Sun River sun. [volume] (Sun River, Mont.) 1884-1885, 1885-03-19
LOUIS R1EL.
A Brief Sketch Of the Most Noted
Man Among the Red River
Half-Brceds.

The subject of this sketch has frequent.
ly been alluded to in these columns, ow.
ing to his having many acquaintances
here, and being 4 resident of the Mission,
in connection with his trip to Alberta
and the Red River country of the north,
some months ago.
Riel is an Indian half breed aud has an
interesting history, while his influence
among his people is great. Besides be.
ing an educated man he was educated
for the priesthood is brilliant and
intellectual convcrsationalist, and i'm
presses one with the fact that lie Is no or.
binary man, his enemies to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
Riel first came into prominence outside
his people by his leadership Of the Red
River half.breeds in their instruction
against the Dominion government in 1865
which is known rs the Red River Rebel.
lion, and which the then Col. WOlsey,
(now General Wolsey, the great British
GENERALLY put the quietus on.
Riel, and few of his followers, made
tl,eir escape into this Territory, despite
the Efforts to capture him, to obtain the
muni!iccnt reward offered by the Domin.
ion government for his head, and has
since been law.abiding citizen Of the
United States. Previous to the insurrec-
tion 1t seems Riel, on the part of his pco.
pie, made treaty with the Dominion
government, whereby they were to have
possession Of certain lands, which treaty
1t seems, the government repudiatcd,
which was the direct cause Of the rebel.
lion. Ever since then these people have
from time to time laid their grievances
before the government, but have never
had them redrcsscd, and In u final effort
they sought the advice and assistance of
their old chief, who made the treaty, and
with that end in view, sent dcputation
to this Territory to bring him there. Az
ter luch persuasion and promises of pro
lection. Riel returned with them, and has
since been the subject Of considerable
newspaper talk In the Dominion. The
latest we have noticed comes from the
Calgary Herald, where under the caption
of "1he Riel Banquet" VIC extract tho
following:
The last number Of lie Manitoba give,
u fourc0lumn report of u banquet recent
y given to Louis Ricl by the half.brped'
OF Saint.Antoined Padoue and the sur
rounding settlements. As the movements
and mission of Riel are matters Of con
siderable interest in this country, and a'
his supposed influence over the Mctis ant
French Canadians of the territories Is +;
matter of notoricty and curiosity to out
sidcrs, n public banquet Is too good al
opportunity for gaining an insight int
the character of the man and his admir-
ers To he overlooked.
In the course of the evening tho fol
lowing address was presented to ltiel
Dear Sir and Fricnd-You see us assem-
bled here to-day TO witness to you our cs
teem and sympathy; and it is with pleas
ure we see the year of Our Lord 1885,
dawn with you in our midst, for We ar,
sure that with such chief our flag vii
always triumph.
I'VE wish 10 thank you for all you have
dom, for us In the year just gone, and io
the disintcrested spirit which has guidet
yon And We dare hope the coming yea
will he one of prosperity to you aud yours
and thnt by Gods grace We will SEQ yOl
many years in our midst. The debts o
gratitude ARE 50 numerous that We neye
expect to acquit ourselves; and lIOweve
| rn,, ,pn,, n ,,ktou thnun Iobtu 1,, TIM f,ro.
with which you devote yourself to our in
tercsts, we feel that the least we can do i
to follow your cOunscls and admirnblc OK
ample"
A collection was raised for him, which
while not being munilicent was given b.
the good will of the donors, and whicl
liicl responded to and in which the fol
lowing following words occurred: "Go'
has given me cause to defend AM
friends to sustain who have made Il repu
tation for me-"
In reply to the toast, "tle Netis Ladies'
Iliel made use of the following elegau
and chaste language;
"Do not imagine that my response +
the toast of the Nctis ladies will he fanc
iul. Nothing will sati,fy you but til
truth. Truth has charms Gentlemen,
is the truth, the charming truth, that tn
Mctis ladies possess in an eminent degree
Il virtue without which the other virtue
lose their value, and the chief feature q
whicl, is to render the greatest faults, S.
to speak, imperccptiblc. What is thi
marvellous virtue? Gentlemen, it is moo
cs,y. Tho Mctis ladies are modest"