I noticed one of our premier fur trade folks has a couple of gilt medals, one is marked "STORE KEEPER GENERAL," and thought I would post what I know...
http://books.google.com/books?id=fx...ook_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA
So the Store Keeper General was in charge of all the "stores" or goods for distribution to the Indians. It looks to me like the two medals are actually both part of a single large seal that was gilt. The side with the royal arms does resemble a loyalist medal, but the details are wrong.
Some of the stuff we see was definitely military gifts, not trade, and these are cool evidence of that.
HH, and here's the full text...
"the Store Keeper General of the Indian Department, who is to be "accountable for them as well as all other stores ... 18th Previous to the payment of such stores as may be ordered to be "provided, the Store Keeper General of the Indian
http://books.google.com/books?id=fx...ook_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA
So the Store Keeper General was in charge of all the "stores" or goods for distribution to the Indians. It looks to me like the two medals are actually both part of a single large seal that was gilt. The side with the royal arms does resemble a loyalist medal, but the details are wrong.
Some of the stuff we see was definitely military gifts, not trade, and these are cool evidence of that.
HH, and here's the full text...
"LORD DORCHESTER'S INSTRUCTIONS TO SIR JOHN JOHNSON FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT OP THE INDIAN DEPARTMENT.
Read His Excellency Lord Dorchester's Instructions to Sir John Johnson Bart. Superintendant General & inspector General of Indian Affairs, for the Good Government of the Indian Department.
You will continue to employ your utmost endeavors to promote His Majesty's Indian interest in general, by keeping up a friendly intercourse and communication between all the Indian Nations assuring them of the King's paternal care and regard, as long as they continue to merit them by acting as good & obedient children ought to do. Another great object of your appointment being to diminish the enormous expence which the necessity of the times & bad management had occasioned, you will introduce economy and order into the Indian Department, and for the attainment of these ends you will govern yourself by the following Instructions.
l8t As these people consider themselves free & independent & are in fact unacquainted with controul & subordinations they are alone to be governed by address & persuasion, and they require the utmost attention to ceremonies & external appearances, with an uncommon share of patience, good temper & forbearance, in all which you will instruct the inferior officers of your department and see that there is a due observance of the same on all occasions.
2nd Upon the arrival of parties of distant Indians at any of the posts, the Agent shall report the same to the officer commanding, who with the officers of the garrison are to assist in receiving them, which is to be done with every mark of solemnity and friendship, and as after the usual ceremonies they will make known their wants, their requests if reasonable are to be complied with. Should they as is customary on these occasions lay down presents of any kind, they are to be taken up with thanks, and in return, presents exceeding the value of theirs, are to be given them, in which case the chiefs are always to be distinguished:
3rd When public conferences are held at any of the posts between the agents residing there and the Indians, the Commanding officer shall preside attended by all the officers of the Garrison, to whom due notice is to be given on all such occasions, but he is not under pretence of this regulation to interfere with the Agent in the management of the Indian Department.
4th As Indians are in general curious and wish to carry news to their villages, the officers should be very cautious not to relate any to them but what they know to be facts, and these should be very distinctly told, for the mistaking or not properly understanding a piece of news has been known to alarm and estrange whole nations from a post, for which and other reasons, the agents at the Posts should endeavour to make one or two sober and intelligent Chiefs of the Indian Nations livirig at or near their posts their friends and confidants, and on any occasion of calling together a Council to have them present, and make one of them speaker, having him prepared before the meeting, and when met they should be further directed to have the Interpreter to prompt him in what the officer intends to say, which is a custom among themselves, their Speakers having commonly prompters, and speeches so delivered will always have more influence than coming from an Interpreter being delivered in their own way.
5th Minutes are to be regularly kept of the Councils with which the Journals of all transactions are to be recorded in your office.
6th The Agents are at all times to inculcate into the minds of the Indians principles of humanity and tenderness to prisoners, particularly upon the departure of all parties from posts during a war, or while there is a probability of retaliating or resenting injuries sustained.
7th In all matters of Trade where the Indians are concerned the utmost Justice is to be done them, and if at any time the interference of the officer commanding may be necessary, the agents residing at the respective posts, will make application to him, and on all occasions they are to keep up a good understanding with him, and make such communications to him, as the good of the service, the safety of the post and the security of the Trade may require.
8th No person belonging to or employed in the Indian Department is to be permitted to trade directly or indirectly, or to have any share, profit or concern therein.
9th You are to give the Agents or Deputies such orders and directions as may be necessary for the proper discharge of their duty and the fulfilling the object of these instructions.
10th You are to visit every post under your superintendency when the exigency of the service may require your presence to inquire into, and examine & report the whole state & situation of Indian affairs, to inspect their books and stores, and the method of carrying on their business.
11th All presents and provisions given at public conferences or councils are to be approved by the Commanding Officers and delivered in presence of all the officers of the Garrison, who are to certify the same* expressing the quantity & quality, which certificates shall be the voucher for so much expended.
12th No presents or provisions shall be given privately, or any incidental charges paid but with the previous approbation of the Superintendent General, or in his absence by the oflicer commanding at the Post, who is to certify the same in writing on the account.
13th All presents received are to be brought into account & appropriated to the use of the government, certificates thereof specifying the quantity and quality are to be sigued by the officer commanding and other officers of the garrison if presented in council, but if privately received by the Commanding Officer only. Peltries so given are to be sent by the first opportunity to His Majesty's Indian Storehouses at Montreal, to be disposed of as may be ordered by the General or officer commanding in Canada, but when these presents are made in provisions they are again to be issued to the Troops or Indians as the Commanding officer at the post shall direct.
14th All requisitions made by the Agents at the Out Posts for presents necessary for the ensuing year to be approved and countersigned by the officers commanding at the respective posts, and in case the officer should think proper to refuse his assent, he will assign his reasons therefor in writing.
15tb A Statement of Indian Presents necessary for the Upper Country shall be transmitted to the Commander in Chief before the first of March, so that measures may be taken to forward the same upon the first opening of the navigation. When such statement is approved of, the Superintendent General will give orders to the Store Keeper General of the Indian Department at Montreal for issuing the same, which order with the receipt of the person charged by the Superintendent General with the conducting thereof to the respective post, will be his vouched for the delivery and the conductor to whom proper Invoice are to be given will be accountable for the several articles till delivered to the Agent or person to whom they are assigned at the post for which they are intended, who on their arrival will apply to the Com manding Officer for a survey thereon, after which the Agent will grant receipts for the same & stand chargeable therewith, which receipts are to be delivered by the conductor on his return to the Indian Store Keeper at Montreal, whom you will direct to enter them as sub accounts and to see that they account for the same.
16th When stores are sent from this Country from England for the use of the Indians, the same are to be delivered into the custody of the Store Keeper General of the Indian Department, who is to be accountable for them as well as all other stores committed to his charge.
17th Should it be necessary to provide other stores than those received from England, a state of what is wanted with the Estimate of the prices to be laid before the general Officer Commanding in Canada for his approbation and orders, for no stores are to be purchased here but in case of great necessity, and by the order of the general officer commanding in the province who will grant a warrant on the Deputy-Pay Master-General for the same.
18th Previous to the payment of such stores as may be ordered to be provided, the Store Keeper General of the Indian Department will grant certificates that the same have been received expressing therein the quantity, quality and price of said articles approved by the Superintendant General, such certificates being necessary before accounts are examined by a board of accounts or payment made by warrant as aforesaid.
19th No stores shall be lent or exchanged on any account whatsoever.
20th When the storekeeper shall find any of the stores damaged in such manner as to require the calling a survey he will apply by memo rial or letter approved by the Superintendant General, to the general or officer commanding in the district to appoint proper persons to survey the same to whom he will state the cause of damage. The Surveyors shall report the state and condition in which they find such stores, should the General direct any damaged stores to be disposed of, certificates signed by the persons named to see the order executed must be annexed to said orders, which orders and certificates shall be the voucher for so much expended.
21st All pay lists, accounts for store rent and other incidents are to be made up at the period when they become due, approved and countersigned by the Superintendant General and sent for the examination of a Board of Accounts, in order for their being paid by a Warrant on the Deputy Pay-Master General, who is in future to be the only public accountant for money.
22d No presents or stores to be issued by the Store Keeper General at Montreal but by the directions of the Superintendant General or in his absence of the officer next in command in the Department.
23d Every magazine shall be numbered and a regular account kept with each to the end that the contents of each store may be at all times ascertained. The stores shall be so arranged and disposed of as to be come at readily and without confusion, and kept well aired to prevent damage—; Stores newly received are to be deposited in a different part of the Storehouses by themselves, to be inspected by persons appointed by the General or officer commanding in the Province, the inspectors will report the quantity, quality and value thereof. The Superintendant General or person authorized by him is to visit the Storehouses once a month, or oftener if he finds it necessary and to report all extraordinaries.
24th In case of loss by fire, the enemy, or other accident proper affidavits are to be immediately obtained expressing every particular which to ascertain such loss, and the same reported to the General or officer commanding in the provinces and to the Superintendant General.
25th Regular books of entry & delivery are to be kept at the same posts, in which all receivals are to be charged and all issues credited, marking from whom received, to whom issued, by what authority and their respective dates, which are from time to time to be transmitted to the Superintendant General, who will direct the Indian Storekeeper General to include them in his General Account, to be sent to Head Quarters in obedience to the order of the 6th of December last.
26th Returns to be made every three months of all the stores expressing quantity and quality of all store-houses belonging to the Crown, stating their situation, how employed by whom owned and rate of rent.
27th Provisions and stationery are to be supplied by the Commissary and Store Keeper General to the Army, and the postage of letters will be paid by warrant to the Deputy Paymaster General, an account of which is to be kept by the Department to serve as a check before the warrant is granted.
28th The general order of the 6th of December last directing that all persons attached to the Army in North America or belonging thereto,, entrusted with the receipt and expenditure of public money, the receipt and issues of public stores shall make up state and settle their respective accounts at the end of every quarter, the first quarter to commence from the 25th December instant.
That these accounts shall be first examined by a board of accounts, if any can be formed in the district where the expenditure or issues have been made or stores purchased and forwarded by the first conveaient opportunity to Head Quarters Quebec for the inspection of the Commander in Chief.
That one set of vouchers for the expenditure and issues are to accompany the statement of the account.
That the cash accounts will specify with the cost of the articles purchased the Department for which they have been provided and the amount of pay of all persons employed therein. That the authority by which all issues and expenditures took place will also be mentioned. You are to take care that the same is punctually carried into execution in your Department.
29th Having approved and directed to be carried into execution, the plan submitted to you on the 27th November last, for the good government of the Indian Depfc for the year 1787 similar plans are to be given in annually on or before the first of October, at the same time also shall judge necessary to be ordered from England, for the ensuing year.
30th Should any difficulties arise not provided for by these instructions, or alterations appear necessary you will ,'apply to the general officer commanding in the province, that proper directions may be given & to whom you will report on all occasions.
signed Dorchester
By His Excellency's command signed
Fran8 Le Maistre M. S.
[Q 48-1, p 134]
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here are some photos to go with this text.
) and written to him. Thanks for the new link.
