1August 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