The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-24
The Red River Insurrection.

In another column of the HERALD will be
found an exceedingly interesting historical
and geographical sketch of the Red river
country or Winnipeg territory. There is
not much in name when people are
going through the baptism of fire that is
to decide what name they and their posterity
after them shall bear forever. Not only will
the name of a people be changed by triumph
over hereditary rulers, but often the very
designation of the country they inhabit win
undergo similar sponsorial transformation
more appropriate to the dignity Of the new
position and destiny such people may have
achieved Dispatches in yesterdays HERALD
from the new seat of war in the Red river ter
ritory announced simultaneously the breaking
out of hostilities and the first triumph of the
insurreetionists. An inaugural success in
arms is generally taken as a criterion of final
triumph for the victors, and in this case with
more than the usual applicability, judging
from the relative positions Of the contcnding
parties. The article referred to will post our
readers fully with regard to tho situation of
affairs on the Red river-the origin of tho
war, the present status of the combatants,
the resources of the insurrectionists, and the
anomalous position in which the parties of the
second part--the British government, tho New
Dominion and the Hudson Bay Company
occupy in regard to the outbreak.
The circumstances, briefly reviewed, are
these After nearly two hundred years
monopoly of the valuable fur trade of British
Columbia enjoyed under royal charter from
Charles the Second, of ''blessed memory"-the
Hudson Bay Company lately found their chief
settlement on the Red river encroached upon
by settlers from the United States. These
Entertainments threatened the extinction of all
the profits of the fur trade, and, what was
equally bad and distasteful, the birth Of
revolutionary spirit among the settlers
dangerous to the peace and prosperity and
well being Of said company. On the estab-
lishment Of the New Dominion the company
was but too glad for considera-
ton to surrender the charter and the
territory to tho Canadian government.
The transfer was made, but the Canadian gov
eminent, being impecunious, failed to give the
sine qua non therefor-the sum of three hun
dred thousand pounds sterling, besides certain
rights and privileges reserved by the company.
No difficulty was however, expected on this
score, and the Canadian authorities sent Gov
ernor to take possession of the territory, with
instructions to appoint council to assist him
in the government thereof To this summary
disposal Of themselves and their country the
settlers demurred, and the result is the conflict,
the particulars of which have been already laid
before the readers of the HERALD. McD0ugall,
the embryo Governor, has been driven out Of
the territory and his followers captured and
held by the insurgents. Governor McTavish,
by later accounts is also in their hands, and
thus another band of ''sx hundred covers itself
with glory and victory. The perplexity of the
situation appears in this, that Canada demands.
peaceful transfer of the territory, and this
the company cannot now effect; the bargain,
therefore, becomes null and void, and neither
party is in position to carry on hostilities
and the settlers, as consequence, have tho
field all to themselves.
But what is the grand result awaiting the
fruition of this movement? The annexation,
not only of the Red river territory, but of all
British Columbia to the United States Uncle
Sam is just in the mood for speculation. He
has been casting his eyes abroad for choice
lots. Hero he has one at his very door. The
Red river settlers cannot easily be invaded
except over the American border. They are
to that extent safe, and their independence 10
consequently surely guaranteed. What will
they do with itp Merge it in that Of the peo-
pie Of the great republic, and discarding tho
name Of ''Red river men, or "Winnpegocs,"
adopt that of Americans.
This will assuredly be the result of tho &C
ton Of the gallant six hundred that captured
Fort Garry, and will, no doubt, ere long lead
to the annexation of the whole of the British
territories on the American Continent to the
United States. To this complexion it muss
come at last.