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Louis Riel à N. A. Miles, Musselshell River, Montana Territory
https://archivesshsb.mb.ca/en/permalink/archives138996
- Date
- 6 août 1880
- Collection/Fonds
- Louis Riel
- Description Level
- Document
- Physical Description
- 3 f. de documents textuels
- Reference No.
- 1091-390
5 images
- Date
- 6 août 1880
- GMD
- documents textuels
- Collection/Fonds
- Louis Riel
- Description Level
- Document
- Fonds No.
- 0003
- Reference No.
- 1091-390
- Storage Location
- PAM MG 3 D 1, 390
- Creator
- Riel, Louis
- Physical Description
- 3 f. de documents textuels
- Notes
- Copie numérisée sur le CD 083.
- Name Access
- Riel, Louis
- Miles, N. A.
- Geographic Access
- Muscheshell River, Montana
- Signatory
- Riel, Louis
- Recipient
- Miles, N. A.
- English Summary
- Undersigned request this petition be forwarded to Washington; we ask a special reservation for halfbreeds; we cannot compete with our fellow countrymen; want of legal knowledge has resulted in our being defrauded; we would exclude liquor; wish a sum of money for schools, implements, seed, cows, pigs, sheep, chickens; we stand between civilized and uncivilized men; the Indians will listen to us; we offer our influence.
- Full Text
- General We the undersigned Halfbreeds, have the honour to lay before you the following petition, trusting to your kindness to forward it through to the proper authorities of the U.S. Government at Washington, hoping also, from your knowledge of our people and habits that you will represent to the government our claims to a favorable hearing. We ask the government to set apart a portion of land as a special reservation in this territory for the halfbreeds, as, scattered amongst other settlers, it becomes a very difficult matter for us to make a living and owing to our present limited means and want of experience in economy, we cannot compete with the majority of our fellow countrymen. Our want of legal knowledge has also been a stumbling block in our way, as, often defrauded by tricky men, we have again been as individuals put to expense in the law courts uselessly, and this alone has rendered us often unable to remain more than four or five years at a time in our place without becoming completely impoverished. If the U.S. govern. would kindly consider this petition we promise that our first measure would be to completely exclude liquor of all kinds from the reservation. We would also respectfully ask that a sum of money be appropriated for us, for a certain period, for the following purposes: 1. to erect and support schools, and for pay of competent teachers; 2. for providing us with necessary agricultural implements; 3. for providing farming seeds, potatoes etc for spring sowing, as a commencement; 4. for a certain amount of cows, pigs, sheep and chickens. In asking this we would respectfully state that we would have no need for the clothes and provisions annually issued to indians by Government. We promise on our part to endeavour to live as law abiding people and in case we succeed in getting a reservation set apart, we ask that all Halfbreeds entering said reservations and settling on land shall own that land according to the homestead, preemption or timber acts or such other way as the government may desire. We ask the government to kindly consider that as halfbreeds we stand between the civilized and uncivilized man; and are closely related with the several tribes of the northwest, owing to which fact we indirectly exercice some influence and from the indian blood in our veins, we are inclined to believe that indians will listen to us more favorably than to the majority of those who are not connected by family ties with them. If the government would wish to use our influence, such as it is amongst the indians we freely offer it and will always be ready to do everything that lays in our power to fulfill peaceful mission; and if it should be desired to have halfbreeds scouts a willing answer to the call would be given. Trusting that the above petition may meet with favorable consideration, We remain General, Your most obedient servants. Alexandre Wilkey, François BelleHumeur, Piere Berger Sr., Gabriel Amyot, Antoine Ouilette, Jonas Hamlin Sr., Baptis Gariépy Sr, Patrice Hamlin, Isidore Berger, Jonas Hamlin Jr., Jean Baptis Berger, Sévère Hamlin Sr., Bernard Berger, André Alary Sr., Jacques Berger, Jonas Rainville, Piere Berger Jr., Baptiste Alary, Isaïe Berger, Antoine Houle, Binjamin Klyne, Alexandre St Matt, Joe Lyonnais, William Davis Jr., Baptis Adams Sr., Sévère Hamlin Jr., Norman Marion, George Lambert, Jean Bellehumeur, L.M. Jérôme, Narcisse Cardinal, Ambroise Houle, André Alary Jr., Michel St Denis, Baptiste Gariépy Jr., Alexandre Azur, Louis St Matt, Pierre Beauchamp, Louis Gariépy, Antoine Fleury Sr, François Amyot Jr., Antoine Fleury Jr., Joseph Parisien, Louis Fleury, Abraham Boyer, Edouard Wells, Pierre Charbonneau, Arthur Amyot, Elie Gariépy, Joseph Amyot, Baptiste Bellegarde, Baptiste Lafontaine, Octave Lafontaine, François Amyot Sr., Joseph Ouellette, Joseph Charette, Baptiste Ledoux, Thomas Larance, Clépohas Ducharme, Thomas Bird, François Ouellette, Baptiste Larocque, Moïse Ouellette, Bonaventure Cardinal, Charles Alary, Léonide Gariépy, William Laframboise, Salomon Hamelin, Baptiste Turcotte, Joseph Larocque, Moïse Latreille, William Fagnant, Pierre Laverdure Sr., Antoine Lafontaine, Daniel Laverdure, Xavier Fagnant, François Laverdure, Moïse Adam, William Davis Sr., Théophile Fagnant, Michel Davis, Elzéar Hamelin, Joseph Davis, Jean Marie Lyonnais, Michel Vivier, Patrice BelleHumeur, Hyacinthe George, Baptiste Gariépy, Jean Charette, Johnny Leclair, Bernard Lafontaine, Jacques Cardinal, Charles Norwest, Pierre Cardinal, François Daigneau, Narcisse Cardinal Jr., Pierre Léveillé, Jérémie Adam, Baptiste Alary Sr., Xavier Laverdure, Moïse Fagnant.
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