In the year 1871, the late Honorable Joseph Howe, then Secretary of
State of Canada, recommended the appointment by the Privy Council
of Canada, of Mr. Wemyss McKenzie Simpson, as Indian Commissioner,
in consequence of "the necessity of arranging with the bands of
Indians inhabiting the tract of country between Thunder Bay and the
Stone Fort, for the cession, subject to certain reserves such as
they should select, of the lands occupied by them." Mr. Simpson
accepted the appointment, and in company with Messrs. S. J. Dawson
and Robert Pether visited the Ojjibewas or Chippawa Indians,
between Thunder Bay and the north-west angle of the Lake of the
Woods, and took the initiatory steps for securing a treaty with
them thereafter. On his arrival at Fort Garry, he put himself, as
directed by his instructions, in communication with his Honor, the
Hon. A. G. Archibald, then Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba and the
North-West Territories. A conference took place between His Honor,
Messrs. Simpson, Dawson and Pether, and the Hon. James McKay, a
member, at that time, of the Executive Council of Manitoba, and
himself a half-breed intimately acquainted with the Indian tribes,
and possessed of much influence over them. The Indians in Manitoba,
in the fall of 1870, had applied to the Lieutenant-Governor to
enter into a treaty with them, and had been informed that in the
ensuing year negotiations would be opened with them. They were
full of uneasiness, owing to the influx of population, denied
the validity of the Selkirk Treaty, and had in some instances
obstructed settlers and surveyors. In view of the anxiety and
uneasiness prevailing, those gentlemen were of opinion "that it was
desirable to secure the extinction of the Indian title not only
to the lands within Manitoba, but also to so much of the timber
grounds east and north of the Province as were required for