Statement respecting the Earl of Selkirk's Settlement of Kildonan ...

16This imposture on the part of Cameron, andtheso assumed airs of trust and importance, which,in other situations, would perhaps have on\y raised*'unquestionable information, that several persons were at that" moment making a very improper use of the name of hifi*'Majesty, under the pretext of some such authority; and that,*'for the same reason, he was desirous of learning the nature" and objects of the commissions which appeared to have been*'granted to some gentlemen as Major des tribus sauvages, et" des pays conquis."—Sir Gordon Drummond in reply, informedhis Lordship that " having caused research to be made in the" Military Secretary's Office, it did not appear that any autho-" rity to issue commissions to persons in the Upper Country as" officers of the Voyageurs, or any other corps, was at any period" vested in the officer commanding at St. Joseph, or Michilli-" mackinack ; but that a general order of the 10th of May," 1814, gave to Norman M'Leod, Esq. the rank of Major; a" subsequent general Order of the 29th of May, 1814, the rank" of Lieutenant-Colonel to Mr. M'Gillivr-^y; and the general" Order of the 7th of September following, the rank of Major to" Pierre Rochblave, Esq. in the Indian and conquered coun-''W:II'-I'" tries."In reply, his Lordship observes, " I have to acknowledge" the honour of your Excellency's IcUer of the 1st, and to" return my thanks for the very satisfactory information" which it contains, from which it appears evident, that the" persons, who, under the pretence of being officers in the" Corps of Voyageurs, are taking upon themselves to act in" his Majesty's name in the Indian country, must be consi-" dered as mere impostors.—As the imposture has been" carried to a very great length, and has been mfde to serve" the worst of purposes, I beg leave to submit to your Excel-'}'(" lency, whether some public declaration ought not to be" made by the Provincial Government in order to put an end%i»3w,:,