Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-04-09

the map. 1t is further west than Fort Qu'Appell'
cen. In many cases. however, the money
realize by the sale of lands was not placed
in the care of the court, bat OrdeTsw were even
given that the money should be given to the
care of parish priests or the heads of families
Lands were also taken out of chancery and
sold out rapidly, and and sharks were about
making all they could by taking advantage
OF the peculiar feature of the infant provis-
ion. The halt. breeds themselves were an
easy going people, and the lands and scrip
granted TO heads of families were in many
cases ~squandcie ed. Doubtless there were
numerous abuses of this kind, but the law
was generally acceptable to the half-breeds
of Manitoba, and they took full advantage
of IT Now, beyond the confines of Manitoba,
in the Northwest Territory, lay n few half
breed sections, for the inhabitants of which
no provision was made in the Manitoba act
As a matter of fact, the inhabitants of these
places did not demand an apportionment of
land at the time. The St Laurent district,
the seat of the present uprising, was among
these sections.
THE AGITATION AT ST. LAURENT
About ten years ago, however, the settlers
Of this district began to a up to the fact
that they should receive some consideration,
and asked TO be placed on the same footing
with regard to homesteads and lands as the
half breeds Of Manitoba Later dominion
surveyors were sent into the country TO lev
out the lands. Here the same difficulty was
met as in the Red and Assinaboine
river districts. The half breeds. accord
ing to their French custom, had laid
out their farms In parallelograms
along the banks of the Saskatche-
wan and its branches, and the surveyors
were of course compelled TO destroy this ar
,angement The people earnestly protested
They also renewed their claims for grants of
2iO acres per capita, and from that time to
this the agitation has been kent up. Various
complications have arisen in the meantime,
and complaints lave been made Of delays
and arbitrary acts on the part of the govern
ment Isiel was again called upon for
counsel and advice. He was visited in Mon
tana, where he has been living, by "a depu-
tation of tie a lf-breeds. and in response TO
their appeal went into the st Laurent
country. The half breeds, in the meantime.
had laid their grievances before the domin-
ion parliament at Ottawa. Last September
they held a meeting at st Laurent, at which
they adopted a bill of rights, of which the
following is the substance.
First, the subdivision into provinces Of the
Northwest territories: second, the half-breeds
to receive the same grants and other advantages
as the Manitoba half breeds: third, patents TO
he issued at once to the colouists in possession;
fourth, the sale of hall a million acres of domin-
ion lands, the proceeds to be applied TO the es-
tablishInert in the half-breed settlements Of
schools, iiv-pitais ana such ike institutions,
and to the equipment Of the poorer half breeds
with seed grain and implements: fifth, the res
ervation OF 100 townships of swamp land for
distribution among the children Of half-breeds
during the next 100 years: sixth, a grant Of at
least 81 900 for the maintenance OF an institc-
tion to be conducted by the nuns in each half
breed settlement: and seventh, better provision
for the support OF the Indians.
The last item, it is said, was inserted by
Riel in order to please Poundmaker, an In
dian chief who has made common cause
with the half -breeds The bill of rights APP
parently asks for q good deal ILore than
the rebels have any idea of obtaining. but it
is said that Monsignor Grandin, the Roman
Catholic bishop of that region, and most of
the English-speaking settlers are in favor of
it Since Rtels presence in the Saskatche-
wan country he has been actively at the
head of the movement for rights, and under
his leadership the forces a organized and
the present rebellion has been engineered
The events OF the conflict are still fresh in
the memory of ALI
THE PRESENT REBELLION.
The rebellion war started In the early
part Of last week At first the DO
minion government professed TO con-
sIder tho instruction as OF no i'm
p~ortance. but the cutting of the telegraph
lines and the threatening uprising of the
Indians ali through the Saskatchewan terri
tory as well as the imminent danger In which
the Canadian Pacific railroad is placed has
thoroughly aroused them, and troops are
being rapidly hurried to the front by special
trains as fast as they can be prepared 10 take
the field. The exact strength of Riel's forces
Is not known IL Is said 10 be composed of
500 to 1900 men, armed with Remington
and Winchester rifles, and Gen. Middleton
who is TO command the government troops
declines 60 advance to the front with less
than l 500 men. The first troops left Win
nipeg for the scene of the rebellion on Thurs
day o. last week. They comprised six com
panies of the Nineteenth battalion, in all 30
men; TO these are TO be added the regu-
lar mounted police already ON the ground,
and several military companies organized by
the settlers residing in the section where the
rebellion Is in progress. The troops, however,
are at Q~u'Appeile, waiting for reinforce
ments II first regular battle between the
rebels and the police took place last Thurs
day afternoon Ten civilians of Prince Al
bert and two policemen were killed and four
civilians and seven constabfes wounded
The rebel loss was fifteen killed. A second
tight at Duck lake, on Friday. resulted in the
killing and wounding of thirteen policemen
and volunteers and the death of forty rebels
Fort Carleton was also destroyed on the 9th
by Col. Irvine, OF the police force, to prevent
its falling into the hands of the rebels Vol
unteers are being called for by the govern
ment, and are responding in large numbers
As fast as equipped they are being pushed
to the front, and 500 men at least will be
eS~Ns ""se~'o "AhtPOS az rccuc VI
war In a few days.
" INDIANS AT ~BArrLEFoRp.
Winnipeg Special: The following was re-
ceived this morning:
Battleford. March 3l.-AIl residents in town
and settlers In the neighborhood have moved
their families into the barracks. Several hun
dred Indians came down from P~oundmaker'
reserve Yesterday, raiding formers houses on
their way, and are now In possession OF the
Methodist school, helping themselves to
what they want. They profess peace, but
their actions belle their words. Three
police and ten Prince Albert volunteers
and as many mounted, and forty-one rebels are
known to be killed. The Indians who are on
the south side OF Battle river want the Indian
agent TO 20 there and see them, but he will only
consent to a conference with the chiefs on mid
do grounds The Crees and Stones Of the
EAGLE hills refuse TO join In the disturbance.
The following was received at Qu'Appelle
at III o'clock to day:
Members OF the Fourth, Fifth aud Sixth COM
psnies. Nineteenth battalion. under command Of
Ma. Boswel, arrived a. Fort Qu'Appelle at 2