THE ROBINSON TREATY 1850

This is the first of two documents going up.
1. The Robinson Treaty of 1850
and
2. Statutes, Documents and Papers bearing on the Discussion Respecting the Northern and Western Boundaries of the Province of Ontario, 1878

COPY OF THE ROBINSON TREATY MADE IN THE YEAR 1850 WITH THE OJIBEWA INDIANS OF LAKE HURON, CONVEYING CERTAIN LANS TO THE CROWN

This copy came to the Nipigon Historical Museum Archives
 courtesy of C. W. John January 25, 1974

Reprinted from the edition of 1939 by Roger Duhamel, F.R.S.C.
Queen's Printer and Controller of Stationery
Ottawa, 1964

Cat. No. Ci 72-1264

THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this ninth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty, at Sault Ste. Marie, in the Province of Canada between the Honorable WILLIAM BENJAMIN ROBINSON, of the one part, on behalf of  HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN,  and SHINGUACOUSE NEBENAIGOCHING, KEOKOUSE, MISHEQUONGA, TAGAWININI, SHABOKISHICK, DOKIS, PONEKEOSH, WINDAWTEGOWININI, SHAWENAKESHICK, NAMASSIN, NAOQUAGABO, WABAKEKIK, KITCHEPOSSIGUN by PAPASAINSE,  WAGEMAKI, PAMEQUONAISHEUNG,  Chiefs; and JOHN BELL, PAQWATCHININI, MASHEKYASH, IDOWEKESIS, WAQUACOMICK, OCHEEK, METIGOMIN, WATACHEWANA, MINWAWAPENASSE, SHENAOQUOM,  ONINGEGUN,  PANAISSY,  PAPASAINSE, ASHEWASEGA, KAGESHEWAWETUNG, SHAWONEBIN;  and also Chief MAISQUASO  (also Chiefs MUCKATA, MISHOQUET,  and MEKIS ), and MISHOQUETTO  and ASA WASWANAY and PAWISS,  principal men of the Ojibewa Indians,  inhabiting and claiming the Eastern and Northern Shores of Lake Huron, from Penetanguishine to Sault Ste. Marie, and thence to Batchewanaung Bay, on the Northern Shore of Lake Superior; together with the Islands in the said Lakes, opposite to the shores thereof, and inland to the Height of land which separates the Territory covered by the charter of the Honorable Hudson's Bay Company from Canada; as well as all unceded lands within the limits of Canada West to which they have any just claim, of the other part, witnesseth:

THAT for, and in consideration of the sum of two thousand pounds of good and lawful money of Upper Canada, to them in hand paid, and for the further perpetual annuity of six hundred pounds of like money, the same to be paid and delivered to the said Chiefs and their Tribes at a convenient season of each year, of which due notice will be given, at such places as may be appointed for that purpose, they the said Chiefs and Principal men, on behalf of their respective Tribes or Bands, do hereby fully, freely, and voluntarily surrender, cede, grant, and convey unto Her Majesty, her heirs, and successors for ever, all their right, title, and interest to, and in the whole of, the territory above described, save and except the reservations set forth in the schedule hereunto annexed;  which reservations shall be held and occupied by the said Chiefs and their Tribes in common, for their own use and benefit.

And should the said Chiefs and their respective Tribes at any time desire to dispose of any part of such reservations, or of any mineral or other valuable productions thereon, the same will be sold or leased at their request by the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs for the time being, or other officer having authority so to do, for their sole benefit, and to the best advantage.

And the said William Benjamin Robinson of the first part, on behalf of Her Majesty and the Government of this Province, hereby promises and agrees to make, or cause to be made, the payments as before mentioned;  and further to allow the said Chiefs and their Tribes the full and free privilege to hunt over the Territory now ceded by them, and to fish in the waters thereof, as they have heretofore been in the habit of doing;  saving and excepting such portions of the said Territory as may from time to time be sold or leased to individuals or companies of individuals, and occupied by them with the consent of the Provincial Government.

The Parties of the second part further promise and agree that they will not sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of any portion of their Reservations without the consent of the Superintendent-General of Indian Affairs, or other officer of like authority, being first had and obtained.  Nor will they at any time hinder or prevent persons from exploring or searching for minerals, or other valuable productions, in any part of the Territory hereby ceded to Her Majesty, as before mentioned.  The parties of the second part also agree, that in case the Government of this Province should before the date of this agreement have sold, or bargained to sell, any mining locations, or other property, on the portions of the Territory hereby reserved for their use;  then and in that case such sale, or promise of sale, shall be perfected by the Government, if the parties claiming it shall have fulfilled all the conditions upon which such locations were made, and the amount accruing therefrom shall be paid to the Tribe to whom the Reservation belongs.

The said William Benjamin Robinson, on behalf of Her Majesty, who desires to deal liberally and justly with all her subjects, further promises and agrees, that should the Territory hereby ceded by the parties of the second part at any future period produce such an amount as will enable the Government of this Province, without incurring loss, to increase the annuity hereby secured to them, then and in that case the same shall be augmented from time to time , provided that the amount paid to each individual shall not exceed the sum of one pound Provincial Currency in any one year, or such further sum as Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to order;  and provided further that the number of Indians entitled to the benefit of this treaty shall amount to two-thirds of their present number, which is fourteen hundred and twenty-two, to entitle them to claim the full benefit thereof.  And should they not at any future period amount to two-thirds of fourteen hundred and twenty-two, then the said annuity shall be diminished in proportion to their actual numbers.

The said William Benjamin Robinson of the first part further agrees, on the part of Her Majesty and the Government of this Province, that in consequence of the Indians inhabiting French River and Lake Nipissing having become parties of this treaty, the further sum of one hundred and sixty pounds Provincial Currency shall be paid in addition to the two thousand pounds above mentioned.

(The schedule of 17 reservations will be posted later. It is part of this document, I'm just taking a break.)