<persName ref="prs:shepherd"><surname>Shepherd</surname>,<!--<roleName>HBC Governor</roleName>--><!-- GL, Not sure if HBC Gov role is really needed, it is explained in the bio and I don't think other HBC governors have the roleName --><forename>John</forename></persName> to <persName ref="prs:labouchere_h"><surname>Labouchere</surname>, <forename>Henry</forename></persName> 8 May 1856, CO 305:7, no. 4154, 333. Shepherd addressee Labouchere

Published by Jim Hendrickson and the University of Victoria.

Shepherd,John to Labouchere, Henry 8 May 1856, CO 305:7, no. 4154, 333.The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.6, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/V565MI13.html. CO 305:07 CO 305 7 4154 333 V.I. 1856 registered 9 May co_305_07_00335r.jpg Transcribed from microfilm archives, marked up in Waterloo Script, then transformed into TEI P5 XML.

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Public Offices document. Minutes (8), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).

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.

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,John
Hudson's Bay House London
Labouchere, Henry Inserted revisionDesc with @status="unproofed". Changed idno @type="received" into a date element. Gave existing date an @type="sent" and reordered bibl contents.
Shepherd to Labouchere 4154, CO 305/7, p. 333; registered 9 May
Hudson's Bay House London
8th May 1856 Sir

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 comecome 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.

I have the honor to be Sir Your most obedient Servant John Shepherd GovrGovernor The Right HonbleHonourable H. Labouchere &c &c &c Colonial office
Mr Merivale Forward copy to the F.O. ABd 9 May HM My 10
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. JB 10 May
Mr Merivale 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.

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.

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 shdshould 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 wdwould 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 Recycompany 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 shdshould be resumed by the American GovtGovernment.

JB 20 May
Very well. HL 23
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.
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.
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. ABd
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. HM