“January 18 1836, Merigomish To His Excellency Lieutenant General Sir Colin Campbell, K.C.B., Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the Province of Nova Scotia and its Dependencies etc. etc. etc. The Petition of Matthew Sapier [Lapier] and other Indians – most humbly shewith: That your memorialists are of the native Aborigines of the British Colonial Province, which your Excellency at present rules; and generally reside in Pictou, the place of their nativity. That your Memorialists are given to understand, that your Excellency’s benevolence has lately been extended in a most liberal manner to many of our Aboriginal brethren in supplying them with blankets, clothing, and muskets etc. and considering that the munificent hand of your Excellency would also be stretched out to us; your Memorialists have been induced to undertake a journey at this late season of the year from Merigomish, in the District of Pictou, where we have pitched our winter wigwams, a distance of upwards of one hundred and seventy miles, to make known our wants to your excellency and to implore your kind and benevolent assistance. There are about thirty six families who are all destitute of almost all the necessities of life, especially of blankets, and clothing, and scarcely any of us possess a musket that is of any use to us; and fire arms and ammunition are if the most essential service to us Indians, being almost, at all seasons, the only means of our subsistence. Your memorialists, therefore, most humbly [pg. 2] Humbly, and most earnestly solicit that your Excellency will be pleased, seriously to consider and commiserate their destitute, and distressed condition, and order them to receive such supplies as your Excellency, in your wisdom and benevolence, may deem proper. And your memorialists, as in duty bound, will every pray etc. etc. Matthew Sapier [x] his mark Joseph Sapier [x] his mark On behalf of themselves and their other Aboriginal brethren The Above subscribing Petitioner, Matthew [Mattel?] Sapier, is a Captain and Chief amongst the Indians in this quarter. He was the first Indian I saw on my arrival to Pictou, upwards of forty years ago, and has always behaved himself in an honest, sober, and temperate manner, and merits the consideration of your Excellency. R. Lowden, J.P. [Justice of the Peace] George Smith, J.P. James Carmichael, J.P. Robert McGray, J.P.
