The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1885-08-06
REL m HIS OWN DEFENSE.

- . y-l+- 81, . --. "a 3 q -
The Leader of the Rebellion Addresses
the Jury, Calling the Government In
sane and Irresponsible. n.
At the trial OF Louis Riel atRegina, N w.
T., on the 31st, the judge gave Riel an OPP
portpnity of'addressing the juryf and he
spoke nearly two hours. The court was
crowded to the utmost. Breathless still-
ness prevailed. Riel prefaced his speech with
the following prayer, delivered with eyes
turned heavenward r..'-r,:----.'.
"Oh, my God, help me through the grace
and divine influence OF Jesus Christ. Oh,
my God, bless me; bless ., this honorable
court; bless this honorable jury; bless my
good lawyers who have como 700 leagues
to try to save my life; bless the lawyers OF
the crown, because they have done, I am
sure, what they thought their duty, and
they have shown fairness which did not
expect. Oh, my God, bless all these
who are around me through the
grace OF Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Turn their curiosity into calm inter-
est. Amen" Riel said he had two moth
ers-his earthly one who had nursed him,
and the Northwest. The first would not
kill him, neither would the second. Poster
ity would Justify him yet for what he had
done. His mission was to bring about
practical results, and il he failed tempo
rarily, his spirit would yet accomplish the
mission. He had = '-L'5
Is WRITINGS WHICH WOULD LIVE AFTER HIM.
Archbishop Bourget and other dignitar-
les told him he had mission and for the
past ten years had been working at it and
was. performing it in the = Grim
inal dock. Sod preserved him from
all danger. While bullets were flying about
his head thick as mosquitoes, at Batoche, he
knew he was safe because God protected
him. God acknowledged him when Middle
ton COVE evidence that he was not insane.
He called on God to bless the crown lawyer
for breaking down the evidence OF DR.. Roy,
the medical expert Even ifhnnged he would
have the satisfaction OF knowing that the
world believed him not insane. He said
the agitation would have been constitu-
tional had not government forces at
tackled the Metis. By the grace OF God, tho
prisoner said, hewas the founder OF Mani
toba. He denounced Archbishop Tache for
! some wrong doing, and said he was n beneiac-
tor OF humanity. He proclaimed himself
prophet OIL the new world; told how God's
spirit had spoken to him in his cell last night
and assured him ofcomfort. Comfort had
|icome in being allowed to speak. Therefore
eshad confidence that God would speak
Through him. He could prophecy by feel
ing OF the flesh on his hands and legs. He
would yet bring Sir John Macdonald to his
feet. He had stopped populations three
times from going to the States to induce
Americans to come over to take possession
OF the country. Il.
-, FINAL APPEALTo THE JURY.
In conclusion Rel read from apaper writ
ten in pencil, as follows: ~,
Your %Honors and the Jury: Myreputa-
ton, my liberty, my life, are at your dis
posal. So confident am OF yeur sense Of
duty have not the slightest doubt as to
your verdict. The calmness OF my mind
concerning the favorable decision i ex-
pect from you does not come from any pre-
sumption on my part. simply hope for o
conscientious verdict, and that after having
heard what have to say, you will acquit me.
lido respect you, although you are only half
jury, but your number OF six does not
prevent you from being just and conscien-
tious, and does not prevent you from hav-
ing my confidence. / am taking the circum-
| stances OF my trial as they are, and wish
to call your attention to, before you retire,
that the house OF commons and senate and
the ministry OF the dominion, which make
laws for this land, are not representative
whatever OF the people OF the Northwest
Second, that the Northwest council, gener-
ated by the federal government, has great
defect. The present number OF persons Sc
lected for that council make it only ashow,
and they are not q representative govern
ment which rules Canada and the North
west. But from signs shown.in court you
are compelled to admit that il they are not
responsible they are not insane. Good
Bense alone leads to sane conclusions. By
testimony laid before you during the trial,
witnesses on both sides have made it Ger
tain to you that. :f 81 r. ,5S- 5.
f PETITION AFTER PETITION
has been sent to the federal goyernment, but
SO irresponsible is that government to the
Northwest that in the course of several
years, besides doing nothing to satisfy the
people OF the Northwest, it has not an
swered once or given q sign OF response.
The factwould indicate absolute lack OF re-
sponsibility and insanity complicated with
paralysis. [Laughter.] That monster OF ir-
responsible, insanegovernment, and its little
one, the Northwest council, have made up
there mind to answer my petitions by sur
rounding me slyly, and by attempting to
jump atme and my peoplein Saskatchewan.
Happily when they showed their teeth to de-
your1 was ready. 1have fired and wounded
them. Bearitin mind that is what is
called my crime OF high treason. They led
me to it, but my act was in the name Of
Jesus Christ. the only one who can help me.
! II they are trying to Il tear me to pieces,
if you believe the plea OF insanity OF
the defense that am not responsible for
my acts, acqmt me, since have been quar-
reling with the insane acts OF the govern.
ment. II you believe in the crown, which
contends that lam responsible, acquit me.
You ARE perfectly iustifable to declare that
having my reason and sound mind have
acted responsibly and in sound mind, while
the government, my aggressor, has acted
madly, and If there be high treason it must
be on their side, not on mine.
SIS {yE ssF5 S55yJ S35 So =
The Grandeur Of the Funeral Pageant. 4
"A New York dispatch Preparations
for the great military pageant, which is to
be the principal feature OF the Grant funer-
al on the 9th, continue with great zeal.
With the exception OF the vast number OF
details, which will now take care OF them
selves, these, preparations may now. be
called completed. Gen. Hancock has ap-t
pointed all his aids, and is now occupied
during every working hour OF the day in
receiving and answering applications for
places in the line So numerous are these
applications that the principle has been
adopted OF having Organizations represent
ed in the procession rather than march as a
whole, for il the complete bodies were ad-
mitted the line Of march from the city
hall to Riverside Park, a distance of
nine miles, would not contain the mass
OF men. So important has it become to
keep the procession within manageable
limits that very few carriages will be al
lowed. The decorations OF building OF all