There were cooler and more calculating spirits, however, who had the control of affairs, and felt nothing of the patriotic pride and indignation of these youths.  The extract of the letter had, apparently, been read by M’Dougal, merely to prepare the way for a preconcerted stroke of management.  On the same day Mr. M’Tavish proposed to purchase the whole stock of goods and furs belonging to the company, both at Astoria and in the interior, at cost and charges.  Mr. M’Dougal undertook to comply; assuming the whole management of the negotiation in virtue of the power vested in him, in case of the non-arrival of Mr. Hunt.  That power, however, was limited and specific, and did not extend to an operation of this nature and extent; no objection, however, was made to his assumption, and he and M’Tavish soon made a preliminary arrangement, perfectly satisfactory to the latter.

Mr. Stuart, and the reserve party of Northwesters, arrived shortly afterwards, and encamped with M’Tavish.  The former exclaimed loudly against the terms of the arrangement, and insisted upon a reduction of the prices.  New negotiations had now to be entered into.  The demands of the Northwesters were made in a peremptory tone, and they seemed disposed to dictate like conquerors.  The Americans looked on with indignation and impatience.  They considered M’Dougal as acting, if not a perfidious, certainly a craven part.  He was continually repairing to the camp to negotiate, instead of keeping within his walls and receiving overtures in his fortress.  His case, they observed, was not so desperate as to excuse such crouching.  He might, in fact, hold out for his own terms.  The Northwest party had lost their ammunition; they had no goods to trade with the natives for provisions; and they were so destitute that M’Dougal had absolutely to feed them, while he negotiated with them.  He, on the contrary, was well lodged and victualled; had sixty men, with arms, ammunition, boats, and everything requisite either for defense or retreat.  The party, beneath the guns of his fort, were at his mercy; should an enemy appear in the offing, he could pack up the most valuable part of the property and retire to some place of concealment, or make off for the interior.

These considerations, however, had no weight with Mr. M’Dougal, or were overruled by other motives.  The terms of sale were lowered by him to the standard fixed by Mr. Stuart, and an agreement executed on the 16th of October, by which the furs and merchandise of all kinds in the country, belonging to Mr. Astor, passed into the possession of the Northwest Company at about a third of their value. * A safe passage through the Northwest posts was guaranteed to such as did not choose to enter into the service of that Company, and the amount of wages due to them was to be deducted from the price paid for Astoria.

The conduct and motives of Mr. M’Dougal, throughout the whole of this proceeding, have been strongly questioned by the other partners.  He has been accused of availing himself of a wrong construction of powers vested in him at his own request, and of sacrificing the interests of Mr. Astor to the Northwest Company, under the promise or hope of advantage to himself.