Again, The Cost Of
Government Might Be Recouped By A Moderate System Of Duties In And Out
Of The Territory, To Be Agreed With Canada And British Columbia On The
One Hand, And The United States On The Other.
This, in outline, was one
plan.
The next was, to sell a portion of the territory to the United
States at the price, which I knew could be obtained, of a million. A
third plan which I suggested was, to open up portions of the "Fertile
belt" to colonization from the United States. To offer homes, in a
bracing, healthy country - with fertile lands and long waterways - to the
multitudes of men and women in Ohio, Kentucky, Maryland, and many other
States, who desired to flee from war and conflict; whose yearning was
for settled government and peace. These men and women had still
resources, friends, and credit, and if our country opened its arms to
them, they would flock to the old red flag, and bring their energies to
bear on the industrial conquest of these vast regions to the West.
But - if any man went, morally, down on his knees to another, I did to
the Duke, to beg, beseech, implore, - that this great bargain, this
purchase of purchases, of a Continent, should be made for our country,
and should be untainted by even the suspicion of a mercantile
adventure. In the end, I thought I had converted the Duke, well
disposed always, to the wisdom of such a policy. Following this line,
we discussed many details. He "would not sell," but he would
"exchange;" and, studying the map, we put our fingers upon the
Aroostook wedge, in the State of Maine - upon a piece of territory at
the head of Lake Superior, and upon islands between British Columbia
and Vancouver's Island - which might be the equivalent of rectification
of boundary on many portions to the Westward along the 49th parallel of
latitude.
Further, at one of our many interviews a name for the new Crown Colony,
if established, was mentioned - "Hysperia." Dr. Mackay had suggested it
to me. The general answer of the Duke was - "Were I a minister of Russia
I should buy the land. It is the right thing to do for many, for all,
reasons; but ministers here must subordinate their views to the
Cabinet." Still, he went so far, that I believed if the Hudson's Bay
property were once bought, the Duke would manage to take the purchase
over for the country. I was too sanguine. I had not measured the
passive resistance of the inside of the Colonial Office to everything
that inside had not initiated; though the fact that day by day
objections, urged to the Duke from inside, were put to me, by him, and,
I believe, always satisfactorily answered, might have warned me. I hope
to live to find three conditions established at the Colonial Office: -
(1) That no one, from the head down to the office boy, shall enter the
doors without having passed in general and in British Empire,
geography. (2) That no one shall be promoted who has not visited some
one British Colony or Province; and (3) That no one shall be eligible
for the highest offices who has not visited and studied, personally,
every portion of the distant British Empire.
With confident hope I went to work. It is true that Mr. Thomas Baring
warned me. He said: "If the Duke wants these great efforts made he must
make them on behalf of the Government: he must not leave private
persons to take the risk of Imperial work." And, in this state of mind,
Mr. Baring refused, afterwards, to be one of the promoters of the
Pacific scheme, a refusal which led Mr. Glyn to hesitate to sign the
legal papers without his friend and colleague. It was an anxious time
for me; for on my head rested the main responsibility. One circumstance
somewhat sustained me. On "the 10th December, 1862, at Thomas' Hotel,
the Duke had read to me a private letter from Mr. Gladstone to him,
containing these words. Words of which I was allowed to make a note"
Your Pacific scheme would be one of the grandest affairs ever achieved,
and I hope it will be completed in your time. It shall have my hearty
support." Alas! however, Mr. Baring was right.
The first official interview with the Governor and Court of the
Hudson's Bay Company was at the "Hudson's Bay House," Fenchurch Street,
on the 1st December, 1862. The room was the "Court" room, dark and
dirty. A faded green cloth, old chairs almost black, and a fine
portrait of Prince Rupert. We met the Governor, Berens, Eden Colville,
and Lyell only. On our part there were Mr. G. G. Glyn (the present Lord
Wolverton), Captain Glyn (the late Admiral Henry Glyn), and Messrs.
Newmarch, Benson, Blake, and myself. Mr. Berens, an old man and
obstinate, bearing a name to be found in the earliest lists of Hudson's
Bay shareholders, was somewhat insulting in his manner. We took it
patiently. He seemed to be astounded at our assurance. "What! interfere
with his Fertile belt, tap root, &c.!" Subsiding, we had a reasonable
discussion, and were finally informed that they would give us land for
the actual site of a road and a telegraph through their territory, but
nothing more. But they would sell all they had, as we "were, no doubt,
rich enough to buy," for "about" 1,500,000l., as they had told
the Duke.
The offer of the mere site of a road and ground for telegraph poles was
of no use. So, just as we were leaving, I said, "We are quite ready to
consider your offer to sell; and, to expedite matters, will you allow
us to see your accounts, charters, &c." They promised to consult their
Court. And, gradually, it got to this, that I was put in communication
with old Mr. Roberts, aged 85, their accountant, and with their
solicitor, the able and honorable Mr. Maynard, of the old firm of
Crowder and Maynard, Coleman Street, City.
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