"Half-breed" uprise in Paspebiac, 1886.
About 6 months after the Northwest Rebellion of 1885, an uprising by the western provinces Métis people under Louis Riel, the Paspebiac Half-breed are at the forefront of riots after a long winter of starvations.
Base on a similar business model as the Hudson Bay Company, Robin Jones & Whiteman company was known for its exploitative relationship with the fishermen. Fisherman would sell their cod to the company but generally did not receive cash for their catch. Instead, they were given credit at the company's store, where they obtained fishing equipment, clothing, food, drinks, tools and other items of domestic use. Fishermen often found themselves more or less in debt, which ensured their commitment to the company.
Sir William Edmond Logan journals, 1843-4
In a journal entry, Sir William Edmond Logan wrote during a voyage by canoe along both shores of Baie de Gaspé and as far as Cape Maquereau on the northern side of Baie des Chaleurs and then as far as Paspebiac, he wrote after a conversation with a local; “The fish merchants discouraged agriculture as much as possible, they get high commissions and profits on the sale of the imported provisions and they do not wish farming to flourish.”
Those lines were also written by M. Philippe Robin in a correspondence with his clerk in Paspebiac; “Les écoles sont proscrites. Il n'y a pas besoin d'instructions pour eux, s'ils étaient instruits en seraient-ils plus habiles à la pêche?”, which translate into: “ School are proscribed. Schooling is not needed for them, if educated, would they be more skilled at fishing?”
De tribord à babord p.361
In the second half of the 19th century, a financial crises affected the company. The most important one occurred in 1886 following the Jersey Banking Company's bankruptcy. At that time, Charles Robin and Company is driven into bankruptcy. Depending heavily on the company for their survival, the fisherman are unable to obtain their supplies, so the”half-breed” of Paspébiac and Nouvelle (now call Hope town) took matters into their own hand to make sure their family would survive, and broke into the warehouses of the Robin’s, to take food and flour with them.
The New York Times (New York, New York) · Wed, Feb 17, 1886 · Page 5
These events occurs only two months after Louis Riel was hanged and the authorities worries that they will see a repeat of the Northwest Rebellion since the “half-breed” are at the forefront of the riots.
Here is a transcription from an article from none other then the New York time;
“So far the rioters have been for the most part Paspebiac half breeds. They are desperate characters. The position, therefore, is one of great uncertainty and anxiety. If the spirit of defiance to law and order is not checked at once there may be a repetition of the Northwest rebellion.”
Le canadien, 19 February 1886
There is an extensive coverage in the newspaper of the time. Le canadien, 19 February 1886;
“Les émeutiers se sont de nouveau assemblés hier l’après-midi pour demander des provisions…les principaux ne sont pas ceux qui sont le plus dans le besoin, et l’on dit que les émeutiers sont des métis de l’union de race entre les premiers Acadiens et les sauvages Micmacs, et peuvent être facilement reconnus. Les pauvres anglais et de race française ne prendront très probablement pas part a ces troubles.”
Translation;
“The rioters have gathered again this after-noon to ask for provisions…most of them are not the one who are mostly in need, and we say that the rioters are metis from the union of race between the first acadians and the Micmacs savages, and can be easily recognize. the poor english and the of the french race will probably not take part in those troubles.”
Morning chronicle feb 19th, 1886. P1.
Here we have another account of the perception of the time, the except speaks for itself.
“Had an example been made of those who led the riot on Monday there would be much less danger of farther violence. As things are now, the danger is great and increasing daily. The leaders are not those in need. Troops are not wanted, but a police force to arrest the rioters and protect the stores until al order can be restored." unless this is done there may be trouble elsewhere, as the rowdy element is only waiting to see what will be done with Monday's rioters. If they are not punished others will believe that they can break in and rob with impunity. The rioters are nearly all half-breed and are difficult class to manage. They are on the qui vive and will not allow themselves to be arrested by the local constables without a fight…There is here an element that is hard to manage. This is particularly the case with the Metis of Paspebiac.”
There was a well-established collective during those events with identifiable leaders. On the following fall, during the month of October 1886, the leaders are being officially accused, trial and convicted. When we look at the court paper, we see that all the witness call to the stand are the lords and upper class of the time.
The convicted felon and leaders of the riot are all with no exception from well identified, Sang-mêlé family. Their family names are Albert, Delarosbil, Chapados and Blais. All those names are connected to the historical Half-breed community of the Baie-des-Chaleurs. They are descendant of the Mitif, identified by Bazagier in 1760. They take roots in family names that are shared today with the Mi’gmaq community of Gesgepewa’gi like; Ward (Huard), Larocque, Vicaire, Caplin, Labove, young (Lejeune) and so on. Since the witness of the time seems to be unanimous that the leaders were “Metis” and “a cross-breed between the early Acadian settlers and the Micmac Indians” , as mentioned in many newspaper articles of 1886 and in numerous documents of the time, it is fair to say that those families are part of that collective that we have well established in many articles on this site. A collective that was part of the historical community of the Baie-des-Chaleurs.
Morning chronicle 18 feb 1886 p2
