A few words on the Hudson’s Bay Company (c. 1846) is a document that compiles the grievances and petitions from inhabitants of Rupert’s Land and the Red River Colony against the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC). Alexander Kennedy Isbister and delegates representing about 1,000 signatories, prepared the document to be presented to the British Government.
The title and body of the document use terminology specific to the period, such as “Indian” and “half-caste,” to identify and describe Indigenous peoples including Métis inhabitants and signatories of Rupert’s Land and the Red River Colony. The document, which includes English and French-language statements and petitions, describes the HBC’s monopoly on the fur trade and the company’s “misgovernment” of Indigenous peoples. Some of the issues attributed to the HBC’s abuse of power include an unfair trade economy, resource depletion and extreme poverty amongst Indigenous peoples. The contents of the document also include requests for British authorities to address these issues and to question the legality of the HBC’s operations under its company charter. (See also The Royal Charter for Incorporating the Hudson’s Bay Company.)
An image of page 8 of A few words on the Hudson’s Bay Company (c. 1846) is provided below. The Canadian Encyclopedia includes this primary source as part of a partnership with the Canadian Research Knowledge Network’s Canadiana collections. For the work in its entirety, please visit their website.
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Page 8 of A few words on the Hudson’s Bay Company
(by Alexander Kennedy Isbister, courtesy Canadiana)