Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch from London
Carnarvon, Earl to Seymour, Frederick 16 February 1867, NAC RG7:G8C/14, 71.
Abstract
Despatch from London.
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.
Carnarvon supports the actions of the Hudson’s Bay Company traders in denouncing the
illicit trade in liquorand for not acting to punish other traders for illicit actions. To stop the trade of alcohol to Indigenous peoples on Vancouver Island, Carnarvon recommends extending the trading laws of British Columbia to Vancouver Island in a manner that avoids
raising any jealousies or alarmsbetween the two, formerly separate, parts of the united colony.
No. 16
Downing Street
16 February 1867
Sir,
I have had under my consideration a Despatch from Acting Governor
Birch, No. 63 of the 8th of October last, relative to the traffic in
Spirits with Indians.
I see no reason to complain of the Servants of the Hudson's Bay
Company for having drawn attentionto
to this subject. If they saw
an injurious illicit trade in liquor, they were right to denounce it to
the Government.
to this subject. If they saw
an injurious illicit trade in liquor, they were right to denounce it to
the Government.
As to their declining to undertake the Office of detecting and
punishing illicit Traders, in fact to discharge the function of Custom
House Officers, it must be remembered that the Company are no longer
rulers or a political body, but only commercial. There is hardly reason
to complain of Traders declining to accept the questionable business ofjudging
judging and punishing rival Traders.
judging and punishing rival Traders.
I gather from Mr. Birch's Despatch that there are in British
Columbia effectual Laws against the illegal Spirit trade which do not
exist in Vancouver Island. This distinction will not, I apprehend, be
removed by the Union Act, since the 5th Section keeps in force the
separate Laws of each place until otherwise provided, with the single
exception of the Laws relative to the Revenueof
of Customs. I by no means
wish you to act precipitately in seeking an extension of any of the
British Columbia Laws to Vancouver Island, as it will be advisable that
you should avoid raising any jealousies or alarms on that point, and
should aim at bringing about gradually and with the assent of public
opinion such assimilation of the Laws as may be desirable. But if it be
the fact that there are enactmentsin
in British Columbia which are wanting
in Vancouver Island, proved by experience to act as a useful check on the
injurious and demoralizing traffic with the Natives in Spirits, it will
be very proper that you should take any favorable opportunity of
endeavouring to procure an extension of those salutary Laws to the whole
of the United Colony.
of Customs. I by no means
wish you to act precipitately in seeking an extension of any of the
British Columbia Laws to Vancouver Island, as it will be advisable that
you should avoid raising any jealousies or alarms on that point, and
should aim at bringing about gradually and with the assent of public
opinion such assimilation of the Laws as may be desirable. But if it be
the fact that there are enactmentsin
in British Columbia which are wanting
in Vancouver Island, proved by experience to act as a useful check on the
injurious and demoralizing traffic with the Natives in Spirits, it will
be very proper that you should take any favorable opportunity of
endeavouring to procure an extension of those salutary Laws to the whole
of the United Colony.