No. 369.
Sir Edward
Thornton to Mr. Blaine.
Washington, June 6, 1881.
(Received June 7.)
Sir: With reference to your note of the 26th
ultimo, and previous notes, relating to incursions, made into territory
of the United States by British Indians from Canada, I have now the
honor to transmit herewith copy of a dispatch, and of its inclosure,
which I have received from the governor-general of Canada, from which it
will be seen that the Government of the Dominion is desirous of
obtaining all the information which can be furnished by the officers of
the United States calculated to lead to the identification and
conviction of the Indians who have been guilty of the outrages set forth
in your notes.
I shall therefore be glad if you will enable me to comply with the wishes
of the Canadian Government, and I am at the same time requested to
assure the Government of the United States of the desire of that of the
Dominion to co-operate, on its side of the boundary, in every way in its
power for the purpose of maintaining order and peace amongst the Indian
tribes, and preventing predatory incursions on either side of the
border.
I have, &c.,
[Page 592]
[Inclosure.]
Lord Lorne to
Sir Edward Thornton.
Sir: I submitted for the consideration of
my government copies of your dispatches relative to the alleged
predatory incursion of British Indians into the territory of the
United States, and I have now the honor of forwarding a copy of an
approved report of a committee of the privy council, which contains
their views on the subject, and requesting that the American
authorities may be moved to furnish, as far as possible, the
information referred to, with the view to joint action for the
maintenance of peace and order amongst the Indian tribes on the
frontier.
I have, &c.,
Copy of a report of a committee of the honorable
the privy council approved, by his excellency the
governor-general June 3, 1881.
The committee of the privy council have had under consideration the
dispatches of Her Majesty’s minister plenipotentiary at Washington
to his excellency the governor-general, on the subject of the
predatory incursions (as is alleged) of British Indians into the
territory of the United States.
The Canadian Government is sensible of the great importance of
preventing incursions (as far as is possible) across the
international boundary line of Indians from either side. Canada has
long suffered great inconvenience and has been forced into large
expenditure from the unwelcome presence of Sioux and other American
Indians who have intruded themselves into the Canadian Northwest,
and therefore will willingly join the Government of the United
States in some concerted plan of action to prevent the recurrence
(as far as possible) of such migrations.
With regard to the present representations of the predatory
incursions of certain Canadian Blackfeet, Cree, and other Indians
across the border, and of their stealing and killing the cattle of
the American settlers, the Canadian Government will take immediate
steps to warn these Indians, and will enforce order on the Canadian
side of the border; and, with a view of punishing Indians who have
been guilty of the outrages mentioned in the dispatches under
consideration, the Canadian Government will be glad to be put in
possession of all information which can be furnished by the officers
of the United States calculated to lead to the identification and
conviction of those Indians.
The committee humbly advise your excellency that Her Majesty’s
minister at Washington be moved to request the Government of the
United States to furnish, as far as may be in their power, the
information referred to, and that he be requested to assure that
government of the desire of the Canadian Government to co-operate,
on their side of the boundary, in every way in their power, for the
purpose of maintaining order and peace amongst the Indian tribes,
and preventing predatory incursions on either side of the
border.
All of which is humbly submitted for your excellency’s approval.
A. CAMPBELL,
Senior
Councillor.
Ottawa, June 2,
1881.
