You request information of arrangements made at about 1814, by the Northwest Company, and Citizens of The United States, by which that Company became possessed of a Settlement made at the mouth of Columbia River by Citizens of The United States. The Settlement to which you allude, I presume, is "Astoria,” as I know of no other having been made at or near the mouth of that River. Several circumstances are alleged as having contributed to the arrangement by which the Northwest Company became in possession of that Settlement, but chiefly to the misuse of the confidence which had been placed in Mr. McDougall, who, at the time the arrangement was made, and at the time my chief Agent, Mr. Wilson P. Hunt, was absent, acted as Sub-Agent. I beg leave briefly to state, that, contemplating to make an establishment at the mouth of Columbia River, which should serve as a place of depot, and give further facilities for conducting a Trade across this Continent to that River, and from thence, on the range of Northwest Coast, &c. and to Canton, in China, and from thence to The United States; arrangements were accordingly made, in 1810, for a party of Men to cross the Continent, for the Columbia River. At the same time, I fitted the Ship Tonquin, carrying 20 Guns, and 60 Men, commanded by the late Captain Thorn, Lieutenant of The United States Navy. This Ship sailed in September, 1810, having on board the means for making an establishment at Columbia, where she arrived on 22d March, 1811. They landed, found the Natives friendly, and built a fort, erected a house, store, &c. &c. This being accomplished, Captain Thorn left 30 men in possession of the place, to await the Party which were to make the voyage over land; these also happily arrived, though not till several months after. On about the 1st of June, Captain Thorn left Columbia River with a view to make some Trade on the Coast, and then to return to the River; but, unfortunately, Captain Thorn never returned. At about 200 miles north of the Columbia, he put into a bay to trade with the natives. Not attending to the precautions necessary, as he had been instructed to do, to guard against an attack, he suffered a whole tribe of Indians to come on board and about his Ship; an attack was made; he was overpowered; fire was communicated to the Magazine; the ship was blown up; and every soul on board, or near her, perished. In 1811, I fitted out another Ship, the Beaver, carrying 20 Guns, with a duplicate Cargo of the Ship Tonquin, and 60 to 70 Men. The Captain, (Sowle,) was instructed to sail for Columbia River, and in search of the Men who were sent across the Continent, as also the Tonquin. The Beaver sailed from this in October, 1811, arrived at Columbia in May following, found the Establishment, and landed such men, goods, provisions, &c. as the establishment was in need of. My instructions to the Captain were, that, after supplying the estab lishment, he should proceed to Chatka, a Russian Settlement, for the purpose of trade, and then to return to Columbia, take what furs we had, and proceed to Canton, and from thence to New York. He accordingly left Columbia, and, most unfortunately, Mr. Hunt, of Trenton, New Jersey, my chief Agent, left the River with him, sailed, as directed, for the Russian Settlement, and effected their object; but, instead of following instructions to return to Columbia, he sailed direct for Canton, leaving Mr. Hunt at one of the Sandwich Islands, to await the arrival of another Ship which I had promised to send from this in 1812. The Ship Beaver arrived at Canton, and received there the news of War. I had sent orders to the Captain to return to Astoria, but he was fearful of being captured, and remained safely at Canton till the War was over, when he came home. In consequence of the War, I found it inconvenient to send a Ship in 1812; but I did send one, (the Lark,) early in 1813, with directions to the Captain to sail for Columbia River, and to stop at the Sandwich Islands for information. Being within a few day's sail of those Islands, the Ship, in a squall of wind, was upset, and finally drifted on the beach of one of those Islands, a wreck, Ship and Cargo totally lost. Here was met Mr. Hunt, who, after all the information he received, and my great desire to protect the Establishment at Columbia River, procured an American Vessel, took some provisions, sailed, and arrived in Columbia River. He there learnt that M'Dougall had transferred all my property to the Northwest Company, who were in possession of it, by a Sale, as he called it, for the sum of about 58,000 Dollars, of which he retained 14,000 Dollars, for wages said to be due to some of the Men. From the price obtained for the Goods, &c. and he having himself become interested in the purchase, and made a partner of the Northwest Company, some idea may be formed as to this man's correctness of dealing. It will be seen, by the agreement, of which I transmit a copy, and the inventory, that he sold to the Northwest Company 18,170 lbs. of Beaver, at 2 Dollars, which was at about that time selling in Canton at 5 and 6 Dollars; 907 Otter Skins, at 50 cents, or half a Dollar, which were selling in Canton at 5 to 6 Dollars per Skin. I estimated the whole property to be worth nearer 200,000 Dollars. than 40,000 Dollars, about the sum which I received by Bills on Montreal. Previous to the transaction of M'Dougall, we had already established Trading Posts in the interior, and were in contact with the Northwest Company. It is now to be seen what means have been used by them to counteract my plan. It is well known, that, as soon as the Northwest Company had information of my intentions, and plan for conducting my commercial operations, they dispatched a party of Men from the interior, with a view to arrive before my People at Columbia. These Men were obliged to return without effecting their object. In the mean time, representation was made to their Government, as to he probable effect of my operations on their interest, and requesting to interfere in their behalf. This being in time of Peace, the Government did not deem it advisable so to do. So soon, however, as War was declared, these representations were renewed, aid was asked from the Government, and it was granted. The Phoebe Frigate, and Sloops of War Racoon and Porcupine, were sent from England, with orders to proceed to Columbia River, and destroy my property. They sailed from England early in January, 1813; arriving at Rio de Janeiro, Admiral Dickson ordered the Phoebe Frigate, with one of the Sloops, to pursue Captain Porter, in the Frigate Essex, and the Sloop of War Racoon to the Columbia. She arrived there, took possession in the name of the King, and changed the name of the place, Astoria, to Fort George. Previous to this, the Northwest Company had despatched another or second party of Men to the Columbia. They arrived there in the absence of Mr. Hunt. M'Dougall gave them support and protection, and they commenced, after some time, to negotiate with this Gentleman. The reasons assigned by him for his conduct will be seen by the Extract of a Letter said to have been sent by a Mr. Shaw, of the Northwest Company, and of which I send you a Copy. The plan by me adopted was such as must have materially affected the interest of the Northwest and Hudson's Bay Companies, and it was easily to be foreseen, that they would employ every means to counteract my operations, and which, as my impression, I stated to the Executive of your Department as early as February, 1813, as will be seen by a Copy of the sketch of a Letter which I wrote to the Secretary State, to which no reply was given. On repeated application, some time after, aid was promised me; but I believe the situation of our Country rendered it inconvenient to give it. You will observe that the name of Pacifick Fur Company is made use of at the commencement of the arrangements for this undertaking. I preferred to have it appear as the business of a Company, rather than that of an Individual, and several of the Gentlemen engaged, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Crooks, Mr. McKay, M'Dougall, Stuart, &c. were in effect to be interested as partners in the undertaking, so far as respected any profit which might arise; but the means were furnished by me, and the property was solely mine, and I sustained the loss, which, though considerable, I do not regret; because, had it not been for the unfortunate occurrence just stated, I should have been, as I believe, most richly rewarded, as it will be seen that the difference of price in the Beaver and Otter Skins alone,-say what I received, and the value of them at Canton, at that time,-is about 60,000 Dollars. The copy of agreement, inventory, and extract of Shaw's Letter, you will please return to mne. I am, &c. JOHN JACOB ASTOR. The Hon. John Quincy Adams, Secretary of State. DECREE of the Cortes of Spain, for the Encouragement of Colonization, by Spaniards and Foreigners, in the Spanish American Colonies-27th June, 1821. (Translation.) DON FRANCISCO TOMAS MORALES, Mariscal de Campo of the National Armies, General in Chief of the Army of Costafirme, and Captain General of the Provinces of Venezuela, &c. &c. I make known to all the Subjects and Vassals of the Powers friendly to the Spanish Nation, as well as of Neutrals, in both hemispheres, that the following Law has been received from the Government. GOVERNMENT OF ULTRAMAR. BOARD OF INDUSTRY. DEPARTMENT OF ENCOURAGEMENT. The King has been pleased to address to me the following Decree: Don Ferdinand VIIth, by the grace of God, and by the Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy, King of the Two Spains; to all those who may see and understand these presents, know: that the Cortes have decreed, and that we sanction, the following: "The Cortes, having observed all the formalities prescribed by the Constitution, have decreed as follows :" ART. I. All Foreigners, who, in virtue of the Law of the 28th September, 1820,* in which an inviolable asylum is provided for their persons and property in the Spanish Territory, may wish to remove to any Province of Spain beyond seas, shall be permitted so to do, from the places of their respective naturalization or residence, in the same manner as they are permitted to pass over from the said places to any of the Provinces of this Peninsula. II. Every Foreigner, who, in virtue of the above-mentioned Law of the 28th September, 1820, may remove to the Provinces of Spain beyond seas, shall be admitted by the Local Authorities of those Provinces, who shall allow him to engage, with perfect liberty and security, in the employment, office, or business appertaining to him. III. Every Foreigner at present residing in any of the Provinces beyond sea, and resolving to enrol himself as a Citizen thereof, shall make a declaration to that effect, before the Constitutional Ayuntamiento elected by the People for that District. In this case the Ayuntamiento shall enrol, in the Census book of the Population, his name, and the names of his Family, (if he have any,) with the reason of his coming, his age, condition and calling; and, from the date of this enrolment, he shall be considered a Denizen; and the time required by the Constitution to qualify him for enjoying the rights of a Spaniard having elapsed, he may obtain Letters of Citizenship. • See Decretos de las Cortes, Vol. 6. Page 152. IV. From the day on which any Foreigner shall be enrolled amongst the Population of any Province beyond sea, according to the preceding Article, he will be permitted, the same as a Spaniard, to obtain any portion of land, whether uncultivated, or the property of the community in which he resides: he may discover, possess, and work mines within the limits thereof, under the regulations and forms, prescribed to the Natives by existing Laws and Decrees, especially those of the Extraordinary Cortes of the 4th January, 1813,* and of the Ordinary Cortes of the 8th November, 1820.4 V. Every Spaniard, and also every Foreigner whatever be his condition, even before his naturalization in the Spanish Territory, may, either alone or in conjunction with a company not exceeding 3 Persons, contract for the establishment of one or more Settlements: for which purpose he shall present a Project for the new Settlement to the Provincial Deputation in whose district the land in which he proposes to establish it, is situated. The said Provincial Deputation shall examine the said Project; and, on its being found by them not inconsistent with the Laws of India, and existing arrangements; or, after having adapted it to those Laws and arrangements; they shall approve it, and cause it to be carried into effect immediately; reporting the same to the Local Government, which shall, in its turn, forward the Report, together with its own opinion thereon, to the Cortes, for the final approbation of that Assembly. VI. No Project for a new Settlement shall be received by the Provincial Deputations, unless the Applicant be prepared to produce, as Settlers, at least 25 Families, that is, 25 free married couples. The said Provincial Deputations shall prescribe to the Contractor the precise period, within which the new Settlement must contain the number of Families specified in the Contract, under the penalty of his being deprived of a portion of the rights and privileges conceded to him; and the Contract shall afterwards become altogether null and void, if he do not furnish, at least, the 25 Families before-mentioned. VII. So soon as 20, at least, of the Families comprehended in the said Contract, shall have reached the land assigned by the Provincial Deputation, they shall proceed to the formal establishment of the Settlement, and shall swear fidelity to the Political Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy, before the Person named for that purpose by the Political Chief of the Province. VIII. Every new Settlement shall be governed by its own Ayuntamiento the Inhabitants, after taking the oath to the Constitution, as prescribed in the preceding Article, shall proceed, under the superintendence, on the first occasion, of the same Agent of the Political Chief, * See Decretos de las Cortes, Vol. 3, Page 189. |