New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-05-06
LOUIS REL.
bishop Brondel Of Montana Gives Some
Interesting Facts About Riel.

bishop Brondel Of Montana Gives Some
Interesting Facts About Riel.
Bishop Brondel of Helena, Mont, preached
Sunday the Goth in St. Matthew's church Wash
ington, D. c. His errand East is to secure
assistant priests to go and preach among the
$4,000 Indians under his charge He knew
Louis Riel, the leader Of the half breed re-
volt.
SIN 1885," says Father Brondel, when I
went to Montana, Louis Riel was in the ON
found him at the St Peter mission teaching IN
the little school house there. He had a half
breed wife, a quiet woman who shared his ad-
ventures, and who is now with him in the hos
tile camp. He has two or three small child
rem, but the little family lived quite happily
at the mission Rel was good teacher, edu-
and speaks French correctly and fuently:
He is a handsome man, tall, well built,
with full, ford face, a keen pair Of eyes. and
when saw him last, some time in August Of
last summer, he wore a long silky black beard
The troubles in Manitoba are to-day what they
were in 1870, and Louis Riel is not the author
peated calls of his people, the half breeds.
I know that he was 10th to go to war,
and that he was overborne by the demands
and entreaties of these people. They look
to him as their leader-the man who has the
education and courage and skill to act as
their commander in the little war they have
brought on, Rel has no property of any kind.
I think he travelled up from Montana into the
British possessions on other peoples horses,
those of half breeds who were with him in the
struggle. In 1860 the Canadian government,
through the home government, sent a request
to Archbishop Tache, who was in attendance
on the vatican council, to come home and go
10 I, 40; %1oo1 IS,
ing them to lay down their arms and accept
the conditions Of peace the government author
lied the archbishop to make. These were that
the half breeds should be spared their lives,
and homes and that their farms should not be
disturbed by the government surveyors with
out Just compensation, in other lands: After
peace was restored this way, the archbishop
having great influence over Reil, Gen. Wolse-
ley came on the field. and it was noised
through the country that he had put down the
rebellion. Then the Canadian government re-
fused to keep the promises t'had authorized
Archbishop Tache to make. He was unable
to make the half. breeds and Indians under
them has been weakened ly the bad faith OF
the Canadian government in 1850 He said
regretrully, this tins When he was call
ed on to try and talk the ha.f-breods out nf
the determination to fight, No, no. it is too
late They would not believe me, 81 think, -
added Bishop Brondel, 'that the American
Indians will not so to kie. year ago they
might have done SO. They were starving then.
Among tho Blacklist there was hardly a dog
to be seen, for they had eaten them Two
hundred and forty souls pershed Of h,lnge,
in the winter of 1Se3-S44 Since then a good
deal has been done for these Indians
Their children are being taken into the
white mans schools, fed and clothed and taught
This the adults of the tribe like They aye
bound by this benevolence to keep the peace
and they seem disposed to follow the abundant
advice given them to till the ground and be
come independent Of the white mems cruel and
tMeving agents. The same thing is true o,
most of the Indians in Montana; none of them
think, will go into the revolt There is only
one end of the matter for Riel It may be de-
layed, but it will surely come. He will be beat
and punished"