viii Of
course properly designate on the Official plats the
tracts reserved BY the United States for military
or other purposes.
Very respectfully,
Your obt sery't
JOs s. WILSON, ~
Acting Commissioner.