Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch from London
Cardwell, Edward to Seymour, Frederick 1 August 1864, NAC RG7:G8C/11, 292.
Abstract
Despatch from London.
Other documents (1).
This document contains mentions of Indigenous Peoples. The authors of these documents
often perpetuate a negative perspective of Indigenous Peoples and it is important
to look critically at these mentions. They sometimes use terminology that is now considered
hurtful and offensive. To learn more about modern terminology pertaining to Indigenous
Peoples, Indigenous ways of knowing, and decolonization, please refer to the Glossary of terms.
Cardwell acknowledges receipt of Seymour’s despatch
relating to the massacre by Indians of a road party in Bute Inlet and [Seymour’s] plans for the detection and punishment of the murderers.Cardwell forwards a letter from the Admiralty regarding naval assistance to the governor.
No. 30
1st August 1864
Sir,
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatches Nos.
7 and 8 of the 20th of May relating to the massacre by Indians of a road
party in Bute Inlet and your plans for the detection and punishment of
the murderers, and I have received the tidings of thesemurders
murders with deep
regret.
murders with deep
regret.
I have noticed with especial satisfaction your anxiety to give your
proceedings a strictly legal character, and your refusal of offers of
assistance made from beyond the Colony, which might have impressed a
different character on your proceedings. I rejoice to see that you arefully
fully alive to the consequences which
an Indian War would entail upon the Colony and I trust that you will be
especially careful not to take any measures which may convert an
isolated outrage perpetrated by a band of murderers into a tribal War.
fully alive to the consequences which
an Indian War would entail upon the Colony and I trust that you will be
especially careful not to take any measures which may convert an
isolated outrage perpetrated by a band of murderers into a tribal War.
I am sensible of the expense which is thrown upon the Colony by theoperations
operations which you report, but I would observe that they are
undertaken exclusively in the interest of the Colony, and that the
expense is in a great measure due to the high rate of profits which the
Colonists are realizing and therefore can hardly be viewed as any matter
of complaint.
operations which you report, but I would observe that they are
undertaken exclusively in the interest of the Colony, and that the
expense is in a great measure due to the high rate of profits which the
Colonists are realizing and therefore can hardly be viewed as any matter
of complaint.
I enclose a copy of a letter from this Department to the Admiralty
relative to Naval assistance and to an expression which you used, I
believe inadvertently, in one of your semi-official letters which was
brought under the notice of their Lordships. I trust that nothing will
occur to interfere with the cordial co-operation which ought to subsist
between yourself and the Admiral on theStation
Station.
relative to Naval assistance and to an expression which you used, I
believe inadvertently, in one of your semi-official letters which was
brought under the notice of their Lordships. I trust that nothing will
occur to interfere with the cordial co-operation which ought to subsist
between yourself and the Admiral on theStation
Station.
Other documents included in the file
Copy, Rogers to the Secretary to the Admiralty, 1 August 1864, acknowledging receipt of the Admiralty's instructions to Admiral Denman for the "punishing" of the "perpetrators of the recent massacre."