John Graves Simcoe to Alexander McKee, 23 June 1793

John Graves Simcoe to Alexander McKee, 23 June 1793

John Graves Simcoe to Alexander McKee, 23 June 1793

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Introduction

Simcoe comments on a treaty between the United States and the Indians which leads to further comments on Indigenous land title. Topics mentioned: Montreal, Seven Nations of Canada, St. Lawrence, Acts of Congress, unsold/unceded land, treaties, the Senecas, the Governor (Guy Carleton, Lord Dorchester), Joseph Brant, Confederacy of the Six Nations, John Butler, William Johnson, Kentucky, Upper Canada, the Illinois, Lake Erie, keeping a "general peace" and preventing war (with the United States), Thomas Talbot, the Creeks tribe.

Name of Maker(s): John Graves Simcoe
Nation of Maker: British
Nation of Origin

Seven Nations of Canada; Six Nations; Seneca; Pennsylvanians;

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular nation(s)

Author of letter.

Date Made or Date Range: 1793-06-23
Materials

Ink on paper

Motifs and Patterns

None.

Additional Context

None.

Description of Writing/Text

Simcoe's comments with respect to Aboriginal title: Simcoe refers to a tract of land in which "The Seven Nations of Canada have a clear title," and another tract of land which "belongs either to them or the Six nations and by the Acts of Congress, It does not appear to have been sold; It is of great importance to us that this tract which covers the mouth of the S(t) Lawrence should forever remain Indian Land." These passages are significant for several reasons. First, there is a British acknowledgment of Aboriginal title, not mere possession of Crown land by Aboriginal peoples. This suggests that in 1793, the question of titular extinguishment was not assumed. The verb "belongs" is also indicative of an absolute titular claim, not of a claim of mere possession. Further, the fact that the land described was to "forever remain Indian Land" suggests that in 1793 it was not a common political understanding that the British Crown must inevitably expand throughout the continent over lands inhabited by Aboriginal peoples.

Condition: Text is difficult to read in sections. Large dark bands, as if from scotch tape, obscure text in places.
Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Date given in document.

Current Location: Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: Claus Papers, Vol. 5 (M.G. 19, F1) reel C1479, pp. 171-174.
Link to Institution's Collections Database: Heritage Canadiana: https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c1479/187?r=0&s=1
Date Relative was First Removed or Collected from its Community Context: 1755-1886
GKS Reference Number: 578
How to Cite this Item

John Graves Simcoe to Alexander McKee, 23 June 1793. Currently in Library and Archives Canada. Claus Papers, Vol. 5 (M.G. 19, F1) reel C1479, pp. 171-174. Item described as part of a GRASAC research project, summer 2010, and consulted. https://gks.grasac.org/ (GKS ID: 578, accessed [date]).

Record Creation Context

Created by Research Assistant Aaron Mills during the first summer of the SSHRC Aboriginal Research Grant 2007 to 2010

Record Creation Notes/Observations

Record reviewed by Research Assistant Jessica Ye during the winter of 2021

Approximate Place of Origin

42.5602, -82.4973

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