A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic InformationGray, W. H. (William Henry)
History
A History of Oregon, 1792-1849: Drawn From Personal Observation and Authentic Information
Gray, W. H. (William Henry)
Frontier and pioneer life -- Oregon; Oregon Territory -- History
_Int. 952._--"Will you please produce here for examination by the
United States or their counsel, all accounts, account-books, and
letter-books of the Hudson's Bay Company which were kept at the
various posts of that company south of the 49th parallel of north
latitude during their occupation by the company, together with the
regulations under which their books were kept, and the regular
forms of contracts with the company's servants?"
_Ans._--"I can not say whether I will produce them or not."
(The above question was objected to as incompetent, and as asking the
witness, not as to what he knows of the subject, but as to what his
future course of action will be, over which, as witness, he can have no
control.)
During the examination of Mr. McTavish it was evident that he was the
main prosecuting witness, and considerably interested in the results of
the claim, or suit.
It would doubtless be interesting to most of our readers to see a review
of the testimony, or at least a summary of the evidence presented on
both sides in this case. There are now printed about one thousand pages
of documents and depositions. That relating particularly to the Hudson's
Bay Company comprises about two-thirds of the whole amount. The balance
relates more particularly to the Puget Sound Agricultural Company's
claim. This claim, the company have not been able, by any testimony yet
presented, to separate from that of the Hudson's Bay Company; so that
there is no prospect of their receiving one dollar on that account.
There have been examined on the part of the Puget Sound Company, to
prove its separate existence from the Hudson's Bay Company, thirty
witnesses; on the part of the United States, twenty-one. On the part of
the Hudson's Bay Company's claim as separate from the Puget Sound
Company, nineteen witnesses; on the part of the United States, thirty.
On both sides not far from forty-five witnesses have been called upon
the stand to testify in this important case. The company in London have
been requested to furnish evidence of the separate organization or
independent existence of the two companies; and with all this evidence
produced, nothing definite or certain is shown, except that the concern
was gotten up to deceive the English people and rob the American
government, and to counteract and oppose the American settlement of this
country.
As a looker-on and an observer of events in this country, I must confess
my astonishment at the ignorance, perverseness, and stupidity of men
whom I have ever heretofore regarded as honorable and truthful.
From the testimony before me of the twenty odd English witnesses, it
really appears as though they felt that all they had to do was to ask
their pay, and our government would give it to them; or, in other words,
they, as Englishmen and British subjects, are prepared to compel the
payment of any sum they demand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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