Mexico, generally issues a decree for the expulsion of the Americans from California; which decrees the governor of the department is obliged to content himself with proclaiming, as it would be madness in him to attempt to enforce them, whilst he is obliged to depend almost entirely upon the obnoxious strangers, for defence against the neighboring Indians. In the political disturbances which annually occur between the Mexican authorities and the partisans of independence, the Americans seldom engage, and when they do, it is usually on the side of the government; though their rifles are occasionally seen gleaming from the ranks of both parties. To record the particulars of these insurrections, would be to present a tedious detail of squabbles, without object or result of marches without encounter-of bombastic orders and proclamations and of conventions, which neither party meant to observe, or believed that the other would observe, for a single hour after their conclusion.

In the mean time, the Hudson's Bay Company had been doing all in its power to extend and confirm its position, in the countries west of the Rocky Mountains, from which, its governors felicitated themselves with the idea that they had expelled the Americans entirely; and as the fur trade, hitherto the great object of that association, was declining, from the diminution in the value of the furs, as well as in the number of animals producing them, other modes had been adopted for the employment of capital in those regions. Establishments were formed for taking and curing the salmon which abound in the rivers, for cutting and sawing timber, for raising cattle and sheep, and for the cultivation of grain; and persons were introduced from Canada, and from Europe, to be employed in these various ways. Capital thus invested could, however, yield but slender returns, and no other means for its application, are offered in the countries of the Columbia, or farther north. These countries, indeed, embrace several tracts of land, of moderate extent, which may afford to the industrious cultivator not only subsistence, but also the enjoyment of those foreign luxuries, which are now considered among the necessaries of life: but they contain no precious metals, so far as known; nor do they produce any of the valuable articles of commerce, such as tea, coffee, sugar, cotton, rice, and opium; nor are they, like India, inhabited by a numerous population, who may be easily forced to labor, for the benefit of a few. It was moreover evident that none of the above-mentioned ad

vantages could be derived, in full extent, so long as the sovereignty of the territory remained in abeyance, and no one could acquire the proprietorship of any portion of the soil. The object of the company was, therefore, to place a large number of British subjects in Oregon, within the shortest time, and of course to exclude from it as much as possible all people of the United States; so that when the period for terminating the convention with the latter power should arrive, Great Britain might be able to present the strongest title to the possession of the whole, on the ground of actual occupation, by the Hudson's Bay Company. To these ends, the efforts of that company had been for some time directed. The immigration of British subjects was encouraged; the Americans were by all means excluded; and the Indians were brought as much as possible into friendship with, and subjection to, the company, while they were taught to regard the people of the United States as enemies.

In its treatment of the aborigines of these countries, the Hudson's Bay Company admirably combined and reconciled humanity with policy. In the first place its agents were all strictly prohibited from furnishing them with ardent spirits; and there is reason to believe that the prohibition has been carefully enforced. Schools for the instruction of their children, and hospitals for their sick, were established at all the principal trading posts; each of which, moreover, offered the means of employment, and support to Indians disposed to work, in the intervals between the hunting seasons. Missionaries of various sects were encouraged to endeavor to convert these people to Christianity, and to induce them to adopt the usages of civilized life, so far as might be consistent with the nature of the labors in which they are engaged; care being at the same time taken to instil into their minds due respect for the company, and for the sovereign of Great Britain: and attempts were made, at great expense, though with little success, to collect them into villages, on tracts where the soil and climate are favorable to agriculture. Particular care was also extended to the education of the half-breed children, the offspring of the marriage or the concubinage of the traders with the Indian women, who were retained and bred as much as possible among the white people, and were taken into the service of the company, whenever they were found capable. There being few white women in those territories, it is evident that these half-breeds must, in time, form a large, if not an important,

portion of the inhabitants; and there is nothing to prevent their being adopted and recognized as British subjects.

The conduct of the Hudson's Bay Company, in these respects, is worthy of commendation; and may be contrasted most favorably with that pursued at the present day, by civilized people, towards the aborigines of all other new countries. It is, however, to be observed, that of the whole territory in the possession of or used by that body, only a few isolated portions, of no great extent, are capable of being rendered productive by agriculture; the remainder yielding nothing of value, but furs, which can be obtained in greater quantities, and at less cost, by the Indians, than in any other way. There was, consequently, no object in expelling or destroying the natives, who occupied no land required for other purposes, and could never be dangerous from their numbers; whilst, on the contrary, there was a direct and evident motive of interest, to preserve and conciliate them, for which objects the course pursued by the company was best adapted. By the system above described, the natural shyness and distrust of the savages have been in a great measure removed; the ties which bound together various tribes, and even the members of those tribes, have been loosened; and extensive combinations, for any purpose, have become impossible. The dependence of the Indians upon the company was, at the same time, rendered entire and absolute; for, having abandoned the use of all their former arms, hunting and fishing implements, and clothes, they could no longer subsist, without the guns, ammunition, fish-hooks, blankets, and other similar articles, which they received from the British traders, and from them only. The position of the Hudson's Bay Company toward these people, was thus wholly different from that of the Americans towards the Indians, who inhabited the fertile regions east of the Mississippi; or of the British settlers in Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa, towards the natives of those countries; or, it may be added, of the East India Company, towards the Chinese: the first-mentioned body, being as much interested in preventing the use of ardent spirits among the aborigines of its territories, as the East India Company could be in encouraging the consumption of opium in the Celestial Empire.

The course pursued by the Hudson's Bay Company, with regard to American citizens in the territory west of the Rocky Mountains, was equally unexceptionable, and equally politic. The missionaries

and emigrants from the United States, or from whatever country they might come, were received at the establishments of the company with the utmost kindness, and were aided in the prosecution of their respective objects, so far and so long as those objects were not commercial; but no sooner did any person, unconnected with the company, attempt to hunt, or trap, or trade with the Indians, than all the force of the body was turned against him. There is no evidence or reason to believe, that violent measures were ever employed, either directly or indirectly, for this purpose; nor would such means have been needed, whilst the company enjoys advantages over all competitors, such as are afforded by its wealth, its organization, and the skill and knowledge of the country, and of the natives, possessed by its agents. Wherever an American post has been established, or an American party has been engaged in trading on the Columbia, an agent of the Hudson's Bay Company soon appeared in the same quarter, with a large amount of specie or of merchandise, which were given to the Indians for furs, on terms much lower than those offered by the Americans; and the latter, thus finding their labors vain, were soon obliged to retire from the field. In the same manner, the company succeeded in preventing American vessels from obtaining cargoes on the coasts; though mariners of all nations, when driven thither by shipwreck or other misfortunes, uniformly received shelter and protection, at its forts and factories.

In these proceedings with regard to American citizens, the Hudson's Bay Company did no more than they were entitled to do. If the Americans neglected, or were unable, to avail themselves of the benefits secured to both nations by the convention, the fault or the misfortune was their own, and they had no right to complain. The hospitable treatment extended to them by the agents of the Hudson's Bay Company was doubtless approved by the directors of that body; and all who know Messrs. Macloughlin and Douglas, the principal managers of the affairs of that body on the Columbia, unite in testifying that the humanity and generosity of those gentlemen have been always carried as far as their duties would permit. That this conduct does not, however, meet with universal approbation among the servants of the company in that quarter, sufficient evidence may be cited to prove.* There are, it appears, two

History of the Oregon Territory, and British North American Fur Trade, by John Dunn, late of the Hudson's Bay Company, eight years a Resident in the Country. London: 1844. Chap. XII.

parties among the British in Oregon, the patriots and the liberals; who, while they agree in holding all Americans in utter detestation, as knaves and ruffians, yet differ as to the propriety of the course pursued with regard to them by the company. The patriots maintain that the kindness shown to the people of the United States was thrown away, and would be badly requited; that it was merely nurturing a race of men, who would soon rise from their meek and humble position, as the grateful acknowledgers of favor, to the bold attitude of questioners of the authority of Great Britain, and of her rights, even to Fort Vancouver itself; that "if any attempts were made for the conversion of the natives to Christianity, and to their adoption of more humanized institutions, (which they limited to British institutions,) a solid and permanent foundation should be laid; and for that purpose, if missionaries were to be introduced, they should come within the direct control of the dominant power, that is, the British power, and should be the countrymen of those who actually occupied Oregon," &c. The liberals, while admitting all that was said on the other side, of the character of the Americans, nevertheless charitably opined, that those people should not be excluded, as they possessed some claims, "feeble, but yet existing," to the country, and until "these were quashed or confirmed, it would be unjust and impolitic" to prevent them from all possession; that their missionaries, though bad, were better than none; and that "good would grow out of evil in the end, for the Americans, by their intercourse with the British, would become more humanized, tolerant and honest."

Under such circumstance, it may be supposed that the thousands of citizens of the United States who entered Oregon in 1843, and the two succeeding years, were regarded with no very friendly feelings by the British. The emigrants, however, confined themselves chiefly to the countries south of the Columbia, where very few of their rivals were settled, and no collision took place between the parties for some time. Dr. Macloughlin, the chief officer of the Hudson's Bay Company, in the Columbia territories, indeed, claimed possession of the whole site of Oregon city, the capital of the new republic, on the pretext of first occupation; and an attempt was made, in 1845, by some Americans, to erect a house in token of possession, on the north side of the Columbia, near Fort Vancouver, which led to some discussions: but no difficulty was anticipated from either claim.