On Feb. 24, 1874, the Grangers, a secret political society, was formed in Winnipeg, which was destined to take a leading part in the affairs of the country; its ostensible object being to oppose monopolies of all kinds, but as none existed in Manitoba at that time, which a political organization could affect, the public awaited developments of the society's real intentions and purposes. The Grangers had not long to wait for their opportunity, for a chance to show their hand in the game of local politics was soon afforded. R. A. Davis, hotelkeeper, was put forward by them as a candidate for Winnipeg against Alexander McMicken, and was returned by a majority of 46. The Legislature re-assembled on July 2nd, 1874, the adjournment having been extended to that date. The Attorney-General announced that the re-distribution bill passed at the former part of the session was based on the supposition that the surveys extended across the Settlement Belt on the main rivers, and as such was found not to be the case, the Government had prepared a new bill by which they hoped to secure to all classes of the population a fair and equitable representation in the House. On the following day, Mr. Hay, member for St. Andrews, moved, seconded by Mr. Joseph Dubuc, "That this House has no confidence in the present Government." A lengthy and exciting debate followed, in which Messrs. Dubuc, Hay and Davis supported the motion in speeches which were more or less personal attacks upon Mr. Clarke. Hon. John Norquay was the only member of the cabinet, beside Mr. Clarke, who defended the Government's position, and the motion carried on the following division: Yeas-Bird, Burke, Beauchemin, Davis, Dubuc, Delorme, Girard, Hay, Lemay, McKay, McTavish, Sutherland, Schmidt and Spence. Nays:-Bunn, Clarke, Cunningham, Howard,

Norquay and Royal. The Clarke Government resigned immediately after the announcement of the adverse vote, and a new Ministry was formed composed of:

Hon. M. A. Girard, Secretary and Premier.

James McKay, President of the Council.

E. H. G. G. Hay, Agriculture and Public Works.

R. A. Davis, Treasurer.

Joseph Dubuc, Attorney-General.

Francis Ogletree, without portfolio.

One of the first acts of the new Ministry was to present a report of the reply of the Dominion Government to the Better Terms" demands. The request for enlarged boundaries could not be entertained. Instead of granting an increase of subsidy, or re-adjusting the basis upon which such subsidy was granted, a sum of $25,000 was advanced to meet pressing requirements, which was made to include $10,000 advanced for seed wheat to settlers whose crops had been destroyed by grasshoppers in 1872-3. The requests for public Provincial buildings and a library were refused. With regard to damages to printing offices, the Dominion was in no way responsible, and refused to entertain the demand. The items of Mounted Police, Chief Justice, Dawson Road, Indians, Railway to Pembina and Lake Superior, Land Claims, Postal Service and Immigration had been or were in course of being attended to. The House was prorogued on July 22nd, 1874.

CHAPTER VIII.

INDIAN TREATIES, NUMBERS THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, AND

SEVEN.

As already shown in a previous chapter, the Ojibbeway Indians were not ready, in 1871 and 1872, for the making of a treaty, and it was not until 1873 that arrangements were concluded with them. It was of great importance that these Indians should be treated with, in order to secure the safe passage of immigrants and goods, via the "Dawson Route," extending from Prince Arthur's Landing, on Lake Superior, to the north-west angle of the Lake of the Woods, which was then being opened up. Mr. Wemyss M. Simpson, soon after the conclusion of Treaty No. 2, resigned the position of Commissioner of Indian affairs, and Mr. J. A. N. Provencher was appointed in his place. In 1873, Hon. Alexander Morris, who had succeeded Hon. Adams G. Archibald as Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba and the North-West Territories, was commissioned by the Dominion Government, in conjunction with Mr. Provencher and Mr. S. J. Dawson, to negotiate a treaty with the Ojibbeways, and accordingly they met these Indians in the end of September. It appears that the Indians desired the meeting to take place at Fort Francis, but this the Commissioners would not agree to, and the north-west angle of the Lake of the Woods was the spot selected. LieutenantGovernor Morris and Messrs. Provencher and Dawson, accom

panied by Mr. Pether and Mr. St. John, arrived at the Lake of the Woods on the 25th September, but as all the Indians were not assembled, the treaty-making was postponed until the 30th. On that day the various bands met the Commissioners, but, owing to jealousies and divisions amongst themselves, no headway was made for some time after the opening of negotiations. The demands of some of the Indians were exorbitant, and they complained that they had not been paid for the wood used in building the steamers on the Lake of the Woods, or for the use of the Dawson route itself. Mr. Dawson, however, denied having made any promises in regard to the road, as he had always asserted a common right to the use of the wood and the waterway. Excessive demands were next inade for money payments, and it looked as if the Commissioners would have to return to Fort Garry without being able to conclude a treaty, when the chief of the Lac Seul band stepped forward to speak. He stated that he represented four hundred people in the north; that they wished a treaty, and desired a school-master to be sent them to teach their children

the knowledge of the white man. He also said that as they had begun to cultivate the soil, and were growing potatoes and Indian corn, they wished other grain for seed, and some agricultural implements and cattle. The attitude of the Lac Seul chief, which displayed much good sense and moral courage, served to break the barrier between the other Indians and the Commissioners, and the result was a grand council among all the assembled bands, which was attended by Hon. James McKay, Charles Nolin, and Pierre Lavaillier. Messrs. Provencher and St. John also attended the council of chiefs, and it finally resulted in a renewal of negotiations, and a prospect of terms being arranged, although some fresh demands

ers.

of an extraordinary nature were made by the Indians. They wanted a new suit of clothes and fifty dollars annually for each chief, free passes over the Canadian Pacific Railway, when built, and that no "fire water" should be sold on their reserves, the latter demand being agreed to by the CommissionThey asked that they should not be sent to war for the Queen that they should have power to put off turbulent men from their reserves, and they wished to know whether any mines found on their land would belong to them, and, finally, they wanted to include in the treaty some American Indians belonging to their tribe. These, and a number of other demands and questions being disposed of by the Commissioners, who remained firm in regard to the terms offered by them for a treaty, the conference finally came to a close, and Treaty No. 3, as it appears in the Appendix to this volume, was agreed to. Hon. Jas. McKay having read the agreement, and explained it fully, the document was signed by the Commissioners, and afterwards by the Chiefs present. In the negotiations which took place, Messrs. McKay, Lavaillier, and Nolin rendered valuable service in bringing them to a successful termination, for which they received the thanks of the Commissioners.

The boundaries of the lands ceded by this treaty began at the north-west angle eastward, taking in all the Lake of the Woods, including White Fish Bay, Rat Portage, and north to White Dog, in English River; up English River to Lac Seul, and then south-east to Lake Nepigon, westward to Rainy River, and down it to Lake of the Woods, and up nearly to Lac des Mille Lacs; then, beginning at the 49th parallel, to White Mouth River; thence down it to the north, along the eastern boundary of the land ceded in 1871, the whole embracing an area of 55,000 square miles. The number of In