Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Shepherd, Captain, HBC Governor John to Labouchere, Henry 28 December 1857, CO 305:8, no. 11679, 348.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (2), Enclosures (untranscribed) (3), Other documents (1).
Shepherd forwards to Labouchere correspondence between Douglas and the Acting Governor of Washington Territory on the subject of Isaac Ebey’s murder.
The minutes acknowledge receipt and the fact that Douglas had already provided them with said enclosures.
Enclosed is three documents concerning the murder of Ebey.
Shepherd to Labouchere
Hudsons Bay House
December 28th 1857
Sir,
I have the honour to Enclose for your information copy of a
correspondence between Governor Douglas and the Acting Governor of
Washington Territory United States on the subject of the murder of Colonel Ebey by some Northern Indians.
There appears to be some doubt whether this murder was committed by
Indians inhabiting Her Majesty's Territories, or those belonging to
Russia, [Marginal note: The Govr stated this. VJ] but I may remark
that a copy of Mr Elliots letter of the 9th November was
immediately forwarded to Mr Douglas, and the Governor & Committee
then expressed their deep regret at this unfortunate occurrence, anddirected
directed Mr Douglas's particular attention to the wish of Her Majesty's Government that he should use
every effort to discover and punish the offenders.
directed Mr Douglas's particular attention to the wish of Her Majesty's Government that he should use
every effort to discover and punish the offenders.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Merivale
We have already received the enclosures in this letter thru' the Govr—& they are now being copied for the Foreign Office. Acknowledge?
We have already received the enclosures in this letter thru' the Govr—& they are now being copied for the Foreign Office. Acknowledge?
VJ
29 Decr
Annex dt.
HM
D 29
Other documents included in the file
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
1. Acting Governor C.H. Mason, Washington Territory, to Douglas, 26
August 1857, enclosing minutes of a public meeting at Port Townsend and asking Douglas to use his best efforts to procure the murderer of I.N.
Ebey and his great influence "to prevent these merciless savages from
entering the jurisdiction of the United States.
1.1 Minutes of a Public Meeting held at Port Townsend 15 August
1857, to consider the measures for their safety and means of apprehending
the murderers of Ebey, at which it was agreed to hold ten native
prisoners hostage and resolved "to shoot or execute all Northern Indians
found in our waters."
2. Douglas to Governor McMullen, 9 October 1857, stating "it may not be in my power" to procure the arrest of Ebey's murderer "nor prevent the annual migration of the Northern Indians" into American
territory,
but that he would try to "induce them to suspend their visits to the
white settlements and to remain quietly in their own country."