The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-08-07

The Leader OF tho Rebellion Addressed
sthe Jury. Calling tho Government In.
sane and Irresponsible.

Tho Leader OF tho Rebellion Addresses
tho Jury. Calling tho Government In
sane and Irresponsible.
At the trial Of Louis Riel ut Regina, NV.
T., on the 31st, the Judge gave Riel an OPP
portunity OF addressing the jury, and he
spoke nearly two hours. The court was
crowded to the utmost. Brcathless still
ness prevailed. Rielprciaccd his speech with
the following prayer, delivered with eyes
turned heavcnwnrtl:
ooh, my God, help me through tho 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 come 700 leagues
10 try to save my life; bless the lawyers OF
the crown. because they have done, l 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 INC through the
grace Of Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Turn their curiosity into calm inter-
est. Amen" Ricl said he had two moth.
crs---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
WRITINGS WHICH WOULD LIVE AFTER HIM.
Archbishop Bourget and other dgnitar-
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. God preserved him from
all danger. Whilebullets were flying about
his head thick as mosquitoes Mt Batoche, he
knew he was safe because God protected
ln,l.,
ton gave evidence that he was not insane
He called on God to bless the crown lawyer
FOR breaking down the evidence Of DR.. Roy
the medicalexpert. Even ifhanged, he would
have the satisfaction Of knowing that the
world believed him not insane. He said
the agitation would have been constitu-
tinnal had not government forces at
prisoner said, he was tho founder of Mani
toba. He denounced Archbishop Tache for
some wrong doing, and said he was a bcncfac-
torof humanity. He proclaimed himself IL
prophet OF the new world; told how Gods
spirit had spoken to him in his cclllnst night
and assured him ofcomiort. Comfort had
come in being allowed to speak. Therefore
through him. lie could prophesy by feel
ing OF the flesh on his hands and legs. lie
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.
piNAL ApPEALro THE JURY.
in conclusion Ricl read from a paper writ
ten in pencil, as follows
Your Honors and the Jury: My rcputn-
ton, my liberty, my lilo. are at your dis
posai. So confident am Of your sense Of
duty l have not the slightest doubt as to
your verdict. The calmncss OF my mind
concerning the favorable decision / cX-
pcct from you does comcfrom any pre-
sumption on my part. ] simply hope for II
con.rcicntious verdict. and that after having
heard w. hat have tnsay, you will acquit mo.
lido respect YOU, nlthoughyou are only half
~ Jury, but you;' number oi six does not
prevent Won from b.ing just and conscicn-
tious, and does not prevc"t you from hav-
ing my confidence. | am taking the clrc'lni-
stances OF my trial as they are, ANA wlsh
to call your attention to- before you retire.
that the house OF commons and senate ana
the ministry of the dominion, which make
laws for this land, are not representative
whatever oi the people Of the Northwest
Second. that the Northwest council, ganer-
ated by he federal government, has great
defect The present number Of persons so.
lrcied ior that council make it only show,
and they are not II representative govern-
AMEN, whjrI, rules Canada and the North
west. Bu; from signs shown in court you
nrr compelled 10 admit that il they are not
mspn.sibic they are not insane. Good
Sense alone leads to sane conclusions. by
testimony laid before you during t he trinl
witnesses ON both sides have made 1t GER
lain To you that.
PETITION AFTER PETITION
has bs on sent to the federal government, hut
so irrcsp,. .lisible is that government to the
Northwest that in the course OF several
wears besides q, uing nothing to satisfy the