The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-03

TO have resolved on undertaking the enter
prise and it would be desirable that any pos
sible assistance should be furnished by the
Imperial Government. The withdrawal of
the garrison from Canada would have pre-
vented the despatch of a contingent, nor
would it have been desirable to risk a body of
regular troops in so distant and obscure
campaign; but the colonists have a reasonable
claim for q contribution in the form of money
or of stores.
The insurgents of the Red River are of
mixed Indian blood. and it is not known
whether their ostensible grievance is the real
cause of their disaffection. It is highly pro-
bable that the better class of inhabitants is
opposed to the insurrection, and the insolent
outrage of putting loyal subject to death
for abiding by his allegiance indicates belief
that it is expedient to strike terror into dis
sidents, and to make the rupture irreparable.
The Red River forms part of the vast terri
tories which were included in the charter of
the Hudsons Bay Company, and the insur-
gents complain that they were transferred to
the Dominion of Canada without reference to
their wishes or their alleged interests 1t had
for some time been the object of English states
men to satisfy the wishes of Canada by in
ducing the Hudson's Bay Company to part
with it's anomalous sovereignty, 1t was
asserted that the company discour-
aged settlement for the purpose
and there was an apparent anachron-
ism in allowing territorial possession to be
subject-matter of ioint-stock enterprise. The
Canadians like the Americans of the United
States, were disturbed by seeing on the map,
colored in a tint which indicated a separate
ownership considerable region which ap-
peared to them part of their natural inheri-
tance; and they had no suspicion that, with
the exception of the Indian tribes, the Hud-
sons Bay Company reigned over any appre-
ciable body of subjects. The controversy
which had long pended between the colony
and the company was finally adjusted year
ago through the mediation of Lord Granville
The price was settled, and the formal con-
veyance was effected; but sufficient care
has apparently not been taken
of personal and local interests. There
is reason to believe that some of the servants
of the company who are likely to be deprived
of their occupation have not been forward in
facilitating the transfer of the possessions of
their former employers. On their suggestion.
or spontaneously, belief was spread among
the scattered inhabitants of the Red River
that intruders from Canada were about to
enter their country and to occupy the provin-
cial offices. 1t is scarcely probable that the
wealth of the district would have attracted
the cupidity of strangers; but it is difficult to
make any change without touching upon some
vested interest. 1t would probably have
been judicious to reserve some small per-
centage of the purchase-money to satisfy
petty officials, or even for the practice on q
small scale of the arts which accomplished
the Irish Union. When Mr.. Macdougal, the
| Canadian Governor or Commissioner, ap-
| peared to take possession of the provincial
| Government, he was refused admission to the
| territory; and as he was not, and indeed could
not have been, accompanied by any armed
force, he had no choice but to desist after a
time from his futile enterprise. A French
half-breed has contrived for the present to
put himself at the head of provisional gov
ernment, and after some hesitation he has
committed himself to rebellion by political
murder. There is no longer any room for
discussion; and it may be hoped that the i'm
pediments to the exercise of force are not in
surmountable
To certain extent the English Govern
ment may be considered under an obligation
to guarantee the transfer of the territory to
the Dominion, The Hudson's Bay Company
was an English incorporation, and its mem
bers and officers were exclusively English
subjects The sovereignty of its possessions
remained in the Crown somewhat more fully
than the corresponding prerogative when it is
applied to great and self governing colony.
The Governor, indeed, was appointed by the
company, and there was no English function
ary to represent the Imperial authority; but
|
for its existence on charters and acts of Par
lament which might at any time have been
recalled or repealed. The English Govern
ment took part in the late negotiation,
partly to crafty the wishes of Canada,
but also through desire to break loose
from connection with an anomalous
system and with the responsibility which
it involved. The principal benefit of the
transfer accrued to Canada, but England was
a necessary party to the proceeding, and was
bound as far as possible to see that it was
completed. 1t is highly desirable that, if the
undertaking is not intrinsically impracticable,
the insurrection should be forcibly suppressed
without delay. The possible risk of compli-
cations with the United States concerns Eng
land as nearly as Canada. collision or a
quarrel would soon transcend colonial dimen-
sions, especially as American patriots would
take more pleasure in insulting England than
in interfering with the rights of Canada. If
the Red River is once subjected to its new
allegiance, the Government of the Dominion
may fairly be expected to charge itself with
the future vindication of it's own autho-
rity; but until the territory lately be-
longing to the Hudson's Bay Company
has been reduced into possession, the
colony has a claim upon England. The
Canadian House of Commons lately rejected
by large majority proposal that the Do
minion should ask the Imperial Government
to concede to it the management of its OWL
commercial diplomacy. Yet, although the
loyal feeling of the eolonists is warm anG
steady, the local Government is constantly
compelled by circumstances to rely more an(
more on independent action. The maiI