1	                    August 1993
     2	
     3	     Rights of the HalfBreeds to Hunt in the Hudson's Bay
     4	     Company's Territories
     5	                    ................edited by Marijan Salopek
     6	
     7	              =====================================
     8	Letter from James Sinclair et al. to Alex. Christie, Governor of
     9	Red River Settlement, 29 August 1845
    10	
    11	Sir,
    12	     Having at this present moment a strong belief, that we as
    13	natives of this Country, and as half-Breeds, have the rights, to
    14	hunt furs in the Hudson's Bay Company's Territories, wherever we
    15	think proper, and again, sell those furs to the highest bidder --
    16	likewise having a doubt, that, natives of this Country can be
    17	prevented from trading and trafficking with one another.-- We
    18	would wish to have your opinion on the subject, lest we should
    19	commit ourselves by doing anything in opposition either to the
    20	Laws of England or The Hudson's Bay Company's privileges, and
    21	therefore lay before you, as Governor of Red River Settlement, a
    22	few queries which we beg you will answer in course, and address
    23	your answer to Mr. James Sinclair.--
    24	     No. 1st  Has a Halfbreed, a Settler, the right to hunt furs
    25	in the Country?
    26	     2nd  Has a native of this Country/not an Indian/a right to
    27	hunt furs?
    28	     3rd  If a Halfbreed has the right to hunt furs, can he hire
    29	other half Breeds for the purpose of hunting furs?
    30	     4th  Can a halfbreed sell his furs to any person he pleases?
    31	     5th  Is a halfbreed obliged to sell his furs to the Hudson's
    32	Bay Company at whatever price the Company think proper to give
    33	him?
    34	     6th  Can a Halfbreed receive any furs as a present; from an
    35	Indian, a relation of his?
    36	     7th  Can a Halfbreed hire any of his Indian relations, to
    37	hunt furs for him?
    38	     8th  Can one HalfBreed trade furs from another HalfBreed in,
    39	or out of the Settlement?
    40	     9th  Can a halfBreed trade furs from an Indian in or out of
    41	the Settlement?
    42	     10th  With regard to trading or hunting furs have the
    43	HalfBreeds, or natives of European origin, any rights or
    44	privileges over Europeans?
    45	     11th  A Settler, having purchased Lands from Lord Selkirk,
    46	or even from the Hudson's Bay Company, without conditions
    47	attached to them, or without having signed any bond, deed or
    48	instrument whereby he might have willed away his right to trade
    49	furs, can he be prevented from trading furs in the Settlement
    50	with Settlers or even out of the Settlement?
    51	     12th  Are the limits of the Settlement defined by the
    52	municipal law, Selkirk grant, or Indian Sale?
    53	     13th  If a person cannot trade furs either in, or out of the
    54	Settlement, can he purchase them for his own family use and in
    55	what quantity?
    56	     14th  Having never seen any official statements nor known
    57	but one report that the Hudson's Bay Company has peculiar
    58	privileges over the British subjects, natives and HalfBreeds,
    59	resident in the Settlement, we would wish to know, what these
    60	privileges are and the penalties attached the infringement of the
    61	same?
    62	     We remain your most obedt Servants,
    63	signed
    64	
    65	James Sinclair           Peter Garriock
    66	Bapti Larocque           Jack Spence
    67	Thomas Logan             Alexis Goulait
    68	Pierre Leverdure         Antoine Morin
    69	Joseph Monkman           Willm McMillan
    70	Bapti Wilkie             Louis LeTendre
    71	Bapti Fanian             Robert Mountour
    72	Edward Harmon            Jack Anderson
    73	John Dease               James Monkman
    74	Henry Cook               Antoine Desjarlois Lent
    75	Willm Bird               Thomas McDermot
    76	John Vincent