^a^ V"^. \^'b* ■^^' ,,cv IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■km '- iM mil 2 2 ^ "- |||||M u l-'^ 11.6 ^> V] o 7; ^1 -# '^^^v <^ >^^ '."r? ■"> C> / <>> Photographic Sciences Corporation is, " fti ^<# 4 '^<»^^ 6^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (7i6) 072-4503 ^ i,^\. A^ e 41^. CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute far Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques C\ O !>. 1981 Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. □ Coloured covers/ Couverture de coultiur Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagee Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^e et/ou pellicul6e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur Colour&d ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Relie avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long da la marge intdrieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes lors dune restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas et6 film^es. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la m^thode normale de filmage sont indiquds ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur □ Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ ^y n Pages restaur^es et/ou pelliculees Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d^colorces, tachet^es ou piqu^es Pages detached/ Pages d^tachees Showthrough/ Transparence □ Quality of print varies/ Quality inegale de I'imi ipression □ Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplementaire □ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont ^t^ filmSes h nouveau de facon ^ obtenir la meilleure image possible. n Additional comments:/ Cotnmentaires suppl^mentaires: This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X / 1 '.^mm 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: National Library of Canada L'exemplaire fi!m6 fut reproduit grSce d la gdn6rosit6 de: Bibiiothdque nationale du Canada The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont §t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet^ de I'p'cemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning v/ith the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or fitustratod impres- sion, or ihe back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a psinted or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprim4e sont film6s en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmds en commenpant par la premiere page qui compnrte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol -^^ (meaning "CON- TINUED "), or the symbol V Imsaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de chaque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^- signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmod at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, pianches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film^s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour etre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd i partir de i'angle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 • THE INDIAN CHIEF : AN ACCOUNT OF THE LABOURS, LOSSES, SUFFERINGS, AND OPPRESSION OF KE-ZIG-KO-E-NE-NE (DAVID SAWYER) A CHIEF OF THE OJIBBEWAY INDIANS IN CANADA W'EST. BT ENEMIKEESE. «, .v'30BLE COUNTENAXCES CON- STITUTION OF THEIR MINDS NO DESIRE TO PERPETUATE THEIR REMEMBRANCE HAVE NO WRITTEN LANGUAGE. Among the benig:lited sons of the forest we have many athletic forms and noble countenances, indicating strength of intellect, if called out and properly cultivated ; showing that they are in- viting subjects for civilization, missionary zeal, and missionary enterprise. They may be civilized. Christianized ; and become good citizens, good mechanics, good agriculturists, and good subjects to the government under which they live. They appear poor and gloomy ; but evidently owe their misery to the circumstances under which they are placed, and not to any defect in the conFtitution of their mind. They are con- tented and tranquil, willing to remain poor, not anxious for anything, never teased or vexed with anxious care, and never hunt for preferment. They are not greedy of gain, nor anxious to wear the garlands of reputation, nor the slow, deep, rich flower of fame. But while they manifest a pagan indifference to the comforts, pleasures, riches, and honours of the world, they evidently evince a desire to obtain a more sure foundation on which to build their hopes for eternity. B 2 ^^t- 4 CHAPTER II. li! lii ill 11' III! The Iiidiany pay so little regard to the CTiltiva- tion of the soil, and appear so devoid of thought or foresight in providing for their future wants^ and are so prodigal and so destitute of arrange- ment in conducting their own affairs, that by some they are thought incapable of living like- men in a social state ; therefore they are looked upon as children, to be kept continually under the direction and control of superiors. But neither the prodigality, indolence, nor idolatry of the Indian is to be attributed to his Avaiit of in- tellect. Though the pagan may bow down before the idol he paints with blood, still he has powers of mind capable of receiving instruction in the great principles of religion, and of understanding its mysteries, knowing its power, and enjoying its comforts. They, too, may be taught habits of industry. Also, they evidently have faculties of mind, if properly cultivated, to acquire such a thorough knowledge of the arts and sciences as will qualif}' them for the various offices of civilized life. In the Indian character w^e see many peculiar- ities ; but these are not to be attributed to unj- thing peculiar in the faculty or constitution of his mind, but to other causes. His head may be covered with long black hair, tangled in Gorgonic confusion, but in his countenance you may see depicted a rugged honesty, and a fantastic ear- nestness ; and in his address a wild humour, and F!ome times a still wilder pathos, pecuHar to the Indian, — perhaps, in some cases, jordering on savage boldness. 1 !i I3JDIANS PECULIARITIES. 5 And, tbougli habitually in(lolen.t, in many re- spects they do not lack in perseverance, especially in the piirsnit of game. But their peculiarity in this often amounts to a misfortune; for they glory in the chase more than in the game when secured. Another peculiarity in the Indian character is, that they seem to cherish no desire to perpetuate their remembrance to future generations. They raise no monuments, they leave no such memorials of their skill in hunting, or their fame as warriors, as are found in Britain ; such as have been built by chieftains of renown, and have long with- stood the tooth of time, and bid defiance to the storms that for conturies have howled around them. The Indian's house is a frail fabric, composed • of rushes, or the bark of trees, and one genera- tion after another passes away without leaving iiny vestige of their existence behind, except in some cases where the flint head of the arrow, or a rude pipe, may be found entombed with his bones. They have no written language, no record of their gov^ernment ; and, what is still more remarkable, they seem to have no desire to have it otherwise. But, while this is the case, there evidently is an increasing anxiety manifested by them for a more permanent ground of hope for eternity than any form of paganism can aiford. This is the first step towards civilization. Pagans must first be Christianized and baptized in the waters of life ; then they at once become tame and civilized, and may be easily taught habits of industry and frugality. _ , . . \ ! ! CHAPTER III. INDIAN CUST051S. 31ANNKR OF APPOINTING A CHIEF MATTERS SET- TLED BY CHIEF THEFT PUNISHED WAR PAR- TIES NEVER SUBMIT TO COERCION BONDAGE REPUGNANT TO INDIAN'S NATURE. The customs and laws of the North American Indians may differ, in some respects, from other Indian tribes, but, in general, they are nearly the same. The chiefs are generally elected to their office. The son of a deceased chief is considered to have a claim to succeed his father, and at mature age generally takes his seat at the head of the tribe. But though in some degree entitled to this distinction, he does not enter upon such duties without the appointment and approbation of the tribe, which is sometimes attended with considerable display and ceremony. Councils are convened by order of the chiefs, who preside on all important occasions. On these occasions free discussion is allowed ; but the youngest generally remain silent, and listen to those of more experience and age. All important matters are decided by the chief. He settles all difficulties, and no appeal is made from his decision. Tribes are sometimes divided into bands ; some- times two or three bands compose one tribe- ll!! I ill INDIAN CUSTOMS. 7 There is one chief at the head of each band, and frequently one or two subordinate chiels asso- ciated with him. Any one found guilty of a misdemeanour is brought before the chief, who reprimands him before the people, or otherwise disposes of the offender, as in his judgment the magnitude of the crime or nature of the case may require. When a murder is committed, the chief may or may not act in the case ; but should he not inter- fere, the relatives of the dece-^sed may execute death upon the murderer. The nearest kinsman always has a right to strike the first blow. Those who murder never attempt to run away or conceal their guilt. They are never known to plead " not guilty." If the chief learns that the" crime was provoked, he may protect the criminal. But even in that case his life is in continual danger from the kinsman of the one slain, who always seeks for revenge. Theft is punished by making the thief known and pubhcly distinguished as such. But this is an outrage of their law seldom practised on each other in the same tribe, even by the most incorri- gible. War parties may muster together without a call from the chief. Also war parties may be organ- ized by the warriors, and all who have a desire to do so can join the party. The number of each party is regulated by the bravery and skill of the warriors who form it. They have had no written laws. Customs, handed down from generation to generation, have -m- % CHAPTER 111. 1 'I ■i; I Pi! ■n I .■I I l)cen the only laws to guide tlicin. To act diffor- •ently from custom brings upon the oft'ender the censure of the tribe. This fear of the tribe's cen- sure is a mighty inducement binding all in a social compact. Indians are not willing to be compelled to do their duty ; but glory in volunta- rily performing what in the eye of their nation is right. They have no prisons, penitentiaries, or poor-houses. Coercion may brutahze, but never elevate or tame, the Indian race. The history of America gives an account ot many fruitless attempts to enslave the Indian race ; but, unlike the African, to them, bondag3 was so awfully repugnant, that they could not exist under its mildest form. They might be •loaded with manacles ; but still in spirit they were free as the eagle that independently soared above their heads. In the southern climates of America, the natives are much more feeble in body, and have less strength of mind than in the north ; but even in the south, they have never been in- duced to submit to slavery or bondage in any form. As soon as children have been conducted through the helpless years of infancy, their parents leave them in entire liberty, seldom advise or admonish, and never chide or chastise them. They are allowed to be absolute masters of their own actions, and taught by example never to submit to coercion. It has been supposed by some, that under the influence of the sultry climate in the south, which seems to check and enervate the principle of life, the native in that region never attains to the perfection which belongs KKD MAN S D0MAI3?. to our nature, but remains an aninuil of an infe- rior order, when compared with Indians in the more northern parts of America, defective in bodily vi<2:our, and destitute of forco in the opera- tions of his mind. This may be the case, to a certain extent, in some of the soutliern climates ; but among the North American Indians we have many instances, in the rude simplicity of savage life, of their displaying an elevation of sentiment and independence of mind, strength of intellect, and warmth of attachment to friends and bene- factors, for which we may seek in vain in njore polished society. CHAPTEE IV. KED MVN'S DOMAIN. INDIANS llOAMED IN FREEDOM — HAD COMFORTS OP LIFE — WHISKEY HAS MADE THEM A NATION OF DRUNKARDS — BY FRAUD OR CONQUEST THEY HAVE LOST ALL THEIR RIGHTS ARE NOT PRO- TECTED. Not many generations have passed away since the " red man " was lord of all America. At that time his throne was the highest peak of the mountains. His fields, gardens, and pleasure- grounds were the extended plains and immense forests, with hill and dale, vale and vallej', inter- 10 CHAPTER TV, II i ';l I sporsed with beautiful lakes, and diversified with endless svveepin*^, rolling, rushing rivers. There was but little to torture or vex the inind : nothing seemed to disquiet them, or disturb their repose. In their several tribes they generally lived in peace with each other. They roamed the vast forest in perfect freedom, and enjoyed life and liberty without interruption. They were active in the chase, and fortunately they had an abundance of game to pursue. Verily, they were surrounded with the luxuries and comforts of life, and had all the game and fruits of the soil they required, to complete their happiness in this world , and they looked to the future, high in hope, in full anticipation of the continuance of this happy state of things. But in an evil day for them, the white man introduced among them the water of death. Traders who commenced a traffic in what the Indians call "fire-water" appeared anxious to enrich them- selves by impoverishing the poor Indian. De- graded indeed must the white man be, who would seek to elevate himself by the downfall of others. Before the white man came among the Indians, they had no words in their language by which they could profane the name of their father, the "Great Spirit." And by whatever name He was known in their language, that name was always pronounced with high veneration, and to Him they looked up v/ith reverence. By the light of nature the pagan has a know- ledge of the true God. " For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly RED MAN H DOMAIN. 11 fic'cn, boinj^ iiiulerstood by the tiling that are in ad e, even Hisetenuil power and (jiodliead ; " but 8till tln'y Iiave no true knowledj^e of Him whom they i(^norantly worship by payi.ig adoration to iniii<,'iiiary and subordinate deities. But whiskey traders taught the people not only to be roy;iies, thieves, and drunkards; but also to be profane blasphemers. The North American Indian, in his primitive pajifan state, had no knovvledjj^e of, nor thirst for, intoxicatin'nanimity, honour, and justice. Also there can yet be found among them noble specimens of humanity, brave, true, and courageous. They ha^e great fortitude and much sagacity. They shrink not from dan- ger. They shun no hardships, nor grieve over misfortunes. They shed no tears, heave no sighs, and utter no groans, but endure hardships and pain without a murmur. Like other human beings they have vices, but they have also virtues. If they never forget in- juries, they will always remember acts of kind- ness. If their vengeance is terrible to foes, their generosity and fidelity to friends are equally great. Their love is at least equal to their hate, both in strength and in duration. In their countenancejis depicted a native dig- nity, grave but simple, and a combination of fierceness and submission, with courage so ab- sorbed in despair as to baffle description. Sup- planted by the white man, they sullenly and gloomily submit to their fate, with a kind of pagan stoicism depicted upon their brow. !l!i INDIANS GENEROSITY. 17 The}' have faculties of mind and pov/ers of in- tellect, if called out and properly cultivated under the influence of true Christianity, to render tlieni f»-ood citizens and true subjects to any government under which they live. They should not be treated like slaves, deprived of their rights, nor robbed of their lands. To say it is the white man's by conquest, is as nnich opposed to justice and mo- rality as it would be to claim it by fraud. If there had been the least pretext for depriving Chief Sawyer, the subject of >i:his work, of his house and lands, for Tvhich he had long held an Indian deed, and for which he had paid the full amount agreed upon 5 and on which he had ex- pended many years' hard labour, it is for the Cana- dian Government to show it. If this can be done or if the " Indian Department " had not used the means they did to deprive him of his property, or even after it was wrested from him, if the Cana- dian Government had, in answer to his petition, presented to the Canadian Parliament in 1858, redressed his grievances, of which he justly com- plained, by re-embursing him for his losses, the ends of justice woidd in some degree have been met, and this volume would not have appeared, ex- posing the iniquitous proceedings of that " Depart- ment " in connexion with the Indians of Canada. I li I Hiiii iijijljl !l li 1 Mm Mi II iillijH ml! IliM t I Mi] i Hi i H ! : 1(1!; Hi CHAPTER VI. THE LATE JOSEPH SAWYEU INDIAN CHIEF. A DESPERADO WHOSE SOUL WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKEN FllOM HIM, AND BROUGHT BACK BE IN WHISKEY HIS CONVERSION HIS DEATH — REV MR. CARROLL S REFERENCE TO HIM IN AND PRESENT." iC PAST Na-wach-je-lce-zhe-giva-he, the sig*nification of which is in English, " The Man that sits on the Sky," is the native name of an Indian chief who was born near the head of Lake Ontario, in Canada West. The time of his birth is not remembered. Wlieii he was quite young' the bands of Indians to which, he belonged frequently wandered about the borders of the wliite settlements, to dispose of their brooms and baskets, and the fur they pro- cured by the chase. At this time the late Rev. Joseph Sawyer, a Methodist minister, preached in different parts of that section of the country. Through the influence of some of the white people, when a small boy lie was baptized by Mr. Sawyer, and from him called "Joseph Sawyer;" and even among the Indians he was ever after that called by this name. Notwithstandine: h.e had received a Christian baptism, not haviijg any religious influence to con- trol him, lie gi^ew up like the rest of the pagan Indians, without light to guide or grace to control THE LATE JOSEPH SAWYER, INDIAN CHIEF. 19 him. He became a hard drinker of what thej call "fire water," and when intoxicated he was ex- tremely ferocious. lie was very wiry and muscu- lar ; and when under the influence of whiskey, it often required several Indians to hold him, to pre- vent acts of outrage and violence. Some time about the year 1820 he was told by an Indian of the band, that one of their conjurers had taken away his soul, and that he was therefore left witiiout any means of self control, and entirely under the influence of the evil spirit, which the Indians call " Muchemunedoo.^' This was the only way they could account for his vile and vicious conduct. In short, the whole tribe viewed him as one of Satan's unaccountahles. No doubt, at that time, the whole band believed this fabrication, and therefore employed another conjurer to undertake his case, and, if possible, bring- back and restore to him his soul. The conjurer, whom they call a "^ medicine man " came ; and, after a long superstitious ceremony, such as are commonly used by their conjurers, he pretended that he had brought his soul back, and presented it to him in a cup of whiskey, which he readily drank, and then supposed he again pos- sessed his own soul. They all believed the first delusion, and as readily the second. They did not seem to entertain the least doubt but his soul had returned to him again. But all this proved of no use ; for he continued to drink the water of death, and when under its influence, he still was a terror to the whole band. He continued in this way until the year 1825, when, after living awhile in '-'(■!■■ ill (iii '1l r'"i 'ii liipii ill!; i 20 .^■•• CHAPTER VI. X.^i" 'I liiiiiii I !! ! II lliJlillll! in Ii M^iilll!;; the family of Mr. Jones, father of the Lite Rev. Peter Jones, who had been bionght under the in- fluence of the Gospel and became truly pious, he was brought to a sense of his wretched condition. He soug-ht the Lord, and found Him of whom Moses and the prophets did write. He was hope- fully converted to God. His ferocious heart was subdued by grace, his nature was changed : the barbarous Indian that was once like a lion, now resembled a lamb. The change was truly won- derful. He at once dedicated himself to the ser- vice of God, and united with the Methodist Church, the people who had been the instruments in bring- ing him from the bondage of sin and death into the light and liberty of the sons of God. From the time of his conversion, up to the day of his death, he continued to enjoy the uninter- rupted confidence and esteem of the whole tribe ; and for many years filled the office of class leader and exhorter with great acceptability in the Wesleyan-Methodist Church. . In 1830, on the death of Chief Ajatance, he was appointed head chief of the band of Indians residing at the River Credit ; and in the full enjoyment of the confidence and esteem of his people, he continued to hold the responsible posi- tion of "head chief " of the tribe of Ojibeway Indians during the period of thirty-three years, when he closed his earthly career on the eighth day of November, 1863, at the supposed age of about eighty-four years. ": :" The Eev. Mr. Carrol, in a popular work which he published a short time before the death of this i III THE LATE JOSEPH SAWl'EK, INDIAN CHIEF. 21 chief, giving a description of persons and events under the title of the " Past and Present," says, in reference to him, "The Rev. Joseph Sawyer, lately gone to his reward, some sixty years ago, or more, dedicated a little Indian boy, who then lived with a pious white family, to God, in the ordinance of Christian baptism, and gave him his own name, ^ Joseph Sawyer.' This he told me with his own lips. And it is somewhat curious and interesting to know, that though that Indian boy soon broke away from the oversight of the Christian gentleman under whose guardianship he then lived, and returned to the habits and haunts of savage life, yet his mind was the subject of strong Lolicit tide on the subject of things Divine and eternal; and he was the very first of that tribe, after Peter Jones, to embrace Christianity, on the Gospel being preached to them in then* own language. His influence was strenuously and successfully exerted in promoting the work among his countrymen. He still lives, the patri- arch of his tribe, and efB.ciently fills, I believe, the office of leader and loca,! preacher." Since Mr. Carrol wrote thus respecting the chief, as above stated, he died in great j^eace. W^ % . 1 CHAPTER VII. - KEZHIGKO-IvXE-NK. . ! NATIVE NAME OF CHIEF DAVID SAWYER WHEN A BOY WAS SOLD FOR WHISKEY SCENES OP DISSIPATION HE ATTENDS A SCHOOL HIS CONVERSION RETURNS HOME FOR HIS PARENTS. iili II 'i!!!'!!!! Ml! i' !l ilillliiifj 1 Ke-zhig-ko-e-ne-ne, the eldest son of the late Na-wuh-je-lce-zhe-gwa-be, alias " Joseph Sa,wyer,"" the late head chief of the band of Indians at New Credit, was born somewhere near the head of Lake Ontario some time in the year 1811. When he renounced paganism, and became a Christian, and was baptised, nnder a new name, he was called David Sawyer. He was bronght np (or rather grew up) in a " wigwam," and lived, like other Indians, chiefly by the chase. The Indians of his tribe subsisted principally on what they caught by fishing and hunting ; and when David Sawyer was about twelve years old, his father and other Indians of the band, both men and women, all became intoxicated with bad whiskey, and began to quarrel and fight, as was usual on such occasions. David, being the oldest son, had some influence, and succeeded in getting his drunken father to return to his own camp (or wigwam) which was formed of the bark of trees. One of the infuriated Indians followed, and, threatening his father's life, drove -v.ith savage iiitnliiiiiiii KE-ZHIG-KO-E-NK-NE, 2a vengeance his speiir through the frail hut. Though but a youtli at that time, with gun in hand, David saJHed ofit to defend his drunken parent. The enraged Indian, unwilling to face a loaded gun in the hands of a young but sure inarlvsnian, made a speedy retreat. David always seemed to feel thankful to a kind Providence that prevented him, on that occasion, prepetrating a crime that would have haunted him like his shadow, and been like a mill stone upon his conscience till the day ot his death. Acts of bloodshed and murder were of too fre- quent occurrence in those days ; and he wit- nessed many scenes of rapine and dissipation among the Indians when they had free access to intoxicating drinks, for which they would make any sacrifice to obtain. On one occasion, while his father was in a pagan state, so insatiable was his thirst for strong drink, that he sold David and another Indian boy to a white man, for two gal- lons of whiskey. The man no doubt thought he had made a good bargain, and the Indians ap- pealed willing he should think so. Soon, he set off for home with the two little " chattels " he had purchased. He rode on horseback, but the boys, like other slaves, followed on foot. But before he reached home, he had to pass through a small forest, and when a good opportunity was presented, they bounded over logs, through the bush and escaped through the woods like young deer. His attempt to pursue them was fruitless : they were 80on out of his sight, and beyond his reach. He never found them after that, and they never ^?; I 24 CHAPTER VII. lilli iliiP lit ii P Jill! fion^'lit for liiin. Yonn;,' as they were, they tlid not believe in thiit kind of trade and tralKc, even if they had not been worth half the amount paid for them. In the days of his boyhood he was often exposed to peril. Several times he was brou«^ht very near starvation, onee nearly drovv^ned ; and often his life was in danger when the whole band would become intoxicated ; but a kind Providence watched over him, and his life was prolonged to eee better days. After the Indians of this tribe were brought under the influence of the Gospel, a vast change wa^ effected, and such scenes of drunken dissipation ^ as were formerly practised among them in the Credit band, have not for years been known. When the great reformation commenced among the Aborigines of Canada through the instru- mentality of Methodist Ministers, a school v/as established at the Grand River Mission, under the direction of the Eev. Mr. Tony, and taught by Mr. Crawford. At this school David was permitted to attend, and there commenced to study the rudi- ments of an English education. He was at this time about thirteen or fourteen years old ; and the circumstances which led to his conversion were peculiar. Their wigwam or camp was at that time near the " Bnrlington Beach " at the head of Lake Ontario, not /ar from what is now the city of Hamilton. He had obtained liberty to attend the Mission school at the Grand River, about eighteen or twenty miles westward; and having heard about Indians at that time obtaining '* the white man's religion," several others accompanied him to KK-ZIIia-KO-E-NE-NE. 2& tliat place, to see for tlieiusolvt»s the mysterious and woiulerfiil works of the Lord aniuu^ the Iiidiiiiis. And while attending tlie schovvi at that mission, for the first time in hid life, he heard that " Jesus Christ came into the workl to save sinners," The Gospel messaj^e was entirely new to him. The Rev. Mr. Torry was the preacher. Davi<^ remained about two months at school, and embraced every opportunity to hear the Gospel pro(;laimed, which made him feel, he said, as he never did before. He said he felt the burden of his sins and the need of a Saviour ; and when in- vited forward to partake th<> sacrament, and com- meniGrate tlie sulferings and death of our Lord, at first he hesitated ; but as soon as he decided in his mind that he would go, he endeavoured to look by faith to the great Redeemer of the world, and <,'ave himself nj) to Him entirely; and at that moment he felt (as lie expressed iu his own words) " a heavenly flame run all throuf^h him, both soul and body, from head to foot." He was filled with joy. His cup ran over. It appeared as if a Benjamin's portion had been given him ; and he said he scarcely knew whether he went on his feet or on wing's. His heart seemed to be filled with the love of God, and he rejoiced under a sense- of pardon and mercy. Immediately after this, he desired to see his parents ; and at once returned home to tell them what the Lord had done for him. He made haste ; and the eighteen or twenty miles, he said, seemed downhill nearly all the way. On his arrival home he found, as usual, his father was away to. I!lllil!ll m , 11 i lii liiiiliPi I i ii liiiiii ill iiii 26 CHAPTER VII. the tavern ; but lie told his mother of the great change that had taken place in his heart. And while he talked to her about Christ and His re- surrection, she wept, and said she wished there was no whiskey in the world ; and that she would try and persuade his father to go also to the Grand River, and seek for the white man's religion. When his father returned from the tavern, he was not as drunk as usual, and they talked nearly all night about these matters, and in the morning his ffiiher and mother both promised to follow him to the Mission. Having delivered his message to his parents, and proclaimed to them Christ as the Saviour of all men, — Indians as well as white men, — he re- turned again to the school at tlie Grand River ; and in two or three weeks after that, his parents came, sought the Lord, and obtained His favour, which they continued to enjoy till the day of their death. His mother died some time ago in the triumphs of faith ; and his father lingered under the weight of many years ; but, as already noticed, high in hope of immortality and eternal life, he at last went the way of all the earth. About this time, or soon after their conversion to Christiu,nity, the whole band moved to the mouth of the Credit River, some eighteen or twenty miles west from Toronto, where a new Mission was formed, and every member of the band (except two or three) were hopefully con- verted to God. At this Mission, a school was also established ; and David was again favoured with an opportunity of adding to his little stock of knowledge. KK-ZHIG-KO-E-NK-NE. ' 27 At an early age he began to speak in public ; and exhorted other Indians to seek the Lord ; and in the year 1820 he was a2)pointed a local preacher, and was sent to a new Mission at " Cold Water," north of Lake Simcoe, to teach the Mission school, and interpret for tlie Rev James Onrrie, then Missionary at that place, called the " Matchjedash Mission." ,: During the two years he remained at this Mis- sion he continued not only to teach and interpret, but also occasionally preached to the Indians in his own native tongue. After the hrst year of his residence at this Mission, he visited his friends at the " Credit," and married his wife, who has greatly aided him ever since in his missionary toil. After their marriage, in returning to the Mis- sion, they found the swamps were breaking up, and they had great difficulty in making their way through the forest. Some parts of it without any road. Once they were completely " swamped," and remained in snow and water all night. The late Rev. Pecer Jones, in referring to this enterprise, in his Journal published in Toronto, Canada West, (18G0,) states, on page 289, that on " Monday October 4th, (1880,) Sister Barns, Bro- ther Benli?^^!, and David Sawyer and his new wife, imd myself, made preparations for going to Lake Simcoe Mission. David and his wife intended to labour on the Match] ed ash Mission. It is apleas- inof sio-ht to see natives of the forest leave their fathers and mothers, and go to other tribes, for the purpose of assisting in the instruction of the poor Indians." ... ..>, -w.te After completing two years' toil at this Missio a 28 CHAPTER VII. ■i!:il:ii iiiiiii '!l!|!l: 11 ' 11! I!lli ! i'iliii iil!i"?!E iini!! during- which time they hoA the satisfaction of seeing much of the goodness of God, in the con- version of the Indians at that place, he returned to the Credit Mission, as interpreter for the Mis- sionary, and still continued to preach to the people in their ov/n language. The next year, with three others, he went to " Sault St. Marie," at the foot of Lake Superior, to establish a new Mission. He remained during the summer, taught a school among the natives, and preached to them " Christ and the resurrection." But he Avas stoutly opposed hy pagans and Eoman Catholics ; and at It'st the " cholera" — that dreadful scourge of the human race — visited them, and " vv^alked through dark- ness and wasted at noon-day." In the midst of all these discouragements they had the satis.^n.ct*^^''. to see some of the Indians cast away theii idv^id, renounce paganism, and embrace Christianity. In the fall he retunied again to the Credit Mission, and remained during the winter ; but when the spring opened, and cheered the earth with its smile, a project was formed to commence a Mission among the Indians at the mouth of the Saugeeng Eiver, on the east side of Lake Huron. He was requcted to go as Assistant Missionary with the Eev. Thomas Ilurl- burt, and their outfit for that enterprise was somewhat singular. A few farming utensils, and some provisions suited for the journey, were piled upon a large cart, and one ox and a cow yoked together before it, — a thing they had never heard of before in this country ; but with this novel outfit they made then* way betvreen one and two hundred iiii KE-7:Hia-X0-E-NE-NE. 29 sion, the its lence Lontli of as lurl- vvas and piled ■viP miles to Goderich, at the foot of Lake Huron, where they were oblij^ad to leave their carfc and cattle, and complete their journey in a boat, and afterwards returned for the cow and ox; but there being" no road, they were driven sixty or seventy miles, on the beach, to Saugeeng. At this Mission he also taught the school and interpreted for the Missionary. He remained about a year, when his health failed ; and hoping a change of location would improve it, he wa^ sent as teacher and in- terpreter for the Rev. S. AValdren, Missionary at Munc;y Town, south of London. But how to reach that place was the next question. Through a great part of the country he had to pass, with his little family, there were neither roads nor convej^ance of any kind ; so he prepared a canoe, and embarked with a few effects, and coasted the east shore of Lake Huron down to Goderich, and there pur- chased a waggon, in which they journeyed over almost impassable roads, to the forks of the Kiver Thames, and then made a canoe of elm bark, in which he proceeded with his family down the river to Muncy Town. He showed by his undaunted energy that per- severance is almost omnipotent. No white man could have accomplished this journey under simi- lar circumstances, and but few Indians would have undertaken it. But in a noble enterprise he knew no impediments among possibilities or difficulties not entirelv insurmountable. On his aiTival at Muncy Town he was appointed the " government interpreter" for that band of Indians during his sojourn a'nong them. ■ ' "* He remained at Muncy Town about two years ; 1:; I kill, l. Il i i ■''hi #'' m i iilll'V iini It li 30 CHAPTER VIII. but his health continued poor, and the Credit band sent a conveyance, and moved him, with his family, back to the Credit Mission, where he settled upon a farm. He continued as a local preacher and nterpreter at that Mission until some time in the year 1849 ; and was then appointed by the Wesleyan Conference to the Owen Sound Mission, situated at the head of a bay, or rather an arm of the great Georgian Bay, which extends, in a southerly direction up the country, about fourteen miles. This Mission was subsequently called the Newash Mission, adjoining to which the white people had commenced a village, which has since ^own up to be a town of considerable note. When it was incorporated a few years ago, it was called *' Owen Sound. " It ig destined to be, be- fore many years, a populous city. *' '.'•'' lis; il"; i ill i ! i MMM mi iiiiill! li'ii'i llliii 'I iiiijll I!'- CHAPTER VIII. ^ CHIEF DAVID SAWYER. .,,, REMOVED TO OWEN SOUND— PETITION TO LORD . ELGIN — ACT OF GENERAL COUNCIL PROCURED AN INDIAN DEED. The circumstances which led Chief David Sawyer to remove from the Credit Mission^ and settle at Owen Sonne), were twofold. First. The Indians residing in the Saugeeng CHIEF DAVID SAWYER. 31 I and the Owen Sound country sent for him to reside among them, to act as their agent, and aid them in the transaction of their business with the Cfoverument. Secondly. To assist the residing Missionary at Owen Sound, and visit the several bands of Indians in that part of the country. For this purpose he was sent there by the Wesley an Methodist Conference in 1849. Owing to his intelligence and integrity, he was held in high esteem by all the bands of Indians in the whole tribe, and was therefore requested by the Newasli band to settle permanently among them, and become one of their band, which he accordingly did. At this time they owned the whole peninsula between Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay, from Owen Sound westvrard, to the mouth of the Saugeeng Eiver, a distance of about twenty miles. From this line the penin- sula extends northward, about seventy miles, in a direct line towards the great Manatoulin island. We have never heard of the colonial government questioning the riglit of Indians being thus transferred from one band to another ; and as an 'nducement lor him to forego his prospects of elevation and usefulness at the Credit, and settle permanently at Owen Sound, they offered to adopt him as a member of their band, to share in all their rights, annuities, and privileges whatso- ever, and also to give him twenty- five acres of land for his own private use, and aid him in erecting a good house upon it. After consider- able deliberation upon the subject, he complied B2 CHAPTER VIII, Hi iiP' hi nil ''■ lii Ji! 1 II mk mm If 111! ii'i I.I' 'III witli their iir^rent solicitation, accepted their offer, and settled at Newash, Owen Sound. He was required to aid the Missionary at the Indian Mission at Owen Sound ; and, having complied with the request of the Indians to move there, was that year appointed by the Wesleyan- Methodist Conference to that Mission ; and, in 1850, he was re-appointed to that same Mission with tlie Eev. J. Hutchenson. The name of the Mission was that year changed from Owen Sound Mission to that of Newash. ; V< ' . The chiefs and principal Indians of the band then forwarded the following petition to his excellency the Governor General, in reference to Chief Sawyer, wdio was at this time a native mis- sionary among them. -. ■:^/ :/■■■- ::-^:::,:--\-:'^^--l': "Owen Sound, Sej)teriibcr 2drd, 1S50. "To our Great Father, his Excellency, the Honoiu'able James, Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, Governor General of British Kortli America, and Go vemor-in- chief in and over the province of Oanada. " The petition of your children, the chiefs and warriors of the tribe of Ojibeway Indians, resident at Newash, Owen Sound, humbly showeth, " That your children are desirous of giving some token of respect and esteem to the Eev. David Sawyer (resident) ; that we would build him a house, and present it to him with twenty-five acres of land adjacent to the village of Newash, to be conveyed to him and his heirs for ever, as a lasting monument of our love and esteem for him -!:i, CHIEF DAVID SAWYER. 33 " Your cliildren, therefore, pray our great father to allow his children to present the said Rev. David Sawyer with said piece of land, and that the proper conveyances may be made out for the same to him and his heirs for ever. -^-^^ i " YoiT children also pray that the house maybe allowed to be built on the said piece of land in the mean time ; and your children will, in proper time, send down the requisition for payment of said house, which your children pray be allowed and passed, and ycur children, as in duty bound, will ever pray. / ^v; (Signed,) ^' John T. Wahbadick, Chief, Geo. a. Tabegwon, John Snake, George Ryerson, lotouwa ashk^.we, Ab. Ashkewe, ^^ After being rend and fully explained, '*' ' - signed in presence of William '^' ,' Button and the Interpreter.''^ •- . ^^^e.-; Wm. Angus, ^Sftri John Mkashall, John Tumah, - 1 P. Moses Black, c^^t" Thos. Keoseyah, ■ ;, j B John Johnston." B^ This tribe of Indians previously surrendered large tracts of land to the government, for which they received ten dollars a year each, including males and females, old or young. Of these annuities received from the government, they would draw occasionally to meet special cases ; and for the purpose they would send a '' requisition » ',■'*■;■■ U CIIAriEB VIII. ""■ I !i I ! ^-• III P I lilfiliiltllipil llillli ifimmliillllilJ! 1 signed by the chiefs, for any sum, required by the band, when authorized by tlie council to do so. The requisition was forwarded to the depart- ment for one hundred pounds, which amount was promised, as appears from the following letter received from Captain Anderson. - r_^ - "Indian Office, Cobourg, May 19th, 1851. '^ Rev. Sir. — I beg to inform you that a warrant was passed for one hundred pounds to pay for the building of your house. The money is iu the bank, but you cannot get it till 1 have beeii up to inspect the house, when it will most likely be paid to the contractor. . - "I have the honour to be, Sir, '•; " Your most obedient humble servant, " T. G. Anderson, S.I.A." '^ Rev. David Sawyer, Owen Sound,'' ,_ Of this hundred pounds only fifty pounds were paid for building the house, the other fifty pounds were disposed of by the Indians for other purposes, for the benefit of the tribe. He proceeded with the erection of his house, and soon completed the building ; and in view of his residing at the Mission, and aiding the Missionary, the Wesleyan- Methodist Missionary Board also granted him fifty pounds out of the missionary fund for the same purpose. The balance of the amount required to pay for finishing his house^ of course, he paid out of his own private means. He continued in possession of the house a few years; but was frequently told by the Indian CHIEF DAVID SAWYER. as Department, that he had no claim either upon the house or land, which is to many unaccountable. The Indians had long been anxious to settle on fai'ms, of one hundred acres each ; and in view of this, his case was reconsidered by the band. The council directed that instead of twenty-five acres, forty-three should be given him for farming pur- poses. And the " Indian deed '' was made out accordingly. The following is a copy of the deed they gave him, signed by the chiefs and principal Lidians in the band. " We, the undersigned chiefs and councilmen of Saugeeng and Newash, Owen Sound, having of our own free will and consent invited David Sawyer and his family, of the River Credit Tribe^ to live with us, and become members of our tribe, and thereby enjoy in every respect the same privi - leges which others of our tribe are entitled to ; and whereas we have allotted to him and his heirs for ever forty-three acres of land, described as follows ; that is to say, commencing in the centre of a road allowance bet\7een lots number four and five, broken front, in the village of Newash, Indian reserve, on Owen Soimd Bay, — then north 17*^ 30'* east nine chains, forty links. Then south 72*^ oO' east forty-three chains. Then north 17° 30'' east ten chains. Then north 72** 30' west forty-three chains. Then south 17° 30' west ten chains, to the place of beginning. " And we have contributed seventy-five pounds, towards building a frame house for him and his D 2 36 CHAPTER IX. family, on said lot; wliicli house we also j^ve* freely over to him and family, free of all cost, and to bo enjoj'ed by him and his family for ever, (Siprned,) ** JohxTho. Wahbadick, John Snake, Chief, Jacob Medwvyosh, Peter I. Kekedonce,Thomas Papahmosh, Chief, John Keewaquohun, James Newash, Joseph Ahzhauwasego.'*^ Oeo. Arthur, Sicfned in prefience of James Cathey, Teacher,. July 12th, 1851." (( CHAPTER IX. A UEQUISITION MADE. disposition h[ade of money band i fssatisfled with their agent desire to become farmers — correspondence with colonel BRUCE. v'f: , It will be observed that when the foregoing Requisition was mnde out, £100 was asked for. The desipfn of the band was, at thnt time, to advance £75, to aid Chief Sawyer in buildmg his house, and the remaining £25 for other purposes for the t'"be; and, in view of this, £75 is the SUIT specified in the deed. But subsequently, when the money was made available to the band, there were urgent claims to be met, which re- A REQUISITION MADE. 37 quired 150 ; so that only the remaining fifty were advanced on payment for building the house, instead of .i75, as stated in the deed. Soon after t^is, he was removed to Saugeeng as agent for that band, and interpreter for the Rev. Mr. Hutchinson; and after his removal to the Arran Mission Chief Sawyer was left in charge of the Saugeeng Mission for awhile ; and then again removed to the Newash Mission, where he taught the Mission school, and interpreted for the Rev, C. Van Dusen, the resident Missicmary then at that x^lace. During his temporary absence from Newash, Charles Kezicks wus appointed to act, in his place, as agent for the Newash band. But considerable dissatisfaction prevailed among the Indians, on account of the manner in which their business was transacted. Their native agent was inexperienced, and easily influenced by avaricious white men ; and neither of the chiefs then in office could read or even write their names, nor speak a sentence in English. And the business of their councils, at that time, was not written. Tiiis frequently caused misunderstandings, and was often accoin panied with other evil consequences. Therefore, at a general council of the chiefs, warriors, and other principal Indians, from Newash, Saugeeng, and Colpoy's Bay, composing the Ojibeway tribe in the Owen Sound country, assembled at Saugeeng, October 80th, 1852 ; Chief Alex. Madwayosh was called to the chair, and George Blalter (school teacher) was requested to act as secretary. . .^ ^ I r 38 CHAPTER IX. i ^ ii' !i^ T)ie foUowinjj Kesolutions were unanimously adopted : " I. Eesolved, that hereafter all matters aftecting the general interest of our tribe, — such as the surrender of any part of our lands, the manner in which our annuities shall be disposed of, the adoption or admission of other Indians into our tribe, the appointment of persons to hold office among us in our several bands, &c., shall be decided by, and receive the sanction of, the chiefs and principal Indians at Newash, Saugceng, and Colpoy's Bay, as aforesaid ; and that all local mat- ters not affecting the general interest of the whole tribe may be decided in each band by the council in its respective locality. " II. That in future we will record in books all special acts of our councils, and that these books shall be kept by the chief iii each band. '' Signed, in behalf of the tribe, "Alex. Madwayosh, Chief of the 8augecng Band, Cliairman,. " Geo. Blakee, Secretary.''^ ** Witness y David Sawyer, hiteyyreter, * Conrad Van Dusen, Missionary," who was present by request of the chief. The above Resolutions were forwarded to the Indian Department, but disregarded by them. The most intelligent portion of the tribe wished to act in accordance with the Resolutions of the council 5 but, soon after their adoption. Captain A REQUISITION MADR. m Andorson, wlio for many years had been continued in office, as a kind of deputy superintendent of Indian attairs, came to transact business with the tribe. He gave notice for the Indians to meet hiin at the school liouse in Newash. On his arrival, seventeen Indians met him ; and of these, only a few were members of the tribe, the rest were str.'g<.5;lers, — Indians who had no interest with the band, or connexion witli this tribe. They belonged to another tribe, and some of them had no place of residence ; but wandered about from place to place, dissipated and degraded. But tbey were Indians ; and perhaps Captain Anderson thought that was quite sufficient. So he proceeded to transact business ; and it can easily be conceived that it was not a difficult mat- ter to obtain the concurrence of these Indians to almost any measure that might be proposed. I presume not one of them con id speak a sentence in English. The business was done through an interpreter ; and the proceedings of the meeting, which were opposed to the wishes and interest of the tribe, were forwarded to the Indian Depart- ment, and acted upon, as if legally and fairly done by the tribe. Thus it was Ibund, any measures adopted by the general council, whether good or bad, were of but little consequence, while they were unfairly dealt with, and continued to be minors, and treated as children. Many among them concluded, if they were always to be treated in this way, it would be of but little use to strive for any improvement in civilization. They thought they might as well contijiae pagan, and 1 CHAPTER IX. i;ii.ii!iiiii!:,|,i,' I in,,iil,u;.iii,;: I iiiiM i; ■- live by the chase as formerly, rather than settle on farms, for which they held no title in ''fee simple," and then not be allowed to transact their own local affairs. ^ - * • ^ -^i-^^^- A i^eneral desire prevailed among them to be- come farmers ; but to hold their land by treaty, or a deed of declaration made to the whole tribe, in such a manner that the whole tribe hold it in a nominal way, and yet no one in particular has a title for one foot of land he can call his own, was not satisfactory. There appeared no way to encourage the people to cultivate the soil, and become frugal and iiidvistrious farmers, unless each one could be per- mitted to possess land in "fee simple," which he €ould call his own. And it was also observed, that the Indians sold to the white neighbouring settlers corn, fish, and sugar, at reduced prices ; and afterwards, wh^n in great need, they would purchase the same articles back, at an advanced price, of double its value. To save these down- trodden people from being fleeced by mercenary white men, who made great gain by trade and traffic with the Indians, the subject was duly con- sidered, and deliberated upon in general council ; and the following measures were proposed for the approval of the Indian Department. r:-\-,t\^, < J^, a, general council of the Indians composing the Ojibeway tribe in the Owen Sound country, at the village of Saugeeng, October 30th, 1852, the following Resolutions were unanimously adopted. ■^ " I. Resolved, that it is desirable to extend our settlement at Saugeeng, and for this purpose eight iiiiiHiHiii i; I 1 1 A REQUISITION MADE. . 41 or ten miles square be surveyed, or laid out, in the following" manner, namely, — the iirst one thousand acres nearest our village be laid out in park lots, coiitaining fifty acres each ; and that those who occupy a house in the village may also occupy a park lot, and those who wish to settle on farms may (on condition of becoming actual settlers) occupy each a lot containing one hundred acres, according to the survey that may hereafter be made. " II. Resolved, that in order to secure to our tribe the advantages and profits of our own trade, it is desirable that we form ourselves into a Joint Stock Company, and establish a store in this village, and at Newash ; and that for this purpose, the whole amount of our Government Annuities, yet available this year, and so on each succeeding year, (after the current expenses of the tribe are paid,) be appropriated for the purchase of goods suited to the Indian trade. " III. Resolved, that all may deposit in the esta- blishment any amount of furs, fish, sugar, or any other articles of trade, at a certain rate or price to be fixed upon by the Council ; and that no person be allowed to draw, or receive on credit, from the establishment, at any time, more than his proportion, or share of the annual Annuity from Government. • "IV. Resolved, that the clerk or book-keeper that may be employed to take charge of the esta- blishment, be required to give security in double the amount of the goods intrusted to him, for his integrity, and faithfully accounting for the same. 42 CHAPTEK IX. iiif iliiiiiiillli iiiiiiiii wm mm il'il! Elff 1 \\m\' "V. Resolved, that in order to carry out the practical operations of the concern, and render it the more advantageous to the public and to our- selves, it is desirable that we put forth efforts, as soon as practicable, to erect a suitable wharf and store -house, the profits of which shall be invested, to increase the capital of the establishment. " VI. Resolved, that we will immediately confer with the Government on this subject, and ask their approval of these measures. " VII. Resolved, that, on condition that we ob- tain such approval of the Government, we hereby pledge ourselves to each other, to lose no time in bringing into operation the foregoing Resolutions. " VIII. Resolved, that the Rev. Conrad Van Duseii, the residing Missionary at Newash, (Owen Sound,) and the Rev. David Sawyer, our agent, be respectfully requested to correspond with the Government in our behalf, to secure their con- currence, and to take other steps necessary to consummate and bring into operation the whole of these contemplated arrangements. (Signed,) "Alex. Madwayosh, Chief, John Katahgeguon, Chief" In compliance with the request made by the general council, the above Resolutions were for- warded to Colonel Bruce, which had to be done through Captain Anderson ; and the poor Indians were glad to reach his Excellency even through this strange medium. They might have been required to send their communications through a dozen other porters, deputies, and superintend- A REQUISITION MADE, 4d ents ; "but in this case, the communication had to pass through only two parties to reach head- quarters, as the letters to Colonel Bruce and Cap- tain Anderson will show, which are as follows :— ') Letter from Revs. C. Van Dusen anclD. Sawyer to ■ "; . Colonel Bruce, ,; ■ " Saugkeng, Deceraher ^rd, 1852. ^*^To THE Hon. Col. Buuce, Chief Sup. Ind. Affus., & . ' " Sib, — We have the honour of transmitting to you, for his Excellency's consideration and ap- proval, the enclosed Resolutions, adopted by the chiefs and principal Indians in council at Sau- geeng, October 80th, 1852. " Hoping his Excellency will be pleased to allow the Annuities to be appropriated for the purchase of goods suited to the Indian trade, as contem- plated in the Resolutions, . , , " We have the honour to be. Sir, ■r; .\ " Your obedient servants, ^' C. Van Dusen, David Sawyer." Letter from Revs. G. Van Dn.sen and I>. Sawyer to Captain Anderson, .4w '^ Saugeeng, December Zrd, 1852. "To T. G. Anderson, Esq., S.I.A. ^* Sir, — Please forward to Colonel Bruce, for his Excellency's consideration, the enclosed ; and j'-ou will much oblige " Your obedient servants, ■ -T^ :•":■'■■: • «C. Van Dusen, . ^i A David Sawyer.'* r V oi A ,A, CHAPTER IX. The Eev. E. Wood, Saperintendeut of Wesley an Missions, also sent an accompanying letter to the department on the subject, and to these com- munications a reply was received from Captain. Anderson, enclosing a copy of Colonel Bruce's letter to him on the subject, which was as fol- lows : — !|!il ^ " We wish to live in peace, but they are dis- STRANGE PROCEEDINGS. 49 satisfied ; and though our school v/as never in a more prosperous condition than it is, and has been ever since it was conducted by the present teacher, Mr. George Blaker, yet these dissatisfied persons, infliuenced by Kezeicks, have commenced an opposition school in George A. Tabegon's house, near the Mission School, and it is now taught by Kezeicks himself. "We know of no disputes among us ^on sectarianism.' The Wesleyan Methodist Mis- sionaries first came among us, and taught us the good way ; established a school, and taught our children to read the good book. And they are still labouring, with much success, to promote our temporal and spiritual welfare. " Though ihese five dissatisfied persons are not contented with us as members of the Wesleyan. Methodist church, (some of whom went out from us, and "»thers never belonged to us,) yet we have no ' disputes ' with them on that account ; but we are sorry that, for party purposes, thoy should cause ' disputes ' among us by commencing an opposition school, to the great annoyance of our people. " We are sorry, also, that P. J. Kegedonce (our young chief) has been influenced by his brother- in-law Kezeicks, to encourage these dissatisfied persons in making discord among us ; and we hope a few words of kind admonition to him from our great father the Governor General, will )revent the necessity of our entering complaints against him for lending his aid in disturbing the harmony and peace of this band. ^ 60 CHAPTER X. (( -il ilii'^' Being fully convinced that Charles Kczeicks is acting under the influence of parties at Owen Sound who seek their own interest and not our welfare ; and in consequence of all the Indians at >Tewash (except the five or six leagued with him) being greatly dissatisfied with his conduct, as above stated, we therefore earnestly request our great father the Governor General to dismiSvS him from holding any office among us whatever, and, as in duty bound, we will ever pray. "John Thomas Wahba- Thos. Wahbadick, DICK, Chief, Thos. Wahdahgogush, James Newash, Daniel Ellioit, Ab. Elliott, John Wahbadick, John George, Sol. Ashkunway, John Elliott, John Snake." Jos. Kakake, " To Colonel Bruce, Chief Superintendent of Indian Affairs,^ »» To this petition little or no attention was paid ; and that man Kezeicks was continued in office, to the great annoyance of many of the band. That the Government would keep such persons in office, to the annoyance of the band of quietly disposed Indians, is verily unaccountable ! liiililii I I8HWW ' ill Igiil-'':' CHAPTER XI. LAND NOT ACCOUNTED FOR. PROMISES NOT FULFILLED STRANGE PROCEEDINGS OF CAPTAIN ANDERSON — UNFAIR MEANS USED TO OBTAIN A SURRENDER OF LAND TREATY SIGNED. The Indians in the Owen Sonnd country Lad previously surrendered to the Government a strip of land half a mile wide, extending from Owen Sound eighteen or twenty miles westward to the Saugeeng River, for which they got no returns. It was surveyed, and sold principally to land spe- culators, and of the sales of that laud the Indians have got no account. But, notwithstanding the dissatisfaction they felt about this land surrender, still many of the most ignorant and indolent part of the tribe were elated with the prospects held out to them by the agents sent by the Indian De- partment, to negociate with them for the sur- render of nearly the whole of their peninsula. They were told that from the sale of the land they would soon have a large income, that they would all be able to ride in carriages, roll in wealth, and fare sumptuously every day. Notwithstanding the previously broken promises and blasted hopes of former days, yet the credulous part of the tribe were elated with the prospect of being saved from / E 2 52 CHAPTEr^ XT, penury ; while others, romemberinpf the past treatment, were sceptical about the future. When proposals of this kind are made to the Indians, they generally pause to deliberate upon it ; but no matter how much they hesitate at first, a little flattery, or coercion, will bring them into almost any favourite measure the Government may think fit to propose. In August, 1854, Captain Anderson, Supt. Ind. Affrs., visited Owen Sound, and called a general council of the Indians, to obtain from them a sur- render of their land. Many were unwilling to suiTCnder any more, till the Department gave a satisfactory account of the sale of the land hist ceded to them. Some remarked that they had surrendered one tract of land after another, that in some instances they had been paid only in pro- mises, and that they remained as poor as ever. After Captain Anderson had retired for a while from the council, in his absence the Indians con- cluded to make the desired surrender, but on certain conditions ; and the council requested Chief Sawyer to state those conditions to Captain Anderson. So, whe': the captain came in th( council to hear the result of their deliberations, the chief proceeded to state the conditions on which they had agreed to make the surrender ; and then said, their other s an-enders had been made in a loose Avay, and quite too indefinite ; but these appeared to the captain quite too stringent and definite. Captain Anderson, in reply, expressed his disapprobation of the conditions ; and said, *^These conditions of surrender now proposed never LAND NOT ACCOUNTED FOR. 53 originated in the bruin of an Indian.'* Nevoi-the- less the conditions were written down, and sent to the Department, by whom they were repudiated. Of course they were too definite to suit the De- partment. I do not know whether Captain Anderson in- tended to hold Chief Sawyer alone responsible for the result of the deliberations of that council, or had some other object in view. He deviated from his usual course in such matters ; for he requested Chief Sawyer to attach his name alone to the conditions proposed, which he did, and the docu- ment was sent by Captain Anderson to head quarters. Chief Sawyer was willin<:j to bear the responsi- bility, tliouyh this and other transactions of a similar character have, no doubt, caused the Indian Department to be stronj^ly prejudiced ag;ainst the chief. In Captain Anderson's letter to Mr. Oliphant, a few days after this council was held, he advises the Government to send on sur- veyors at once, and " assume a control over the reserve or peninsula." He states that " it may be argued, that the Indians have a deed or patent for this property ; but even should such a deed in any way be valid, then- guardians surely have au- thority over it," &c. When he found that holding out promises to the Indians would not induce them to surrender their land, he advises the Government to coerce them, even if their deed of declaration is valid in law. What next ? > When Mr. Oliphant, superintendent-general of 54 CHAPTER XI. liiil ...ill ilWHKHffli |||||i|ii|; Indiana' affairs, came, two or three months after this, to treat with the Indians for the surrender of their peninsula, he passed by the band at New- ash without even letting them know of his arrival, or the cbject of his visit, and proceeded about twenty miles to Saugeeng ; and, as he states in his Eeport of the 3rd of November, 1854, addressed to Lord Elgin, and included in the copy of a dispatch from the Governor- General, the Earl of Elgin, to the IJight Honourable Sir G. Grey, Bart., M.P., that '' shortly after the chiefs of other bands ar- rived, and anxious not to allow them an opportu- nity of consulting even among themselves, or with Europeans, [he] called a general council at seven P.M., in the church at the Indian village, which was attended by the chiefs of the different bands and warriors of the Saugeeng Band." He also states that then he ^^ opened the proceedings of the council." And as an inducement for the Indians to make the surrender, he adds, in the same Eeport, that he promised that the lands, when surveyed, should be sold by auction, that arrangements should be made, by which separate titles to farm lots should be granted by the Department to the Indians within their own reserves. He also, as a further inducement, promised that the chiefs should be " rewarded by his Excellency with medals." Perhaps Mr. Oliphant thought it was fair not to allow the Indians to have an opportu- nity to consult, even among themselves, in reference to the surrender of their lands. But the more intelligent part of them happened to think other- wise. And how Mr. Oliphant could suppose the LAND NOT ACCOUNTED PCH. 55 ents arm o the as a hiefs with was ortu- rence more ther- e the council " was attended by the chiefs of the differ- ent bands," as he states in his Report, is another mystery ; for there was not one chief from Colpoy's Bay that attended on that occasion, from first to last. And from Newash, they did not reach Sau- geeng till the next day, after nearly all the ar- rangements had been completed. They arrived from Newash just in time to sign the treaty; and there is no doubt that many who did sign it would have done so, if it had been their death warrant. They knew nothing about the value of land, nor of the proper mode of transacting business. But they considered it unfair to hm-ry the business through, without even giving timely notice to the Lidians at Newash and at Colpoy's Bay. : John Beaty was the only Indian from Colpoy's Bay, and only happened to be present ; but h^ never was a chief, nor have we reason to suppose he ever will be, nor did he pretend to have any claim to the land or the annuities of that band. But when asked by Mr. Oliphant if he would represent the Colpoy's Bay Indians, he of course had no objec- tions, and signed the treaty accordingly. This is the kind of legislation we often have in Indian affairs. But if the Indians had been permitted to act uj)Odl the Resolution adopted by their General Council, October 30th, 1852, and allowed time to call to- gether the chiefs and principal men from the three bands at Newash, Saugeeng, and Colpoy's Bay, in General Council ; and then had Mr. Oliphant laid his business before them, they undoubtedly would have understood the matv^er much better^ and .•^mm 66 CHAPTER XI. ri'i: arrang-eraents would have been made much more intelligibly and satisfactorily. But this was not done. The deliberations were hurried through in a summary way. On the arrival of the Indians from Newash it was too late to propose any new arrangements; and two chiefs from the Newash Band couid neither read nor write, and understood but few words in English. Under these circum- stances, so far as Chief Sawyer was concerned, he made a virtue of necessity, and placed his name with the rest upon the document. Mr. Oliphant having promised, as one condition of the surrender of their territory, as he states in his Eeport, that " arrangements should be made by which separate titles to farm lots should be granted by the Department to the Indians, within their own reserves ; " they received this promise in good faith, and supposed each Indian in the tribe who had aiTived at the age of twenty-one, would receive a deed for a farm lot, on which he could become an actual settler. Chief Sawyer, as a member of the tribe, had no objections to surrender all the land unoccupied, which they did not require for farming purposes ; for the benefit of the country he wished all the vacant land in the county occupied by white men or Indians. But while white men and black men, whether industrious or shiftless, whether frugal or prodigal, whether sober men or drunkards, could obtain deeds for land, the poor Indian has not been able to obtain a deed for one foot of his own land in Canada. It has been withheld from the red man, fearing he might be cheated out of it. How kind ! .i'liiii LAND NOT ACCOUNTED FOR. jp We have all known black men, and white men too, cheated out of their farms, but not by Indians. Why not extend kindness also to them in the same way? * In closinj^ the hurried business of their council for the surrender of their territory, the following" document, having been prepared by Mr. Oliphant was presented, signed and sealed. •• SURRENDER OF THE SAUGEENG PENINSULA. '^ We the chiefs, sachems, and principal men of the Indian tribes, resident at Saugeeng, Owen Sound, confiding in the wisdom and protecting care of our Great Mother across the big lake, and believing that our good father, his Excellency the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, Governor General of Canada., is anxiously desirous to promote those interests which will most largely conduce to the welfare of his red children, have now being in full council assembled in presence of the superintend- ent-general of Indian aifairs, and of the young men of both tribes agreed that it will be highly desirable for us to make a full surrender* unto the crown of that peninsula known as the Saugeeng* and Owen Sound Indian Reserve, subject to cer- tain restrictions and reservations to be herein- after let forth. We have therefore set our marks to this docui>ient, after having heard the same read to us, ai 1 do hereby surrender the whole of the above nami ^ tract of country bounded on the south by a straight line drawn from the Indian village of Saugeeng to the Indian village of Ne wash, in continuation of the northern limit of the narrow strip recently surrendered by us to the crown, and 68 CHAPTER XI. ill niV iiiiiii bounded on the north, east, and west by Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, the following reservations : —To wit. " 1st. For the benefit of the Saugeeng Indians we reserve all that block of land bounded on the west by a straight line running due north from the river Saugeeng at the spot where it is entered by a ravine immediately to the west of the village, and over which a bridge has recently been con- structed. To the shore of Lake Huron, on the south by the aforesaid northern limit of the lately surrendered strip, on the east by a line drawn from a spot upon the coast at a distance of about nine miles and a half from the western boundary aforesaid, and running parallel thereto, until it touches the aforementioned northern limit of the recently surrendered strip. And we wish it to be clearly understood that we wish, the peninsula at the mouth of the Saugeeng E-iver to the west of the western boundary aforesaid to be laid out in town and park lots, and sold for our benefit with- out delay, and we also wish it to be understood that our surrender includes that parcel of land which is in continuation of the strip recently surrendered to the Saugeeng E.iver. We do also reserve to ourselves that tract of land called Chiefs' Point, bounded on the east by a line drawn from a spot half a mile up the Sable River, and continued in a northerly direction to the bay, and upon all other sides by the lake. " 2nd. We reserve for the benefit of the Owen Sound Indians, all that tract bounded on the south by the northern limit of the continuation of the LAND NOT ACCOUNTED FOR. m line the strip recently surrendered, on the northwest by a line drawn from the north-easterly angle of the aforesaid strip (as it was surrendered in 1851, in a north-easterly direction) on the south-east by the sound extending to the southern limit of the Changhnawaga settlement, on the north by a line two miles in length, and forming the said southern limit, and we also re- serve to ourselves that tract of land called Cape Crocker, bounded on three sides by Georgian Bay, on the south-west side by a line drawn from the bottom of Nochemowenaing Bay to the mouth of Sucker River, and we enclose in the aforesaid sm^- render, the parcel of land contained in the con- tinuation to Owen Sound of the recently surren- dered strip aforesaid. *' 3rd. We do reserve for the benefit of the Col- poy's Bay Indians, in the presence of John Beattie, who represents the tribe at this council, a block of land containing 6,000 acres, and including their village, and bounded on the north by Colpoy's Bay. jf '' All which reserves we hereby retain to ourselves and our children in perpetuity ; and it is agreed that the interest of the principal sum arising out of the sale of our lands, be regularly paid to them so long as there are Indians left to represent our tribe, without diminution, at half-yearly periods. *' And we hereby request the sanction of oui* great father the Governor General to this sur- render, which we consider highly conducive to our general interest. Done in council at Saugeeng this thirteenth a 60 CHAPTER XI. i:; .•:■■;-■■/. ■;■ y. iS day of October, 1854. It is understood that no islands are included in this surrender. (Signed and sealed,) John (symbol) Kadnhgekwun (seal) Alexander (symbol) Madwayosh John (symbol) Monedrowab John (symbol) Thomas Wahbadick Peter (symbol) Jones David Sawyer John H. Beattie Thomas (symbol) Pahahmorh John (symbol) Madwashermint John (symbol) Johnston John Aunjegahbowh James Newash Thomas (symbol) Wahbadick Oharles Keisick (Signed,) "L. Oliphant, Superintendent- G-eneral hidian Affairs, Peter Jacobs, Missionary, witness, (Signed,) Jas. Ross, M.P.P., C. Rankin, P.L.S., , ' A. M'Nabb, ;:,t>: Crown Land Agent, yf $9 M yy 99 99 99 99 99 » .'il,; ,-i '.v. i._:^ HP!'' .,/:■■ => 1 ■/'■^/:v '1 ,;.'V ^V CHArTER Xll. y ^. LAND SURRENDERED. OBJECTS CONTEMPLATED STRANGE PROCEEDING OF MR. OLIPMANT — LOSS TO THE INDIANS AND TO THE COUNTRY. The Indians having sniTendered nearly all tlieir land, wliicli was to be sold for their benefit, they were to receive the interest in half-yearly pay- ments, on the whole amonnt for lands sold. On some former occasions, when they surrendered land to the Government, they did so on condition of receiving annually a certain amount of annuity, as a compensation for their land ceded to the Crown. But in this case it was different. They were to receive the interest of the purchase. The amount of interest they would receive, was of course, in proportion to the number of lots sold, and the price paid, by piu'chasers, for them. They now had two objects to contemplate, first, the price of the land when sold, and secondly, that the land might be disposed of in such a way as would not only increase its value, but also be a general benefit to the country by an increase of population. An increase of loyal, wholesome, and industrious settlers in a new country, to clear up the forest, and extend our settlements, cannot fail to increase the strength, wealth, and revenue of our beloved 62 CHAPTER XII. iii country. In view of this, the Indians met in general council to consider this matter, in which they felt deeply interested, when it was unanimously resolved that they would memoralize the Government upon the subject ; and requested the Rev. C. Van Dusen, the resident Missionary a^nd Chairman of the Owen Sound District, to forward the following petition to his Excellency the Governor General, and also to propose to the Government a change in the ap- pointment of some of their chiefs, who were both ignorant and mischievous, an<3 had been kept in office by the Indian Department, on the recommen- dation of Captain Anderson, to the great annoy- ance of the tribe. The Rev. C. Van Dusen's letter to Lord Bury. " Newash Mission House, Owen Sound, Feb. 2Sth, 1855. ; "To Lord Bury, Supt. Gen., Ind. Affrs. " My Lord, — By request of the Indians at Owen Sound and Saugeeng I have the honour of forward- ing to your Lordship, for the consideration of his Excellencv the Governor General in Council, the en- closed document ; and at the same time beg to state that the Indians have been informed, that certain persons residing at Owen Sound, have applied to the Government to bw appointed agents to dispose of the land recently surrendered, and that the ap- pointment of either of these persons would give general dissatisfaction to the Indians concerned. ^' Also I beg to state, that it is their wish that A. M'Nab, Esq., of Southampton, be appointed to that situation. They consider they had no interest in .iii LAND SURRENDERED. 63 the sale of lands previously surrendered, and there- fore had no rigfht to express any wish, or make any suggestion, in the appointment of an agent, but in this case they consider it quite different, as the land now to be sold is foi' their benefit. They therefore hope no person will be appointed to that responsible situation, contrary to their wishes. " I wish also to state, (at their request,) that a few Indian families (Pottawatamies and Sioux) from the United States, came to this country about the year 1820, and were adopted by the Indians as members of this tribe, and allowed to share in their annuities. These parties have principally all settled at Owen Sound, and compose a part of the the Newash Band. Peter Jones Kegedonce, the second chief of this band, is a descendant of these foreigners ; and under the influence of Charles Kezicks (his brother-in-law) and other Pottawa- tamies, he frequently oppose? the other chief and principal Indians of the band, who are Ojibways, (and the original owners of the soil,) composing the same band. " This second chief is a member of the Wesleyan Methodist church at Newash over which I am the pastor, and though he can scarcely say any- thing in English, and has no intelligence, yet I respect him for his energy of character, but feel bound to say, that his course is calculated to pro- mote strife and contentioL. in the band, and mili- tates very much against the general improvement and harmony of the Indians at this place. "There are persons in this band who have a toler- able good common school education, can speak, 64 CHAPTER XII. mn read, and write in Enr^lish, and have considerable intellip^ence, enjoy the confidence of the band, and are well qualified to fill that situation. A chanj^e of this kind, I am sure, would secure the harmony and promote the p^eneral improvement and welfare of the Indians of this tribe. " I have the honour to be, . . r i " Sir, your obedient servant. « C. Van Dusen." " The Indians' Fetition, Feb. 27th, 1855. " To HIS Excellency Sir Edmund Head, Bart., Governor or Canada, &c., &c. ^' We the chiefs, councillors, and principal In- dians composing the Ojibway tribe in the Owen Sound and Saugeen*]^ country, wish to say a few words to our great father the Governor General, "We fully believe it w^'"" not only promote the general interest of this part of the country, but greatly increase the value and sale of the land we liave recently surrendered, b} requiring actual set- tlement upon all farm lots that may be disposed of for our benefit. .,, ^^ By this means the settlement in these counties will be rapidly extended, and private speculators will be prevented from purchasing large blocks of the land, which may remain for years unoccupied, and thus prevent the rising value of the remaining part of the territory, and also be a great hindrance to the speedy extension of the settlement. - " We therefore hope oui' great father will be pleased to hear these words of his red children, and require of all purchasers of our land surrendered^ LAND SimUKNDKUED. 65 actual settlement on all I'anu lots when Hokl ; and also allow lis to have sometliinfj to say in the ap- pointment of an af^ent in whom we can fully con- lide, in disposinjj^ of the lands to uur advantage, mider the control and direction of the Government. " And as in duty bound we will ever pray.- (Signed,) " John Kaduahgewon, Chief, Alex. MAuv/AYosir, Chief, John Thomas Wahbahdick, Chief, John Smith, Chief, Moses Moneuoonewis, Councillor, and twenty others of the priacipal Indians in the tribe." " Witness, H. Wrioht, Teacher, D. Sawyer, and M. Madwayosh, Interirreiers,^^ To this petition, the Indians received no reply. In Mr. Oliphant's Eeport to the Governor Gene- ral on his journey to Saugeeng in October, 1854, he states that " the tide of emigration whicli has of late years been flowing into Canada, has driven before it a crowd of those more adventurous spi- rits, whose office it is to prepare the way for the industrious emigrant. These were the more eager in their search for wild lands, as the pros- pect of obtaining them became iilmost confined in this direction, to the counties bordering on the Saugeeng peninsula, then an Indian reserve ; and which must now be the limit of their explorations. These men were to be seen collected at the dooi- of every backwood tavern, cr returning in gangs to ii rs ^nAPTKR XII, the more popiiLnia parts of the country, where they have no settled occupation, disappointed in their search for land, inveighing against the alleged dishonesty of crown land agents," &c. All this, if correct, shows that if actual settlement had been required, there would have been no lack for pur- chiisers ; and the land would have been improved and occui:)ied by the " gangs " referred to by Mr, Oliphant, so *' eager in their search for wild lands " and by thousands of others, equally anxious to settle on farms, that Mr. Oliphant knew no- thing of. He also states that " the advantages of confining the sale to actual settlers were much pressed upon [his] consideration at Saugeeng and Owen Sound; a large proi)ortion of the community of those settlements being composed of a class which is possessed of more enterprise and experience than capital." And yet with all these facts before him in addition to the frequent and strongly expressed wishes of the Indians in favour of actual settle- ment being required, in the same Report to the Governor General Mr. Oliphant states that " it would seem a wiser course that no condition of actual settlement should be attached to the sale of these lands." No doubt Mr. Oliphant was sincere in supposing he knew more about these matters, though a stranger in the countr}^, than did the Indians, or the persons possessing " enterprise and experi- ence," to whom he refers, recommending actual settlement as a condition in the sale of the surrendered lands. As a matter of course his LAND HURRENDERED. 07 reconiTncndation was carried out in tlio sale of tho land. Ho may have meant well, but it has been a dama<>;o to the Indians, and a loss to the country, as well as ruinous to some land specu- lators who purchased largely ; and the sudden, and unexpected chau«^e of times and prospects in the country, decreasintj the value of wild lands, has left many in a state of bankruptcy. ^■J i ■'< I f .t,i :>- •!■•■' .-Jii i^ i gh a ■■ »^;^•;•, IS, or :peri- ,ctual . 'xjii;i:2K*^',-.r-' ^ the T e his ,%. 2 P CHAPTER XIII. A llEQUKST TO EXTEND THE SETTLEMENT. ., KESOLUTIONS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL RESPECT- ING CHIEF I), sawyer's I'URCHASE OF LAND. mm In October, 1852, the Indians petitioned the Government, expressing their wish to extend their settlement at ?^?,\igeen{^, r.nd obtain deeds for farms upon which they would settle, if titles could be procured. And having failed in obtaining a favourable reply to that part of their petition, they nevertheless still felt anxious to become free- holders, and having surrendered nearly all their lands, except that on which they wished to form their settlenieiit, and where their villages were established ; they again met in council, to consider what steps they might take to become freeholders, that each might obtain a " title deed " for land, and that they might be encouraged to make improvements on farms, and become industrious and good citizens. In clearing up a new farm, there would necessarily be much timber to remove from the land, which can in most cases be profit- abl}^ made into cord-wood, rather than burned upon the ground. Everv Indian in the band at Newash was therefore anxious to have a Avharf, on which thcj could place cord- wood for sale on steamboats during the period of navigation. Some fruitless efforts had been made for this purpose ; but, for want of proper arrangements, nothing had been A KEQUKST TO EXTEND THE SETTLEMENT. 69 accomplished. Many in the band urged Chief Sawyer to proceed in the erection of a wharf. In view of the general benefit of the tribe, he con- sented to do so, and purchased of the band three acres of land, at a point well suited for that purpose. This was also cordially concurred in and sanctioned by the Saugeeng Band, as appears from the following, copied from the record of their councils. )ats k^ss I for ien ^' Newash, March Srd, 1855. " We, the chiefs and principal men composing the Newasli Band at Owen Sound, agree to sell to Chief David Sawyer, and his heirs for ever, three acres of land situated at the point opposite our village of Newasli, for the purpose of erecjting a wharf thereon. *'Tho said David Sawyer, on his part, agrees to pay ten pounds, to be distributed among the band and also to erect awharf, for which he shall have the privilege of charging the usual rates of wharfage/* This agreement was signed by the chiefs and all the principal Indians in the band, and subse- quently laid before the General Council assembled at Saugeeng. The following is copied from the record of that Council, which shows several important measures adopted by the tribe iii Council assembled, and also their cordial concurrence in the chief's pur- chase of the three acres of land on the conditions above stated. " At a General Council of the chiefs and prin k\ CHAPTER XIV. MANUAL SCHOOL ASKED TOP.. CO.ArMUNICATIOX TO LOUD lURY REV. C. VAN DUSEN's letter INDIANS DEPRIVED 01' THE RIGHT TO ArroiNT THEIR OWN CHIEF. Having surrendered ?iearly the whole of tlieir territor}"-, and having- no more huntiiii^' ground, there vv^as, from neeessit}'. an increasing; desire among the Indians to possess farms, on which they could make improvements, which they could call their own ; and also to have a.n industrial or manual school established aTuonp,* them, that those inclined to indolence might be constrained to con- tract habits of industrv. In view of these matters a Council was called on the 9th of April, 1855, vrhen the following letter was prepared and signed by the chiefs, informing the *••' Department " of the proceedings of their former Council ; and expressing their wishes for a manual school, and still urging tlieir claim for '' title deeds.'' Letter to Lord Bury, alijned by the Chiefs in CounrH, 8(iu(jee7ig, April 9f'' CHAPTEE XV. SURVEYORS AT SAUGEENG. A GREAT COUNCIL DEPUTATION SENT TO QUEBEC- MEMORIAL TO THE GOVERNOR GENERAL PK TITION LAID BEFORE PARLIAMENT. Soon after tliis, the surveyors commenced sm-- vejing the land near the village of Saugeeng ; but not according to the agreement when the treaty was made. At that time Mr. Oliphant walked with the chiefs of the Saugeeng Band, on the road then open from the village of Saugeeng on a straight line through to the shore of Lake Huron, a distance of about a mile, known as '* Copway's Road." And it was iDOsitively agreed on, that "Copway's Road" should be the dividing line between their reserve at Saugeeng, and the land surrendered on the north side of the Sau- geeng River, to enlarge the town plot of South- ampton. As the parties walked through the woods on this road, they supposed it ran from the Sau- geeng village north to the lake. They had no " compass. Mr. Oliphant said, he thought the road ran north from the village. The Indians, who knew nothing about the points of the compass, said they thought so too, and the Treaty w^as drawn up accordingly ; but nothing was written about " Copway's Road." And when the surve) ors a 82 CIIAPTKK XV. • '' Signed in behalf of the tribe, "Alex. Madwa^osh, Chief, David Sawyer, ) a i ' 99 T»^ T-. ,M- > (Secreta.ries, M. B. Madwayosh, j Having no desire to commence hostilities against the surveyors, they immediately gave +hem notice to leave the territory quietly, or at once prepare to meet what might foDow. Eather than have surveying implements smashed, and to avoid other consequences less desirable, the surveyors peace- ably desisted from any further operations, and left the territory. All this might have been avoided if the Go- vernor Goneral had been disposed to make any arrangements with them wl 3n in Quebec ; but he ^withheld from them the common courtesies of NEW CAUSES OP DISSATISFACTION. 0^ civilized life, in that he not only neglected to re- dress this grievances, but even refused to hear their complaints, or admit them to his presence,, that they might lay before him those matters which not only involved the rights and interest of their tribe, but also affected the whole community throughout the suT-rounding country. * Under these circumstances Lord Bur}" was directed to visit Owen Somid, and arrange these difficulties, which by this time, assumed somewhat a stormy aspect. On his lordship's arrival at Owen Sound, he sent a message for the Indians to como from Saugeeng, some twenty miles, to see him. They thought, even that was more courteous than the treatment they had received in Quebec, bat stiD it would not do ; so " all hands " concluded to remain at home. Another messenger was then sent from Lord Bury ; and the Indians, not wishing to return evil for evil, consented at last to meet his lordship in the woods, at the Sauble River, about one third of the distance to Owen Sound ; where they aU met on the following day, (tormented with a swarm of hungry mosquitos,) and after some conciliatory remarks made by Lord Bury, and encouragements held out that justice should be done, and their grievances redressed, the Jn- dianc consented that the surveyors might proceed, and complete the survey of the land. New causes for dissatisfaction continued to oc- cur ; and that their case might be still more fullj- set forth to the Indian Department, they embodied the principal ground of their complaints in a Pe- tition. And as they had no confidence in Caplain ■■^ /I •D4 CHAPTER XVI. Anderson's way of doin^ business, they sent it to the Kev. C. Van Dusen, to be forwarded to " Head Quarters." The following is his letter enclosing the Petition to Lord Bury. I here give it a place, because it contains several important facts, which cannot be controverted. ■ ,, m i Rev. C. Van Dusen^s Letter to Lord Bnry, "Newash Mission House, , ., **^OwEN Sound, June SOth, 1855. "To Lord Bury, Supt. Gkn. Ind. Affrs. , > . j ^' My Lord, — At the request of the Indians I for- ward to your Lordship for tne consideration of His Excellency the Governor General the enclosed Pe- tition of the chiefs and Indians composing the Ojibway Tribe, in the Owen Sound Country. "For reasons set forth in the Petition the Indians are unwillins; to transact their business throusrh 'Captain Anderson. Your Lordship will therefore please excuse any apparent informality in mj for- warding the petition ' without his concurrence.' " False representations having been mad 3 to the Indian Department, both b}'^ communications from private individuals, and through the press, I feel it due to the Indians that I state the following facts, gathered not from rumour or conjecture, but irom actual observation. "There are only about one hundred and six adult Indians in the Owen Sound and Sau- geeng Country who have any claim to the land recently surrendered. Nearly all of these have families, who, of course, will share equally in the interest arising from the sale of their land. 5^4 ll i l!i!l XE.V CAUSES OF DISSATISFACTION. 95 •*'Tliere are, also, on this peninsula, several Indian families from Lake Sinicoe, Manitoulin Island, and other parts of the country, who are permitted by the Ojibvvays to fisli and hunt occasionally in their territory ; but these Indian strag<^lers have no claim whatever to the land, and therefore have nothing to say in their councils. " The Indians who share equally in the annuities paid to them for lands previously surrendered, and to whom is s«^cured the peninsula by a Deed of Declaration, bearing date June 9tli, 1847. — There are seventy-six Ojibways, twenty-seven Potawa- tamies, two Tahwahs, and one Sou ; making in all, one hundred and six Indians. " Of these twenty-seven Potawatamies who have been adopted in the tribe, twenty-one sustain Peter J. Kegedonce in opposing the acts of their General Councils, and compose the party who rally around Captain Anderson, and sustain him in what the tribe considers ' partial and illegal acts, and a slander upon the whole tribe.' '* This Kegedonce, who was once a cliief in the Newasli Band, has been dismissed from office by an act of the General Council, and still he is sus- tained by Captain Anderson as the chief! The tribe thinks it a hardship th. t any one connected with the Indian Department should assume to palm upon them a chief whom they repudiate. They also think it a hard case that this dismissed chief, who is a descendant of a ' Sou,' sustained b^'- a small faction of Potawatamies, should be encouraged by any one connected with-jthe Indian Department in opposing the Ojibways, who are OG CHAPTER XVI, the origiiiJil owners of the soil, and who form a large majority of the tribe, and thus make dis- cord, and destroy that peace and harmony that would otherwise exist anion j^f them. Some of the adopted Potawat amies and Tahwahs, who have not joined this faction, are quiet and Tant to them, and to each member (>f their families respectively, a deed for one hundr(»d acres of their land, all that remains they would cheerfully surrender, especially if the proceeds of it, when sold, can be made available; to aid them in settling" soon upon their farms. " There is nothing" contained in the Declaration but what was sugg-ested by themselves. By the term, * a free deed,' they only mean, free of cost or charge for deed and land, not free to dispose of it, but they wish it secured to themselves and to their heirs in succession for ever. *' I also beg to state that, of the whole tribe, (I mean those who share in their annuities,) sixty-six cordially concur in the Declaration, and have signed it. Fourteen of the tribe were absent, and the other six, influenced, as they are, by a mercenary, mischievous man at Owon Sound, oppose it ; and I have no doubt, under the same influence, they would oppose any other measure that might be proposed for the improvement of the Indians. *^ In conclusion^ I beg- to state, that, having- had ample opportunity of observing- the wants of the Indians, and their improvement in civilization, I am satisfied that until each head of a family can possess a farm, which he can call his own, and be absolutely the owner of the team, and the imple- 101 CIIArTKE XVII, monts of liusbundry that lio may possess, th(3i'o can be no reasonable {jfround to liope they will ever become frugal, and loarn the lessons ot economy. "As it now is, if a voko of oxen bo obtained for their usj, they belong to the whole band in common, and in such case all use them, but none feel responsible to feed them : the consequence, almost without an exception, is, they die in winter, seldom any live a yenr in their possession. The same loss is sustained in the want of care taken of their implements of husbandry : all use them, but none take care of or repair them. Until each one can possess his own farm and effects, any effort made to introduce among the Indians habits of industry, frugality, and domestic economy, will be in a great measure labour sj^ent ill vain. But I have no doubt that as many are now under the influence of Christianity, and wish to enjoy the blessing of civilization, if they can be permitted to possess farms of their own, they may be influenced to contract habits of industry, and ultimately become good and whole- some citizens. " I have the honour to be " Sir, your obedient servant, '■ " C. Van Dusen." "INDIAN DECLARATION. " The following Declaration is respectfully sub- mitted by the undersigned for the consideration of His Excellency, Sir Edmund Head, Bart., Oovernor General of British North America, &c., ,«:■-• INDIAN DECLAliATlON. 105 "We, the Irullans rcsidiii;;- in the Owen Sound iiiid Sauj^eenj;- Country, dkclauk tliiit, lijivin*^- diu- posed of all om* hnntin<^ "grounds, we ciin no lon<^cr live by the ehiise, and therefore wish to settle upon cirnis, an d Ixiconie farmers and meehanics, abandcni our huntinjj^ and roving habits, and no lon<,^er be as minors to be treated like children, but be allowed to enjoy all the bless- in<^^8 of civilization, iind, like other citizens and subjects of Hei" Majesty's Government, enjoy the benehts of our Provincial Statutes, be L'overned by them, and observe them like other men. In a word, we declare it is our wish to become free- holders, and not be disfranchised, or denied any civil or political rights enjoyed by the yeomanry of our country, 'iherefore, we DKCiiAiiK, if the Government will grant unto us individually, and to each member of our respective families, a free deed for one hundred acres of our own land, wdiich we have not yet surrendered, to be possessed and enjoyed by i^s, and our heirs in succession for ever ; and if we can have a positive assurance, that on our forming such a settlement, as we contemplate, a manual or labour school shall be established among us, as soon as practicable, in which our children may be instructed in the various branches of English education, and also be taught to become mechanics and fai'mers, and thereby be induced to contract habits of industry and fru- gality ; then, in such case, we dkclare, that we who have hereunto put our names and ' too-tcms * will settle as above intimated in one locality or place that may be agreed npon by a majority of 106 CHAPTER XVII. ■an, witli the approval of the Government ; and we DECLARE, that we wdll as far as possible carry out through life the faithful observance of all that is contained^ implied, or expressed in this Declara- TioN, which is not however understood or intended by ns to interfere in any respect with our present claims on the Government for our annuities, or for the avails of the land we have recently surren- dered to be disposed of for our own benefit. (Signed,) "Alex. MaDwayosh, Chief, John Katahoeguen, Chief, John Tho. Wahbadick, Chief, and sixty-two others." *^Witness, J. K. Williston, Missionary, " October, J 856.' >> ^'^n ill i!"i CHAPTEE XVIII. DEEDS rr.OJIISED. LABOURS OF THE IIT^.V. J. K. WILLISTON REV. P, JONES LOKD GLENELQ — PROMISED DEEDS TO INDIANS. The band of Iiulians at Sangeen^ was now favoured with tlie efficient and successful labours of the Rev. J. K, "Williston, Missionary at that place ; and as their spiritual and temporal condi- tion, under his example, instructions, and iniluence, much improved, indications of their increasing anxiety for the education of their youtli, and desire to settle on separate farms, and b^^come frugal and industrious, were frequently and more strongly developed. They had often been promised title deeds, securing to each a farm. As earl}- as 1838, a pledge of this kind was given by Lord Glenelg, in answer to a petition from the *' Oredit Tribe " of Indians, presented by the late Rev. Peter Jones. In his Journal, recently published by the Wesleyan- Methodist Conference, on page 407, referring to his introduction to the Queen of England, he states, that in September, 1838, on being intro- duced to the Queen, he said, that he had grejit pleasure in laying before her Majesty, a Petition from the Indians residing at the Credit River in Upper Canada, which that people had sent by him; that he was happy to say Lord Glenelg 108 CHAl'TEK XVIII. (pointing to his Lordship) had akeady granted the prayer of the petition, by requesting the Governor ot Uj^per Canada to give the Indians the title deeds they asked for. His Lordship bowed to Her Mnjesty, and she bowed in token of approbation of his Lordship's having granted the thing prayed for by her red children." Notwithstanding the Governors of Canada have been directed by her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies, to give the Indians " title deeds '* for farmp of their own land, and the hope of ob- taining deeds was one strong inducement to sur- render their peninsula, in October, 1854, reser- ving of their territory only sufficient for farming purposes for their tribe ; and notwithstanding the positive promise made at that time by the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, that deeds should be given ; yet up to this day we have no knowledge of an Indian, in any part of Canada, ever obtainino- a deed for one foot of their own land. > And now, under the present administration, instead of carrying out the intention and instructions of Lord Glenelg, as sanctioned by Her Majesty the Queen, to give the Indians "title deeds," in the printed "Report of the Special Commissioners appointed to investi- gate India^n Affairs in Canada," published in 1858, it is stated that "the period has arrived when, the Government should exercise authority; and in cases where the Indians obstinately refuse to accede to Li,ny terms of surrender, that gentle means of coercion be applied." Of course DEEDS PEOMISED. lOD 111 rived |rity; Ltely that )urse the Indian Department will say this was desig-ned for the benefit of the Indians ! But it is directly- opposite to what Mr. Oliphant promised in 1854, when he obtained Ji surrender of nearly the whole of their peninsula ; and, also, in opposition to the instructions o'iven by Lord Glenelg, and sanctioned by Her Majest}-- the Queen. And badly as some suppose the Indians have been treated by the American Government, yet in the same Eeport it is admitted that " in Michigan the tribal organization of many bands is completely dissolved ; and the franchise, with all the other rights of citizenship, exercised by the Indians." The Indians thus form an integral part of the population " of the state, on the same footing as .their white neighbours." But in Canada it is otherwise. Indians are not allowed to hold sepa- rate titles for their own land; but hold it by tribal tenure, which has long since proved to defeat every effort made to introduce among them habits of frugality and industry. By keeping the Indians in this state of pupilage, circumscribed in their privileges as British subjects, they, as a matter of course, continue indolent ; just as their white neighbours would be, if placed in similar circumstances. And because of their indolence they are urged, and even coerced, to surrender their land. Bui: some white men hold large tracts of land unoccupied, very frequently to the great inconve- nience of those who go into new settlements in Canada to clear up the forest and cultivate the IS- 110 CHAl'TEB XVTII. :f III I soil ; but no complaints are nrged by the Govern- ment on that account. They are not urged or compelled to surrender their land, but hold it by " title-deeds " till it suits their interest to dispose of it, after it has been increased in value by the hard labour and sweat of the new settler. Also, in the Eeport of the " Special Com- mittee " appointed to examine into the state of the affairs of the Indians in Canada, on page 130, they justly state that, sometimes, the Indians, "feeling the pressure of the tide of emigration, refuse to cede a part of their possessions for fear of being deprived of the whole : " and, also, that 'Hhe unwillingness on the part of the Indians to surrender has been greatly increased by the losses they have suffered through the carelessness and dishonesty of those appointed to watch over their interests : and that they have ceded very large tracts of valuable land without receiving one penny of compen- sation ; and it will not be until these losses have been somewhat repaired, that we can expect them to give up voluntarily more of their reserves." And now, strange as it may appear, with all this admittance of the injustice done to the Indians, and with all these bewildering facts before the country, the Indian Department still persists in the same unrighteous course, and tolerates the system of plundering the poor Indians. This is truly a reproach to Canada,and a wonder to the world. v • ^ --tt-f-^ The inexplicable course pursued with the Indians by some connected with that "Depart- II! ill DEEDS PROMISED. Ill ern- 1 or b by pose r the !^oin- te of 130, lians, ition, ssions and, Dart reatly iffered those and uable mpen- have them • th all to the facts still and poor ia,and Ih the depart- ment," is truly marvellons. For instance, on one ■occasion, Captain Anderson advises that the Government nse coercive measures, and compel the Indians to surrender their land ; and then, again, he falls into a kind of soliloquy for the Indians, in attempting to express the "feelings of the remnant of tliis once numerous race ; " and on page 254 of the " Special Commissioners' Eeport" states, that "the Indians have been induced to sell their lands for a small valuation ; and that upon it the}'' see their white brethren a thriving, rich, and happy people, but that some wish their great Mother the Queen to take from them the few acres that remain : " — but he goes on to statv^, that he still hopes the " Queen will take pity on the Indians, and secure for them, at least, a place for their graves." This, indeed, appears very benevolent ; but the Indians ask for justice first, then ""pity." And but little of f.ither justice or pity should they expect from Captain Anderson, or the Indian Department, judging from the treatment they have already received from that quarter. In referring to the condition and prospects of Canada in 1854, as portrayed in Dispatches of the Eight Hon. the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, Governor General of Canada to Her Majesty's principal Secretary of State for the Colonies, it is stated in section 40 : " It is painful to turn from reviewing the progress of the European popula- tion and their descendants established in this portion of America, to contemplate the condition and prospects of the aboriginal tribes. It cannot. 112 CHArTEE XVIII. I fear, be affirmed witli truth that the difficult problem of reconciling the interests of an inferior and native race with those of an intrusive and superior one, has, as yet, been satisfactorily solved on this continent. In the United States, the course of proceeding generally followed in this matter has been that of compelling the red man, through the influence of persuasion or force, to make way for the white, by retreating further and further into the wilderness : a mode of deal- ing with the case which necessarily entails the occasional adoption of harsh measures, and which ceases to be practicable when civilization ap- proaches the limits of the territory to be occupied. In Canada., the tribes have been permitted to dwell among the scenes of their early associations and traditions, on lands reserved from the advan- cing tide of white settlement, and set apart for their use. But this system, though more lenient in its operation than the other, is not iniattended with difficulties of its own. The laws enacted for their protection, and in the absence of which they fall an easy prey to the more scrupulous among their energetic neighbours, tend to keep them in a condition of perpetual pupilage ; and the relation subsisting between them and the Government, which treats them partly as inde- pendent peoples, and partly as infants under its guardianship, involves many anomalies and con- trs^dictions. Unless there be some reasonable ground for the hope that they be eventually absorbed in the general population of the country, the Canadian system is probably destined, in the iiilli DEEDS PROMISED. 115 icult erior and L>lved , tlie this mail, )Q, to irtlier deal- 3 the ^vhicll a ap- apied. ,ed to ations .dvan- rt for long" run, to prove as disastrous to them as that of the United States." The wholesale robhery of the Indians is admitted by the " Special Commissioner :>i," ap- pointed by our Colonial Government to examine into these affairs ; and they admit the losses the Indians have sustained by the dishonesty of those " appointed to watch over their interests." And that the Indians have " ceded very large tracts of valuable land without receiving- one penny of compensation." Is it not strange that such a magnificent system of robbery and plunder would be tolerated or practised by men treading halls of legislation in a Christian country ? Truly it may be said, " When the wicked are in power, the land mourneth." But when wholesale acts of rapine are committed or tolerated by the Queen's Repre- sentative, it is just and right that their royal mistress should be made acquainted with these mysterious affairs. But how can this be done successfully by an Indian ? Such a task would not be easily performed ; and, therefore, the Indians sullenly submit to these ills that stand in their lot, from necessity and not from choice. .- 11- ■•:\i . *^. CHAPTER XIX. RESERVK SUIRRENDERED. IN ABSENCE OF CHIEF SAWYER A SURRENDER IS MADE — NO RESERVE MADE FOR LAND FOR WHICH HE HAD AN INDIAN DEED — REV. C. VAN DUSEn's PETITION TO SIR WILLIAM EYRE LETTER TO MR. PENNEFATHER, S.G.I.A. In the summer of 1860, Chief Sawyer's services were required at Grand River, to aid the Rev. George M'Dougall, Missionary at that place; and, during his temporary absence from Owen Sound, a council was called at Newash, and pro- posals made by Mr. Pennefather for the Indians to surrender the remaining part of their reserved land at Owen Sound, in which proposals they did not concur. But, subsequently, a few of the Indians went down to Toronto, and surrendered the whole reserve, which now composes the town- plot of Brooke, and the township of Sarawak ; and in Chief Sawyer's absence, signed the Treaty, and, without his knowledge, surrendered the whole without making any provisions for him, or any reserve of the forty-three acres for which he held an Indian Deed, and on which he had expended so much money and hard labour in making improvements. Nor did they even RESERVE 8Ur".ENDERED. 115 R IS FOR V. C. EYRE rvices Eev. lace ; Owen pro- idians lerved (J did If the idered Itown- bwak ; [reaty, the im, or 2h he had lur in even reserve for him any part of the three acres, or *' wharf lot/^ for which he had paid the full amount aj^reed on in cash down, and which amount had been, at the time, piiid out ihr provisions, and distributed among the whole band, when fchey were needed. The Indian Department was not unacquainted with the fact, that he had paid the tribe for " the v/harf lot," and that he held an Indian Deed for it, and that he also had a Deed for the fortj^-three acres on which he had expended so much hard labour. The Department may tell him that an Indian Deed is not valid in law. Well, that may be the case ; and though Indians are not lawyers, they know there is a difference between right and wrong in the nature of things. And I would ask the Department, our Government, our country, — yes, the world. Christian or pagan, if it is right that he should be thus deprived of his property, and turned out upon the street, with a large and helpless family to support, stripped and deprived of his hard earnings, merely because the Indian Deed is said to be not valued in law by those wdio make law, or feel that they are above it ! His premises not having been reseT.'ved by the Indians who made the last surrender of their lands, the whole was surveyed into tow^n and j^ark lots; and though this surrender was made b}^ some who are the most ignorant in the tribe, yet their acts were ^^ valued in law." But the Depart- ment says an Indian Deed is no good ; though signed by all the chiefs and principal men in the tribe, it Is not " valued in law." But I suppose a. I 2 V 116 CIIAPTKR XIX. Treaty in which the}- smTeiider their lands to the Government will be ^ood, and " valued in law," if signed by a7iy few Indians, though the majftrity may be opposed to it ! Under these circumstances the Rev. C. Van Duson was ref|uested to petition the Government in Chief Sawyer's behalf, to allow him to liold the town lots in the survey, including his garden and buildincfs, in lieu of the fortv-three acres for which he held an Indian Deed ; and also, other town lots, in lieu of his three acre wharf lot, now siiirveyed and sold by auction at the sale of Indian land. The Governor General was at this time absent from the province, and the Petition was therefore addressed to Sir William Eyre, Lieutenant Governor of Canada. The following is a copy of the Petition for- warded by Mr. Van Dusen, together with the Indian Deeds, to show the justice of the claims lu'ged : — **To HIS EXCKLLENCY SiR WlLLIAM EyRE, K.C.B., Lieut. -General, Administrator of the Go- vernment or Canada, &c. a The Petition of Conrad Van JDusen, of Neivash, Oiven Sound, Mmihly sJioweth, a That Chief David Sawyer, son of Joseph Saw- yer, Chief of the River Credit Tribe of Indians, having been invited by the Owen Sound Band of .- Indians to settle among them , and having com- plied with their invitation, on their promise that RESERVE SURREXDEUKD. 117 (lie •'if L-ity lent liold L'den i for )tlier lot, le of bsent -efore eiiant 1 for- 1 the laims LC.B., 1e Go- nvashy Saw- [dians, ind of corn- that he should oiijoy jill privilei^cs as other members of the tribe, and also that he should have for him- self and his family forty-three acres of their laud for ever, and also that they would aid him in the erection of a frame-house, as will appear from -document No. 1, which I herewith enclose, bear- in i:^ date July, 1851. " And also that, on the 7th day of March, 1855, havin<^ obtained from the rest of the Band three acres of land, on which to build a wharf, for the general benelit of the Indians at Newash, as will appear from document No. 2, here enclosed; and having- at considerable expense procured, and by his own labour prepared, timber for the erection of a wliarf. And whereas other chiefs haviug been appointed in the Newash Band, who, in making the recent surrender of land at Owen Sound, in his absence, made no reserve of the land sold or given to the said David Saw^yer. Your petitioner^ at the special request of the said David Sawyer, most respectfully and earnestly prays that the said house and one and a half acre of land, composing six town-lots in the new survey, be granted to the said David Sawyer, in lieu of the forty-three acres obtained from the Indians. And also that he be allowed to retain, in the new sur- vey, one acre and a half, in lieu of the three acres sold to him by the Owen Sound In> ians ; and as in duty bound your petitioner will ever i)ray. "Conrad Van Dusen." Owen Sound, Se])temher 2nd, 1857." a The above Petition, ani w At that sale there were many lots purchased by white men, who have not yet paid a cent of the purchase money (that we know of), as required by the conditions of the sale ; but we have not heard of any complaint or forfeit on that account, nor do I say there should be : but we think it rather unfortunate (at least for Indians) that such a marked distinction should be made between white men and aborigines — the original owners of the soil. Having made several fruitless attempts to get their grievances redressed by the Department, they petitioned the Provincial Parliament, when in session in the city of Toronto, in 1858. THE FOLLOWING IS A COPY OF THEIR PETITION I i( To the Honour able, Legislative Assembly of Canada in Frovincial Parliament assembled. *'^The petition of David Sawyer, Catherine Sutton, and Abner Elliott, members of the Ojib- way tribo of Indians at Owen Sound, Upper Canada, Humbly Showeth, " That yom* petitioner, David Sawyer, is the oldest son of Joseph Sawyer, Chief of the Credit Band of Ojibw^ay Indians. That your petitioner became a member of the Newash Band of Indians at Owen Sound in ISih, at their special request, and on the condition that he sbomd have, exclu- lively for himself and his heirs for ever, forty- ;;'■ \i '--■-■^''i^.' ;i ■-,;-■ '"''''i'^iv^^': ■: '-,.'1 122 CHAPTEE XX. Biilil'lil three acres of tlieir land at Newash, (Owen Sound,) for which they gave him a written title, and on which he has a good and substantial house and barn, and other improvements he has made on the premises. " In 1855 3'our petitioner also purchased of the tribe three acres of land in the village of Newash, known as the ^ wharf lov,' for the purpose of erecting a wharf thereon for the general benefit of the Indians ; and by his own labour, and at considerable expense, prepared timber necessary to build the wharf ; but, before the work was com- pletec], other chiefs in the Newash Band were appointed by the Indian Department, contrary to the unanimous vote of the General Council r^' the tribe ! These chiefs, in the absence oi our petitioner, and without the concurrence of many of the tribe, have subsequently surrendered to the Go/ernment all the land which had been reserved as a home for the Newash Band, about two miles wide, and extending from the town of Owen Sound down the Bay, about ten miles, all which has been surveyed, and in September last was sold at public auction. It comprises what was formerly the village of Newash, but is now called the ' town plot of Brooke,' (adjoining the town of Owen Sound,) also the township of ^Sara- wak,' through which the Indian settlement was extended. " Thus the forty-three acres of land deeded to your petitioner, with all his improvements and his wharf lot, for which he had paid the full price agreed on, in money do ,n at the time of the *> ound,) nd on e and on the of the 3wash, )se of benefit md at jessary s com- l were ary to (^ the 1 J our ■. many to the (served miles Owen which it was- it was called town Sara- nt was ,, i-, ■ ded to and 1 price of the DEEDS WITHHELD, 12$ 5 purchase, has been sold at public auction, without any remuneration being made to him. *' Also, your petitioner begs to state, that in September, 1857, at the sale of Indian land, he- purchased for his three sons and his son-in-law, lots Nos. 27, 28, 29, and 30, in the third con- cession of Sarawak, each lot containing about orc hundred acres, which they had occujiied for several years with the cordial approbation of the whole tribe, and on which they had made exten- sive clearings, and had erected a good house and barn. That at the time of the sale, your peti- tioner obtained from the agent, a certificate of the purchase he had made ; but a day or two after this, the agent having received fresh instruc- tions from the Indian Department, he was told ^ these lots could not be sold to the Indians,' and the certificates were therefore withheld. /'Your petitioner has had the opportunity of obtaining a common school education, and has been employed by the Indian Department as * writer and interpreter ' for the bands of Indians at Newash, Saugeeng, and Oolpoy's Bay ; and has also been employed as interpreter and school- teacher among the Indians at Muncytown, at Saugeeng, and at Newash, and has had consider- able experience in agricultural pursuits; and having aided to the utmost of his humble abilities to promote the improvement and elevation of his fellow Indians, he is extremely anxious to retain his farms, be a freeholder, and have the several members of his family remain on farms, and be 124 CHAPTER XX. good farmers, good citizens, and true and loyal subjects to the British crown, " Your petitioner, Catherine Sutton, (alias Sunego,) was formerly a member of the River Credit Band of Indians : that she and her husband (William Sutton, a white man) with their family, were transferred, about eight years ago, from the Credit to the Newash Band, were they settled on land given to them by the band, and for which they obtained from them a written title. On this land they have erected a commodious house, barn, and stables, and have made extensive clearings, and brought forty or fifty acres into a good state of cultivation. " In making all these improvements your peti- tioner and her husband have expended more than one thousand dollars in money, besides many years' hard toil. But the land ha\ ing been surrendered by a few of the Newash Band, the whole was brought into market at the sale of Indian land, in September, 1857, at which time your petitioner purchased, at the ' upset price,' for herself and husband, and for her sons, lots Nos. 31, 34, 35, and 36 in the third concession of Sarawak, on which their improvements were made, for which she received from the agent a certificate of her purchase ; p^nd that your peti- tioner had the money to \.a,y the first instalment on the land according to the conditions of the sale, and when it was sent by a friend at the proper time for payment, the certificates were withheld by the agent, on the ground that ' these lots could not be sold to Indians.' ili DEEDS WITHHELD. 125 1 1 ! i PETITION READ IN TAKLIAMKNT. 135 "vvhich demands the serious consideralicn of all ■who desire, and labour for, the elevation of that race to the position and blessings of civilization. Wethin Ic it proper thus to draw attention to this matter by the p'lblication of the Petition, because of the interest which we, as Methodists and sup- porters of Ir.diun Missions, take in the welfare of that people. The Wesleyau Church was not only the first to engage in the work of Indian Mis- sions in the province, but has continued, until the present time, to employ more agencies in that Department than any other branch of the church ; and we think we state only a simple iact without boasting, when we say that the Wesleyan Church has contributed more than all other agencies towards the evangelization as well as the tem- poral benefit of the aborigines of this country. "The primary object of Missions amongst the Indians has ever undoubtedly been, to teach them the knowledge of the Gospel, and to bring them into the enjoyment of its saving influence : but while this has been the chief consideration, the temporal beT" jfits which follow the reception of Christianity have not been overlooked, nor have the legitimate means necessary to secure this result been w^antiug wherever Missions have been established ; and with what effect this has been done, the improved condition of many Indian tribes and families abundantly testifies. That all has been accomplished in this respect that Chris- tian philanthropists desire, we do not by any means affirm : but the process of elevation to the blessings of Christian civilization has been cam- ■:»». i?*^**" «« ■■ 1^)0 CHAPTEll XXI. menced, and ti degree of progress [ittained, wliicli ;iffords encoura_i^in<>- assurance that perseverance ill the good work will be crowned with the desired success in due time. "Wereg-rct, however, to state that the policy which has hitherto been pursued in the maiiage- ineiit of Indian affairs, and which is developed in the Memorial referred to as still maintained in the treatment of the Indians, is calculated seriously to retard the progress of their improvement, if not entirely to defeat the object sought to be acconiplished, so far as their temporal condition is concerned. But more than this, we can see neither the justice nor wisdom of that policy which denies to any portion of the inhabitants of the province the rights and privileges of citizens, wherever they are qualilled for the exercise of those rights ; and thus to withhold from them a powerful inducement to self-improvement. We p>rotest against the righteousness of such treat- ment of the Indians, when considered in relation to those who contribute both money and labour for the improvement of the Indian race : and we most earnestly insist that wherever they are duly qualified, they should be as fully entitled to the rights of freemen and citizens as any other por- tion of the community. We would fain hope that the policy to which we object, in the treatment of the Indians, is not maintained for some other purpose than that of promoting their real advan- tatre. We leave the statements contained in the Memorial and letter to the consideration of our readers." PETITION READ IN PARLIAMENT. 137 Sucli were the views of the public generally in regard to the treatment of the Indiaiis in Canada, who continued to hope that, at least, the i)romises made by the Suj^erintendent General of Indian Affairs to redress the grievances complained of in the Petition, and set forth in Mr. Van Dusen's letter, would be fulfilled; but during the next autumn the conditions were made known upon which the petitioners might retain the land they had purchased ; but the conditions were such as they were not able to comply with. Nor did we suppose the " Department " expected they could meet the conditions at the time specified, but was only designed to satisfy for a while those who urged complaints on account of the base treat- ment the Indians received from those to whom they should have looked for protection. iiiitS CHAPTER XXII. ADDUESS TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. AN INDIAN WOMAN LEAVES EOll ENGLAND — AIDED BY "friends'' MR. ALSOP AND DR. IIODGKIN's LETTER DUKE OF NEWCASTLE COMMITTEE PRESENT ADDRESS TO THE DUKE VIEWS OF OWEN VAN DUSEN, ESQ., AND DR. JEFFERS, ON INDIAN AFFAIRS. The Indians having- lost the last raj of hope that the injustice they complained of, as set forth in their petition, would ever be redressed by the '^Indian Department," Catherine Sutton, {alias Sunego,) one of the petitioners, an Indian woman of considerable fortitude, succeeded in getting* authority from the tribe to act for the Indians ; and immediately left for England. Some laughed, and others, through the public journals, reproached her as an "arrant impostor." She, having ob- tained letters of recommendation from several influential gentlemen in Canada, and feeling that it is no small matter for whole families to be thrown upon the street in a state of destitution, stripped of all they have, the fruit of many years* hard labour, proceeded on her way through the United States, and was kindly entertained by members of the Society of Friends, who, I believe, as a religious community, always stand ready to aid the oppressed, raise the down-trodden, and extend the hand of charity in every case of suffer- ADDKESS TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. Id9 ing humaniiy. While in New York, she received tokens of kindness, liospitality, and liberality^, from the Society of Friends and others, which have brought this whole tribe of Indians under deep obligations. On her arrival in England she was greatly aided' bv members of the "Aborigines' Protection Society" and others who kindly sympathize with Indians groaning under oppression in America. That the Indians in Canada have the sympathy of gentlemen in England^ who are not afraid to speak out their sentiments in thunder tones against tlie disreputable and dishonest treatment the Indians receive from those who should protect, instead of tolerating a system of plundering them by wholesale, I will here insert an extract from an excellent letter which appeared in the "Times" newspaper, in London, (England,) July 4th, liSGO, written by Mr. Eobert Alsop and Thomas Hodgkin, M.D., gentlemen of much influence and respectability. Referring to Mrs. Sutton's case they say : — " The Memorial which she presented to the Duke of Newcastle clearly illustrates her case, and shows that accordingto existing laws and usages the lands of the Indians are held by ' tribal' and not by in- dividual tenure : so thai if the chiefs and a few of the people can be gained over, by whatever means the whole of the lands reserved as a home for their tribe may be taken even from under the feet of those who do not consent. This in many instances has actually taken place ; and as the Indians are in t. ^ -W g*»i' . '^ ■ ' "Jn. i i 140 CIIAI'TEIi XXII. law held to be 'minors,' (the law for their en- Iranchisenient beiiif^ practically iiu)perativc,) they have no powers of action. Thus, when, to save themselves, they bid for, and purchased, their own lots at the sale of Indian lands, their money was refused ; and it was stated that ' those lots could not be sold to Indians.' "With these startling- facts before us, our readers will feel as we do, that there can be no just reason Avhy these Indians, now civilized and Christian, should be driven from place to place, and be allow- <;d no spot on which they may set their feet in security and peace inider ' the benevolent sceptre of Britain, as we represent it to ourselves. It is indeed high time that means should be devised and taken that those civil rig-hts which are freely granted to fugitive slaves, refugees, or settlers from any part of the world, and are not refused to the Indians in the United States, should be accorded to these noble people. Also that an in- disputable title to the lands which they possess and cultivate should be secured to these, the •oriofinal lords of the soil. (Signed,) " Eobert Alsop, TlIO. HODGKIN, M.D. j> Such is the tone of feeling manifested by mem- bers of the " Aborigines' Protection Society " in England, on account of the deplorable condition •of the Indians ol' British North America. And it is only necessary to make known their <;ondition to "wake up the strongest sensations of -commiseration and sympathy in the breast of all ADDKESS TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. 141 who have heaits to feel for ii noble, but oppressed and degraded, people amonp^ whom many that appreciate the blessings of civiHzation are strug- gling for elevation from the liabits and life of the pagan., Through the clemency of Her Majesty Queen Yictoria, influenced by members of the " Aborigi- nes' Protection Society," the Duke of Newcastk*, who was about to accompany the Prince of Wales to America, wns dinicted to inquire into those affairs on his arrival in Canada. And at the same time, certain members of the "Aborigines' Pro- tection Society" in England wrote to the Rev. C, Yan Dusen, advising a deputation to be appointed to wait on his Grace the Duke, and lay before him these matters of complaint ; which was promptly attended to. The deputation met accordingly in Toronto at the time of the arrival of the Prince of Wales and his suite in that city, and were introduced to the Duke of Newcastle by the Hon. G. Brown, when the following Address was presented. li .D." 5> in. TO niS GRACE THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE, II FR majesty's principal SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES. a May it please your Grace. We the under- signed members of a deputation selected jointly l>y the Indians and the ^ Aborigines' Protection So- ciety ' in England, beg to entreat your Grace's favourable consideration of the various documents we have the honour to submit respecting the grievances under Avhich the aborigines suffer. 142 CHAPTKR XXII. ill I !' " The various points to which the deputation would respectfully call your Grace's attention, au'l in support of which the statements of the diifcrent Bands are suhinitted, — '* 1st. The case of Mrs. Sutton, David Sawyer, and Abner Elliot. " 2nd. The insecure tenure of their lands. " 3rd. The inconvenience which must and does result from the frequent changes in the head of the Indian Department, and the necessity of placing it under the control of the Provincial Government. " 4th. The loss they have sustained of large sums of money from the dishonesty of agents, or a want of judgment in investments. " 5th. The deprivation of annuity of any woman of the Indian race who marries a wliite man. " 6th. Redress in the matter of a reserve con- taining sixteen square miles, which was sold by ^ mistake,' and for nineteen hundred and sixty-six pounds only, situate on Bear Creek ; and also a certain tract of land within the limits ceded at Owen Sound, and for which they have received no -equivalent. "7th. In the appropriation and sale (not for their benefit) of ceded lands. " 8th. Of the leasing by Government, for its own benefit, all fisheries on the Great Lakes, from which they are now excluded, and which formed their chief means of support. "9th. The necessity of giving the different heads of families ' titles ' in fee for the la,nd they occupy. ADDRESS TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. 143 " The papers we now beg to present to your Grace are intended to support the various aUe' ™\ these suLjects, and explmuitioiis given by the deputation, the Duke of Newcastle promised to give the matters favourable and due consideration before he left the province*. But he was accom- panied by Sir Edmund Head and his Secretary, Mr. Pennefather, who had heretofore opposed these claims of the Indians ; and, as a matter of course, they would <^ive their version of the sub- ject; and it is easy to conjecture what influence their opinions and statements would have upon the Duke. " At any rate wo have not heard of anything- further bein![? done, or one grievance being redressed. Perhaps they never will be." Here the matter ended ; and, so far as the Duke of Newcastle is concernv?d, it will probably end for ever. The Eev. Dr. Jeifers, editor of the " Christian Guardian " anticipated the influence that would be thrown around the Duke of Newcastle on Indian affairs. In an editorial of September 5tli, just before the arrival of the Prince of Wales and his suite at Toronto, ho stated that " it is to be hoped that his Grace [the Duke] will be careful where he looks for information ; for there is no cace where it is so necessary to be careful : there are so many interested parties, and so many who are anxious to get possession of Indian lands or money, and whom the Duke will find always at hand, more than willing to enlighten him with their opinions and advice, but anxious to prevent him from understanding the real nature of Indian aifairs. They will tell him that the Indians are ADDKESS TO THE DUKE OP NEWCASTLE. 145 stian ilcl be dian just Id Ms lOped ire lie ivliere ,re so |o are s or .ys at witli event Indian s are doomed, that notliinj^ can be done for tlieiii, tliat the little noolcs and patclies of land l(»ft them now may as well be sold, that Christianity has dono them no good, that the best thing is to send them farthex' back into the forest to some place which he will be told is a very good place for them. We know exactly what they will say ; for they have said the same things so often, and in the very same words, that these stereotyped phrases have come to sound to them like self-evident truths " The Indians have bought these tracts of land with their own money ; and to take them from them would be as much robbery as to take any man's land. The Indians were the first inhabitants of the country, and the sole owners of its wide territories : they were rich in the resources of its water and its forests : they have never received an e(]uivalent for this i^rimilive wealth : they have been injured and foully wronged by many of the whites ; and they are now reduced in numbers and almost destitute of resources. We verily believe that their claims upon us are sacred before God ; and that if our Government suffers them to be oppressed, scattered, and plundered, until they are driven to despair, the Divine curse, not the blessing, will rest upon our country." The Rdv. Dr. Jeff^rs in the above, referring to lands which " Indians have bought," no doubt refers particularly to the town and park lots on which they made a paymert, and to the farm lots they purchased at the sale of Indian lands, when their certificates were withheld, their money refused,. 14G CHAPTER XXII. iiili and tlicy informed that these lots could not be sold to Indians. Tlio editor of the " Christian Gnardifin," beinpf •well acquainted with the character of Indians, and with Indian affairs in Canada, also anticipated the influence that would be thrown around the Duke of Newcastle, and the little prospect of his doing any thin j^ to redress the wrongs practised upon the Indians ; and, therefore, in an editorial in the ^'Guardian" of January 80th, 1861, he again Ternaries as follows : — " Every friend of the Indians waited with patience, until his Grace should give the Indians some remedy for the shameful injustice, hardship, and breach of good faith, with wdiich they have been treated. No one had the least doubt that the promise of our Queen would be considered a sacred thinfj : and that, whatever was neglected, the Duke would not fail to make good the ivorcl of hi'i Royal Mistress, A Committee of gentlemen were appointed to wait upon the Duke, and to present their complaints to him ; and at last did get an ■opportunity to do so, a few days before the royal party left the province. The Duke promised to attend to their matters, and to give them his answer before he went from us. But no one has ever heard anything about it since. We are in- formed that the deputation has never received any reply to their prayer, nor any evidence w^hatever that any attention has been given to the subject. The lapse of three months is surely sufficient to enable the Duke of Newcastle to arrive at some fiort of a conclusion. Has he asked the Indian ADDRESS TO TIIK DUKIi OP NEWCASTLE. 147 Depurtiiient for iiiformiition ? Has he obtained their private version of the matter, and has lio been satisfied with their statements ? Has ho settled the matter by a secret investijj^ation •* It was of tlio Indian Dei)artment that the Indians compUiined; and if that Department has made any reply, the Indians have a right to know what that reply is. The head of that Department is the Governor's Secretary, who accompanied the royal party everywhere, and had the fullest oppor- tunity to influence the mind of the Duke ; and we ii1 15G CHArXER XXIV. '1 ■f I hy the donors to he exclusively for her benefit, others had no ri^^'lit to share in it. In regard to this matter we have no information, only that the chief, nor any other Indian that we know of, ever received a cent through her agency. The chief was therefore dispossessed of his house and land, for which he had obtained an Indian Deed ; and that part also for which he had paid the Indians in cash down the full amount agreed on before the surrender of the land ; and being dispossessed of all, he was left with a large family as a pauper, without any means of support. Having made every possible effort to obtain justice from the hands of the "Indian Depart- ment" by repeatedly petitioning the Governor General, and other parties, without success ; and having in two instances appealed (by Petition) to the Honourable the Legislative Assembly of Canada, and after the kind interference and aid afforded by members of the Society of Quakers, (friends to humanity,) both in New York and in England, who gave j)roof of their sympathy by their liberality, which has in part relieved one of the tribe from a state of destitution and suffer- ing ; Chief Sawyer's case was still untouched, — he remained in abject poverty. Notwithstanding these tokens of kindness, liberality, and humanity, manifested by members of the Society of Friends both in New York and in England, and the interest manifested by members of the " Aborigines' Protection Society " in England, through whose influence Her Majesty the Queen was pleased to direct the Duke of A CHIEF DISPOSSESSED. ur LC of aid iers, in by of ffer- d,- less, bers and I ^y ty" esty 3 of TTewcastle, on visiting* Canada with the Prince of Wales, to hear the complaints of the Indians, and redress their grievances ; nevertheless, with the exception of Catherine Sutton, after all that has been done, these Indians still find themselves dispossessed of their farms, on which they had made improvements by many years' hard toil juid labour. The identical farm which Chief Sawyer occupied, and on which he had previously made extensive clearings, and which he purchased at the sale of Indian lands, and for which the money for the first payment was refused on the ground that " these lots could not be sold to Indians," — this identical farm was, but a few months ago, sold by the " Indian Department " to a Mr. Lundy, who immediately took possession, leaving the chief, with a helpless family, destitute as paupers on the street. Hundreds of other lots of land were purchased by white men at the sale of Indian hinds, on which a farthing was not paid by the purchasers, but still they were allowed to retain their purchase, though they did not comply with the conditions of the sale ; but the chief was dispossessed — I suppose — because he is an Indian. Under such circumstances where is an Indian to look for redress ? Perhaps some will say, " In a court of justice." That may be, but even that cannot be done without means. And if means could be made a.vailable for that purpose, where could the suit be instituted? Where should it be commenced, and when would it end? and, above all, what would be the result ? * ':v;:i|i m 158 CHAPTER XXIV. Tf an Indian slionld institute a suit a<]fainst ono of Lucifer's imps, his satanic majesty sittinof upon the " bench," and the court sitting in Pandemo- nium's box, what would be the issue ? Indiiins would not wish to indnl^^e in sarcasm, nor make personal or disrespectful allusions, but they know the Indian Department was amenable to no j)Ower this side the " great water ; " and to enter a legal process for redress would only be bringing the matter for investigation before those whose proceedings (perhaps well designed) have placed, or at least kept, the Indians in the position of pupilage and oppression they now occupy. Though an Indian may be peeled and stripped of all he has, yet if he is but an Indian, it may be asked, -why should he, as a living man, com- plain ? Indeed one of the most prominent features in the Tndi'^^i character is to endure pain or affliction with a kind of independent pagan indiiference, without a murmur, without heaving a sigh, or uttering a groan. The chief, having been deprived of his house and land, and having no means of subsistence, by the aid of his friends w^as moved, with his family, to the New Credit Mission, where he continues to enjoy the confidence, sympathy, and esteem of the whole tribe. But he has never been able to obtain ore dollar from the Government for aU his losses ! His house and land taken from him, and his rights trampled under foot, and his just claims for redress repudiated ! We would ask our paternal government, if this kind of treatment is honest or honourable? Is this the liberty, m A CHIEF DISPOSSESSED. 150 i one apon imo- jasm, J, but liable tid to ly be those have ) sit ion • ripped it may , com- ninent e pain pap^an eaving the prulo, the boast of our Cnnadiaa Govern- ment ? If this is the fruit of civilization, we ask those who have robb^'d the chief, to show wherein it is in advance of geiuiinc paganism. And his case is only one of many of the same kind, where Indians have been treated in this unjust and vile manner. What they wif'h is to not be disfran- chised or deprived of a title for their own land ; not to hold it by tribal tenure, but each to possess bis own farm ; and those who have power, wealth, refinement, education, and that political attitude which the possession of power confers, will not be envied by them. They envy no man's portion, they only want their own. : il!'' i St t ' "'iii' 'ilijii CHAPTER XXV. CERTIFICATES OF CllARACTKR. KEV. S. BROWNELl's LETTER — CERTIFICATES OF CHARACTER FROM J. FROST, ESQ., OWEN VAN DUSEN, ESQ., ATTORNEY, AND WILLIAM MILLER, ESQ., MAYOR. After the Indian's land near Owen Sonnd was surrendered, and offered for sale, the Indians of the Newash Band settled on their reserve at Cape Crocker, about twenty-five miles north from the town of Owen Sound ; and the Rev. S. Brownell remained at that place a few years, as their Missionary. And after Chief Sawyer had been fleeced of all his land, before he left for the New Credit Mission, he received from the Rev, Mr. Brownell, Missionary at that place, the following certificate of character, to show that the chief's position as a Local Preacher was such as to commend him to the notice and confidence of others. I here insert it:— "Cape Crocker, February 1st, 1861. " To all whom it may concern, " This is to certify that the bearer. Chief Sawyer, is an accredited Local Preacher in the Wesleyan Methodist Church on the ^ Cape Crocker CERTIFICATES OP CIIAHACTER. 161 and Colpoy's Bay Mission.' He is, therefore, most sincerely recommended " to the pastoral care of the Superintendent of the Circuit on which he may locate himself. "Stephen Brownell, Wesleyan Missiona nj.^* >f all ;redit nell, Ificate on as lim to nsert ;i. ^hief the )cker And also, the late Reeve of the town of St. Catherine's, John Frost, Esq., a respectable merchant, and also a Justice of the Peace, at Owen Sound, who has long been acquainted with the Indians and their affairs in that part of the country, presented to Chief Sawyer the following certificate of character. "Owen Sound, Odoher 4th, 1861. '^ The bearer hereof. Chief David Sawyer, who has been many years connected with the Indian Missions in this country, I believe to be a man of integrity, and maintains a good moral and religious character. He has always enjoyed the high esteem of the tribe to which he belongs. I have great pleasure in recommending him to the confidence of tliose with whom he may be associated. " John Frost, J.P., Late Reeve of St. Catherine' s,"*^ Owen Van Dusen, Esq., of Owen Sound^ Attorney-at-law, Solicitor in Chancery, Commis- sioner of the Court of Queen's Bench, and editor and proprietor of the " Owen Sound Comet," has been many years familiar with Indian affairs, and ^^- 162 CHAPTER XXV, frequently, in the " Comet " newspaper, referred to the treatment the Indians received. And beinj]^ well acquainted with Chief Sawyer, on the chief's leavinMITTEDj TJUT NOT PAID. After Chief Sawyer was deprived of all his property in the Owen )Soiind Country, as stated in the foregoing chapters, crippled in his circum- stances, without any itieans of support for a large family ; in sight of the fields he had cleared and cultivated, and for which he had obtained an Indian Deed ; and even in vie: of the commodious house he had erected and for a few years occupied, he was left on the street in a state of abject poverty, to gaze with a forlorn look upon his former hozne, — an inviting and comfortable resi- dence. It may be asked why did he not " begin the ■world anew," and strike in somewhere else, as manv others have done after losinj]^ all? It must be admitted that perseverance is almost omnipotent, and a man in the prime of life, with unflinching perseverance in a laudable pursuit^ may accomplish wonders, and break through, or ride over, many difficulties that may appear almost insurmountable. »' CLAIMS OF NEW CREDIT INDIANS. 165 ION—- riioM LAIMS T NOT ill liis ited in Lrcum- a large [ed and ed an lodic'US upied, abject on his le xesi- .•m tlie ilse, as Jl? It almost with airsuit^ "ugh, or almost But the case of Chief Sawyer was peculiar. He had renounced paganism, and become not only civilized, but a Christian, and an industrious, frugal farmer. Now, what could he do, when dispossessed of all his property? Return to paganism, and live by fishing and hunting as formerly ? He could no more do this than a white man of an enlightened, elevated, and cultivated mind. And if he could have done so, there was no chance for success in that direction. Then* hunting grounds were all surrendered, and their fisheries let by the Canadian Government to other parties. Now, to expect an effort from a man placed in a position where he is completely powerless, would be as unreasonable and unjust as it would be to whip and urge a horse to gallop when his legs are broken. Under these circumstances Chief Sawyer gave up all for lost, and, as pre- viously stated, was moved by his friends more than a hundred miles, to the New Credit Mission, where he again united with that bi'anch of Ojib- ways commonly known as the Mississagua Band, and now succeeds his late father, Joseph Sawyer, in the chiefship of that band. These were among the first of the Indians, in Canada West, to em- brace Christianity. In this band there are many industrious farmers who would lose nothing in comparison with their white neighbours. Now, being chief of this band, he again comes in collision with the Canadian Goveriiinent, urging the just claims of his people for lands ceded before ■-w-:'v*^s^«ii*r^f^-,6' ■'•-^M'M^ 166 CHAPTER XXVI. he united with the Owen Sounrl Indians, and also for other claims which have been recognised hy the Department, but not paid. In June, 1804<, an a^pplication was made, and an indefinite amount acknowledged, which appears from the following letter from the Indian Depart- ment : — "Indian Department, " Quebec, July 9th, 1864. '^SiR, — I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23rd ultimo, and to inform you in reply that the Honourable Mr. Camp- bell, as Superintendent General, lij^s recognised the claim of the Mississaguas of the New Credit to the proceeds of the sale of the land north of the Racey tract, on the River Credit, township of To- ronto, and erroneously marked by the Surveyor General as ' Clergy lands ; ' and the Crown Lands Department has been requested to refund the amount paid upon the lots sold. " I have the honour to be. Sir, " Your obedient Servant, (Signed,) " C. P. Walcott, &c., &c., &c., " in absence of D. S. I. A.'* This shows a most deplorable state of affairs; and it is much to be regretted, that while many poor Indians in Canada actually starve to death, many thousands of pounds of their money are with- held from them, or expended by the Indian De- partment to pay the salaries of a host of account- ants, clerks, agents and local agents, surveyors, deputies, and superintendents ; and with all this. '^:'u:n CLAIMS OP NEW CREDIT INDIANS. 1G7 and iiised nd an ipears^ ipart- ye the and to Jamp- gnised Credit of the of To- I'veyor Lands id the &c., I. A.'" iffairs ; many 1 death, with- in De- Iconnt- reyors, 11 this. dreadful array, such abominable and, to the poor Indians, ruinous bluuders (I will not say wilful mistakes) are made, as are admitted in the above letter from head quai'ters. If the money thus withheld from the Indians has in any one instance been refunded and the error corrected, we leave it for the Indian Depart- ment or Canadian Government to state the amount, to whom, where, and when it was ^^aid. Never. It is not pleasant, and it may not be profitable, to give a detailed catalogue of these numerous mistakes for which the Indian Department is re- sponsible ; but in this case, touching the claims of the Mississagua Band, at the New Credit, it is only necessary to quote a few extracts from the Special Commissioner's Report on Indian Affairs in Canada, published in 1858, commencing on page 42 ; as follows : — " Assuming then that the land conveyed to the Crown, by the instrument (No. 22), was in trust for the Mississagua Tribe of Indians, your Commis- sioners proceed to the second poini which depends thereon, namely, the amoiuit of compensation now fairly due to the Indians on account of such land. " Four thousand acres of this tract have been sold for the trust since 1845 : no question arises therefore concernirg them. The point at issue is the application of the funds accruing from the balance of the blocks B, D, F, G, amounting to 4,700 acres. Of these 609 acres were set apart as Clergy Reserves ; but as these tracts were a reser- vation made by the Indians in a Treaty of Cession '^ ip 11 168 CHAPTER XXVI. (180C), and not a grant from the Crown, there does not seem any reason why the one-seventh should have been appropriated for this purpose. " The Reports referred to in t. margin state that a school-house and saw-mill wti' also erected for them ; but the original subscription list for defraying the expense of a school-house filed in this office, goes to show that that building wa-s raised by private contribution, as asserted by Mr. Jones. " The same gentleman says that the saw-mill war, paid for out of the Annuity Fund. This should be shown by the accounts then kept by the Crown Land Department. In a note at the bottom of the page it is stated that "the Commissioners in 1844 reported, that in 1826 the Government commenced the Indian village, building twenty houses. That in 1828, and subsequej.i; years, the Indians added out of their own funds fifteen houses and a saw-mill, besides the chapel, school-house, and work-shop ; in the erection of which they were assisted by the Methodist Missionary Society." The Commissioners then continue : — ^^ Assum- ing the allegations of Mr. Jones to be correct, — and the vouchers as well as the Report of the Commis- sioners are strong evidence in their favour, — the account in 1828 would stand thus : — £. s. cZ. Dollars. 422 15 Proceeds of sales in block G 1690 1020 „ „ B4080 1233 2 6 „ „ F 4932 50 .i2675 17 6 10703 50 ;i'. CLAIMS OP NEW CREDIT INDIANS. 169 ioes ould state cted t for d in aised mes. -mill This y the jtated , that ndiaii 1828, ut of [--mill, shop ; y the Issum- I — and imis- .— the loUars. bo iso i32 50 03 50 £2675 17 6 Dollars. 10703 50 600 s ^ After deductmg the^ amount paid for the houses from this sum 10,703 50 dollars, cost of houses. J > 2400 £2075 17 6 8303 50 "A balance of 8,303 dollars remain due to the Indians, together with the then unsold lands. It further appears from the old sales books, that between 1828 and 1845, lots from these tracts were sold by the Crown, the profits of which amounted to 3,670-65 dollars (£917 13.?. M.) ; making, with the other sum, a total of 33,974*95 dollars, (£2,993 10s. 9tZ.) " The Commissioners of Crown Lands in 1855 charge the Indians with the cost of forming the road through Block E, now Dundass Street. As this land had been absolutely sold by the Indians previous to the opening of the road, and as such road was made solely for the convenience of the wliite settlers, the native tribes are, in our opinion, in no wise called to contribute to the expense of such work. " We therefore consider that the Mississaguas have an equitable claim on the Government ; such claim w^e estimate at 11,974 dollars 15 cents, £2,993 10s. 9^.^ with interest. The interest on 8,303 dollars 50 cents, (£2,075 17s. U.,) to be calculated from 1S23, that on the remainder since 1845. ^^^ 170 CHAPTEK XXVI. £. 8. c\. Dols. Cts. 2,077 17 G Principal sum due 1828 8,:ai^ 50 8,G12 Interest 14,148 917 13 3 Principal sum due 1845 3,070 05 060 14 Interest 2,042 80 £7,206 4 9 Dols. 29,064 95 " These periods from whicli the interest is cal- culated are somewhat shorter than those during whicli it has been really accruing ; but the dates have been adopted as the surest bnsis to afford substantial justice to all parties. **The Commissioners in 1844 found a balance due to these Indians in respect of their annuity, to the amount of 2,264, ^^^^ dollars (£566 0«. M.) This sum had gradually accrued from 1820 to 1835, and was composed of the annual difference between 1,890 dollars (£472 10s.) actually paid or credited to them during that time on this account, and 2,090 dollars, (£522 10s.,) the amount to which they were entitled every year under the conveyance in 1818." From the above it appears that ^Jart of theii* annuity every year, for many years in succession., up to 1835, and we know not how much longer,, was retained from the Indians, while many of them were in a state of destitution. It is a matter of wonder in whose hands that large amount of money remains. Not one farthing of it has been paid to the Indians. Some party must have ir. This matter should be sifted to the bottom. If the Canadian Government will not ventilate such CLAIMS OF NEW CREDIT INDIANS. 171 proceedings, it is to be hoped the ClirisHiin public will be roused to express their indignation and abhorrence of sucJi glaring and wholesale acts of injustice committed upon the poor Indians of Canada. There is another claim this band of Indians have against the Government, for land they pur- chased with their own funds in 1841 ; but through some mistake on the part of the Government they lost the whole amount they had paid. In the Special Commission ere' Report of 1858, the justice of this claim is admitted. On page 44 tliey state, *' It appears to us that the Mississaguas of the Credit have a well founded claim against the Go- vernment for the present value of the land 1,0S0 dollars (£270), as it was by mistake of the latter that the dilllculty arose." That is, the mistake, they admit, was not on the part of the Indians, but made by the Government having previously issued a patent to another party for the same land. No doubt this was actually an oversight on the part of the Government. But as the Indians had advanced the money for the land, the question is, why is it not refunded ? It was paid by the In- dians in 1841, surely there has been sufficient time to correct the error ! It is not of much avail to the Indians, for the Indian Department, or the Government, to acknowledge the justice of the In- dians' claims, and contini.e (perhaps for ever) to withhold it from them. And, now in conclusion, — in reference to j)Ounds^ shillings, and pence, — the matter stands thus : — Chief* Sawyer has a just claim on the Colonial Go- 172 CHAPTER XXVT. vernment (and he claims it too) for the forty-three acres of hind which he held by virtue of an Indian Deed, and on which he had erected an excellent and commodious house, a barn, and made other improvements, the whole worth not less than one thousand pounds. Then for clearing land, building house and barn, and making other improvements on the farm lots he purchased at the sale of Indian lands at Owen Sound, for which improvements he has not received one farthing, and the value of which, if properly estimated, would be at least three hundred and lifty pounds. Then add to this, for his wharf lot, for which he held an Indian Deed, and on which he had pre- pared at a great expense to build a wharf. In- cluding the value of the land, and the expense he incurred in preparing timber for the wharf, (but was prevented by the Indian Department,) an ad- ditional sum of at least two hundred and fifty pounds may be added to the above, making a total of £1,500, which loss he has sustained, and for which he has not been able to recover the least remuneration or satisfaction from the Indian De- partment, or the Canadian Government ! Such are the just claims for the losses he himself has sustained through the inexplicable course pursued by the Indian Department, whose duty it was to w^atch over the interests of the Indians in Canada. And on behalf of the Band of Indians at New Credit, over which he now is the chief, he claims more than £12,618, which amount is absolutely acknowledged by the Special Commissioners to be CLA1M3 OF NKW CREDIT INDIANS. 17:1 their just due ; but not a furtliinfjf of which hus ever been paid. Now, will a Christian public tolerate such injustice, — such injury inflicted upon the poor Jown-trodden uborii^ines of Canada, or in some lawful way make an expression of indi<,aiation, or at least disai)probati(m, of such unjust and iniquitous proceeding's ? We have only given the facts in the case of one chief, and one band ; but by referrin*]^ to the Sj^ecial Commissioners' Report of 1858, as well ad to other official reports on Indian Affairs, that have been presented to the Canadian public, it "will be seen that this is the kind of injustice, fraud, and oppression the tribea of Indians throUL;h- out the leni,dh and bieatli of Canada have to en- dure. An. o;m y # Photographic Sciences Corporation /^^ c^ ri? ^ver the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Bruns- wick, and the Island of Prince Edward, and Vice- Admiral of the same, &c., &c., at Montreal, this twenty-ninth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, aiul in the eleventh year of our reign. (Signed,) " Elgin and Kincardine, D. Daly, L.S." While the Indians retain a territory for hunting purposes, they desire no other title than such as the foregoing Deed of Declaration. In fact, they need no other. But when they change their habits of life, and become agriculturists, from that circumstance arises the necessity of making a change in their title to hold land. To be settled on a farm, and have no title for it, would discou- rage a white man, and affords no encouragement to an Indian. To show how the Indians feel in the circum- stances under which they are placed in Canada, I will here give an extract from a letter of recent date, written by one of the most intelligent in the tribe to which he belongs. He states that, in regard to " the treatment the children of the forest generally receive from th-i Indian Department, I hardly know what to say. But our hands and feet are tied. We can do nothing. Everything we own, we must ask our fathers in the Govern- ment for it ; and obtain liberty to procure even what we intend to buy with our own public funds. Nor can we sell our own timber or wood, unless we get licence or permits. Here we are. When N 2 mi m 180 CHAPTER XXVII. we want a few things for our families' use, sucli as groceries, &c., we dare not go in our own woods, and cut timber, and sell it for that purpose, as our white ne^ ^iihours do." This hardship is caused by the tribal tenure. If an Indian lives on a farm, it is owned, not by himself, but b}'- the whole tribe ; and the Indian De2)artment will not allow him to dispose of the timber, as it belongs to the tribe, and not to any one individual Indian that may by chance occupy it. But their white neighbours, who have Deeds for the farms they occupy, can cut their surplus timber into cord wood, and sell it in towns or vil- lages much to their own advantage. In this case the fault is in the system. The Department can- not allow an individual Indian to make use of property that belongs to the whole tribe. The tribal organization will no more answer for civilized Indians, than it will for white people. There is no alternative : the system should be abo- lished, or the Indians left in a pagan state. The responsibility of the latter, who is prepared to assume ? The whole diificulty can be met, and the burden removed, by redeeming the pledges that have so often been given. They have often been promised Deeds, but have never obtained one for a foot of their own land. And when they made an Indian Deed to Chief Sawyer, he was robbed of it. This we may consider a small matter when we read it on paper. But if we could make the case our own, or see him with his family, as they were, paupers on the streets, we would feel differ- ently on the subject. DKED OF DECLARATION. 181 Bat one of the greatest hardsliips tlio Indiiins have to endure, growing;: out of this tribal orn-iini- zation, is, that a few in a tribe may be actuated by motives good or oad, or influenced by the Indian Department, or some otlier Department, to make a surrender of land ; and on the promise of wealth, medals, and other toys, sign a Treaty, and dispose of a whole territory, in opposition to the wishes of a large majority of the tribe. These are cases of common occurrence ; and where families are civilized and settled on farms, they are dispossessed of their dwellings and cultivated fields, and left to beg or move on to the far west or north, and re- turn to their old customs of fishinsj or huntin■*■ ■ if ■ Vpj^i i M il ^ i i i j li 'd i iii l-^i iWi i m Witilmtikiibmm 190 APPENDIX. I"^^' fest un^villingness to give up their possessions, should they be denounced as rebellious ? And for such insubordination to the "powers that be," should they be loaded with manacles ? On the eastern part of the island the Roman Catholics have an extensive Mission ; a Mission house and church, and many of their communi- cants have fine cultivated farms on that part of the island. It is, therefore, not at all marvellous thac the Roman Catholic priests, as well as the Indians, should feel opposed to the sm'render of any part of their island. A band of civilized white men, with fire-arms, .invaded the island, to bring into subjection the civilized Indians, for not cheerfully giving up their land to be sold to white men. The Indians used no fire-arms. A particular account of this invasion we take from the " Toronto Globe," of July 30th, 1863. In an editorial in that paper it is stated that, — " On the morning of Thursday, six special con- stables left by train on the Northern Railway, under command of Sergeant-Major Cummins, of the Toronto police force, and Detective Colgan, of the county police, for the purpose of proceeding to the Manatoulin Islands, to endeavour to arrest the aiders and abettors of the Indian revolt in those islands. The particulars of the outrage by the Waquimalcong Indians will be quite familiar to our readers, as the facts of the case were fully detailed in the ' Globe ' of Monday. When the train on the Northern Railway reached Barrie, six .constables belonging to that town were added to sessions. And for lat be," 1 Roman Mission immuni- part of irvellous 1 as the ender of re-arms, jtion the Lving up ) Indians I we take , 1863. lat, — ial con- ailway, |mins, of Colgan, ceeding O arrest evolt in rage by familiar re fully en the [rrie, six Ided to APPENDIX. 191 the party, and on reaching Collingwood they were joined by Mr. William Gibbard", J. P., government inspector of fisheries in- Lakes Huron and Supe- rior ; Mr. Dudgeon, high constable of Colling- wood, and six constables. The party now num- bered in all twenty-two men, all well armed with revolvers. Mr. Gibbard assumed .the command, and they embarked the same afternoon on board the steamer ' Ploughboy,' for Manatoulin. On the way up the lake, the steamer called at Owen Sound, and th^.n proceeded to Lonely Island, rctvching that place about four o'clock the follow- ing morning. Opposite the island the steamer hove to, and a boat went ashore, having on board Mr. Gibbard and four men. They landed on the island for the purpose of learning the state of affairs at Manatoulin r Mr. Gibbard being of opinion that some of tlie Indians who had been engaged in the outrage, and against whom he had warrants of arrest, might be on the island. On making a search, however, he found that such was not the case ; and he and his men returned to the steamer, which immediately set sail for Manatou- lin, which was reached about twelve o'clock in the forenoon of Friday. There is no wharf at the place, and arrangements were at once made to land in boats. All the men of the party looked well to the priming of their pistols, as a contest with the Indians, who had assembled in great numbers on a bluff in view of the landing-place, seemed probable. Mr. Gibbard and Sergeant - Major Cummins went ashore in the first boat, the others following in their wake. On reaching the o 2 192 APPENDIX. HI shore they found about three hundred Indians and one hundred squaws assembled on the bluff above mentioned, one of the former carrying a black flag. Mr. Gibbard and the others proceeded at once to the house of the E-ev. Mr. Shooney, Roman Catholic priest, about half a mile from the landing-place. Messrs. Gibbard and Cummins entered the house, where they stayed some time ;: and in the mean time the Indians surrounded the house, and were violent in their demonstrations. " When Mr. Gibbard came out, he stood a few minutes on the steps, and then ordered his men to arrest a chief whose name we did not learn. Sergeant-Major Cummins took hold of the Indian- pointed out ; and as the others of the tribe began to gather round, evidently by their gestures intending to rescue their chief. Detective Colgan drew his revolver, and said he would shoot the first man who interfered. The Indians previous to this had picked up billets of wood and staves from the wood pile, and showed every intention of attacking the constables, if they attempted to make any arrests. The sight of Colgan's pistol and his determined bravery had the effect of stop- ping any warlike demonstration for a few minutes ;. but an Indian, more determined than the rest,. rushed forward with uplifted bludgeon, and threatened Cummins's life, if he did not let the chief go. The others quickly gathered round,, and hemmed in Cummins and his prisoner ; and the Indian above alluded to was about to bring down his bludgeon on Cummins's head,' when Daniel Callaghan, one of the Toronto 'specials/ ns and ■ above black ded at looney, om tlie immins ! time ;: ded the tions. i a few^ lis men b learn. 1 Indian, e began vestures Colgaii oot the -jrevions staves - ntion of ted to s pistol of stop- inntes ;. le rest,, ►n, and let the round,, ^r; and bring ■when )eciajsj' APPENDIX. 193 placed the muzzle of his pistol to the ear of the Indian, and threatened to pull the trigger if he attempted to strike. The Indian, thinking ' dis- cretion the better part of valour,' lowered his weapon, and left the crowd ; and the chief was •quickly handcuffed by Colgan, Cummins, and Callaghan. At this time Rev. Mr. Shooney inter- fered, and commenced inciting the Indians to violence, when Mr. Gibbard at once ordered him into custody. Constable Eogers, of Barrie, obeyed the order, and was proceeding to handcuff him, when a cry was raised, ' Don't handcuff the priest don't handcuff* a clergyman.' The constable, at Mr. Gibbard's order, desisted from attempting to handcuff "Father Shooney, who was conveyed towards the landing-place by Constables Rogers and Bishop, of Barrie ; the other constables follow- ing in the rear with the other prisoner. The Indians quickly armed themselves with billets of wood, and rushed down to the landing-place, and also took up positions in the woods on each side of the narrow road, vowing vengeance on the heads of Mr. Gibbard and his men. One of the India,ns rushed forward and pulled the revolver out of Constable Rogers's hand; but after a great struggle it was got back. A hand- to-hand right took place ; and at the edge of the water the Indians crowded round the con- stables, to prevent them embarking on board the boats with the prisoners ; and in the struggle which ensued. Constable Ryan, of Toronto, was pushed ,iiito tne water up to the neck. He speedily got Ibo^ry land again. The Indian chief now began 194 APPENDIX. hi to struggle "with his captors, and succeeded in getting his hands out of the handcuffs ; and the Indians, making a great rush upon the constables, overpowered them with numbers, over fifty of them being at this time present, and rescued him from the constables. The school bell was then rung, the black flag was again hoisted, and the ' war-whoop ' sounded by the Indians, and mem- bers of the tribe came running to the place from all points of the compass. In a very few minutes between two and three hundred Indians had assembled on the beach ; and Mr. Gibbard was promptly informed that if he attempted to take Father Shooney from the island, the life of every man of his party would be sacrificed. The Indians, showed that they were determined to carry their threat into execution ; and Mr. Gibbard, Mr- Dudgeon, of Barrie, and Sergeant-Major Cum- mins consulted what was best to be done. Their party only numbered twenty-two, while the Indians were at least ten to one ; and Mr. Dudgeon gave it as his opinion, from a long acquaintance with the Indian character, that if they attempted to carry off their prisoners, not a single man of their party would leave the island alive. The Indians then, on Mr. Gibbard's suggestion, agreed to certain conditions ; the principal of which was that the parties against whom he had warrants should meet him at Sheba-nwaning, as the steamer came down the lake, and proceed with him to Quebec, and have the grievances they complained of redressed. This matter having been settled, the party embarked in their boats, leaving the- 2ded in md the stables, fifty of led him IS then ind the d mem- ce from minutes ns had ard was to take of every Indiana rry their .rd, Mr.. )r Cum- Their die the ludgeon bintance jempted man of The agreed lich was rarrants steamer Ihim to Iplained Isettled, ig the APPENDIX. 195 prisoners behind them, and went on board the *Ploughboy,' which set sail for Shebanwaning. After stopping at that place to leave the mails, the steamer proceeded to Little Current, where Mr. Gibbard had a conference with Mr. Proulx, brother of the late Father Proulx, one of the persons who had been driven from the Manatoulin Island. The steamer next sailed for Bruce Mines, where the constables landed, headed by Mr. Gibbard, and succeeded in arresting Sawamackoo, who acted as one of the ringleaders of the gang who had driven Mr Proulx Irom the Island. He was taken on board the steamer, and conveyed to Sault Ste. Marie. " On his arrival on Saturday, the court was opened, Hon. Judge Prince occupying the bench. The prisoner was placed at the bur ; and after Mr. Gibbard had given some evidence, the pri- soner was remanded to gaol till Monday. Mr, David Blain, barrister, Toronto, who happened to be on a visit to the Sault, was retained for the defence. On Monday, the prisoner was again brought before the court, and committed to take his trial at the assizes, which commence on the 10th of August, He was, however, admitted to bail, himself in 100 dollars, and two sureties in 100 dollar J each. " Father Kohler, who had been an active parti- cipant in the outrages at Manatoulin, was also at the Sault, but he was not taken into custody. The ^Ploughboy' left on its return at one o'clock on Monday, having on board Mr. Gibbard and his party. Father Kohler, the Indian Sawa- 196 APPENDIX. i mackoo, Mr. D. Blain, and a number of tourists, ladies and gentlemen. Shebanwaning was next touclied at about four in the morning, and at this place the Indian and Father K»/iiier left the steamer. Before the vessel reached the port, Mr. Gibbard had been observed walking on the deck ; but as he was not seen afterwards, it was thought he had returned to his berth, and no notice was taken of his absence till the breakfast bell rang. The party assembled for breakfast ; and the Caj)tain, being surprised at Mr. Gibbard's absence, went up to his room, and was greatly astonished to find no one in it. A search was at once made through- out the vessel for the missing man ; no trace of him could be found, but his cap was discovered lying on the lower deck. The greatest conster- nation prevailed among the passengers, many of whom declared that the Indian must have killed him while walking on the lower deck, and thrown the body overboard in the darkness. Captain Smith, a magistrate, called a meeting of the pas- sengers; and four or five of thom declared, in the most positive terms, that they saw the Indian near Mr. Gibbard, while he was walking on the lower deck of the steamer, before she arrived at Shebanwaning. A portion of Mr. Gibbard's clothes and his boots were found in his berth, and he had on a pair of slippers. The steamer reached Collingwood on Tuesday evening; and. information of the occurrence was given to the Mayor, Mr. M'Watt, brother-in-law of Mr. Gib- bard, who telegraphed early yesterday morning to Mr. M'Nab, County Attorney, and to Hon. Mr. APPENDIX. 197 lUrists, Lit four til and re the d been vas not iturned of liis e party 1, being b up to tind no hrougli- trace of Bcovered conster- niany of e killed thrown Cai^tain he pas- red, in Indian on the ived at ibbard's th, and steamer and. to the r. Gib- ning to ion. Mr. M^Dou^^all, Commissioner of Crown lands, for instructions. It was almost impossible for Mr. Gibbard to have stumbled overboard into tlie lake ; and as he was in his usual f(ood spirits, there is not the slij^htest likelihood that he com- mitted suicide. That the Indian Sawamackoo perpetrated the murder many people believe, haviiifi^ for his object the puttin<>; out of the way the principal witness at his trial, and of one who has been a terror to liim and his brethren since they broke the laws of the country. Some persons are of opinion that Mr. Gibbard may have gone on shore at Slieban waning, and that the boat left without him; but this idea is an unlikely one. Detective Colgan and his party reached Toronto 3'esterday forenoon. Sergeant- Major Cummins remained at Collingwood, to assist in instituting inquiries into this very mysterious dis- appearance. Meanwhile, the public will await with anxiety the steps to be taken by the Government, under the very peculiar circumstances of the case/' The editor of the " Globe " states that it is the oiDinion of many people that the Indian Sawa- mackoo perpetrated the murder; and that it is unlikely Mr. Gibbard had stumbled overboard, or that he committed suicide; but it is equally unlikely that the Indian could have murdered him, as no marks of violence were on the body when found, nor is it possible that the Indian could have thrown so large a man as Mr. Gibbard over the bulwarks, nearly breast high, on the lower deck of the steamer. Why or how he went overboard is still mysterious. And why the Indian Department, or any ■^ 193 APPENDIX, ■^ '5 1 members of the Colonial Government, in a Chris- tian country, and under the British flag, could so tenaciously urge the Indians to give up their lands, after they have so often been driven from their quiet possessions, is also mysterious. But not mysterious that they would defend themselves with billets of wood and staves, when attacked by men armed with revolvers. It has been stated in the newspapers of the day, that officers of the law bearing warrants for the arrest of offenders on Manatoulin island have been resisted in the execution of their duty, and that they were compelled to leave the island. But the question may be asked, in reference to these offenders, What was their offence ? What crime had they committed ? All who are acquainted with the circu nstances of the case, know that, on the part of the Indians, their alleged crime was for being opposed to the surrender of any part of their island. And the alleged accusation against the Roman Catholic priests was for exciting the Indians to oppose the surrender. But the question is. Had the Indians or the priests any cause to make such opposition to the surrender of the island ? We find an answer to this question in the " Globe," where the editor states, in reference to " the troubles on the Mana- toulin," that " there was an original error on the part of the late Government in offering too small a compensation to the Indians for the surrender of the land, and threatening them with violence if they refused it." This is the way the Indians of Canada are gene- ■.Sh Chris- )uld so ) their ti from I. But mselves jked by ;he day, for the bve been nd thiit But the 3 these it crime ted with ^ on the was for part of against ing the or the to the }wer to editor I Mana- on the small Inder of lence if gene- AFPENDIX. 199 rally treated by the " Indian Department." They will oft'er them toys, medals, end give them pro- mises of wealth ; and, if they comply, in some instances they have never got one farthing pro- mised, as is clearly shown from the Report of tho Special Commissioners appointed in 1856 to investigate Indian Affairs in Canada. And if they refuse to comply, ** the Government threatens them with violence," as the Editor of tho "Globe" states. We ask a Christian public, if it is not time there should be an end to such injustice, oppression, and fraud, practised upon the original owners of the soil in Canada ; not only the original owners, but still the rightful owners of tho islands, and those little localities reserved for themselves, and whicii they hold by tribal tenure, secured to them by Deeds of Declaration. But when "the white man" wants the Indian's land, he must give it up. First, he is offered a trifling consideration, and then threatened with violence if he refuses to comply. Such a course of conduct as has been, and is still, pursued towards the red man of Canada, is a reproach to any Christian nation, a disgrace to any Government, and anomalous in our common Christianity. The editor of the "Globe," referring to the troubles on Manatoulin island, further states that " the tragic end of poor Mr. Gibbard, the chief of the officers of the law, casts a lurid shade over the whole transaction, but is not actually con- nected with it. The case is quite bad enough mm^ I 200 APPENDIX. •without his death being added to the load on the shoulders of Priest Kuhler and his associates. It must be recollected that the offences of these persons have no necessary connexion with the question of the surrender of the island or any portion of it by the Indians. A certain part of the land has been surrendered, while certain Indians, under the influence of the priests, refused to sign the Treaty, and still retain the section of the island devoted to their use. Not content with this, they assemble in arms, proceed to dictate who shall and who shall not stay on the island, and drive off by violence +hose obnoxious to them, Wlieii ulie law endeavouis to redress this grievous ■vyrong, they resist its officers, and compel them to leave the island. It is obvious that there is but one way of treating the matter. It is not a ques- tion of giving more or less favourable terms to the Indians, or any section of them. The question is, whether the Queen's subjects are to be driven out of lier dominions by violence. There can be but one answer. The authority of the law must be enforced at all hazards. " We have always advocated the most liberal treatment of the Indians. Poor people ! they do not live so long among the whites, that we should grudge tliein anj'tliing we can give them. But they cannot be permitted to stand in the way of the advance of civilization on this continent. A fine tract of territory, like the Manatoulin, cannot be permitted to remain uncultivated, because it is Indian property. The present Government have dealt bountifully with the Indians of the Mana- APPENDIX. 201 )n tlie js. It tliese bh the or any part of certain refused tion of nt with ite who nd, and > them. grievous :hem to ) is but 1 a ques- s to the tion is, ^en out be but uist be liberal they do should .. But way of jnt. A cannot ise it is ^t have Mana-i; touljn. They have permitted them to retain an ample allowance of land for their own use ; and when Lie rest is sold, the proceeds will be theixS. What moj-e couid be asked ? We believe that nothing more would have been demanded by the Indians, but the priests seem to be afraid that the interests of themselves or of their church would suffer by the settlement of the island, and hence we have the violent scenes of the past few weeks. There was an original error on the piirt of the late Government in offering too small a compensatio:i to the Indians for the surrender of the land, and threatening them with violence if they refused it. But the present Ministry changed all that, and stood prepared, and stands prepared now, to make every arrangement which justice to the Indians demands. But they will not submit to have their authority defied, and violence inflicted on nn offend- ing individuals. They will, we are sure, extend the authority of the law over the Manatoulin, as well as all other sections oi the public domain, ai?d teach Priest Kiihler and his coadjutors the foUy as well as the wickedness of their proceedings." It is difficult to see any reason why Priest Kohler's name is connected with the murder of Mr. Gibbard. Nor is it reasonable to say, that these difficulties on the island did not grow out of the course pursued by certain members of the Colonial Government in procuring a surrender of nearly the whole island. To say, "that the offences of these persons have no necessary con- nexion with the question of the surrender of the island," is a statement no one acquainted with "1^ 202 APPENDIX. the case is prepared to believe. To be sure, a small portion of the island was reserved in this new Treaty for those who were opposed to the surrender; but the Indians have been so often supplanted by white men, and so frequently cir- cumscribed in their possessions, and then driven from them altogether, that they could easily see that after this new surrender soon an Indian would have no place on that island to set his foot. To call in question the Indians' right "to dictate who shall and who shall not stay on the island," is about as just and reasonable as it would be to call in question the right of a white man to prevent usurpers from squatting on his own premises. Because the Indians are not willing that white men should possess and occupy their island, the editor of the " Globe " a'sks the question, " whether the Queen's subjects are to be driven out of her dominions '^ v violence ? " We may easily answer that question by asking another. Are not Indians also "the Queen's subjects?" Have not thousands of them sealed, with their blood, their loyalty to the British Crown ? And are they to be driven " by vio- lence " from their land ? By this kind of das- tardly and vile treatment thousands of the poor aborigines have not only been driven out of the British dominions " by violence," but have been driven out of the world before "their time came," and their blood still stains the skirts of their oppressors. .^ , : r It is said, " The authority of the law must be "'.W^'^- APPENDIX. 203 ure, a 11 this :o the often ly cir- driven lily see Indian is foot. .t "to on the e as it a white on his t white ,nd, the vhether of her asking Queen's sealed, I British 3y vio- lof das- le poor of the ^e been J came," If their lust be enforced at all hazards." But it is recommended to " deal mildly with the misguided Indians, using every means to convince them of their error." Of course their alleged error is in not quietly giving up their lands to white men ! And then it is said, ^^ Poor people ! they do not live so long among the whites, that we should grudge them anything we can give them." " Give them ? " They do not ask for alms, if the Colonial Government will pay tbem the many thousands of pounds withheld from them. The Indian Department acknowledges they owe the band of Indians at New Credit more than twelve thousand six hundred pounds, besides one thou- sand five hundred pounds withheld from Chief Sawyer. All this is but little compared with the just claims of the various tribes of Indians throughout Canada. And now, under these cir- cumstances, to talk about " giving to the poor Indians," and ^^ pitying the poor Indians," while a wholesale system of feeding upon the very bones and sinews of the Indians is carried Cii, is insult- ing and almost intolerable. Then again it is said, " A fine tract of territory like the Manatoulin cannot be permitted to re- main uncultivated." Now, any body, and almost every one, knows that in Canada there are many thousands of acres of better land than can be found on Manatoulin Island, owned by whito men, which remain unoccupied, to the great annoy- ance of the new settlers. Why not begin with these ? And let the Indians remain in peace, while they are striving to make a transition from 204 APPENDIX. / II ' I I ! ! ! \ 'In^^^l "W^^^M ^"4^^hI L^*' ' S^^^^D ' paganism to civilization, and to become frugal agriculturists. The great mystery is, that many of them have succeeded in this, in the midst of all the opposition they have had to encounter, having so often been driven from their possessions, and not permitted to hold a foot of their ovm land, except by tribal tenure. It is also said, the " Government have dealt bountifully with the Indians ; '* that " they have permitted them to retain an ample allowance for their own use ; and when the rest is sold, the pro- ceeds will be theirs." But when will it be paid ? Judging from the past, they have a forloy-n hope, if any hope at all, of obtaining their just due. But that it is called a bountiful act on the part of the Government, in permitting the Indians to retain a portion of their own land for their own use, is both sickening and insulting. Why not also say it is a bountiful act on the part of the Government to permit white men to "retain an ample allowance " of their own lands for their own use? The fact is, that, so far from merely permitting it, the British Government protects her subjects in the peaceable possession of their own land. To talk about the Colonial Government having " dealt bountifully -vyitli the Indians," does not agree with the facts contained in the Eeport of the S])ecial Commissioners appointed to investi- gate Indian affairs in Canada, as well as other official reports that have been presented to the Canadian public. H V / frugal , many bof aU baving 19, and n land, 3 dealt ty have nee for lie pro- 3 paid ? n hope, ae. he part ians to eir own 7h.j not of the tain an leir own mitting mbjecta nd. To having oes not eport of investi- is other 1 to the \i