The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-01


suea warlahts Ior the arrest OF kiel on Q charge
OF murder; swore m hundreds OF special consts-
torney General. AZ their nead broke into con-
vents, ransacked parsouages even went 40 LAP -
quarters Of Archbishop Tuche, molssted woman N
their private residences when their hushands vere
absent-all in search OF Louis Reel who I main.
tain, was the head OF de Jacto government wnsr
the act for which he 10 now persecued was COM
REPosrER-And they expelled him from tho
house Z
Mr.. COMMUNICATING did. But he win be re-
elected and they may eXpel him again, and again
REP0RrER-But what is going to be the result
,ha connrv viii he a,sraycb,aa
he Is reelected once.
REPORTER What then
Mr. CUNNINGHAM-Well, ON no annexetiOnBt.
But, speaking deliberately, and after much careful
thought and observation, | have not the slightest
be tan tamount to annexation. The House OF Com
mons OF Canada, In my opinion, In expelling klel
acted without single preceaens ~ tne comst.tu
expeiling him second time, IN my opinion. they
VIII act without precedent again; and should they
dare to disiranchise constituency on account OF
the man OF their choice, they Will perpetrate an
act which will not only be void OF precedent, but
ment can be urged.
RRPoRrER-One word more with respect YOUR
idea Of de Tacto government having existed be-
tween, think you said the 1st oil December ana
the 18th OF July; why do YOU urge that point How
does It bear on anything Ia question
been de Jdcto government neither the govern
ment OF the Province OF Manitoba nor the govern
government OF the Dominion itself has anything
Whatever !? 90 with any parties concerned IN the
TO deal with the matter It is the English govern.
ment and hold that any warrants issued for the
arrest o. any parties connected WITH these troubles
Of the English government. are illegal and can
justfably be resisted, and for this have the high
est legal authority. Consequently, when Louis
Rlel was expelled the House or Commons OF Cam
ada, on the ground that ne was fugitive from
justice, MAINTAIN the basis on which the expul-
sion was made had no existence and that the act
was illegal. That is TO say that Parliament over
stepped its bounds. or course the English, accord
Ing to q well recognized principle, Is omnipOtent,
so to speak. but the Canadian Parliament. being,
IN TACT. nothing more than municipal institution,
Its powers are somewhat more limited.
REPORTER-Who Is this Rel 2 WHAT ia the Of
fence with which he is charged Cannot the
years now since these dit1icuities took place.
Mr.. CUNNINGHAM Louis Riel is a young French
nall-breed as well educated as polished, as shrewd,
OF twenty-five when the circumstances to which
have previously referred arose, he came to the
front. do deaed Canada; he kept out MacDou-
gall; he took some fifty or sixty Canadians pris-
oners. who. under scoundrcl named Schultz. In
defiance or all right or law, raised the Canadian
nag In the country and formed themselves into .
Canadian army, setting at defiance the de 0zCtO
government created by the people or the country.
These prisoners were after time all released. I'm
mediately liter this act OF clemency on the part
OF Riel and his government the Same party, IN the
themselves. constituted themselves again the army
Oh Canada-against the express orders OF the only
tive OF that ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in battle array
on Fort Garry, where Riel and his government mad
one OF them named Scott, who seems to have
been peculiarly vlndlctve and violent, and who,
while in prison. made use OF the most threatening
language towards Rie and the others, was tried
by cour; martial and shot. 1t was an unfortunate
acts but sir, when regard the whole clrcum-
stances; when look at Rei then almost . boy,
invested with such powers as he had; when take
into account the peculiarly Irritating material OPP
did not string up the whole crowd or Canadians
then IN arms. There is not single case IN the
history Of the world that can be lnstanced where
people went through such crisis with less
bl0odshed than what called the Red River REBEL
lion OF 1859. But still, Notwithstanding ali that, the
day for vengeance Is more intense In Canada to-
day than 1t was three years ago..
REPoRTER-How Is thati What underles all
tional influence at work to sustain tins political
tension,
|, Mr. cUNNMoHAM-You are perfectly right. There
y an underlying lnduence, and an influence which
threatens some day 60 produce serious results for
Canada II not met somehow. They may
eloquent wHas 'as was the
murder OF Scott; but the real question At issue
In Canada to-day Is, whether the Orange Lodge Ia
to rule Canada or not. see you are taking notes
and will probably publish something OF what am
and IN
Riel IS sectional Cry, and the excitement kept up
relative to our troubles and the action that has
been taken IN the matter OF Riels expulsion have
their sole origin In the Orange lodges OF the Do
minlon And unless some wise statesmen comes
to the rescue this very question will send con-
kite"
REpoRrER-That is your serious opinion, Are
Mr.. CuNNINGHAx-That is my serious opinion. L
am not Roman Catholic, but . Scotch Presby-
terrain In this matter have no religious influence
warping my Judgment. l speak as politician.
REPoRTER-What views do the people OF your
province take OF the whole matter as 1t standsf
MIR. OUNNINGHAM-They regard it this WAY
They see that In the nrsC instance through the
unscrupuousnesss of some men and the ignor-
confederation. Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir
George Cartier wanted something by means Of
which they might consolidate their position, and,
finding themselves becoming little snaey. they
resolved to the cry Of Confederation with the
agreement have referred to with England and
the Hudson Bay Company. They plundered.
account Of the pianderings Of these people az
Ottawa, they are suffering in every way. Louis
Rel Is being prosecuted; sectional animosities are
being fOstered; immigration Is being impeded:
the development OF the Northwest Is oeing mind.
cred, and they have come to discover that Mani
toba, with Its history, IS mere shuttlecock which
Is being played with between two opposing political
parties And the play Is awlully INSCRIPTIONS. Just
Macdonad at the eenera SECTION Sy yesr p and
halt ago. On his hustings ne acclaimed In the
most touching terms on the death OF Scott, ana
shaking his fist In the air and speaking Of Louis
Riel, he exclaimed, II wish 10 God we could catch
him. would hang him." Now what did this same
able-do within the year before' He trst payed,
through second party, $4,000 to Rel to get out
George was defeated in Montreal. he gave Riel
again through the same party 600 to get out Of
the way and resign his candidature In favor OF Sir
George as representative OF Provenchu; and yet,
Us the head OF the Dominion Government, he had
the audacity afterwards to excaim In public
Well, the fact is. the people OF Manitoba and the
Northwest u are getting tired Z, OF sucn arrsnt
and they don't take kindly TO such things
REPoRTER-These are facts l mean about the
payments.
Mr.. CUNNINGHAM-They are facts which were dis
closed the other day before q parliamentary COM
mittee on the evidence OF Archbishop Tuche at
ottawa. But ought to mention That Riel refused
to accept the money from the Archbishop as CON-
ing from the Canadian government. He TOOK IL as
a loan and holds himself indebted TO the Arch
bishop for the amounts.
REPORTER-it strikes me you are In a pretty
middle still up there. How Is the matter to be set
tied Is 1t a sine qua non that Rel should be
hanged In order TO make things squareY
Mr.. CUNNINGUAM--It looks like that. 1t aeema