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ANGRY PASSIONS
THE opposition shown
by Sir Alexander Mackenzie and his Nor'-Wester friends in Britain to
Lord Selkirk's scheme, first in opposing it in the Court of
Adventurers of Hudson Bay and again in endeavouring to lead aside
colonists who had accepted Lord Selkirk's terms, was but a presage
of the attitude of the Canadian traders to the new settlers. True,
on the arrival of the colonists, a position of hostility was not
definitely taken by the Nor'-Westers, probably because the scheme
was so chimerical to them that they believed it would fail by its
own defects. However, the feeling of enmity early showed itself.
The half-breeds,
bois-brules, or Metis, as they are in different accounts called,
were chiefly allied to the Canadian traders, and they were inspired
with the thought that this settlement meant an invasion of their
territory and was an infringement of the Indian title, in which
through their mothers they had an interest.
The Indians were much
interested and even diverted by the newcomers. The thought of a
people not living by the chase, but hoping to gain a livelihood by
cultivating the soil seemed to them unique, and lacked the romance
of their wild and venturesome life. Observing the futile efforts of
the colonists to turn up the earth with no implement more effective
than the ordinary hoe and thus to attempt to grow wheat and oats,
the Indians were quick to take up the words by which the
French-Canadian half-breeds designated the colonists, jardiniers or
gardeners, and mangeurs de lard—pork eaters—the one nickname
signifying something like rustic or clodhopper to us, the other
greenhorn or bungler.
It is worthy of note
that even on the part of the Hudson's Bay Company's traders in the
country there was some feeling of jealousy towards the colonists.
Lord Selkirk had but lately bought stock in the company and was
regarded as an interloper, and the "old hands" in the country were
averse, to the new plans proposed.
As already mentioned,
the arrival of a second and then other contingents, sent out through
the energy of the founder, aroused on all hands a feeling of alarm,
and though the acres of Rupert's Land were wide, yet it must be
confessed that new settlers were very far from being acceptable,
much less popular, to the aborigines and mixed races among whom they
came.
The new colonists
being so ill-provided with the necessaries of life, and the bareness
of the country making it impossible to give them subsistence,
rendered the situation most difficult, and indeed alarming. The
founder's money was available for purchasing supplies, but there was
no store of supplies for purchase. The long and dreary winter on the
Great Lake so mournfully described in the sombre poem "Hiawatha,"
became more serious still on the borders of Lakes Winnipeg and
Manitoba.
The instinct of
self-preservation is one of the most imperious known to us. And so
it carne that during the second winter spent at Pembina by Miles
Macdonell and his hungry followers, when buffloes were scarce, the
snow deep, and the attitude of the half-breeds so distinctly
hostile, the governor bethought himself of some device by which he
might secure a more certain means of support for his discouraged
colonists. On reading over his instructions, based on the legal
opinion given on a former page of the right of Lord Selkirk to
exercise important powers in the country, Governor Macdonell
determined to take an effective step towards utilizing the resources
of the country. So in the very heart of the bitter and discouraging
winter, the governor issued a proclamation, dated January 8th, 1814,
in which the preamble runs: "Whereas the Right Honourable Thomas,
Earl of Selkirk, is anxious to provide for the families at present
forming settlements, etc., all traders and others within the
territory of the Hudson's Bay Company are forbidden to take
provisions from the territory without permission in the form of a
governor's license."
Now this proclamation
played a great part in the events of the subsequent three years, not
only in Red River Settlement but also throughout Rupert's Land.
No doubt under the
legal opinion in his hands the founder and his deputy were justified
in taking the step they did. At the same time it has been generally
considered all imprudent and unfortunate act. The Nor'-Westers were
the direct successors by blood, by colonial connection and sympathy,
of the old French voyagers who, three-quarters of a century before,
had first explored Lake Winnipeg, the Red and Assiniboine Rivers,
and the Saskatchewan up to the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. The
native people were born in the land which their Indian ancestors
claimed. The North-West Company had been in the district concerned a
generation before the Hudson's Bay Company. Taking all these things
into account, the proclamation was deemed a high-handed act which
really dispossessed the people, and struck a blow at the
high-spirited North-West Company, which in local resources was much
the strongest force in the country. Moreover, the law of embargo is
ever unpopular and distasteful, even when the legal authority to
issue it may be undoubted.
It is quite true that
the proclamation made provision for no monetary loss on the part of
any one whose goods might be seized for the use of the colony. The
document declared: "The provisions procured and raised as above
shall be taken for the use of the colony; and that no loss may
accrue to the parties concerned, they will be paid for by British
bills at the customary rates."
A chorus of dissents
and angry threats greeted the ill-starred proclamation. The
half-breeds, most of whom were trappers and accustomed to the free
life of the plains, were especially thrown into a ferment. That what
they considered a handful of foreigners should arrogantly curtail
their natural rights was a thing not to be borne. Their loud
protestations reached the ears of the governor, and their threats
not only to disregard the proclamation but even to meet it with
armed resistance roused the unfortunate governor to further action.
The calm judgment of later times looks at the small force at the
disposal of Governor Macdonell, and though not giving him credit for
much wisdom or caution, admires his pluck and decision.
His next step was to
direct his subordinate, Sheriff John Spencer, to proceed to Brandon
House, a Hudson's Bay Company's fort one hundred miles or more west
of the Red River, and situated on the bank of the Assiniboine, and
to seize provisions which had been collected at Souris River, the
North-West depot near the company's fort. Spencer seems to have had
a more vivid sense of the danger than his superior officer, and
would not go unless the governor would give him detailed
instructions as to how lie should proceed, and would guarantee him
against any subsequent damages. Governor Macdonell was something of
a martinet and did not hesitate a moment in authorizing extreme
steps to be taken.
Spencer executed his
mission promptly and efficiently. No armed resistance was offered by
the North-West Company's fort, and he seized six hundred bags of
pemmican (dried buffalo meat), each weighing eighty-five pounds. The
prize was placed under the care of the master of Brandon House, near
by.
West and east alike
were now aflame. The Nor'-Westers did not take immediate action.
Knowing that their annual gathering would take place in early summer
at Fort William, they held back until proper plans could be laid for
vindicating themselves, and making their reprisals with due
certainty. Simon McGillivray, one of the great Montreal chiefs of
the North-West Company, had declared his dictum two years before
this time: "Lord Selkirk must be driven to abandon his project, for
his success would strike at the very existence of our trade."
The council at Fort
William represented the full energy of the North-West Company, and
their leaders were astute, determined, and ingenious men. They sent
two of their most energetic traders, Duncan Cameron and Alexander
Macdonell—the one representing a conciliatory if somewhat deceptive
policy, the other being the apostle of force and violence if
necessary. Their choice showed the shrewd insight of the North-West
Company's officers.
Duncan Cameron
immediately began, on his return to Fort Gibraltar, his plan of oily
persuasion. Being a Highlander and speaking Gaelic, which gave him
instant entrance to the hearts of the colonists, he paid special
attention to the leaders of the people by inviting them to the fort
and entertaining them with true Highland hospitality. He further
assumed an authority and state that impressed the simple-minded
people with the glamour which the idea of chieftainship has for the
Highland mind. He had been a member of a border corps of volunteers
in Canada in 1812, and now had himself styled "Captain Commanding,
etc." The accuracy of this title has been questioned. He certainly
was dressed in a flaring red uniform which somewhat supported his
claim. During the winter following the meeting of the partners at
Fort William, Cameron organized his plan. He succeeded in gaining
the allegiance of three-quarters of the Selkirk colonists, and
awaited the opening of spring to carry out his full scheme.
The absence of
Governor Macdonell at Pembina gave the Nor'-Westers an opportunity
of advancing their interests at the Forks. Finding that a minority
of the colonists were loyal to Lord Selkirk and their engagements,
threats of violence were resorted to, and demand was made upon
Archibald Macdonald, who had charge of the company's stores as
vice-governor, to hand over the field-pieces belonging to the
colony. On this being resisted, the settlers who were prepared to
follow Cameron broke open the storehouses and removed nine guns to
Fort Gibraltar.
Governor Macdonell
soon after returned, and having been served with a notice to
surrender to the authorities represented by the Nor'-Westers,
refused to acknowledge it. In June, a fortnight after the arrival of
Alexander Macdonell, who represented the policy of violence of the
North-West traders, a body of armed men proceeded from Fort
Gibraltar and fired upon a number of the employes of the colony. In
order to avoid further irritation and prevent possible bloodshed,
Governor Miles Macdonell agreed to recognize the warrant issued for
his arrest and proceeded under arrest, to Montreal, but was never
brought to trial.
Cameron was now ready
to carry out his promise to the settlers who were disloyal to the
colony; and in June with the deserters departed on his long journey
to Upper Canada. Iii order to coerce the remainder, a notice, signed
by Cuthbert Grant, the young leader of the half-breeds, and three
others, was served upon the colonists: "All settlers to retire
immediately from the Red River, and no trace of a settlement to
remain." Naturally unwilling to give up their holdings and to return
to the inhospitable shores of Lake Winnipeg, the settlers did not
acquiesce.
At this time a fiery
Highlander, seemingly able to cope with either Cameron or Macdonell,
was in charge of the Hudson's Bay Company's affairs at the Forks.
This was John McLeod. He gathered the colonists together into the
group of buildings called the Colony Houses, and made his blacksmith
shop, a small erection of logs, into a temporary fort. He took a
small three or four pounder which was lying in the fort and brought
it to the smithy. Bringing along a supply of powder, and cutting up
a number of chains into short pieces the plucky Highlander awaited
the assault.
It was on the very
day of the serving of the order to the colonists to depart that a
great demonstration of hostility was made by Alexander Macdonell and
Cuthbert Grant, followed by some seventy or eighty armed men. In the
fashion of the country they drew themselves up on their Indian
ponies in battle array. The colonists and their leader stood their
ground, and opened fire upon the attacking party with their chain
shot, and scattered them.
McLeod in his journal
states that, "All the colonists' houses were, however, destroyed by
fire. Houseless, wounded, and in extreme distress, they took to the
boats, and saving what they could, started for Norway House (Jack
River), declaring they would never return."
After the departure
of the colonists the assailants for several days kept up attacks on
McLeod and his Hudson's Bay Company servants, but at length retired,
leaving the store of £800 to £1000 worth of valuable goods in the
hands of their rightful owners. McLeod and three men repaired his
buildings, and took steps to save the crops left behind by the
refugee settlers.
He also in the last
words of his diary makes an important announcement. "'That done I
took upon me, without order or suggestion from any quarter, to build
a house for the governor and his staff of the Hudson's Bay Company
at Red River. 'There was no such officer at that time, nor had there
ever been, but I was aware that such an appointment was
contemplated.
"I selected for this
purpose what I considered a suitable site at a point or sharp bend
in the Red River about two miles below the Assiniboine, on a slight
rise on the south side of the point—since known as Point Douglas,
the family name of the Earl of Selkirk. Possibly I so christened
it—I forget."
Diplomacy and force
combined seemed to have triumphed as embodied in the persons of
Cameron and Macdonell. The order, "No trace of a settlement to
remain," seems to have been a prophecy now fulfilled. Dark indeed
looked the future for the two score colonists left crouching on the
rocky shore at Jack River. |
