materially enhanced by the formation therein of political institutions bearing analogy, as far as circumstances will admit, to those which exist in the several Provinces of this Dominion; That the 146th section of the British North American Act of 1867 provides for the admission of Rupert's Land and the North Western Territory, or either of then, into union with Canada, upon the terms and conditions to be expressed in Addresses from the Houses of Parliament of this Dominion to your Majesty, and which shall be approved of by your Majesty in Council; That we do therefore most humbly pray that your Majesty will be graciously pleased, by and with the advice of your Most Honourable Privy Council, to unite Rupert's Land and the North Western Territory with this Dominion, and to grant to the Parliament of Canada authority to legislate for their future welfare and good government; and we most humbly beg to express to your Majesty that we are willing to assume the duties and obligations of Government and legislation as regards those territories; That in the event of your Majesty's Government agreeing to transfer to Canada the jurisdiction and control over the said region, the Government and Parliament of Canada will be ready to provide that the legal rights of any corporation, company, or individual within the same shall be respected, and placed under the protection of courts of competent jurisdiction; And furthermore, that upon the transference of the territories in question to the Canadian Government, the claims of the Indian tribes to compensation for lands required for purposes of settlement, will be considered and settled in conformity with the equitable principles which have uniformly governed the British Crown in its dealings with the aborigines. All which we humbly pray your Majesty to take into your Majesty's most gracious and favourable consideration. No. 2. Governor General COPY of a DESPATCH from Governor General Viscount Monck to his Grace Viscount Monck the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. to his Grace the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. 1 January 1868. * Page 1. Government House, Ottawa, Canada, My Lord Duke, REFERRING to my Despatch, No. 107,* of 21st December 1867, I have the honour to transmit to your Grace an approved Minute of the Privy Council of Canada, together with the Resolutions of both Houses, and the proceedings upon them respecting the proposed annexation of Prince Rupert's Land and the North West Territory to the Dominion of Canada. I desire especially to call your Grace's attention to the eighth Resolution, adopted by both Houses, and which was not incorporated in the Address to Her Majesty. If Her Majesty's Government should approve of the proposed incorporation with Canada of this territory on the terms contained in the Address to the Queen, and these Resolutions, it would be of great advantage to my Government if I could be informed of the decision, by telegraph, in order that all necessary steps may be taken for carrying the arrangement into effect. I have, &c. (signed) Monck. Enclosure 1, in No. 2, Encl. 1, in No. 2. COPY of a REPORT of a Committee of the Honourable the Privy Council, dated 28th December 1867, approved by His Excellency the Governor General. THE Committee have had under consideration the annexed Memorandum from the Honourable the Minister of Public Works, submitting for your Excellency in Council certain recommendations on the subject of the negotiati on with the Imperial Government for for the transfer of Rupert's Land and the North West Territory to Canada, and they respectfully advise that a copy of the same, when approved by your Excellency, be forwarded to his Grace the Secretary of State for the Colonies, as embodying the views of the Canadian Government on that important question. THE undersigned has the honour to submit for the consideration of your Excellency in Council the following recommendations on the subject of the negotiation with the Imperial Government for the transfer of Rupert's Land and the North West Territory to Canada: 1. That in addition to the joint Address of both Houses on the subject, your Excellency will be pleased to transmit to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Resolutions as they were finally adopted by the House of Commons and the Senate, with the votes and proceedings of both Houses thereon. 2. That the attention of his Grace the Duke of Buckingham be specially called to the eighth Resolution, which was not embodied in the Address, and was not intended by the Canadian Parliament to express a term or condition of the Order in Council authorised by the 146th section of the British North America Act. 3. That your Excellency will be pleased to express to his Grace, as the opinion of the Canadian Government, that it is highly expedient that the transfer which the Imperial Parliament has authorised, and the Canadian Parliament approved, should not be delayed by negotiations or correspondence with private or third parties, whose position, opinions, and claims have heretofore embarrassed both Governments in dealing with this question. 4. That in the opinion of the Canadian Government the terms of the Address cannot be materially altered or extended without causing injurious delay, and greatly embarrassing the people and Government of Canada in their efforts to open communication with the Territory, to encourage emigration and settlement, to establish law and order, and to provide for the speedy organisation of municipal and local governments therein. 5. That recent proposals in the Congress of the United States in reference to British America, the rapid advance of mining and agricultural settlements westward, and the avowed policy of the Washington Government to acquire territory from other Powers, by purchase or otherwise, admonish us that not a day is to be lost in determining and publishing to the world our policy in regard to these territories. 6. That your Excellency will be pleased to request his Grace to inform your Excellency by Atlantic cable (if the information can be so communicated) whether the Imperial Cabinet will at once advise Her Majesty to approve of the transfer on the terms of the Address, in order that the Canadian Government may be prepared to submit appropriate measures on the subject on the reassembling of Parliament in March next. 28 December 1867. Respectfully submitted, Wm. McDougall. Enclosure 2, in No. 2. RESOLUTIONS for the Incorporation of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory with Canada. The Honourable Mr. Fergusson Blair, seconded by the Honourable Mr. Campbell. 1. THAT it would promote the prosperity of the Canadian people, and conduce to the advantage of the whole Empire, if the Dominion of Canada, constituted under the provisions of the British North America Act of 1867, were extended westward, to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. 2. That the colonisation of the fertile lands of the Saskatchewan, the Assiniboine, and the Red River districts, the development of the mineral wealth which abounds in the regions of the North-West, and the extension of commercial intercourse through the British Possessions in America from the Atlantic to the Pacific, are alike dependent upon the establishment of a stable government, for the maintenance of law and order in the North Western Territories. 3. That the welfare of a sparse and widely-scattered population of British subjects of European origin already inhabiting these remote and unorganised territories, would be materially enhanced, by the formation therein of political institutions bearing analogy, so far as circumstances would admit, to those which exist in the several Provinces of this Dominion. Encl. 2, in No. 2. 4. That the 146th section of the British North America Act, of 1867, provides for the admission of Rupert's Land and the North Western Territory, or either of them, into Union with Canada, upon terms and conditions to be expressed on Address from the House of Parliament of this Dominion to Her Majesty, and which shall be approved of by the Queen in Council. 5. That it is accordingly expedient to address Her Majesty that she would be graciously pleased, by and with the advice of Her Most Honourable Privy Council, to unite Rupert's Land and the North Western Territory with the Dominion of Canada, and to grant to the Parliament of Canada authority to legislate for their future welfare and good government, and expressing the willingness of Canada to assume the duties and obligations of government and legislation. 6. That in the event of the Imperial Government agreeing to transfer to Canada the jurisdiction and control over this region, it would be expedient to provide that the legal rights of any corporation, company, or individual shall be respected and placed under the protection of courts of competent jurisdiction. 7. Than upon the transference of the territories in question to the Canadian Government the claims of the Indian tribes to compensation for lands required for purposes of settlement, would be considered and settled in conformity with the equitable principles which have uniformly governed the Crown in its dealings with the aborigines. 8. Resolved also, That in case any negotiation between the Canadian Government and the Hudson's Bay Company, for the termination of the rights of the latter entered into in accordance with the Despatch of the 17th June 1865, from the then Secretary of State for the Colonies to his Excellency the Governor General, should result in an agreement between them, it is hereby declared that such agreement must be submitted to, and sanctioned by the Parliament of Canada before the same shall have any force or effect whatever. From Governor General Viscount Monck to the Duke of Buckingham. 9 September 1868. PRIVY Council wish to send a delegation to London to take part in treating with Hudson's Bay Company; they are anxious that negotiations with Company should be postponed till arrival of delegates in England. Please inform me, by cable, how soon you will be ready to receive them; they are prepared to go immediately. From Governor General Viscount Monck to the Duke of Buckingham. 14 September 1868. I FIND now that, for reasons connected with the public service, delegates do not wish to leave Canada till first week in November. Will this suit you? No. 5. Governor General Viscount Monck to the Duke of Buckingham. 18 Sept. 1868. TELEGRAM (Received 18 September 1868.) From Governor General Viscount Monck to the Duke of Buckingham. 18 September 1868. IN consequence of your last message delegates will leave for England the 7th October. TELEGRAM.—(Received 23 September 1868.) From Governor General Viscount Monch to the Duke of Buckingham. 22 September 1868. DELEGATES intend to sail from hence October 3rd; they trust nothing will be concluded before their arrival in England, where they will be due about the 13th. No. 6. Governor General No. 7. COPY of a DESPATCH from Governor General Viscount Monck to His Grace Governor General the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. Quebec, Canada, 2 October 1868. My Lord Duke, I have, &c. Viscount Monck to 1 October 1868. 1 October 1868. Enclosure 1, in No. 7. COPY of a REPORT of a Committee of the Honourable the Privy Council, approved by his Excellency the Governor General on the 1st October 1868. THE Committee have had under consideration a Memorandum, dated 30th September inst., from the Honourable Sir George E. Cartier, Bart., and the Honourable William M'Dougall, stating that they have received communication of the Minute in Council appointing them a delegation to England to arrange with the Imperial Government the which Canada may acquire Rupert's Land, and expressing their readiness to terms upon They, however, bring under the notice of the Government the terms of the recent Act of the Imperial Parliament to enable Her Majesty "to accept a surrender upon terms of the lands, privileges, and rights" of the Hudson's Bay Company, which declares that "Rupert's Land," for the purposes of that Act, "shall include the whole of the lands and territories held or claimed to be held" by the Company. They also call your Excellency's attention to the terms of the British North America Act, which provides for the admission of Rupert's Land and the North West Territory, or either of them, into the union; and they recommended that they be authorised to arrange with the Imperial Government for the admission of the North West Territory into union with Canada, either with or without Rupert's Land, as may be found practicable and expedient. The Committee advise that the authority requested by the delegates be granted, and that a copy of this Minute, if approved by your Excellency, be transmitted to his Grace the Secretary of State for the Colonies. (Certified.) W. H. Lee, Clerk Privy Council. Encl. 1, in No. 7. ncl. in No. 7. 2, Enclosure 2, in No. 7. COPY of a REPORT of a Committee of the Honourable the Privy Council, approved by In view of the great importance of the immediate settlement of the Hudson's Bay ques- (Certified.) COPY of a DESPATCH from the Right Honourable Sir John Young, My Lord, Ottawa, 4 June 1869. (Received, 17 June 1869.) AT the instance of the Ministers, I beg to forward the enclosed Humble Address to Her Majesty, and other documents, with regard to the Hudson's Bay Territory, which have been handed to me at the last moment before the departure of the mail. 2. The Ministers consider the matter one of great urgency. I have no time to make any comments on the subject, but the points of moment are stated in the accompanying Memorandum, to which I invite your Lordship's attention. The Memorandum was drawn up by the Honourable A. Campbell, the Government laeder in the Upper House. Most Gracious Sovereign, WE, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Senate and Commons of the Dominion of Canada, in Parliament assembled, humbly approach your Majesty for the purpose of representing, That during the first Session of the first Parliament of this Dominion, we adopted an address to your Majesty, praying that your Majesty would be graciously pleased, by and with the advice of your Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, under the provisions of he 146th section of "The British North America Act, 1867," and on the terms specified in that Address, to unite Rupert's Land and the North-West Territory with this Dominion, and to grant to the Parliament of Canada authority to legislate for their future welfare and good government, and assuring your Majesty of the willingness of the Parliament of Canada to assume the duties and obligations of government and legislation as regards those territories. That our joint Address was duly laid at the foot of the Throne; and that your Majesty, by Despatch from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the Governor General of Canada, under date of 23rd April 1868, signified your Majesty's willingness to comply with the prayer of the said Address, but that your Majesty was advised that the requisite powers of government and legislation could not consistently, with the existing Charter of the Hudson's Bay Company, be transferred to Canada, without an Act of Parliament, which Act was subsequently passed by the Imperial Parliament, and received your Majesty's Assent on the 31st July 1868. That by a Despatch, dated 8th August 1868, from the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Governor General was informed, that in pursuance of the powers conferred by the Act for the surrender of the Hudson's Bay Territories to your Majesty, he proposed |