Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Colvile, Andrew Wedderburn to Pelham-Clinton, Henry Pelham Fiennes 8 November 1853, CO 305:4, no. 10908, 278.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (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.
Andrew Colvile writes to Newcastle to acknowledge a previous letter, sent from Merivale to Barclay, that discussed freedom of trade, with everything but
spirituous liquors,on Vancouver Island. To this end, Colvile reports that the HBC does not exercise or claim the right to exclusive trade with Aboriginal people, and adds that any further Government declaration on trade would drive such commerce to the
Country on the Continent.Colvile argues that for the settlers and Aboriginal populations the only
permanently usefulemployment would be in hiring Aboriginal labour in forestry, farming, and fishing.
The minutes agree to wait for the arrival of Douglas’s answer to previous despatches on the subject, before responding to
this declaration on the part of the Hudson's Bay Comp[any].
Colvile to Newcastle
Hudson's Bay House
November 8th 1853
My Lord Duke,
I have the honour to acknowledge Mr Merivale's letter of the
27th Ultimo addressed to Mr Barclay Secretary of the Hudson's Bay
Company stating that Her Majesty's Government have under their
consideration the propriety of authorizing freedom of trade within the
settled parts of Vancouver's Island, subject to restrictions as to the
sale of spirituous liquors, and that your Grace will be happy to receive
such observations as the Hudson's Bay Company may think proper to submit
to you upon this subject.
In reply to which, I have to observe, that the Company does not
claim the right to, and has notexercised
exercised any exclusive dealings with
the Indians of Vancouver's Island since it became a Colony, neither has
there been any restriction on the freedom of trade as regards the
Indians or any other parties.
exercised any exclusive dealings with
the Indians of Vancouver's Island since it became a Colony, neither has
there been any restriction on the freedom of trade as regards the
Indians or any other parties.
This state of matters is so well known in the Island that any
further declaration or proceeding of Her Majesty's Government would
appear to be unnecessary, and if such were to be made, it might be
construed to be something in addition to what already exists, and lead
to employing the Indians to carry on traffic with the Country on the
Continent, contrary to the rights of the Company under their License of
Trade.
The only way in which traffic with the Indians can be really and
permanently useful to the Settlers, and at the same time beneficial to
the Indiansis
is by the employment of Indian labour in cutting down wood
to clear the Country, in the cultivation of the soil, and in fishing; a
course to which it has been the policy of the Company to give every
encouragement.
is by the employment of Indian labour in cutting down wood
to clear the Country, in the cultivation of the soil, and in fishing; a
course to which it has been the policy of the Company to give every
encouragement.
Having submitted these observations, I have only to add that the
Company will not object to any course which your Grace may consider
proper to direct, having due regard to their rights under the License of
Trade.
His Grace The Duke of Newcastle
&c &c &c
&c &c &c
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
If this declaration on the part of the Hudson's Bay Compy is deemed satisfactory it would appear unnecessary to move further in the matter till we receive an answer to the Despatch N 12 of 22 Octr addressed to the Govr of Van Couver's Island?
If this declaration on the part of the Hudson's Bay Compy is deemed satisfactory it would appear unnecessary to move further in the matter till we receive an answer to the Despatch N 12 of 22 Octr addressed to the Govr of Van Couver's Island?
VJ
10 Nov