The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-03-11

Thursday Morning, March IL, 1869.
Canada Cheated.
THE HUDSON BAY COMPANY AND THE lNEw
nOMNQN


THE HUDSON BAY COMPANY AND THE lNEw
DOMINION.
London Correspondence Chicago Trtbune.l
In London society during the past three
months two gentlemen have been frequently
met whose history is curious, and one that
may very. well be told. I don't mean their
personal history from their cradles upward.
but the chapter of their lives which relates
to public affairs and the English govern
ment. The gentlemen in question are men,
bers of the Canadian Cabinet-the Hon. Mr.
McDougall and Sir George Cartier. The for
mer is, of course, well known at Washing
ton, and the part he took during the rebellion
of the South, so far as his position would al
low, on behalf of the North, is very generally
appreciated. He is a good-looking, Intelli-
gent man of about forty, having just a
Slight Yankee accent, and popularity of
emphasis, which distinguish him from the
ordinary Englishman. Sir George Cartier is
a Frenchman and Roman Catholic. Some
years ago $500 were offered for his head, he
having shared in the Papineau movement,
but times are changed, and he is now MEM
Der OF the Canadian ministry, and baronet,
and entrusted by his colleagues with a mis-
sion to the Imperial government.
THEIR ERRAND AND EARLY PROCEEDINGS.
1t was in October that Messrs. McDougall
and Cartier arrived in London. They ex-
pected to stay about three weeks. The con-
federation scheme was over-Mr. Howe.
who landed here as a hot Nova Scotaite,
had been won back again to the plan which
he had crossed the ocean to defeat, and
Messrs. McDougall and Cartier had followed
in order to persuade the home government
to settle the matter in dispute between the
Hudson Bay Company and the Cana
dians. This matter" is no doubt big
one, bat it was fully believed at Mon
ttreal and Toronto that the Duke of Buck
ingham had but to hear the persuasive elo-
quence OF deputation to be won over, and
so settle the question outright. And
what question it isl Everybody at Chicago
knows all about it, but the English people
are as ignorant thereof, and as Indifferent,
too, as the Pacific Islanders. Tell them that
in the magnificent regions of the Red River
and Saskatchewan sixty-five thousand square
miles of country of unsurpassed fertility
and abounding in mineral wealth lie isolated
from the world, and they smile incredulously.
Tell them that from the Red river to the
Rocky Mountains at least sixty millions acres
of the richest soil, are ready for the farmer
when he shall be allowed to enter and DOS
sess it, and that this glorious country is ut
terly useless, except for the support OF few
Indians and the enrichment OF few share
holders OF a great monopoly called the Hud-
sons Bay Company-inform them of this and
they think you have a hobby. The gross
darkness of the great body of the English, as
to even their own colonies, surpasses descrip-
ton. The very statesmen class, those who
affect to direct the public mind through the
press, are little better informed, and never
venture far without making ludicrous mis-
take. Even the company knows little about
it, for the old body saw what was coming
year or two ago and opened their organiza-
ton to general investment, netting about
three hundred per cent. by the transaction.
But TO our "Blue Noses" as .ao.5..5l.,g 5
After several interviews with the Duke of
Buckingham, and after enlightening His
Grace's not unintelligent intellect a little
further, and giving him painful geographi-
cal exercises, the deputation succeeded in
persuading him to draw up a proposal to
the company by which, using a general
term, they were to. dispose Of their terri
tory to the Canadian Government, the ptr-
chase coming out of the yield OF the terri
tory ITSELF This scheme was sent to the
Huilson's Bay Company for approval. Now
mark what followed: The company acting
happen" and that delay was in their favor,
postponed and postponed their acting until
the English elections were over, and the
Disraeli ministry had resigned. Then the
poor Canadian gentlemen had to begin over
again. For some little while the Earl of
Granville, who is the Duke of Buckingham's s
successor land who knows rather less of the
colonies than he does of pig-stickine), could
not see them; and when at last he was per-
suaded to go into the subject, he felt bound to
differ from his predecessor and informs them,
l understand, that he fears they were too
shaip for the Duke. He is favorable to an
arrangement by which the Canadians would
give lump sum to the company for the mo
nopoly, and fancy some scheme OF this kind
will ultimately be submitted to the Houses of
Parliament. But the Hudson Bay Directors
are plotting and agitating amongst the legis-
lators with wonderful activity, and with what
chances in their favor two facts can men
| tion will show. 1t is the case that Sir Stat
| ford Northcote-who was a member of the
very English Cabinet which adopted the
scheme that was referred to the company, as
have described, and whose spproval Of il
was, therefore, a neeessity-as soon as his
ministry was out OF power, accepted the
Craftsmanship OF the company, and is at this
moment ready to oppose, in the Houses OF
Commons, the very propositions which, as a
Cabinet Minister, he recommended the COM
pany to adopt. EdiEing, this The other
fact is the presence of Lord Kimberly who
was the chairman of the company beford, and
Cabinet. So the deputation has an uphill
fight and not particularly fair one.
saaae., 49,. THE ARGUMENT.
1t is preposterous to say that this trading
company has any legal right to the land
They were. to trade and hunt in it, but that
| they hold charter to possess the vast con-
| tinent is monstrous assertion. 1t is their
interest and policy, to discourage emigration,
and keep the country as one vast preserve
for fur bearing animals. 1t Is of course their
| interest also to prevent any trading except
through themselves. The rich prairies, with
three TO five feet of aluvial soil, are ready for
the plow, or offer the luxuriant grasses, which
in the old time fatted countless herds of buf-
falo, to domesticated herds. Woods, lakes
and streams diversity the scene, and offer
| timber, fish, and myriads of wild fowl. Ev-
erything argues for the substitution of q
proper government for that of the company
but jobs are in the way. The company are
not the only parties to the dispute who are
to be censured. Canada is always looking to
England for assistance. There is some talk
now Of paying for the territory in Canadian
bonds created for TIE purpose, and I'll an
swer for 1t, they will try to get the British
tax payer into the medley. They are making
road, believe, in the Territory, which dis,
turbs the company, but had they any spirit
at once of the company if the company
refused equitable. terms. Not a few
| are anxious as to Brother Jonathan's
proceedings. Were he possessed by ambition
he could alter the aspect of things in a trice.
But his heavy debt, it is thought, is damper
| to his colonizing zeal. In the meantime the
Canadian deputation deserve the sympathy
of their friends. One of them, Mr.. McDoug-
all, has had the sad misfortune to lose his
wife since his stay here. He LETT her in Can
ada, as he supposed, perfectly well, but she
has succumbed to rapid illness. He expect
ed to be here month; be has been three
Time must hang heavy on their hands. The
| clubs politely open their doors to them, and
one or the other may be often seen at clut
| in chat with some gentlemen whose acquain,
tance they have made. But it is dull work
and If they could but take home good set
tlement they would leave with hurrah! to
| morrow. i1-l.
| shclley's Biography.
| Mr.. M. d. Conway is contributing to Har
| ner's MAGAZINE series of trayeller's skafc che,