The Treaties of Canada with The Indians of Manitoba and the North-West Territories | Page 9

select, of the lands occupied by them." Mr. Simpson
accepted the appointment, and in company with Messrs. S. J. Dawson
and Robert Pether visited the Ojjibewas or Chippawa Indians, between
Thunder Bay and the north-west angle of the Lake of the Woods, and
took the initiatory steps for securing a treaty with them thereafter. On
his arrival at Fort Garry, he put himself, as directed by his instructions,
in communication with his Honor, the Hon. A. G. Archibald, then
Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba and the North-West Territories. A
conference took place between His Honor, Messrs. Simpson, Dawson
and Pether, and the Hon. James McKay, a member, at that time, of the
Executive Council of Manitoba, and himself a half-breed intimately
acquainted with the Indian tribes, and possessed of much influence over
them. The Indians in Manitoba, in the fall of 1870, had applied to the
Lieutenant-Governor to enter into a treaty with them, and had been
informed that in the ensuing year negotiations would be opened with

them. They were full of uneasiness, owing to the influx of population,
denied the validity of the Selkirk Treaty, and had in some instances
obstructed settlers and surveyors. In view of the anxiety and uneasiness
prevailing, those gentlemen were of opinion "that it was desirable to
secure the extinction of the Indian title not only to the lands within
Manitoba, but also to so much of the timber grounds east and north of
the Province as were required for immediate entry and use, and also of
a large tract of cultivable ground west of the Portage, where there were
very few Indian inhabitants." It was therefore resolved to open
negotiations at the Lower Fort Garry, or Stone Fort, with the Indians of
the Province, and certain adjacent timber districts, and with the Indians
of the other districts at Manitoba Post, a Hudson's Bay fort, at the north
end of Lake Manitoba, the territory being occupied principally by one
nation, the Chippawas, of whom the Saulteaux of the lakes are a branch,
although there are also a number of Swampy Crees resident within it.
Mr. Simpson accordingly issued proclamations, inviting the Indians to
meet him on the 25th of July and 17th of August, 1871, at these points
respectively, to negotiate an Indian treaty. The Lieutenant-Governor
also issued a proclamation forbidding the sale or gift of intoxicating
liquors during the negotiation of the treaty, and applied to Major Irvine
to detail a few of the troops under his command to preserve order,
which request was acceded to.
The Lieutenant-Governor and Mr. Simpson arrived at the Stone Fort on
the 24th of July, 1871, but as the Indians had not all arrived the meeting
was postponed till the 27th, when a thousand Indians were found to
have assembled, and a considerable number of half-breeds and other
inhabitants of the country were present, awaiting with anxiety to learn
the policy of the Government.
Lieutenant-Governor Archibald, after the Indians were assembled
opened the proceedings by delivering the following address:
"On the 13th September last, on my first arrival in the country, I met a
number of you at the mission, I told you I could not then negotiate a
Treaty with the Indians, but that I was charged by your Great Mother,
the Queen, to tell you that she had been very glad to see that you had

acted during the troubles like good and true children of your Great
Mother. I told you also that as soon as possible you would all be called
together to consider the terms of a treaty to be entered into between you
and your Great Mother.
"I advised you to disperse to your homes, and gave you some
ammunition to enable you to gain a livelihood during the winter by
hunting.
"I promised that in the spring you would be sent for, and that either I,
or some person directly appointed to represent your Great Mother,
should be here to meet you, and notice would be given you when to
convene at this place to talk over what was right to be done.
"Early in the spring, Mr. Simpson, who sits beside me, was made
Commissioner. He left his home at once for this Province, by Rainy
Lake and the Lake of the Woods.
"The Indians of the lake districts meet, as you know, on Rainy River
yearly, about the 20th June, to fish for sturgeon, I and they could not be
called together sooner.
"Mr. Simpson met them there at that time, and talked over their affairs
with them, and made certain arrangements with them. He then hurried
on to see you, and reached this Province a week ago last Sunday. He
then sent messengers at once to all the Indians within certain bounds,
asking them to meet him here on the