Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Seymour, Frederick to Grenville, Richard 24 January 1868, CO 60:32, no. 2668, 8.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (2).
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.
Seymour forwards a report regarding
disturbancesin Alaska
between the new proprietors of the land, [the American authorities] and the Indians.Seymour also forwards
an extractfrom Scott’s report to provide an explanation as to why the local indigenous peoples used a British flag in their action against US control. Rogers’s minutes discuss why British colonial rule could not provide greater benefits to Indigenous peoples in Alaska compared to American rule.
Private
New Westminster
24th January 1868
My Lord Duke,
With reference to my Private despatch of the 26th
of June 1867, in which I report on the state of things then
existing along our North West Coast and the territorynow
now called
Alaska, I have the honor to forward a report of certain
disturbances which have occurred at Sitka. Your Grace will
recollect that I foretold an early collision between the new
proprietors of the land and the Indians. I need hardly say that
I regret that the natives should have used the English Flag as a
sign of their opposition to the American Authorities. If our
Flag is so attractiveeven
even beyond our frontier, to the Indians,
the reasons may perhaps be found in the extract I enclose of
Colonel Scott's report to his superior officer.
now called
Alaska, I have the honor to forward a report of certain
disturbances which have occurred at Sitka. Your Grace will
recollect that I foretold an early collision between the new
proprietors of the land and the Indians. I need hardly say that
I regret that the natives should have used the English Flag as a
sign of their opposition to the American Authorities. If our
Flag is so attractiveeven
even beyond our frontier, to the Indians,
the reasons may perhaps be found in the extract I enclose of
Colonel Scott's report to his superior officer.
Minutes by CO staff
Put by.
I am afraid that the bright picture of British policy drawn by
Capt Scott as shewn in the "Alta California"
will not long apply. Such things may happen under the rule of a
Company but can hardly last long I am afraid under rule of a
Colonial Govt.
Because a Colonial Govt
cannot permanently control a free Anglo Saxon population,
without a degree of support from Home, wh England will no
longer afford—hardly with that support. And Anglo Saxon
settlers uncontrolled by Govt
have too little patience with savages not to involve themselves,
when they are strong enough in bitter & bloody quarrels—wh
eventually ends in the extermination of the natives when they
are weak enough to be exterminated.
Also because nothing (as I believe) but a close system
impracticable in such a really free country will keep out spirits.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Newspaper clipping
British Colonist, 4 January 1868, "Later from Alaska,"
describing incident noted in despatch.
Newspaper clipping,
San Francisco Alta California, 31 December 1867,
reporting favourably upon British Indian policy on the northwest coast.