St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-08-08
THE REL TRIAL.


The Evidence AN In and the Prisoner Per"
mitted 30 Address the Court On His Own
BehalE-He Asserts His Sanity, Prays for
Court and Lawyers and WrRgs LaehRy-
NAL Demonstrations From Some of the
Jurors.
REGINA, N. w. T., August 1.-More
evidence was taken in Riel's trial yester-
day. Some in favor of his insanity and
some in rebuttaI, closed the case for the
defense Mr.. Fitzpatrick, Riel's coun-
sci, made an eloquent speech, alleging
justification, urging exNeRuatlng crcum-
stances, and winding up with an allusion
to his insane condition. AfterWard Riei
addressed the Court. Before speaking
he turned his eyes upward and prayed
fervently for few minutes. He then
said:
YOUR HoNoRs-GENTLEMEN OF THE JURY:
1t would be easy for me to day to play in
sanity, because of the natural exctement
caused by my trial. The excitement would
cause nature like mine to be far from caln1s
but hope by the help of God to retain calm.
ness. The jury will see by the papers that l
am inclined to be religions, but l trust that
my religious actions will not be thought in
sane
Turning his eyes heavenward and
crossing his hands frequently, he said:
Oh my God, help me through the grace of
the divine influence Of Jesus Christ. ON, my
God, bless me; bless the honorable court;
bless the honorable Judge; bless my good
lawyers, who have come 700 leagues to try
and save my life; bless the lawyers of the
Court, because they have done, am sure,
what they thought their duty, and they have
shown fairness which did not expect Oh,
my God, bless all those who are around me,
through the grace of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Change the curiosity of the people VINO are
around me into calm interest Amen.
Riel then said his mother, who gave
him birth forty years ago, had taken care
of him and nursed him. He had an
other mother-the ADMINISTRATION he
loved, and whom he was sure would not
kill him more than his earthly mother
did. He next proceeded to talk about
grievances, and showed how he came
back to this country to benefit the half
breeds alone. He was speaking in En-
glish and would try and do his best to
be understood. He would yet be jdsti-
fed. He sought to bring about practical
results, and when he was dead, which
might be soon, he hoped his spirit
would yet bring about practical results.
He spoke strongly about the papers
found at Batouche, which he said were
his own writings, and which would yet
Justify him. If released he trusted the
Crown would return them to him. For
the past ten years he had believed he had
a mission to perform. He believed still,
with the help of God, he was performing
that mission in the criminal dock. BE
had waited patiently for years for an OPP
portunity to perform it, The late Arch
bishop Bourget said that he (RieD
had a mission to accomplish. He
had no narrow views. Arch
bishop Bourget wrote it, and he hoped
the Crown had copy of it. AS long as
British justice prevailed, he knew that
God would take care of him. When Mid
dleton was at Batoche, and the bullets
and shells were flying about his head
thicker than mosquitoes, he was protect
ed, and it was nothing but Gods bene-
diction that preserved him. When Cen
eral Middleton and Captain Young were
giving evidence as to his insanity, he felt
that God was blessing him. He blessed
the Crowns lawyers for breaking down
the evidence of DIR. Roy TO the effect that
he was insane. 1t was justification and
proved that he was not insane,
as claimed. Even if condemned and
hanged he would have the satisfaction
of knowing that the world did not be-
Iieye him insane. Nolin wanted him
to make a bargain to renounce his
American citizenship, but Rtel refused,
as he believed it would be of advantage
90 him. The agitation in the North
west would have been constitutional
If the Metis had not been attacked. The
Court had not found out the facts of the
attack. He denied antipathy to the
police. He had never said one word
against the police in his whole
career. He respected them. It is be-
cause he was libeled for fifteen years
that he did not believe himself some
thing. By the grace of God he was the
founder of Manitoba. The whites were
the pioneers of civilization, but had
brought Generalization amongst the In
dams.
sDon't be offended," said Rtel; ''la.
dies, don't be offended; the clergy will
cure the evil. T"
AS to the evidence that he had called
Archbishop Tache a thief, he explained
that the Archbishop had taken property
from widow to make road and close
her out Tache was his great bene-
factor, but he (RieD had read in Scrip
ture: stOh We! Pharfsees who make
long prayers2" He was proud that he
had the manliness to stand up and de-
nounce such an action, even il COM
united by such dignitary.
At the close of Riel's speech two of
the Jurors were numbering, as were also
some of the ladies in the court. the
Jury then retired, but verdict will not
likely be reached soon.
. So
"A