The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-02
WIN MIPEa.
THE. END OF THE REBELLION.

tion.
despatch from Toronto, published by us yes
terday afternoon, gave the particulars of the
occupation of Fort Garry by the expedition
under Colonel Woolsley, and the final winding
up of that teapot tempest which will figure in
history as the Winnipeg War.
The Origin of The Trouble.
In 1910, King Charles the Second granted to
'The Governor and Company of Adventures of
England trading into Hudson Bay" the lands
now in question, with virtual ownership
saving always the sovereignty of the crown. In
1911 the Hudson Bay Company executed to
Lord Selkirk that part of their territory COM
prised in the British half of the valley of the
Red River of the North-being so called to dis
tinguish it from the Red River of Texas-and in
1921 this Selkirk grant was merged back into
the company. In 1867, Parliament passed the
British North American Act, which contemplated
the consolidation of all the British possessions
in North America into one State, to be called
the Dominion of Canada; and in 1868, it being
found that the case of the company demanded
further legislation, passed the Rupert's Land
Act to facilitate thehccession,o of Rupert's Land
the old name of the companys territory, de-
rived from the fiery Prince Rupert of Marston
Moor times-to the Dominion.
Under this latter act agreement was en-
tered into by virtue of which, on payment to
them by the Dominion of e300 00O the company
was to surrender to the crown the grant made
them by King Charles the Second the object
being to put Ruperts Land in a condition to be
absorbed in the Dominion without a violation
OF the companys vested rights. Said agree
ment having been entered into, the Dominion
Parliament passed, on the 22d of June, 1859, an
act for the temporary government of the COM
pany's possessions, or the Northwest Territories,
| as it was now called, as soon as the union
] thereof with the Dominion was consummated;
and directed the appointment of lieu
tenant-governor with plenary powers, under
the guidance of the Dominion, for the rule
thereof
William McDougall, G. B., was appointed
lieutenant-governor,a and, towards the close of
October 1869, entered the Red River country
with intent, on the first of December then fol-
lowing, to take possession, in the name of the
| Dominion, of the same. This procedure was
highly disrelished in the territories first, on the
ground that there had been no formal cession,
the terms of the agreement to that effect re-
naming unfulflled; and, second, that the con-
sent of the people of the territories to such
transfer had been utterly ignsred and on the I'd
of November Mr.. McDougoll was expelled by
body of armed men.
The Rebellion In Full Blast.
Four days thereafter John Bruce, signing
himself as President, and Louis Riel, signing as
Secretary, of the French. speaking people of
Ruperts Land, issued invitation to their
English-speaking compatriots to send delegates
to meet delegates from the French population
in convention at Fort Garry on the 10th of
November, 1869. On that day William Nc
lavish Governor under the Hudson Bay Com
pany or ''of Assinaboin, as he signs himself
this being one more of the many names of this
debatable land-issued his proclamation warn
ing all persons within the Territories to retire
to their homes and not participate in any such
proceedings as the proposed convention.
The convention met, however, at
Fort Garry on the 10th of Novem-
ber, as called, aud consisted of twelve
English delegates and twelve French, with
Bruce as President and Riel Secretary. In a
weeks session this convention drew up bill of
rights which virtually demanded representa-
tive government for Ruperts Land, subject to
the sovereignty of the crown; but adjourned on
being unable to unite on some form of guarantee
therefor. On the Gath of November, however,
another convention was held, and resolution
or independence adopted, which resolution was
followed by proclamation from Mr.. McDougall
of the 1st of December declaring the people of
Rupert's Land in insurrection; and this pro-
clamation in turn by counter-proclamaton of
the 9Th of December from Bruce, President, and
Riel, Secretary, announcing the independence
of Rupert's Land, and that the government in
stituted there on the oath of November, 1869,
was the only and lawful authority" thereof.
After the adjournment of the convention Riel
was unanimously elected President of the Pro-
vsional Government, and began at once his
preparations for defense.
War Under Way.
This as may be imagined brought the plead
ings to an issue, and the Winnipeg war began.
The first commandant for the Dominion was
Colonel j. s. Dennis, an appointee of McDou-
gall, who gathered together some six hundred
men, and moved against the insurgents. But
the whole party were taken prisoners by the
insurgents on December 18, 1869, and were
detained in custody until the early part of Feb
ruary, when they were finally released and re-
turned to their homes.
The next champion of the Dominion cause
was Major Boulton, formerly an officer of the
British army, who in February last in company
with DIR. Schultz, led an expedition against the
insurgents, which came to termination quite
as inglorous as the former one. Boulton and
Schultz after occupying the lower stone fort,
moved on Fort Garry with force of two hun
dred Canadians, English, and half-breeds. Not
being strong enough to attack Fort Garry they
encamped near by. Riel collected five hundred
men and attacked them, and Boulton, finding
that but little assistance to be expected from
the settlers, surrendered on the 10Th of February
with ffty-seven of his men, who marched to Fort
Garry, while the rest, under Schultz, retired to
) the stone fort On the 10Th Riel despatched
one hundred armed men to attack Schultz. vii.