The Treaties of Canada with the Indians of Manitoba and the North-West Territories Part 7

CHIEF--"I will tell you one thing. You understand me now, that I have taken your hand firmly and in friendship. I repeat twice that you have done so, that these promises that you have made, and the treaty to be concluded, let it be as you promise, as long as the sun rises over our head and as long as the water runs. One thing I find, that deranges a little my kettle. In this river, where food used to be plentiful for our subsistence, I perceive it is getting scarce. We wish that the river should be left as it was formed from the beginning--that nothing be broken."

GOVERNOR--"This is a subject that I cannot promise."

MR. DAWSON--"Anything that we are likely to do at present will not interfere with the fishing, but no one can tell what the future may require, and we cannot enter into any engagement."

CHIEF--"We wish the Government would a.s.sist us in getting a few boards for some of us who are intending to put up houses this fall, from the mill at Fort Francis."

GOVERNOR--"The mill is a private enterprise, and we have no power to give you boards from that."

CHIEF--"I will now show you a medal that was given to those who made a treaty at Red River by the Commissioner. He said it was silver, but I do not think it is. I should be ashamed to carry it on my breast over my heart. I think it would disgrace the Queen, my mother, to wear her image on so base a metal as this. [Here the Chief held up the medal and struck it with the back of his knife.

The result was anything but the 'true ring,' and made every man ashamed of the petty meanness that had been practised.] Let the medals you give us be of silver--medals that shall be worthy of the high position our Mother the Queen occupies."

GOVERNOR--"I will tell them at Ottawa what you have said, and how you have said it."

CHIEF--"I wish you to understand you owe the treaty much to the Half-breeds."

GOVERNOR--"I know it. I sent some of them to talk with you, and I am proud that all the Half-breeds from Manitoba, who are here, gave their Governor their cordial support."

The business of the treaty having now been completed, the Chief, Mawedopenais, who, with Powha.s.san, had with such wonderful tact carried on the negotiations, stepped up to the Governor and said:--

"Now you see me stand before you all; what has been done here to-day has been done openly before the Great Spirit, and before the nation, and I hope that I may never hear any one say that this treaty has been done secretly; and now, in closing this Council, I take off my glove, and in giving you my hand, I deliver over my birth-right and lands; and in taking your hand, I hold fast all the promises you have made, and I hope they will last as long as the sun goes round and the water flows, as you have said."

The Governor then took his hand and said:

"I accept your hand and with it the lands, and will keep all my promises, in the firm belief that the treaty now to be signed will bind the red man and the white together as friends for ever."

A copy of the treaty was then prepared and duly signed, after which a large amount of presents consisting of pork, flour, clothing, blankets, twine, powder and shot, etc., were distributed to the several bands represented on the ground.

On Sat.u.r.day, Mr. Pether, Local Superintendent of Indian Affairs at Fort Francis, and Mr. Graham of the Government Works, began to pay the treaty money--an employment that kept them busy far into the night. Some of the Chiefs received as much as one hundred and seventy dollars for themselves and families.

As soon as the money was distributed the shops of the H. B. Co., and other resident traders were visited, as well as the tents of numerous private traders, who had been attracted thither by the prospect of doing a good business. And while these shops all did a great trade--the H. B. Co. alone taking in $4,000 in thirty hours--it was a noticeable fact that many took home with them nearly all their money. When urged to buy goods there, a frequent reply was: "If we spend all our money here and go home and want debt, we will be told to get our debt where we spent our money."

"Debt" is used by them instead of the word "credit." Many others deposited money with white men and Half-breeds on whose honor they could depend, to be called for and spent at Fort Garry when "the ground froze."

One very wonderful thing that forced itself on the attention of every one was the perfect order that prevailed throughout the camp, and which more particularly marked proceedings in the council.

Whether the demands put forward were granted by the Governor or not, there was no petulance, no ill-feeling, evinced; but everything was done with a calm dignity that was pleasing to behold, and which might be copied with advantage by more pretentious deliberative a.s.semblies.

On Sunday afternoon, the Governor presented an ox to the nation, and after it had been eaten a grand dance was indulged in. Monday morning the river Indians took pa.s.sage on the steamer for Fort Francis, and others left in their canoes for their winter quarters.

The Governor and party left on Monday morning, the troops, under command of Captain McDonald, who had conducted themselves with the greatest propriety, and had contributed, by the moral effect of their presence, much to the success of the negotiation, having marched to Fort Garry on Sat.u.r.day morning.

CHAPTER VI

THE QU'APPELLE TREATY, OR NUMBER FOUR

This treaty, is, so generally called, from having been made at the Qu'Appelle Lakes, in the North-West Territories. The Indians treated with, were a portion of the Cree and Saulteaux Tribes, and under its operations, about 75,000 square miles of territory were surrendered. This treaty, was the first step towards bringing the Indians of the Fertile Belt into closer relations with the Government of Canada, and was a much needed one. In the year 1871, Major Butler was sent into the North-West Territories by the Government of Canada, to examine into and report, with regard to the state of affairs there. He reported, to Lieutenant-Governor Archibald, that "law and order are wholly unknown in the region of the Saskatchewan, in so much, as the country is without any executive organization, and dest.i.tute of any means of enforcing the law." Towards remedying this serious state of affairs, the Dominion placed the North-West Territories under the rule of the Lieutenant-Governor and Council of the Territories, the Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba, being, ex officio, Governor of the Territories. This body, composed of representative men, possessed executive functions, and legislative powers. They entered upon their duties with zeal, and discharged them with efficiency.

Amongst other measures, they pa.s.sed a prohibitory liquor law, which subsequently was practically adopted by a Statute of the Dominion.

They proposed the establishment of a Mounted Police Force, a suggestion which was given force to by the Dominion Cabinet, and they recommended, that, treaties should be made, with the Indians at Forts Qu'Appelle, Carlton and Pitt, recommendations, which, were all, eventually, carried out. In the report of the Minister of the Interior, for the year 1875, he states "that it is due to the Council to record the fact, that the legislation and valuable suggestions, submitted to your Excellency, from time to time, through their official head, Governor Morris, aided the Government not a little in the good work of laying the foundations of law and order, in the North-West, in securing the good will of the Indian tribes, and in establishing the prestige of the Dominion Government, throughout that vast country." In accordance with these suggestions, the Government of the Dominion, decided, on effecting a treaty, with the plain Indians, Crees and Chippawas, who inhabit the country, of which, Fort Qu'Appelle, was a convenient centre, and entrusted the duty, to the Hon. Alexander Morris then Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba and the North-West Territories, the Hon. David Laird, then Minister of the Interior, and now Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Territories, and the Hon. W.

J. Christie, a retired factor of the Hudson's Bay Company, and a gentleman of large experience, among the Indian tribes.

In pursuance of this mission, these gentlemen left Fort Garry in August, 1874, and journeyed to Lake Qu'Appelle (the calling or echoing lake), where they met the a.s.sembled Indians, in September.

The Commissioners, had an escort of militia, under the command of Lieut.-Col. Osborne Smith, C.M.G. This force marched to and from Qu'Appelle, acquitted themselves with signal propriety, and proved of essential service. Their return march was made in excellent time. The distance, three hundred and fifty miles having been accomplished in sixteen and a half days.

The Commissioners encountered great difficulties, arising, from the excessive demands of the Indians, and from the jealousies, existing between the two Nations, Crees and Chippawas, but by perseverance, firmness and tact, they succeeded in overcoming the obstacles, they had to encounter, and eventually effected a treaty, whereby the Indian t.i.tle was extinguished in a tract of country, embracing 75,000 square miles of territory. After long and animated discussions the Indians, asked to be granted the same terms as were accorded to the Indians of Treaty Number Three, at the North-West Angle, hereinbefore mentioned. The Commissioners a.s.sented to their request and the treaty was signed accordingly.

On the return, of the Commissioners to Fort Ellice, they met there, the Chippawas of that vicinage, and made a supplementary treaty with them. These Indians were included in the boundaries of Treaty Number Two, but had not been treated with, owing to their distance from Manitoba House, where that treaty was made. In 1875, the Hon.

W. J. Christie, and Mr. M. G. d.i.c.kieson, then of the Department of the Interior, and subsequently, a.s.sistant Superintendent of Indian affairs, in the North-West Territories, were appointed to make the payments of annuities, to the Indians, embraced in the Treaty Number Four, and obtain the adhesion of other bands, which had not been present at Qu'Appelle, the previous year. They met, the Indians, at Qu'Appelle (where six Chiefs who had been absent, accepted the terms of the treaty) and at Fort Pelly and at Shoal River, where two other Chiefs, with their bands, came into the treaty stipulations. A gratifying feature connected with the making of this, and the other, North-Western Treaties, has been the readiness, with which the Indians, who were absent, afterwards accepted the terms which had been settled for them, by those, who were able to attend. I close these observations, by annexing, the reports of Lieutenant-Governor Morris, to the Honorable the Secretary of State of Canada, of date 17th October, 1874, giving, an account, of the making of the treaties at Qu'Appelle and Fort Ellice, and an extract, from that of Messrs. Christie and d.i.c.kieson, dated 7th October, 1875, describing its further completion, and I also insert, accurate short-hand reports of the proceedings at Qu'Appelle and Fort Ellice, which, were made, at the time, by Mr. d.i.c.kieson, who, was present, at the treaty, as secretary to the Commissioners. These will be found to be both interesting and instructive.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, FORT GARRY, MANITOBA, October 17, 1874.

Sir,--I have the honor to inform you that in compliance with the request of the Government, I proceeded to Lake Qu'Appelle in company with the Hon. David Laird, in order to act with him and W.

J. Christie, Esq., as Commissioners to negotiate a treaty with the tribes of Indians in that region.

Mr. Laird and I left Fort Garry on the 26th of August, and arrived at Lake Qu'Appelle on the 8th of September, Mr. Christie having gone in advance of us to Fort Pelly.

We were accompanied on arriving by the escort of militia under the command of Lieut.-Col. W. Osborne Smith, who had preceded us, but whom we had overtaken.

The escort took up their encampment at a very desirable situation on the edge of the lake, the Indians being encamped at some distance.

The Commissioners were kindly provided with apartments by W. J.

McLean, Esq., the officer in charge of the Hudson Bay Company's Post.

After our arrival, the Commissioners caused the Indians to be summoned, to meet them, in a marquee tent adjoining the encampment of the militia.

The Crees came headed by their princ.i.p.al Chief "Loud Voice," and a number of Saulteaux followed, without their Chief, Cote. The Commissioners, having decided that it was desirable that there should be only one speaker on behalf of the Commissioners, requested me owing to my previous experience with the Indian tribes and my official position as Lieutenant-Governor of the North-West Territories, to undertake the duty, which I agreed to do.

Accordingly, I told the Indians the object of our coming and invited them to present to us their Chiefs and headmen. "Loud Voice" stated that they were not yet ready and asked for a delay till next day, to which we a.s.sented.

On the 9th, four Indian soldiers were sent to the Commissioners to ask for two days delay, but we replied that when they met us in conference they could prefer any reasonable request, but that we expected them to meet us as agreed on the previous day, and further that the Saulteaux had not conducted themselves with proper respect to the Commissioners, as representatives of the Crown, as their princ.i.p.al Chief Cote had not met us. Eventually, both the Crees and the Saulteaux met us, with their Chiefs, when I addressed them.

They asked time to deliberate and we appointed the 11th at ten o'clock for the next conference.

The Crees then left the tent suddenly, under constraint of the Indian soldiers, who compelled the Chiefs to go.

On the 11th we sent a bugler round to summon the Indians to the appointed conference, but they did not come.

Instead the Saulteaux sent word that they could not meet us except in their own soldiers tent, distant about a mile from the militia encampment, but we refused to do so.

The Crees were ready to proceed to the marquee, but were prevented by the Saulteaux, a section of whom displayed a turbulent disposition and were numerically the strongest party. We sent our interpreter Charles Pratt, a Cree Indian, who was educated at St. John's College here, and who is a catechist of the Church of England, to tell the Indians that they must meet us as agreed upon.

In consequence, about four o'clock in the afternoon the Crees led by "Loud Voice," came to the conference but the Saulteaux kept away, though a number were sent to hear and report. On behalf of the Commissioners, I then explained to the Crees the object of our mission and made our proposals for a treaty, but as they were not ready to reply, we asked them to return to their tents and meet us next day.

On the 12th the Crees and Saulteaux sent four men from the soldiers tent or council, which they had organized, to ask that the encampment of the militia and the conference tents should be removed half way, towards their encampment.

In consequence, we requested Lieut.-Col. Smith to proceed to the Indian encampment and ascertain the meaning of this demand authorizing him, if necessary, to arrange for the pitching of the conference tent nearer the Indians, if that would give them any satisfaction.