River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-04-09

the government Of the Hudson Bay com
pany's territory and Dec l. 1869, was sub
sequently fixed as the date OF the transfer.
As the expiry of the charter had only de
prived the company of its special licenses
and privileges, and not OF its original terri
tory, IL was necessary for the government to
purchase the territory. The price agreed
upon was $500, 600, which looks like very
small sum in view of the immensely of the
possessions involved These proceedings
awakened alarm in the hearts of the French
half-breed settlers whose rude houses lined
the banks of the Red and Assinaboine rivers.
These people were mainly the descendants
of the early traders, trappers and employees
of the Hudson's Bay company. They were
in the main an untutored people. except for
such instruction as they received from their
priests. Each head of family had his little
strip of land which he cultivated, and the
dwellings of the people were princi-
pally log huts. The titles under which
they held their lands had been obtained
from the Hudson's Bay company,
where they had titles, but in many cases it
would probably have been difficult to eStab-
lish any legal or valid claim to the land
However for years they had remained in
undsturbed possession of the property on
which they had built their cabins, and felt
perfectly secure in the possession thereof
Their state had been the Hudsons Bay com
pany. The rule of the company had been in
the main mild and beneticent; and although
there had been occasional complaints against
the company for arbitrariness in connection
with trading-for it fixed its own prices, and
hunters and traders were compelled to &C
cept them or nothing-the people were gen
orally well content with their lot The pro-
posed transfer of the company's possession
gave promise of an entirely new and untried
condition of things
THE CAUSE OF ALARM
The settlers felt insecure in their possess
REGARD their FIphEu
course OF the British government in placing
them under the dominion of the Canadian
government seemed to them arbitrary Their
voice had not been heard in the matter.
They knew not what to expect There was
much murmuring, and as the time APP
preached, when tho transfer was to be COM
summated the settlers of the Asslnaboine and
Red River districts began to organize, with
Louis Riel at their head They drew up a
bill of rights in which they put forth, among
other demands the following:
First, the right to elect their own legislature
second this legislature TO have power to pass all
laws of local nature by two-thirds vote over
the veto of the executive: third a free homestead
and presumption law, similar to that of the
United States; fourth, a portion of the public
land to be donated to the support OF schools and
construction of roads and bridges; fifth, treaties
with the Indian tribes calculated to secure peace
in the future.
William McDougall, who had been ap-
pointed as governor of the newly organized
the roads in possession of the insurgents,
and was driven from the country with his
suite, and for some time lived in camp hear
Pembina, ON this side Of the line. This was
the first act of war on the part of the rebels
They Immediately obtained possession of all
the posts and forts and were the masters of
the country. A provisional government was
organized at Fort Garry, with John Brousse
as president, Louis Riel commander chief
of the armies, and the young priest and pa.
triot O'Donoghue was virtually secretary OF
state and secretary of war. The governor
surrounded himself with twenty-four coun-
selors twelve selected from among the
French half-breeds and twelve from among
the English and Scotch element. The
capture of Fort Garry had been easily
accomplished and without bloodshed In
the meantime Gov. McDougall had attempt
ed to interest the Indians in his cause, and
made some futile attempts to gain posses
sion of his province. Acounter-revolution
was also attempted by the Loyalists, and one
James Scott was shot by order of Riel The
council of the provisional governmentwas not
always harmonious, the Scotch and English
elements coming into occasional conflict
with the French, and at times there seemed
to be danger that the government would
peter out altogether. 1t retained possession,
however all through the winter, spring and
summer of 1870, until Sir Garnet Wolseley' s
arrival with British troops
REL ABDICATEs
Instead of holding their ground, Riel and
his compatriots fled from Fort Garry and
crossed the United States line, leaving their
guns and ammunition behind them Sir
Garnet, on the Oath of August, took peace
able possession of the Fort and issued his
famous orders Riel was afterward ban
shed for five years Such was the
Red river rebellion of 1S69-70
1t was practically war without bloodshed,
and contemporary history relates many
acts of clemency and kindness ON the part of
the rebel leader, who did not seem disposed
at any time to pursue sanguinary policy.
He has been severely criticised by friends OF
the movement for his course in vacat1ng the
country when he had practically everything
in his own hands. General sentiment, how
ever, is inclined TO approve OF his course as
a very prudent one. In 1871 there was an
attempt to renew the rebellion, but it speed
lily collapsed In this campaign there were
interested company of about seventy-fve
Fenians under Gen. O'NeiL These camped
in the woods near Pembina, and captured
the British post opposite that place. An
officer who was with this expedition claimed
that the enterprise failed through the treach-
cry of Riel
The actual transfer of the Hudson Bay
possessions had been delayed by the rebel
lion, and did not actually take place until
July / 3, 1870 Mr.. Archibald, the lieutenant
governor of the new Canadian province,
arrived Sept 8. After this commissions were
appointed on behalf of the British govern
ment and the inhabitants of Manitoba to
arrange the difficulties existing and to arrive
at an equitable adjustment of affairs in the
province In this conference Bishop Tache
participated, representing the people of the
province At the time he was attending the
rcumenical council sitting in Rome, and
came home to attend to his duties in this
connection in response to a telegram from
the British government He always had
great influence with the people. From the
fact that he declines TO act as a mediator in
the present crisis, it is su1mised that he
did not consider himself well treated in
connection with the previous negotiations
What was known as the Manitoba act was
passed by parliament this same year. BY this
act many of the privileges asked by the
rebels were granted to the inhabitants of the
country, ana they have since lived under a
representative form of government The
population of all Manitoba at that time was
about IA 600, the proportion of whites to
haIf-breeds being about one to seven or
eight An agrarian feature of the Manitoba
act Is what has led to the present difficulty.
As intimated above, the titles of half-breeds
TO their lands were not very distinct, and
many of the people We're doubtless squatters
By the Manitoba act there were l. 400, 600
acres of land set apart for half breed infants;
subsequent grants were made of land
and scrip to the half breed heads OF
families Afterwards came an order divid-
ing up the 400 900 OF land, so as to grant
to each half-breed child born prior TO July 1,
1870, parcel of 240 acres free
APPoRTIoNrSG THE LAND.
There were many difficulties met with in
apportioning out land The tracts possessed