Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Shepherd, Captain, HBC Governor John to Labouchere, Henry 8 May 1856, CO 305:7, no. 4154, 333.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (8), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).
Shepherd writes to Labouchere to reject the inclusion of northwestern North America “beyond the limits of the Colony
of Vancouver's Island” in “the proposed Reciprocity Treaty.”
Merivale, Labouchere, and Ball discuss their official opinions of the contents of letter. They consider the validity
of the decision to not include northwestern North America in the reciprocity treaty,
and whether they should support it.
File contains a letter extract from a letter between Simpson to Shepherd, “making a strong case against extending the Reciprocity Treaty to the Northwest
Coast” and a draft from Merivale to Hammond, containing copies of the letter and “suggesting that negotiations on the subject
of reciprocity be not renewed.”
Shepherd to Labouchere
With reference to my letter of the 15th Ultimo, I have now the
honor to enclose for your information, Extract of a letter received from
Sir George Simpson, under date Lachine, 11th April 1856, relative to
the proposed Reciprocity Treaty between Her Majesty's Government and
that of the United States on the North West Coast of America.
From the long experience which Sir George Simpson has had in all
matters connected with the native Tribes of America, and from his
personal knowledge of the locality to which it is proposed to extend the
Treaty, the Directors of the Hudson's Bay Company deem his opinion
deserving of much consideration, and they have come
come to the conclusion
that, so far as the interests of the Hudson's Bay Company, and, I may
add, of the native Tribes on the North West Coast, are concerned, it is
not desirable that the provisions of the Treaty should be extended
beyond the limits of the Colony of Vancouver's Island.
come to the conclusion
that, so far as the interests of the Hudson's Bay Company, and, I may
add, of the native Tribes on the North West Coast, are concerned, it is
not desirable that the provisions of the Treaty should be extended
beyond the limits of the Colony of Vancouver's Island.
Should the counter proposition alluded to in Mr Cramptons Despatch of the 18th February be made by the Government of the United
States, I respectfully beg, on the part of the Hudson's Bay Company,
that the same be not allowed by Her Majesty's Government.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Labouchere
I think it is for this departt to express an opinion & before I do so myself I think Mr Merivale would like to consider this more fully.
I think it is for this departt to express an opinion & before I do so myself I think Mr Merivale would like to consider this more fully.
JB
10 May
Mr Merivale
I think we shd express an opinion. Pray let me speak to you about it.
I think we shd express an opinion. Pray let me speak to you about it.
HL
12 M
Mr Labouchere
I think it very difficult to express any official opinion on this subject. Sir G. Simpson reports entirely against an extension of the Reciprocity Treaty to Vanc. Id. His reason as a servant of the HBC is a very obvious one—he wants to keep out American vessels from the coast as long as he can and as far as he can, lest they should interfere with the fur trade. He thinks "reciprocity" would be a pretext. This, alone, is no reason at all for H.M's. Government: who when they made Vanc. I. a colony, pledged themselves in my opinion to govern it without any reference to the special interests of that Company, & simply for the good of the inhabitants.
I think it very difficult to express any official opinion on this subject. Sir G. Simpson reports entirely against an extension of the Reciprocity Treaty to Vanc. Id. His reason as a servant of the HBC is a very obvious one—he wants to keep out American vessels from the coast as long as he can and as far as he can, lest they should interfere with the fur trade. He thinks "reciprocity" would be a pretext. This, alone, is no reason at all for H.M's. Government: who when they made Vanc. I. a colony, pledged themselves in my opinion to govern it without any reference to the special interests of that Company, & simply for the good of the inhabitants.
But on the other hand, we must
remember the real difficulty in
carrying on the government of the island at all against the
resolutions of the H.B.C. & their servants, considering that they find
all the expense, the Governor, & almost the whole population: and,
further, the very critical position of the whole Indian frontier on the
N. West at this moment. On the whole, unless there is strong pressure
from the American side, I am inclined to believe this question best
adjourned, for the sake of all parties, until the general revision of
the Company's rights which must take place in 1859.
remember the real difficulty in
carrying on the government of the island at all against the
resolutions of the H.B.C. & their servants, considering that they find
all the expense, the Governor, & almost the whole population: and,
further, the very critical position of the whole Indian frontier on the
N. West at this moment. On the whole, unless there is strong pressure
from the American side, I am inclined to believe this question best
adjourned, for the sake of all parties, until the general revision of
the Company's rights which must take place in 1859.
HM
My 16
Mr Labouchere
It is true that some of Sir G. Simpson's arguments go to resist the extension of the Recipy Treaty to Vancouver's Island but as I understand the correspondence the point which has been considered doubtful & to
which Sir G. Simpson's observations directly apply is as
to the answer which shd be given to Mr Crampton's despatch of 18
Feby last wherein the question is raised whether the Recipy Treaty
should be extended not only to Vancouver's Island but also to the
possessions on the mainland of [the] N.W. Coast of America & to Q.
Charlotte's Island.
It is true that some of Sir G. Simpson's arguments go to resist the extension of the Recipy Treaty to Vancouver's Island but as I understand the correspondence the point which has been considered doubtful & to
which Sir G. Simpson's observations directly apply is as
to the answer which shd be given to Mr Crampton's despatch of 18
Feby last wherein the question is raised whether the Recipy Treaty
should be extended not only to Vancouver's Island but also to the
possessions on the mainland of [the] N.W. Coast of America & to Q.
Charlotte's Island.
The Directors of the H.B. Compy in their letter to Ld
Clarendon so lately as 13th March last wrote decidedly in favor of
the extension of the Treaty to V. Island & I am not aware that they have
ever expressed any other opinion.
On the whole I am much disposed to agree with Sir G. Simpson in his
objections to giving the Americans a footing on the N.W. Coast chiefly
because I think that there as well as elsewhere they wd get into
collision with the Natives.
On the whole I should be disposed to inform Ld Clarendon that
you think that the objections stated by Sir G. Simpson to the extension
of the Recy Treaty to the N.W. Coast possessions are entitled to
much weight—and that with regard to the original proposition which was
limited to Vancouver's Island, there seems to be no pressing need for
any alteration in the relations between the Colony & the United St. &
there may be reasons at the present moment for abstaining from any
renewal of negotiations unless they shd be resumed by the American
Govt.
JB
20 May
Very well.
HL
23
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Extract, Sir George Simpson to Shepherd, 11 April 1856, making a
strong case against extending the Reciprocity Treaty to the Northwest
Coast but making no specific reference to Vancouver Island.
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Merivale to E. Hammond, Foreign Office, 31 May 1856,
transmitting copies of the letter and enclosure and suggesting that
negotiations on the subject of reciprocity be not renewed at present.
Minutes by CO staff
It will be necessary to tell the Governor, who was very desirous of
the Extension of the Treaty to V.C.Isd, that the scheme is, for the present at least, abandoned.
the Extension of the Treaty to V.C.Isd, that the scheme is, for the present at least, abandoned.
Yes, it is singular however that Sir G. Simpson's objections, in
the interest of the Company, should not equally have struck Mr Douglas, who is their servant.
the interest of the Company, should not equally have struck Mr Douglas, who is their servant.