Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Seymour, Frederick to Cardwell, Edward 7 July 1865, CO 60:22, no. 8623, 192.
Abstract
Seymour, Frederick to Cardwell, Edward 7 July 1865, CO 60:22, no. 8623, 192.
Despatch to London.
Minutes (3), Enclosures (transcribed) (3), Enclosures (untranscribed) (9), Other documents
(1).
No. 91
7th July 1865
Sir,
I have the honor to forward a Petition addressed to you
by Mr Alfred Waddington of Victoria, complaining of the refusal
of the Government of this Colony to defray the expenseshe
he has
incurred in endeavouring to open a trail from Bute Inlet to
Cariboo, and praying that you will cause justice to be done
him. He does not specify in what manner. A consideration for
Mr Waddington's losses will induce me to deal indulgently with
the statements made by him. I shall first give, as near as I
can, a correct narration of the particulars referred to by Mr
Waddington, and then refute such assertionsonly
only as may, when
unexplained, convey the opinion that the Government of this
Colony acted unjustly towards him.
he has
incurred in endeavouring to open a trail from Bute Inlet to
Cariboo, and praying that you will cause justice to be done
him. He does not specify in what manner. A consideration for
Mr Waddington's losses will induce me to deal indulgently with
the statements made by him. I shall first give, as near as I
can, a correct narration of the particulars referred to by Mr
Waddington, and then refute such assertionsonly
only as may, when
unexplained, convey the opinion that the Government of this
Colony acted unjustly towards him.
2. Immediately on the foundation of New Westminster as the
Capital of British Columbia, a feeling of jealousy and opposition
towards it showed itself in Victoria. The gold found in the bed
of the Fraser led the first immigrants to follow up that stream.
By this guidethe
the Mines of Cariboo, for some years past acknowledged
to be the richest in the Colony, were discovered. Step by step the
miners advanced towards the upper waters of the great river, and
the Government step by step, improved the communications. Settlers
took up land near the line of traffic and finally the colonization
of British Columbia was commenced in the valley of the Fraser.
Cariboo once discovered and its position ascertained,it
it was seen
that there was water carriage nearer at hand than that furnished
by the river at Yale. If a road could be made from the head of
North Bentinck Arm, or Bute Inlet, it appeared on the map that
the Cariboo traffic would take that direction and the cost of living
at the mines be possibly reduced, but the main incentive to exertion
was the fact that the communication with Cariboo would be diverted from
NewWestminster
Westminster, and Victoria would then become the only market for
the two Colonies. It is certainly far from my wish to cast blame
upon Mr Waddington for endeavouring to further his own interests
and those of his adopted town by a perfectly legitimate, if feasible
transaction. Mr Waddington having determined to enter on the
speculation, unfortunately for himself, selected Bute Inlet for
the commencement of his enterprise instead of Bentinck Arm.
3. Sir
the Mines of Cariboo, for some years past acknowledged
to be the richest in the Colony, were discovered. Step by step the
miners advanced towards the upper waters of the great river, and
the Government step by step, improved the communications. Settlers
took up land near the line of traffic and finally the colonization
of British Columbia was commenced in the valley of the Fraser.
Cariboo once discovered and its position ascertained,it
it was seen
that there was water carriage nearer at hand than that furnished
by the river at Yale. If a road could be made from the head of
North Bentinck Arm, or Bute Inlet, it appeared on the map that
the Cariboo traffic would take that direction and the cost of living
at the mines be possibly reduced, but the main incentive to exertion
was the fact that the communication with Cariboo would be diverted from
NewWestminster
Westminster, and Victoria would then become the only market for
the two Colonies. It is certainly far from my wish to cast blame
upon Mr Waddington for endeavouring to further his own interests
and those of his adopted town by a perfectly legitimate, if feasible
transaction. Mr Waddington having determined to enter on the
speculation, unfortunately for himself, selected Bute Inlet for
the commencement of his enterprise instead of Bentinck Arm.
3. Sir James Douglas, a perfectly competent judge of the
difficulty of the work Mr Waddington was about to undertake,
did what he could to dissuade him from proceeding. This is
abundantly shown by the papers I enclose. Seeing Mr Waddington
however intent on his purpose, my predecessor consented to the
work being undertaken, with the promise of certain privileges
being granted in the event of its reaching completion.
4. Mr
4. Mr Waddington, supported I believe by a Victoria Company,
commenced operations. At first his road party was well armed &
efforts were made to conciliate the Indians, but with each
succeeding spring the gang returned with greater confidence to
their work among the natives. They bartered away their arms to
the Chilicotens and at the same time kept them short of food.
5. We have an account publishedin
in a Victoria newspaper,
the "British Colonist" of the 10th May 1864, of the condition
of the Chilicoten Indians at Mr Waddington's Camp two days
before they massacred the white men. It is from Mr Whymper,
an artist who accompanied the expedition. He says "they (The
Chilicoten Indians) disputed with their wretched cayote dogs
anything we threw out of the house in the shape of bones, bacon
rind, tea leaves and other such like luxuries. Many of them
are howeverable
able and willing to pack." The Indians had fire
arms and ammunition. The white men possessed but one musket,
and this was borrowed by a Homathco on the evening preceding
the massacre and not restored. The road party slept while the
armed and starving Indians watched. Abundance of food lay within
reach of the latter. Its protectors were helpless. A range of
mountains almost inaccessible to Europeans would preclude pursuit,
should a force desire to avenge the fate of thosewho
who lay at
their mercy. It is no matter for astonishment that an attack was
made on the road party and nearly all of them murdered in their sleep.
in a Victoria newspaper,
the "British Colonist" of the 10th May 1864, of the condition
of the Chilicoten Indians at Mr Waddington's Camp two days
before they massacred the white men. It is from Mr Whymper,
an artist who accompanied the expedition. He says "they (The
Chilicoten Indians) disputed with their wretched cayote dogs
anything we threw out of the house in the shape of bones, bacon
rind, tea leaves and other such like luxuries. Many of them
are howeverable
able and willing to pack." The Indians had fire
arms and ammunition. The white men possessed but one musket,
and this was borrowed by a Homathco on the evening preceding
the massacre and not restored. The road party slept while the
armed and starving Indians watched. Abundance of food lay within
reach of the latter. Its protectors were helpless. A range of
mountains almost inaccessible to Europeans would preclude pursuit,
should a force desire to avenge the fate of thosewho
who lay at
their mercy. It is no matter for astonishment that an attack was
made on the road party and nearly all of them murdered in their sleep.
6. Mr Waddington alleges, that the Government was bound
to give him protection. He never asked for protection. Had
he made any claim of the kind the permission to engage in the
enterprise would have been refused him. Supposing we had sent
afew
few Constables, what could they have done? I know not under
what law they could have prevented the white men disarming
themselves. Had they interfered to urge the feeding of the
Indians I have no doubt that an immediate clamour for their
withdrawal would have been made. But this is scarcely to the
point. The Constables were not asked for and would not have
been given had they been asked for.
few Constables, what could they have done? I know not under
what law they could have prevented the white men disarming
themselves. Had they interfered to urge the feeding of the
Indians I have no doubt that an immediate clamour for their
withdrawal would have been made. But this is scarcely to the
point. The Constables were not asked for and would not have
been given had they been asked for.
7. In this vast territorywhite
white men have carried their
ventures over the whole coast and sometimes penetrated into the
interior. There is not a coasting trader who could not count
on his fingers, and require all of them in doing so, the number
of such adventurers who have been killed by the natives in my
predecessor's time without retribution following.
white men have carried their
ventures over the whole coast and sometimes penetrated into the
interior. There is not a coasting trader who could not count
on his fingers, and require all of them in doing so, the number
of such adventurers who have been killed by the natives in my
predecessor's time without retribution following.
8. But the Colony put forth its whole strength for onceto
to
avenge the fate of the road makers at Bute Inlet and the V.C.I.s
of the succeeding massacres, my despatches will have told you
with what signal success.
to
avenge the fate of the road makers at Bute Inlet and the V.C.I.s
of the succeeding massacres, my despatches will have told you
with what signal success.
9. I showed Mr Waddington's petition to Mr Brew, the Police
Magistrate of New Westminster, and I beg leave to enclose his
report. Mr Brew commanded the Volunteer Expedition from this
town and is as well acquainted with Indian affairs as anyone
one
in the Colony. I leave Mr Brew to deal with the earlier allegations
of the petition, but I support his assertion that Mr Waddington's
undertaking was not viewed favorably by my predecessor, by the
statements of Mr Crease and Mr Trutch, and by an official letter
from the Colonial Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Lands
and Works.
one
in the Colony. I leave Mr Brew to deal with the earlier allegations
of the petition, but I support his assertion that Mr Waddington's
undertaking was not viewed favorably by my predecessor, by the
statements of Mr Crease and Mr Trutch, and by an official letter
from the Colonial Secretary to the Chief Commissioner of Lands
and Works.
10. In regard to the general allegations respecting the
comparativemerit
merit of the Bute Inlet and Bentinck Arm lines, I
have simply to say, that the Volunteers turned back unable to
cross the mountains on the former line, who subsequently
penetrated by way of Bentinck Arm.
merit of the Bute Inlet and Bentinck Arm lines, I
have simply to say, that the Volunteers turned back unable to
cross the mountains on the former line, who subsequently
penetrated by way of Bentinck Arm.
11. Mr Waddington states that the Indian outbreak or
insurrection of last year originated in the Upper Chilicoten
Country. He knows this to be incorrect. The Massacre at Bute
Inlet took place on the 30th of April.The
The Murder of Manning
at Benshee about the middle of May. The slaughter of Macdonald
and some of his party at Sutless on the 31st of May. He says
that I acknowledged the successive massacres as an "insurrection."
I quote the words I used in the speech to which he alludes.
"Favored by impunity the assassins soon became promoted to the
dignity of insurgents by the adhesion of the whole Chilicoten
tribe from the summit of theCascade
Cascade Mountains to the Benches
of the Fraser." I enclose such parts of my address as referred
to the outbreak.
The Murder of Manning
at Benshee about the middle of May. The slaughter of Macdonald
and some of his party at Sutless on the 31st of May. He says
that I acknowledged the successive massacres as an "insurrection."
I quote the words I used in the speech to which he alludes.
"Favored by impunity the assassins soon became promoted to the
dignity of insurgents by the adhesion of the whole Chilicoten
tribe from the summit of theCascade
Cascade Mountains to the Benches
of the Fraser." I enclose such parts of my address as referred
to the outbreak.
12. The 7th paragraph complains of delay in receiving
answers to Mr Waddington's letters. He is however aware that
I could not answer them, inasmuch as at the time they were written
I was in the Chilicoten Country having our communications with
the settled portions of the Colony closed.
13. In
13. In the 10th paragraph however Mr Waddington reports
that he had to wait four months for a reply to a memorial addressed
to myself in Council. This is not candid. I entered very fully
into the whole question in the interview to which he refers. I
told him I was of opinion he had no claim, but that I would go
once more over the matter, if he petitioned me in Council. I
meant the Executive Council. I told Mr Waddington that the
decision of the ExecutiveCouncil
Council was unanimously against him,
but that I would give him a final chance with the Legislative
Council. When the Session commenced it occurred to me that I
had somewhat rashly pledged myself to bring a matter of purely
Executive Administration before a Legislative Body. I endeavoured
to get rid of the difficulty by asking the opinions in writing of
every member of the Legislature. They urged me, however to give
them an opportunity of expressingpublicly
publicly their views on the
subject. Hence my message. Mr Waddington knew all that was
passing in regard to the petition, and cannot justly complain
of not having his hopes crushed at once by a reply which must
have entailed a direct refusal. Every Member of the Legislature
publicly expressed his opinion that Mr Waddington had no claim
on the Government of this Colony. I did not use my influence
with any of them. I expressed an opinion, and thatI
I conceive
the present Constitution requires of me in a matter of importance
where I leave my public officers free to vote as they please. Mr
Waddington complains that his petition was not read in the Council.
I do not know what occurred but he is well aware that it had been
in the hands of every Member of Council before I sent it down
officially.
Council was unanimously against him,
but that I would give him a final chance with the Legislative
Council. When the Session commenced it occurred to me that I
had somewhat rashly pledged myself to bring a matter of purely
Executive Administration before a Legislative Body. I endeavoured
to get rid of the difficulty by asking the opinions in writing of
every member of the Legislature. They urged me, however to give
them an opportunity of expressingpublicly
publicly their views on the
subject. Hence my message. Mr Waddington knew all that was
passing in regard to the petition, and cannot justly complain
of not having his hopes crushed at once by a reply which must
have entailed a direct refusal. Every Member of the Legislature
publicly expressed his opinion that Mr Waddington had no claim
on the Government of this Colony. I did not use my influence
with any of them. I expressed an opinion, and thatI
I conceive
the present Constitution requires of me in a matter of importance
where I leave my public officers free to vote as they please. Mr
Waddington complains that his petition was not read in the Council.
I do not know what occurred but he is well aware that it had been
in the hands of every Member of Council before I sent it down
officially.
14. The 13th paragraph requires every indulgence. It states
thatthe
the Indian hostilities "continued unabated." There has not
been a crime of violence of any kind committed by a native on a
white man for upwards of a year. And how have the murderers or
insurgents fared? Eight were driven to surrender to Mr Cox. Two
committed suicide. One was shot by Macdonald. Two were recently
captured near Bella Coola. Six have died on the scaffold, and we
fear that many of the tribe have perished of starvation, theactive
active
pursuit of the Volunteers having prevented the native[s] from laying
in their usual supply of fish and berries for the winter. So far
from our efforts having failed, I have recently granted a free
pardon to one of the Chilicoten Murderers, being weary of taking
life and thinking that the consequences of the imprudence of Mr
Waddington's party have already caused but too much bloodshed and
suffering. The interpretation put upon my remarks respecting an Indianpolicy
policy so disingenuous that I explain matters merely by enclosing a statement of
what I said. Could Mr Waddington, in
his most excited moments imagine that I proposed to feed the
Chilicotens if they were still in Arms against the Government?
the Indian hostilities "continued unabated." There has not
been a crime of violence of any kind committed by a native on a
white man for upwards of a year. And how have the murderers or
insurgents fared? Eight were driven to surrender to Mr Cox. Two
committed suicide. One was shot by Macdonald. Two were recently
captured near Bella Coola. Six have died on the scaffold, and we
fear that many of the tribe have perished of starvation, theactive
active
pursuit of the Volunteers having prevented the native[s] from laying
in their usual supply of fish and berries for the winter. So far
from our efforts having failed, I have recently granted a free
pardon to one of the Chilicoten Murderers, being weary of taking
life and thinking that the consequences of the imprudence of Mr
Waddington's party have already caused but too much bloodshed and
suffering. The interpretation put upon my remarks respecting an Indianpolicy
policy so disingenuous that I explain matters merely by enclosing a statement of
what I said. Could Mr Waddington, in
his most excited moments imagine that I proposed to feed the
Chilicotens if they were still in Arms against the Government?
15. I have already stated that I sanctionedthe
the pardon
granted to , who was two hundred miles from the nearest
scene of massacre. The powerful , who according to
Mr Waddington would make the Country impracticable to White
men died yesterday at New Westminster upon the scaffold.
the pardon
granted to , who was two hundred miles from the nearest
scene of massacre. The powerful , who according to
Mr Waddington would make the Country impracticable to White
men died yesterday at New Westminster upon the scaffold.
16. To the remaining portion of Mr Waddington'spetition
petition
I will only say, that I see no reason why the Government should
compensate him for the consequences of his own reckless imprudence.
The work he has performed is utterly valueless to the Colony. If
the Government were to make a road from the sea board to Cariboo,
to the Northwardof
of the Fraser, it would be by Bentinck Arm, where
our Volunteers penetrated by an Indian trail, certainly not by
Bute Inlet where Mr Waddington's large expenditure left the
Country impracticable to the hardy Volunteers of New Westminster.
17. The failure
petition
I will only say, that I see no reason why the Government should
compensate him for the consequences of his own reckless imprudence.
The work he has performed is utterly valueless to the Colony. If
the Government were to make a road from the sea board to Cariboo,
to the Northwardof
of the Fraser, it would be by Bentinck Arm, where
our Volunteers penetrated by an Indian trail, certainly not by
Bute Inlet where Mr Waddington's large expenditure left the
Country impracticable to the hardy Volunteers of New Westminster.
17. The failure of Mr Brew's party to cross the Cascade
Mountains, and the light which his expedition has thrown upon the
whole question, have ruined the Bute Inlet speculation, not the
Indian massacres. A Road gang, using ordinary precautions, may
with perfect safety from Indian aggression resume work on the
abandoned trail, but capital will not again be deluded into
so hopeless an undertaking. When I speak in my message ofthe
the
loss to Mr Waddington by the massacre being problematical, it
is because I and every man of Mr Brew's party, are convinced
that the natural difficulties of the Country would never have
been surmounted with the means at Mr Waddington's disposal. The
failure must have come soon and the sooner the better for his pocket.
the
loss to Mr Waddington by the massacre being problematical, it
is because I and every man of Mr Brew's party, are convinced
that the natural difficulties of the Country would never have
been surmounted with the means at Mr Waddington's disposal. The
failure must have come soon and the sooner the better for his pocket.
18. An undertaking started in opposition to the wishes ofthe
the Government, grossly mismanaged, and utterly impracticable,
as far as we know, even in more skilful hands, has ended in
pecuniary embarrassment to one and in a violent death to thirty.
It would be more discrete, in my opinion, for Mr Waddington to
keep silence respecting the whole unfortunate affair.
the Government, grossly mismanaged, and utterly impracticable,
as far as we know, even in more skilful hands, has ended in
pecuniary embarrassment to one and in a violent death to thirty.
It would be more discrete, in my opinion, for Mr Waddington to
keep silence respecting the whole unfortunate affair.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
There is but one ansr to return to Mr Waddington's application—viz to say that it is impossible for Mr Cardwell, witht the full & unqualified concurrence of the Colonial Authorities, to sanction his resumption of an undertaking which has been the cause of so much bloodshed & expense.
There is but one ansr to return to Mr Waddington's application—viz to say that it is impossible for Mr Cardwell, witht the full & unqualified concurrence of the Colonial Authorities, to sanction his resumption of an undertaking which has been the cause of so much bloodshed & expense.
See 7324 V.C. Isld.
ABd
7 Sepr
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Petition, Alfred Waddington to Secretary of State, 29 May 1865.
asking that his losses on the road project be defrayed by the
government, with extended explanation.
Notes accompanying the petition as noted above, 29 May 1865,
further explaining various aspects of the project and subsequent
petition, signed by Waddington.
Newspaper extract,
Government Gazette, 4 March 1865, containing report from J.D.B.
Ogilvy, newly appointed Police and Customs Officer at Bentinck Arm,
describing the determination of the Indians to assist in the capture of
the remaining murderers of the road party.
Petition, Waddington to Seymour, 6 December 1864, asking for
compensation of his losses, with explanation. Transcribed Below.
H.P.P. Crease, Attorney General, to Seymour, 2 June 1865,
refuting the compensation claims forwarded by Waddington.
Memorandum of J.W. Trutch, 1 June 1865, advising both Douglas and
Moody had
tried to dissuade Waddington from commencing the project. Transcribed below.
W.A.G. Young, Colonial Secretary, to Chief Commissioner of
Lands and Works, 25 February 1863, advising that Waddington's charter
had been extended ten years in view of his difficulty in obtaining
capital, and commenting that Douglas felt the practical difficulties
would be equally difficult to surmount.
Newspaper clipping, unnamed, no date, containing extract of
address by Seymour noting that there may be a need to provide relief to
the starving members of the Chilcotin tribe who had had no time to
gather winter food in their flight from authority. Transcribed below.
Other documents included in the file
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Waddington obtained a reluctant permission in 1862 to
make this road. It seems to have been an agreement. If he
gets no protection from the Govt—which will certainly be
the case—he won't be able to go on with the road. But surely
in such case he ought to be released from his
agreement—which
he seems to say that he is not permitted to get out of.
agreement—which
he seems to say that he is not permitted to get out of.
At this distance, & in such great ignorance of local details
I think we cannot do otherwise than leave the decision of the
matter exclusively to the local Authorities—to whom it properly
belongs.
See 9137 from a Lawyer—Mr Churchill.
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
The undersigned Your petitioner has the honor most respectfully to submit to Your
Excellency and to his honorable Council: the he has been engaged for the last three years in
opening a Route from Bute Inlet to Cariboo, and that this great undertaking, which was destined to develop the interests of
the Colony, and has been carried on with the sanction and under the superintendence
of the Government, was suddenly put a stop to in April and May last, by a series of
Indian massacres, and the plunder of every thing belonging to the enterprise.
2. — That towards the end of 1861 there existed no Waggon road in British Columbia to the Northern Mines, and that the trails by the Fraser, which there formed the only means of communication, were so dangerous and tedious, as to elicit the loudest complaints on the part of
the whole Colony
3. — That in consequence of those reiterated complaints, your petitioner conceived
the plan of a shorter and better route by Bute Inlet, and instituted several exploring trips to that effect, the first results of which
he communicated to the Government, Sept. 9th. 1861.
4— That the protection and privileges which were promised him in answer to that communi-cation,
decided him to prosecute his researches, and led to the discovery of the Homathco
river and valley
valley, (see his letter of Nov. 8th. 1861,) and of the route through the Cascade Mountains to the agricultural plain beyond, the existence and great extent of which were then
almost known.
valley, (see his letter of Nov. 8th. 1861,) and of the route through the Cascade Mountains to the agricultural plain beyond, the existence and great extent of which were then
almost known.5. — That shortly after, a promise of Charter was granted to your petitioner and made
irredeemable by the Government, as a reward for these discoveries but that almost
immediately afterwards, the Board of Works, awakened by the circumstance, entered
into numerous contracts with private individuals for the speedy construction of a Waggon road by the Fraser, and that extraordinary facilities and assistance, were afforded for that purpose by large loans of money and otherwise. The result of which was, that your petitioner
had to change his whole plan of operations, and instead of a simple trail, to build, alone and unsupported, an expensive Waggon road also.
6. — That whereas it is a rule in new countries, to allow the necessary stores and
implements for the construction of railroads and other public works to be admitted
duty free, your petitioner was obliged, in spite of repeated remonstrances, and though
the possibility of trading with them was out of the question, to pay a large sum for
duties, for every article he employed.
7. — That even the very ground, which he had regularly and continuously occupied,
recorded, built upon and improved, at the Head of the Inlet, was taken from him by the Board of Lands and Works, (to be partially compensated
for hereafter), and three miles of the valley placed under reserve; thus hindering
the possibility of any settlement up to this day.
8. — That the Engineer employed to survey the route for a Waggon road, who had been
in the service of the government, and was considered duly qualified, had greatly underrated
or overlooked the difficulties of the only pass or defile which exists on the Bute Inlet Route, and that this difficulties were afterwards found by Your petitioner to be almost inseperable, and became a source of endless delays and expense.
9. — They were however at length overcome, and by keeping on the work all last winter,
the trail, which had now entered on the territory of the Upper Chilcoatens, who by the bye had received no compensation. (Your petitioner had given one two years before to Tellots’ tribe, for which he
was never reimbursed), was so far completed, that it would (above could) have been
open for the traffic of the season; when on the 30th of April the men were all murdered,
and this while enterprise annihilated by those very Upper Chilcoatens who had come down for the purpose.
10. — That your petitioner most respectfully but emphatically denies, that this Indian
Uprise can be attributed in any manner to the conduct of his men, who became the victims
of their unsuspecting confidence, and have since been exculpated from all blame by
the murderers themselves. And if, as is true, the first party were unarmed, it may
be answered, that the only two men who had loaded revolvers under their pillows, were
shot in their sleep like the rest.
11. — That your petitioner had an evident claim to the protection of the Government,
especially when contributing largely to its support, and whilst employed
employed under its sanction in a work of great public utility. — But in spite of your
petitioner’s observations, there was not even an Indian Agent in the whole country,
to put a stop to the numerous outrages which the native were elsewhere exposed to,
or to calm their just resentments; and the conse-quence is, that your petitioner has
been offered up as a sacrifice on the altar of Indian revenge.
employed under its sanction in a work of great public utility. — But in spite of your
petitioner’s observations, there was not even an Indian Agent in the whole country,
to put a stop to the numerous outrages which the native were elsewhere exposed to,
or to calm their just resentments; and the conse-quence is, that your petitioner has
been offered up as a sacrifice on the altar of Indian revenge.12. — That this catastrophe was the more untimely, because Your petitioner had just
taken every arrangement for raising the necessary capital for a Waggon road in England,
and in the mean while was empowered to levy a toll on the trail, prepa-ratory to the
Waggon road; whilst the trail by its comparative shortness, (215 miles to 363), its
moderate grades and other advantages, could have easily competed with the Government
Waggon road by the Fraser.
13. — For the other heavy losses which your petitioner has sustained, and which are
still going on, he begs to refer to his letter of 28th. May last, setting forth the distressing position in which he was then placed. Your Excellency
at that time trusted that the Indian troubles would soon be over, so as to be able
to resume operations; but though Your petitioner has patiently waited a whole season,
wasting his resources, and with ruin staring him in the face, the impediments which
then existed are at this moment as insurmountable as ever. It would be impossible
for him to continue the detached works which remain to be done, without risking the
lives of his man, and what is worse, of exposing the Colony to fresh disturbances;
and as to the formation of a company
company in England, the thing has become simply impossible.
company in England, the thing has become simply impossible.14. — Your petitioner therefore has no resource but to throw himself on the justice
and equity of Your Excellency and his honorable Council, and most respectfully request them to grant his present prayer for relief, and allow him to surrender his
Charter; renouncing all the advantages and profits for which he has so long labored,
waiving all compensation or claims for the time he has expended, and the risks and trouble which he has incurred
in an undertaking which has lasted upwards of three years, or for any other cause
whatsoever; and simply asking for the reimbursement of his outlay, in such time and
manner as may be most convenient.
Your Excellency and his honorable Council will listen favorably to the prayer of your
petitioner, nor would they suffer a man, who has employed his best energies during
so long a period, and invested his whole fortune in an undertaking, which when completed
will be the making of Cariboo, and change the face of the colony to lose everything by a catastrophe which was
entirely beyond his control: at the same time that the Colony, which has contributed
nothing — not even to the discovery or exploration of the route, — still less to the
security of the undertaking, but on the contrary has levied a tax upon it, would reap
the benefit of a foul massacre and an honest man’s ruin.
Your Excellency and his honorable Council will deal more justly with your petitioner,
who as duty bound will every pray.
Signed, Alfred Waddington
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
As to Sir James Douglas’ views regarding the Bute Inlet Road enterprise I can only state that he gave me to understand in course of general conversation
on more than one occasion that he had endeavoured to disuade Mr Waddington from the undertaking, but that Mr Waddington was so persistently bent on carrying out his idea of a direct road to Cariboo by way of Bute Inlet that he Sir James
James had reluctantly accorded him an agreement for a charter
James had reluctantly accorded him an agreement for a charterColonel Moody I know was strongly opposed to Mr Waddingtons undertaking and I find in the correspondence of the Land and Works Department several
urgent letters from him to the Colonial Secretary to that effect
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
Newspaper clipping, unnamed, no date, containing extract of
address by Seymour noting that there may be a need to provide relief to
the starving members of the Chilcotin tribe who had had no time to
gather winter food in their flight from authority.
You will have anticipated my explanation that the great outlay on unforeseen contingency
was caused by the suppression of the Chilicoten Insurrection of last summer. The expense
incurred in this way was about €16,000.
A party of road makers, well provided with food but unarmed, lay down to sleep among
a number of armed Indians, who were almost in a state of starvation. Let me do justice
to the dead. On the scaffold at Quesnelmouth it was stated that they gave no provocation. But so it was; Indians were suffering all the pangs of hunger, while the white men slept unarmed. An attack
was made on the sleepers at day break, and but three of them escaped. The Indians,
leaving the greater part of their booty behind them, on account of the difficult nature of the country, crossed the Cascade range. They appear to have received considerable reinforcements before they reached the house of a white Settler on Benshee Lake. He was soon dispatched, and the assassins, with continually swelling numbers, advanced
to meet a pack train with eight drivers approaching from Bentinck Arm. Three of these men were killed. Five, by an amount of dexterity and good fortune
which seems marvellous, managed to effect their escape. Favoured by impunity the assassins soon became promoted to the dignity
of insurgents, by the adhesion of the whole Chilicoten tribe from the summit of the Cascade Mountains to the benches of the Fraser.
The ruggedness of the Coast range, aided by the absence of all means of transport,
seemed to debar us from access to the Chilicoten Country from the Sea, but an expedition under a gentleman of great reputation for courage
and skill in dealing with the Native tribes of the Colony had left the Upper Fraser for the interior. The force of twenty-five men, suggested by my predecessor, had
become by circumstances so obviously insufficient, that the Commander in the exercise
of the wide discretion confided to him increased it to sixty-five. That number was
found in a log Fort on the summit of a hill near Benshee Lake, when joined on the 6th July by another party of 38 Volunteers from New Westminster, who had been conveyed by Admiral Kingcome to Bentinck Arm.
Though after a first brush with the Natives, the white flag floated over the Fort
from the 13th of June to the 7th July, no steps tending towards conciliation had been made by the Indians, and when the Northern Volunteers marched at day break,
on the 7th of July, towards the Bute Inlet Mountains they were still in doubt as to the reception they would meet with from
the Indians. It was one, I regret to say, of deadly hostility.
A scarcity of food reduced the New Westminster party to apparent inaction when left alone at Benshee, but the time was well spent in securing the confidence of the Eastern branch of
the Chilicoten Indians, whose Chief had taken no active steps in the extermination
of the whites. As women and children, and finally men, were allowed to leave the Volunteer
Camp unharmed, according to promise, the Chief was finally induced to present himself to the Governor on the 20th of July, the day on which the Alexandria Volunteers returned
to Benshee.
It is well known to you how the New Westminster party then ransacked the remotest recesses of the Bute Inlet Mountains; how the Indian Chiefs, harassed by the bands of Volunteers which had come
upon them from the opposite points of the compass, found themselves without food or
fire, reduced to the sole alternatives of suicide of surrender, 
It is my duty to speak with the utmost praise of the men who came forward, from Cariboo and New Westminster, to engage in a conflict formidable from the nature and extent of the Country over
which it raged, and one in which it appeared at one time as if famine were about to
fight on either side. I saw more of the party raised in this neighbourhood, and can confidently say that, strengthened as it was by a large and admirable Military
element, the force numerically small could scarcely have been surpassed in efficiency
and good con-duct in the Mother Country, or any one of Her Colonies. The Alexandria
Volunteers presented an equally fine and formidable appearance.
With the advice of the Executive Council, the Legislature not being in Session, I
have ordered certain testimonials of intrinsic value for presentation to Mr. Brew and Mr. Cox, the leaders of the respective expeditions, in acknowledgment of their valuable services.
I propose to lay before you, in January, Bills having the following objects in view:
—
1st. To amend the laws of bankruptcy and insolvency;
2nd. To amend those regulating the disposal of the Crown Lands;
3rd. To make waggons pay toll according to the amount of damage the insufficient width
of their tires is calculated to inflict upon the public roads;
4th. A Bill to remodel the Postal Service;
5th. A Bill to consolidate and amend the Mining laws;
6th. A Bill to amend the law of evidence, two Telegraph Bills, and others, perhaps,
of minor importance.
I trust, likewise, to be able to submit to you a Bill proposing to make important
changes in our fiscal arrangements, with a view to increase the commerce of the Colony.
The present state of our north-west coast shall receive my particular attention, and
the question of Education shall form the subject of a special message.
I shall suggest an alteration in the mode of keeping the public roads in repair. You
will find that the contracts entered into by my predecessor have caused an excess of expenditure over the Estimates of a sum exceeding €9,000
on this account.
I fear that I shall disappoint some persons when I state that I shall have no Bill
embodying an “Indian policy” to lay before you. The Government has its policy— always, we trust, just and firm, stern or merciful as occasion may
require. Last summer straining the resources of this young Colony to secure justice—
not vengeance; this winter to feed, if necessary some of those whom the energetic
pursuit of our Volunteers has reduced to starvation. If you can introduce any measure by which such principles of honesty
and honour can be implanted in the breast of all the white traders among the Indians,
the Bill shall have my most cordial approval.
You are probably aware that the House of Assembly of a neighbouring Colony has passed
certain resolutions in favor of a conditional union with British Columbia under one Governor. These resolutions shall be laid before you. Without entering into details it may perhaps be convenient that I should at once express my opinion
on the subject. I think it would be better for Imperial interests that Great Britain
should not be represen—