The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-04-10

eppoftlOnlng out land. The tracts possessed
by the French half-brecds along the crooked
rivers OF Canada were in most cases long
parallelogrRms, with a narrow river frontage
and extending back inland These the do
mini0n surveyors were obliged to cut up
ana divide up In manner that seemed ut
terly reckless to the poor half breeds. and
there Ga; were many protests and ,threata
dissatisfaction from the beginning. On the
other hand the law OF apportionment was
appreciated tn such an extent that half
breed infants came to be at o premium, and
It is even said that children were transferred
to obtain land. Next, lands were were
should have eome of a@a with ths The en sne
cial stipulation that they should be consid-
cred to have attained their majority at eight
GEN. In many cases. however, the money
realize by the sale of lands was not placed
In the care of the court, but orders were even
given that the money should he given to the
care OF parish priests or the heads of familleA
Lands were also taken out of chancery and
sold out rapidly, and land sharks were about
making all they could by taking advantage
OF the peculiar feature OF the infant provis-
lon. The half breeds themselves were an
easy going people. and the lands and scrip
granted to heads Of families were in many
cases squandcled Doubtless there were
numerous abuses of this kind, but the law
Of Manitoba, and they took full advantage
OF IT Now, beyond the confines Of Manitoba,
In the Northwest Territory, lay few half
breed sections, for the inhabitants of which
no provision was made In the Manitoba act
As matter of fact. the inhabitants of these
land ut 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 wake up to the fact
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 lay
out the lands. Here the same difficulty was
met as in the Red and Assinaboine
ing to their French custom, had laid
along % the banRs S of " tho heafasHsse%s sssHstehes
wan and its branches and the surveyors
were of course compelled to destroy this ar
rangement The people earnestly protested.
Z4O acres per capita, and from that time to
this the agitation has been kent up Various
complications have arisen in the meantime,
and complaints have been made of delays
and arbitrary acts on the part of the govern
ment Riel was again called upon for
counsel and advice He was visited in Mon
tana, where he has been living, by depu-
tatiOn OF the half-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 dolnin-
ion parliament at Ottawa. Last September
they held meeting at st Laurent, Mt which
they adopted bill of rights, of which the
following is the substances:
First, the subdivision into provinces of the
Northwest territories; second, the alf-brecds
hn mo ia und oft rofsv nfoO
as the Manitoba half-breeds; third, patents to
be issued at once to tho colOnists in possession;
fourth, the sale OF half million acres OF domin-
ion lands the proceeds to be applied to the es-
tablishment in the half breed settlements Of
schoOls. hospitals and such-ike institutions,
and TO the equipment OF the poorer half breeds
with seed grain and implements: fifth, the res-
ervatt0n OF 100 townships of swamp land for
distribution among the children Of half-breeds
during the next 12O years; sixth, grant OF at
least $l 900 for the maintenance OF an institu-
tton to be conducted by the nuns In each half
breed settlement; and seventh, better provision
for the support Of the Indians.
The last item, 1t is said, was inserted by
Riel in order to please Poundmaker, an In
dian chief who has made common cause
with the half -breedR The bill Of rights ap-
parently asks for good deal more 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 Riel's presence in the Saskatche-
wan country he has been actively at the
head of the movement for rights, and under
his leadership the forces have organized and
the present rebellion has been engineered.
The events of the conflict are still fresh in
the memory of ALL
THE PRESENT REBELLION
The rebellion war started In the early
part Of last week. At first the do
minon government professed to con-
slider the insurrection as of no i'm
portance. but the cutting Of the telegraph
lines and the threatening uprising OF the
Indians all through the Saskatchewan terri
tory as we'll us the imminent danger in which
tho 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 to take
the field The exact strength OF Riel's forces
is not known. 1t Is said to he composed of
500 to 1.5OO men. armed with Remington
and Winchester rifles, and Gen. Middleton
who is 10 command the government troops
declines to advance to the front with less
than 500 men, The first troops left Win
nipeg for the scene of the rebellion ON Thurs
day Of last week They comprised six com
panies Of the Nineteenth battalion, in all 80
men; to these are to he 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,
~ " ou'AppelIe. waiting to- Fstntosos-