IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) fit ^ 1.0 1.1 lU Ul lit lit I4.C ■ 22 |2jO |||||l.25 III 1.4 1 1.6 ^ 6" — ► HiolDgraiiiic Sdences Corporation 4^ 4. ■^ \ <^ 4* A. ^5<\ 23 WBT MAiN STREiT WiBSTER,N.Y. USM (716)S72-4S03 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVi/ICIVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microraproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiquas y"* - ^ TMhnlcal and Bibliographic Notaa/Notts Vcohniquaa at liiMiographiquaa Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy avaliaMa for filming. Faaturaa of tliia copy wMch may ba MbHographlcaNy uniqua. mMcH may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduotion, or which may aignificantly clianga tlia iiauai mathod of filming, ara chacicad balow. D D D D D Cdourad covara/ Couvartura da couiaur I I Covara damagad/ Couvartura andommagAa Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raatauria at/ou pailicuiia Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua Coiourad mapa/ Carta* giographiquas an couiaur □ Coiourad ink (i.a. othar than biua or black)/ Encra da couiaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) I I Coiourad platac and/or iiiuatrationa/ Planchaa at/ou iliuatrationa an coukiur Bound with othar matarial/ Rail* avac d'autras documents Tight binding may causa shadowa or distortion along Intarior margin/ La raliura sarrAa paut causar da I'ombra ou da la distortion la long da la marga IntAriauro Blank laavas addad during rastoration may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar posslbia, thasa hava baan omittad from filming/ II sa paut qua cartainaa pagas blanchas ajoutiaa lors d'una rastauration apparaissant dans la taxta, mais. lorsquo cala Atalt posslbla. cas pagas n'ont pas «t« filmAas. Additional commants:/ Commantairas supplAmantairas; L'Inatltut a microfilm^ la maillaur axamplaira qu1l iui a At4 poaaiMa da aa proeurar. Laa ditaila da oat axamplaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua MMiographlqua, qui pauvant modif iar una imaga raprodulta, ou qui pautMiit axigar una modlftoation dana la m4thoda normala da f llmaga aont indiquAa ci-dassous. TN tot r~n Coiourad pagaa/ Pagaa da couiaur Pagaa damagad/ Pagaa andommagiaa □ Pagas raatorad and/or laminatad/ Pagaa raataurAaa at/ou paliicuMas Pagaa diacoiourad, stalnad or foxad/ Pagaa dAcoiorAaa, tachatAsa ou piquAas Th« pos oft fUir Orif bag tha slor othi first sior oril r~~| Pagas datachad/ Pagas d*tach4as Showthrough> Tranaparanca Quality of prir Quaiit* InAgaia da I'imprassion Includaa supplamantary matarii Comprand du material suppMmantaira Only aditlon avaliabia/ Saula Mitton diaponlbia |v7| Showthrough/ r~n Quality of print varlaa/ pn Includaa supplamantary matarial/ I — I Only aditlon avaliabia/ Tha shal TINI whi( Mar diffi amii bagi righ raqii mati n Pagas wholly or partially obacurad by arrata slips, tissuaa, ate., hava baan rafilmad to ansura tha baat poaalMa imaga/ Las pagaa totalamant ou partlallamant obscurcias par un faulilat d'arrata, una psiura, ate, ont At* fiimiaa A nouvaau da fa^on A obtanir la maillaura imaga poasibia. This itam is filmed at the reduction ratio chocked below/ Ce document est filmA au taux de rAduction indiquA ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X y 12X 16X 2IIX 2iX aox a4X 2SX n 32X MtaHs Mdu modlftor •r un« HImag* Th« copy fMm«d Hm has baan raproducad thanka to tha ganaroaitv of: Library DivMon Provincial Archival of British Columbia Tha imagaa appaaring har^ ara tha baat qualfty poaaibia conaidaring tha condition and lagibiiity of tha original copy and in liaaping with tha filming contract p:iacificationa. Original capiat in printad papar covara ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha laat paga «vith a printad or illuatratad impraa- aion. or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copiaa ara filmad baginning on tha f irat paga wHh a printad or tituatratad impraa- alon, and anding on tha laat page with a printad or illuatratad impraaaion. Tha laat racordad frama on aach microfiche ahall contain tha aymbol -^ Imaaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (moaning "END"), whichavar appliaa. L'axamplaira f ilm4 f ut raproduit grica i la g4nAroaitA da: Library Division Provincial Archives of British Columbia Laa imagaa auhrantaa ont 4t* raproduitaa avac la piMa grand aoin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat4 da l'axamplaira filmA. at an conformity avac laa conditiona du contrat da filmaga. Laa axamplairaa originaux dont la couvartura mn papiar aat imprim4a aont filmAa it commandant par la pramiar plat at mn tarminant aoit par la darniira paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impraaaion ou d'illuatration. aoit par la aacond plat, aalon la caa. Toua laa autraa axamplairaa originaux aont filmAa an commandant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta uno amprainta d'impraaaion ou d'illuatration at an tarminant par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Un daa symbolaa suivanta apparaltra sur la darnlAra imaga da chaqua microfiche, salon la caa: la aymbola — »• aignifia "A 8UIVRE". la aymbola ▼ aignifia "FIN ". arrata dto It a palura. ;on A Maps, plataa. charts, ate. may ba filmad at diffarant reduction ratioa. Thosa too larga to ba antiraly included in one exposure ara filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many framea aa required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: 1 2 3 Lea cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre filmAa A daa taux d9 rAduction diff Arents. Lorsque le document eat trap grand pour Atra reproduit en un soul clichA. il eat filmA A partir da Tangle supArieur gauche, do gauche A droite. at de haut an baa, en prenant la nombra d'images nAcessaire. Laa diagrammea suivanta illuatrant la mAthoda. 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 NW, r >"wp John Perry Pr^tchett ^h Appeal ^^ To the Right Hon, W. E. Gladstone, M.P., Her Majesty's Prime Minister, respecting the Suppression of Certain Papers by the Government y the ''Red River Rebellion',' and the Illegal Transfer of the North- West Territories to the Canadian Government. 1870. * ,< BY THE REV. G. O. CORBETT, M.D., 3Cut6or of ' NOTES ON RUPERT'S AMERICA ; SIOVVING THE HISTORY, LAW, AND RESOURCES OF THOSE REGIONS, ADDRESSED lO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. 1868." * LETTERS TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF OPENING THE OVERLAND ROUTE FROM CANADA TO BRITISH COLUMBIA; THE PROMOTION OF EMIGRATION, AND THE MEANS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE THEREIN; AND EARNEST APPEALS TO STAY BLOODSHED IN THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT. 1870." ' A DIARY RECORDING THE BRIGHT DYING TESTIMONY OF THE REV. H. A. SIMCOE, M.A. OXON, LATB RECTOR OF EGLOSKERRY- WITH -TREMAINE, AND RURAL DEAN OF TRIGG MAJOR, CORNWALL. 1870." LONDON : PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR BY CASSELL, PETTER, AND GALPIN, LUDGATE HILL, E.G. [Entered at Stationers' HallJ] C7d^ I HAVE received a letter signed by W. B. Giu'don, Esq., da,ted 10, Downing Street, Whitehall, October 3rd, 1870, stating that he was directed by Mr. Gladstone to inform me that the subjoined letter has been forwarded to the Colonial Office. G. 0. 0. CLirioNViLLK Hotel, Margate, Octohcr nth 1870. "ife^s AN APPEAL. Siu, HoVAL I'.WIMON IIOTKI-, FuLKESTONK, Sept. 2Hth, 1870. I respectfully beg leave to clmw your attention to the reply made by the late Colonial Secretary to the Marquis of Clanricarde, who recently moved in the House of Lords for tlio production of my communications to the Colonial Office, and to subjoin further information, although there seems to be very little encouragement given by the Government for laying before it the truth. The tenor of that reply, as gathered from the newspapers, was, that Her Majesty's Government wished to be economical in saving the expense of printing r«y papers ; that they had not been much read or circulated, and were only '* opinions" and " statements of fact without authority ;" and that it could not see why they olionld be printed for the author.* In answer, I ask to be allowed to say that this is a miscon- struction, for the author did not write for himself, but, as is plainly expressed therein, the information was collected, not without pains and expense, to be placed before those in high station and authority, to induce them to open that country and * The Timet, June 5tli, 1870. I - 7 r 1 / u legislate fairly and speedily, so as to prevent rebellion and blood- shed, which would otherwise very likely happen. That country was and is very little known, — why, then, should the Government adopt a policy which keeps these papers from the members of both Houses of Parliament and from the public, even if they shed ever so little light on it and on the disturbances which have arisen ? Some years ago, when I was summoned to give information before the House of Commons, the Government of that day ordered it to be printed, and you were on the Select Committee ; why, after I have had greater acquaintance with that country and made further research on all that relates to it, does the present Government, of which you Lave the honour to be Prime Minister, dw my papers aside, and keep them from the Houses of ii'arliament ? In my letters I raised a warning voice, that if the Govern- ment did not at once attend to this matter, there would probably be very serious uprisings and complications, which have since actually come to pass. Now, is it usual to depreciate the service or drown the voice of the sailor on board, or the sentinel at his post, when he signalises there is danger ahead ? And is it not aside of the mark to reply that they have not been much read or circulated, seeing the Government stands in the way, and knows that the subject-matter of them would naturally confine *heir perusal to a limited class of readers ? I may, however, in passing, remark that disinterested parties and public journals that have perused or reviewed them have been deeply impressed with their contents, and shocked at the way in which the Govern- ment has acted in reference to it. But economy is advanced against the appearance of my papers before Parliame: ^ respecting which, I crave permission to inquire whetlicr it i.s true ecoiioiny eitlior to suppress the trutli or shirk investigation ? For some tiniL? beforehand, vvitiiout pretending to go into tlic conflicting interests wln'ch nn'giit coalesce in tiiat hind, I soundcil the nlnrni, tliat tliere were disturbing elements in the field, A-liich the recent events have shown to have been well founded — in the shedding of blood, in the plunder of property, in the imprisonment of a large number of ]]ritish subjects, in the barricading of the roads, in the impression created of insecurity in the dispatch of tiie mails, in harrowing the feelings and developing the anger of the inhabitants to the in'ghest degree, in involving the armed uprising of the French half-breeds — which lands them on a course of anxiety and peril to themselves and others — and in throwing back civilisation for years; and, consequently, even if my papers did contain " opinions," this opinion at least is proved to have been correct: and other opinions cannot with proi)riety be lightly regarded, for they come from the bishop, clergy, and the great bulk of the laity, and from some of the greatest leg'al men in the kingdom ; and the judgments delivered by the Courts of Canada against the pretensions of the Hudson's Bay Compau}', in respect to the latter, have demonstrated their soundness. Surely, the judgments of a properly-constituted tribunal cannot be looked down upon as •' without authority"? Besides, is it the right course to pronounce without investigation, when that has been solicited? Are there no grave matters calh'ng for scrutiny ? Had due investigation been carried out, might it not have been found that there are gentlemen both at home and abroad' who could have given sworn informativ>n, showing that the Hudson's Bay Company and its agents have repeatedly violated the terms of their license and the Acts of Parliament, thereby entailing penalties upon them for assuming such a fi wroncrful coursn? If a linonsod firm in Krif^land, the inana^(!r <)[' ail liotol, of a tlieatre, or tlio pro|)riotor of cabs, or other lra(lin«]f finiiH, hroaks an Act of Parliament, lio is callod to Moooimt, and dealt with accordingly ; and whcroforo is it, then, that the Government seems to rise above those Acts, and departs from this course, and, moreover, actually guarantees the Hud- son's Bay Company the gratuity of £300,000, reservations of land, and compensation for losses resulting from the struggles which have ensued ? In these respects has not the Engli. h (lovernment now done what no former Government ever dreamed of? Besides, to include in the bargain of the transfer reservations of land, must be also regarded as tantamount to the consolidation of obstacles — instead of their removal — for opening and settling those magnificent regions with British subjects from the surplus of our home ])Oj)ulation, for it is now generally admitted that the interests of the Fur-trading Com])any are entirely oposed to all such enterprises. Moreover, the transfer is clearly illegal. It is now pretty well known that the Hudson's Bay Company could not give a legal title* to a single lot of land in that torritor}'-, still less could it legally convey the whole of it to Canada, and on such a footing the Canadian Government cannot legally convey that land to ^ IW * See Act 42 Geo. IIL, c. l'\S, and 1 and 2 Geo. IV., cap. 66, the last simply recognising the Hudson's Bay Company as traders under a license for a term of years. The charter of Charles II., 1670, was not sanctioned by Parliament when first granted, nor was it ever renewed after the Act of William and Mary was obtained "for seven years and no longer;" and the Government, through the Right Honourable J. Stansfeld, M.P., land tliere, has a peculiar right to speak or take action, and forms a ground of ap})eal to every statesman and pliilanthropist who desires the removal of every barrier against civilisation and every source of controversy and distrust. And, lastly, that territory is (>uowN IjAND, and the respect due to the Crown, and the legality of title, alike retiuire that Her Majesty should dispose of it, and not for the Crown to purchase' what it already possessed, which again serves to illustrate the economy that may yet lead to new complications, and imposes on Canada a burden it can scarcely bear, and places before it a task which she may not be able to perform — the task of develop- ing and peopling half a continent, in which arc districts of sufficient am})litude and wealth to form independent Crown colonies and found kingdoms.* I am, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, G. 0. CORBETT. To the Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone, Her Majesty's Prime Minister of State, M.P., &c. &c. * The troops have reached Eed River, but the papers report that much anxiety was felt for the ariival of the new Executive, Colonel Wolseley havmg no civil powers, and no form of government existing the^'o. There should be a governor, judge, and other officers, who are properly qualified, and who are neither creatures of the Hudson's Bay Company, nor partisans of any section of the community ; so that justice and good ijjovernment may be administered according to law and without partiality. P.S. — Without cxprcMMiii^' an opinion on tlio contontH, I huI)- join the following oxtractH Ironi lettei'H lately recoivcd hy nie from two rcspectuhio settlors at Hed Uivor : — I. ** Tt is quonr times in Tlocl Rivor at prosont. Tni])riH()ntn(!nt Ims boon carriojl on all wintor with a very liigli hand, I think you ur« fortunato that you aro not hero in these troublesoiuo timofi, knowin;^, aH I do, that you aro no favourite of the Hudson's liav Oonipany and the Catholic prioHts, who are the leading i>artie.s in the rebellion ; and it has gone on, step by step, till it cost lied River tw(» lives — one a Scotchman (a native), and the other a Scotch Canadian. The latter was taken prisoner at tlie same time I was taken, alon;^ with forty-six more, and it was during our confinement in prison that tlie brave and intelligent young Highlander was murdered in cold blood by the rebels. Six men shot at him at the same time, and four balls took effect on his body, but he was not killed outright ; then the leader (a French Canadian), seeing that he was not dead, drew out his pistol, and shot at him on the head, and still he did not kill him ; then the poor man was put into his coffin in this wounded state, and remained for some time still living, when a French half- breed shot at him in his coffin, and thus put an end to his suflering. A great many more of us came very nigh sharing the same fate as poor Scott. 1 heard Riel sentence Major Boulton, who was in the same room as myself. Riel came and stood at the door of our room, and we were both lying together, covered over with a buffalo robe, as we were almost freezing, when he pronounced the sentence — * Boulton, prepare to die by twelve o'clock.' You cannot imagine the shock this gave us both, especially the Major, who, on hearing the sentence of death pronounced on him, knelt down and prayed a most earnest prayer to God to prepare him for death. The Major was put in irons soon after we were all put in prison, and remained so till he was 9 |>ardono