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56 T H R O U G H T H E M A C K E N Z I E B A S IN
M r . L a i r d then rose, and having u n r o l l e d his Commission,
and that of his colleagues, f r om the Queen, proceeded
w i t h his proposals. He spoke as follows:
" R e d B r o t h e r s ! we have come here to- day, sent by the
Great Mother to treat w i t h you, and this is the paper she
has given to us, and is her Commission to us signed w i th
her Seal, to show we have authority to treat w i t h you. The
other Commissioners, who are associated w i t h me, and who
are s i t t i n g here, are M r . M c K e n n a and M r . Ross and the
Rev. Father Lacombe, who is w i t h us to act as counsellor
and adviser. I have to say, on behalf of the Queen and
the Government of Canada, that we have come to make y ou
an offer. We have made treaties i n former years w i t h a ll
the I n d i a n s of the p r a i r i e , and f r om there to L a k e Superior.
As white people are coming into your country, we have
thought it well to t e l l you what is required of you. The
Queen wants all the whites, half- breeds and Indians to be
at peace w i t h one another, and to shake hands when they
meet. The Queen's laws must be obeyed all over the
country, both by the whites and the Indians. It is not
alone that we wish to prevent Indians f r om molesting the
whites, it is also to prevent the whites f r om molesting or
doing h a rm to the Indians. The Queen's soldiers are just
as much for the protection of the Indians as for the white
man. The Commissioners made an appointment to meet
you at a certain time, but on account of bad weather on r i v er
and lake, we are late, w h i c h we are sorry for, but are glad
to meet so many of y o u here to- day.
" We understand stories have been t o l d you, that i f y ou
made a treaty w i t h us y o u w o u l d become servants and slaves;
but we w i s h you to understand that such is not the case, but
that y o u w i l l be just as free after s i g n i n g a t r e a ty as y o u are
now. The treaty is a free offer; take i t or not, just as you
please. I f you' refuse i t there is no h a rm done; we w i l l not
be bad friends on that account. One t h i n g Indians must
understand, that i f they do not make a treaty they must
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| Title | Page 64 |
| OCR | 56 T H R O U G H T H E M A C K E N Z I E B A S IN M r . L a i r d then rose, and having u n r o l l e d his Commission, and that of his colleagues, f r om the Queen, proceeded w i t h his proposals. He spoke as follows: " R e d B r o t h e r s ! we have come here to- day, sent by the Great Mother to treat w i t h you, and this is the paper she has given to us, and is her Commission to us signed w i th her Seal, to show we have authority to treat w i t h you. The other Commissioners, who are associated w i t h me, and who are s i t t i n g here, are M r . M c K e n n a and M r . Ross and the Rev. Father Lacombe, who is w i t h us to act as counsellor and adviser. I have to say, on behalf of the Queen and the Government of Canada, that we have come to make y ou an offer. We have made treaties i n former years w i t h a ll the I n d i a n s of the p r a i r i e , and f r om there to L a k e Superior. As white people are coming into your country, we have thought it well to t e l l you what is required of you. The Queen wants all the whites, half- breeds and Indians to be at peace w i t h one another, and to shake hands when they meet. The Queen's laws must be obeyed all over the country, both by the whites and the Indians. It is not alone that we wish to prevent Indians f r om molesting the whites, it is also to prevent the whites f r om molesting or doing h a rm to the Indians. The Queen's soldiers are just as much for the protection of the Indians as for the white man. The Commissioners made an appointment to meet you at a certain time, but on account of bad weather on r i v er and lake, we are late, w h i c h we are sorry for, but are glad to meet so many of y o u here to- day. " We understand stories have been t o l d you, that i f y ou made a treaty w i t h us y o u w o u l d become servants and slaves; but we w i s h you to understand that such is not the case, but that y o u w i l l be just as free after s i g n i n g a t r e a ty as y o u are now. The treaty is a free offer; take i t or not, just as you please. I f you' refuse i t there is no h a rm done; we w i l l not be bad friends on that account. One t h i n g Indians must understand, that i f they do not make a treaty they must |
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