The Treaties of Canada with the Indians of Manitoba and the North-West Territories Part 6

CHIEF--"One thing I did not say that is most necessary--we want a cross-cut saw, a whip saw, grindstone and files."

GOVERNOR--"We will do that, and I think we ought to give a box of common tools to each Chief of a Band."

CHIEF--"Depending upon the words you have told us, and stretched out your hands in a friendly way, I depend upon that. One thing more we demand--a suit of clothes to all of us."

GOVERNOR--"With regard to clothing, suits will be given to the Chiefs and head men, and as to the other Indians there is a quant.i.ty of goods and provisions here that will be given them at the close of the treaty. The coats of the Chiefs will be given every three years."

CHIEF--"Once more; powder and shot will not go off without guns. We ask for guns."

GOVERNOR--"I have shewn every disposition to meet your view, but what I have promised is as far as I can go."

CHIEF--"My friends, listen to what I am going to say, and you, my brothers. We present you now with our best and our strongest compliments. We ask you not to reject some of our children who have gone out of our place; they are scattered all over, a good tasted meat hath drawn them away, and we wish to draw them all here and be contented with us."

GOVERNOR--"If your children come and live here, of course they will become part of the population, and be as yourselves."

CHIEF--"I hope you will grant the request that I am going to lay before you. I do not mean those that get paid on the other side of the line, but some poor Indians who may happen to fall in our road.

If you will accept of these little matters, the treaty will be at an end. I would not like that one of my children should not eat with me, and receive the food that you are going to give me."

GOVERNOR--"I am dealing with British Indians and not American Indians, after the treaty is closed we will have a list of the names of any children of British Indians that may come in during two years and be ranked with them; but we must have a limit somewhere."

CHIEF--"I should not feel happy if I was not to mess with some of my children that are around me--those children that we call the Half-breed--those that have been born of our women of Indian blood.

We wish that they should be counted with us, and have their share of what you have promised. We wish you to accept our demands. It is the Half-breeds that are actually living amongst us--those that are married to our women."

GOVERNOR--"I am sent here to treat with the Indians. In Red River, where I came from, and where there is a great body of Half-breeds, they must be either white or Indian. If Indians, they get treaty money; if the Half-breeds call themselves white, they get land. All I can do is to refer the matter to the Government at Ottawa, and to recommend what you wish to be granted."

CHIEF--"I hope you will not drop the question; we have understood you to say that you came here as a friend, and represented your charitableness, and we depend upon your kindness. You must remember that our hearts and our brains are like paper; we never forget.

There is one thing that we want to know. If you should get into trouble with the nations, I do not wish to walk out and expose my young men to aid you in any of your wars."

GOVERNOR--"The English never call the Indians out of their country to fight their battles. You are living here and the Queen expects you to live at peace with the white men and your red brothers, and with other nations."

ANOTHER CHIEF--"I ask you a question--I see your roads here pa.s.sing through the country, and some of your boats--useful articles that you use for yourself. Bye and bye we shall see things that run swiftly, that go by fare--carriages--and we ask you that us Indians may not have to pay their pa.s.sage on these things, but can go free."

GOVERNOR--"I think the best thing I can do is to become an Indian.

I cannot promise you to pa.s.s on the railroad free, for it may be a long time before we get one; and I cannot promise you any more than other people."

CHIEF--"I must address myself to my friend here, as he is the one that has the Public Works."

MR. DAWSON--"I am always happy to do anything I can for you. I have always given you a pa.s.sage on the boats when I could. I will act as I have done though I can give no positive promise for the future."

CHIEF--"We must have the privilege of travelling about the country where it is vacant."

MR. McKAY--"Of course, I told them so."

CHIEF--"Should we discover any metal that was of use, could we have the privilege of putting our own price on it?"

GOVERNOR--"If any important minerals are discovered on any of their reserves the minerals will be sold for their benefit with their consent, but not on any other land that discoveries may take place upon; as regards other discoveries, of course, the Indian is like any other man. He can sell his information if he can find a purchaser."

CHIEF--"It will be as well while we are here that everything should be understood properly between us. All of us--those behind us--wish to have their reserves marked out, which they will point out, when the time comes. There is not one tribe here who has not laid it out."

COMMISSIONER PROVENCHER (the Governor being temporarily absent)--"As soon as it is convenient to the Government to send surveyors to lay out the reserves they will do so, and they will try to suit every particular band in this respect."

CHIEF--"We do not want anybody to mark out our reserves, we have already marked them out."

COMMISSIONER--"There will be another undertaking between the officers of the Government and the Indians among themselves for the selection of the land; they will have enough of good farming land, they may be sure of that."

CHIEF--"Of course, if there is any particular part wanted by the public works they can shift us. I understand that; but if we have any gardens through the country, do you wish that the poor man should throw it right away?"

COMMISSIONER--"Of course not."

CHIEF--"These are matters that are the wind-up. I begin now to see how I value the proceedings. I have come to this point, and all that are taking part in this treaty and yourself I would wish to have all your names in writing handed over to us. I would not find it to my convenience to have a stranger here to transact our business between me and you. It is a white man who does not understand our language that is taking it down. I would like a man that understands our language and our ways. We would ask your Excellency as a favor to appoint him for us."

GOVERNOR--"I have a very good feeling to Mr. C. Nolin, he has been a good man here; but the appointment of an Agent rests with the authorities at Ottawa and I will bring your representation to them, and I am quite sure it will meet with the respect due to it."

CHIEF--"As regards the fire water, I do not like it and I do not wish any house to be built to have it sold. Perhaps at times if I should be unwell I might take drop just for medicine; and shall any one insist on bringing it where we are, I should break the treaty."

GOVERNOR--"I meant to have spoken of that myself, I meant to put it in the treaty. He speaks good about it. The Queen and her Parliament in Ottawa have pa.s.sed a law prohibiting the use of it in this territory, and if any shall be brought in for the use of you as medicine it can only come in by my permission."

CHIEF--"Why we keep you so long is that it is our wish that everything should be properly understood between us,"

GOVERNOR--"That is why I am here. It is my pleasure, and I want when we once shake hands that it should be forever."

CHIEF--"That is the princ.i.p.al article. If it was in my midst the fire water would have spoiled my happiness, and I wish it to be left far away from where I am. All the promises that you have made me, the little promises and the money you have promised, when it comes to me year after year--should I see that there is anything wanting, through the negligence of the people that have to see after these things, I trust it will be in my power to put them in prison."

GOVERNOR--"The ear of the Queen's Government will always be open to hear the complaints of her Indian people, and she will deal with her servants that do not do their duty in a proper manner."

CHIEF--"Now you have promised to give us all your names. I want a copy of the treaty that will not be rubbed off, on parchment."

GOVERNOR--"In the mean time I will give you a copy on paper, and as soon as I get back I will get you a copy on parchment."

CHIEF--"I do not wish to be treated as they were at Red River--that provisions should be stopped as it is there. Whenever we meet and have a council I wish that provisions should be given to us. We cannot speak without eating."

GOVERNOR--"You are mistaken. When they are brought together at Red River for their payments they get provisions."

CHIEF--"We wish the provisions to come from Red River."

GOVERNOR--"If the Great Spirit sends the gra.s.shopper and there is no wheat grown in Red River, we cannot give it to you."

CHIEF--"You have come before us with a smiling face, you have shown us great charity--you have promised the good things; you have given us your best compliments and wishes, not only for once but for ever; let there now for ever be peace and friendship between us. It is the wish of all that where our reserves are peace should reign, that nothing shall be there that will disturb peace. Now, I will want nothing to be there that will disturb peace, and will put every one that carries arms,--such as murderers and thieves--outside, so that nothing will be there to disturb our peace."

GOVERNOR--"The Queen will have policemen to preserve order, and murderers and men guilty of crime will be punished in this country just the same as she punishes them herself."

CHIEF--"To speak about the Hudson's Bay Company. If it happens that they have surveyed where I have taken my reserve, if I see any of their signs I will put them on one side."

GOVERNOR--"When the reserves are given you, you will have your rights. The Hudson's Bay Company have their rights, and the Queen will do justice between you."

CHIEF OF FORT FRANCIS--"Why I say this is, where I have chosen for my reserve I see signs that the H. B. Co. has surveyed. I do not hate them. I only wish they should take their reserves on one side.

Where their shop stands now is my property; I think it is three years now since they have had it on it."

GOVERNOR--"I do not know about that matter; it will be enquired into. I am taking notes of all these things and am putting them on paper."