The Indians of the Village of St Regis having separated at the commencement of the late War one party removing over to the Reserve made for their use or Residence, the other party remaining in the Village under a promise of Neutrality but partially observed, assuming to themselves the right of appropriating to their own use not only annual Rent paid by the American Government as an acknowledgement for their hunting ground surrendered to them, but the rent and profits of the vacant Lands and Meadows left for their and the public use within the limits of Lower Canada. I do therefore recommend to the Inhabitants Settled on the Reserve to pay no rent to any others but those Indians who Joined his Majesty’s forces and continued faithfully in his Service to the end of the War and who only are entitled to the rents and benefits of the Reserves on each side of the River St Lawrence within His Majesty’s Government.
Given under my hand at Cornwall the 4th of August 1818 (Signed) John Johnson (J.G & J.G J A)
A true coppy Robert Colquhoun
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The above letter, written by Sir John Johnson and penned by Robert Colquhoun is an example of the “power of the pen” to impose and enforce colonial structures on Indigenous peoples. This letter is recommending that rent gathered from the Reserves (the Nutfield Tract was the reserve on the north shore of the river) be only given to “those Indians who Joined his Majesty’s forces” – the so called “Loyalist Mohawks.”