Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/296

278 be under the treaty or under the donation law. In one case, however, it limited the amount of land, and in the other it did not. But there was no provision made in the donation law, the organic act, or any where else by which those claiming under the treaty could define their boundaries or have their lands surveyed and set off to them. The United States had simply promised to respect the company's rights to the lands, without inquiring what they were. They had promised also to purchase them, should it be found they were of public or political importance, and to pay a proper valuation, to be agreed upon between the parties. But the citizens of the United States, covering the lands of the Hudson's Bay and Puget Sound Agricultural companies with claims, under the donation law, deprived both companies and the United States of their possession.

One of the settlers—or, as they were called, squatters—on the Hudson's Bay Company's lands was Amos M. Short, who claimed the town site of Vancouver. When he first went on the lands, before the treaty, the company put him off. But he persisted in returning, and subsequently killed two men to prevent being ejected by process of law. Nevertheless, when the donation law was passed Short took no steps to file a notification of his claim. Perhaps he was waiting the action of congress with regard to the Hudson's Bay Company's rights. While he waited he died, having lost the benefits of the act of September 27, 1850, by delay. In the mean time congress passed the act of the 14th of February, 1853, permitting all persons who had located or might hereafter locate lands in that territory, in accordance with the provisions of the law of 1850, in lieu of continued occupation, to purchase their claims at the rate of $1.25 an acre, provided they had been two years