The Portland daily press., 1869-12-01
Govern ,r Nc ID oug all, the Modern sancho
Panza.

Govern ,r NC % ougal the Modern sancho
Panza.
The very latest from Mr.. McDougall, who
was sent out by the Dominion of Canada to
be Governor of the Hudson Bay Territory.
which is also known as the Red River Conn
try, Rupert's Land, and more recently, since
its purchase by the Dominion, as the Winni-
peg province, is that he is still at Pembina, in
Tue Territory Of Dakota, with all his "Coun-
Gu and the other attaches of his vlceregal
court. His rebellious subjects still refuse 10
receive him, and still guard the "fortresses'' of
their country against the approach of Nc
Dougal and his ninions. We have hitherto
published the narrative Of his comical re-
pulse from his domains, but at that time if
was not supposed that his exile would be per-
manent OF that the instruction would last n
week. But now the aspect of things has
changed. Force alone can enthrone Gov.
McDougall in Winnipeg, unless the patriot
haii-oreeds, or "niggers," as they are euphoni-
ously called in the Dominion, are appeased by
large concessions. 1t remains, therefore, to
consider the moral aspects of what bids fair
to be genuine instruction.
Some time since, when this Gov. McDou-
gall was Canadian Minister of Public Works
he passed through Portland on his wav to
England. He is one of the ablest of Canali.
an public men. He has finely cut features. is
tall and rather imposing in figure, and has an
air OF great intelligence and sagacity. He
was originally Liberal in politics, we be-
lleye, but joined the compromise ministry of
Sir John Mcdonald and is now mild Con-
servative. In conversation with him at the
Tune OF ms visit to Portland, we found that
MS attention was for some reason strongly
drawn toward the. Hudson Bay Company's
possessions. He talked enthusiastically of
their extent and the wealth of their undeyel-
oped resources. 1t afterwards appeared thu.
MS mission to England was for the purpose OF
perfecting an arrangement for the transfer of
these immense regions to the Dominion. He
was, after much wrestling with the Derby
ministry, successful, though the Dominion
was doomed to pay the 81 100000 for the COW
etedterritory which Mr.. McDougall had con-
hdently hoped that kind, fatherly cid John
Bull himself would pay to the Hudson Bav
Company. So the land, with an incumbrance
OF some fifteen or twenty thousand people.
was made over to Canada, and the Hon. Mr..
McDougall was made Governor of the Prov
ince OF Winnipeg. He set out in great state
to take possession of his own, accompanied
by great retinue of worthless sprios of Can
adam and English aristocracy TO fill subordi-
nate places.
SO far all was well. But there had been
one little oversght,-the fifteen or twenty
thousand people who lived on the Red River
had been completely ignored. We repeat that
it was lille oversight for British or Cana
dian government to make, yet it was the oc-
casion of the Hon. Mr.. McDougalps becoming
like Sancho Panza in all but one respectable
latter had the island that had been promised
him, but had nothing else; the former did not
even get his island! The people, mostly Chip
pewa Indians and French halfbreeds, claimed
that the Hudson Bay Company had no right
to sell hem-no right even to sell the land, of
which the Indians had merely granted the use
for term OF years. They had not beer consult
ed about the matter at all. They were tansfer
red like so many oxen. This land wa. being
surveyed and parceled out for sale +, i'm
igrants. The forerunners of the new govern
ment that had been set up without their ,on-
sent did not give them favorable impression
OF what was to come. The Canadians alrea-
dy among them were proud, staggering I'd
lows, tanning and swelling like turkey cocksy
as Dominion paper admits, who showed
them no respect whatever and even insulted
their wives and daughters. From these spe-
cimens of Canadian gentility the poor half
breeds viewed with inexpressible apprehen-
sion the advent of horde of officials. who
were to be repaid for political services render
ed elsewhere by preferment in Winnipeg. So
Stout John Brouse-a laboring man-and his
allies took UP arms. They had somewhere
acquired certain notions about the right of
self-government, perhaps from their contigui-
ty to American soil. Before Gov. McDougaIl
can receive their allegiance they demand that
an adequate check upon any abuse of author
ity by the Executive shall be furnished by
local Legislature invested with a veto mower.
In short, they demand the essentials of self
government.
The United States must sympathize with
the insurgents, and cannot fail to feel deem
interest in the result of the revolt. The conn
try where the disturbance has occurred is at
present accessible only through the United
states, and to the United States our disan-
pointed Sancho Panza has come for safety
bringing the British lion under the shelterins
wings of the American eagle. Little can be
done for him by his government till spring.
Then the situation will be interesting. The
people OF our Western territories regard the
Red River country as naturally an integra,
part of the United States, and if the insur-
gents show any annexation prociyities it will
be hard work to keep our border friends from
helping along the movement by fillibusterine
expeditions. This, with the dissatisfaction
among the people of British Columbia, the
restlessness of Quebec and the maritime pro.
vinces and the refusal of Newfoundland and
frince Edwards Island to unite with the Do
mlnion, will cause the affairs of our Northern
nelghbor to assume rather lugubrious as
pect during the year of grace 1870.