McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1885-05-07
LOUIS REL,
Leader of the Haif- Breed Rebellion Against
the Canadian Government.

u
which has already caused considerable
bloodshed. is assuming proportions
that alarm the Canadian Government.
All possible haste is being made to
suppress it by the dispatch of military
in sufficient numbers. Thus far Riel
has been successful in operations he
has undertaken. He is said to have
an army of more than 1000 men and
six cannon 1t is possibly larger by
this time. Nothing succeeds like sue
cess" and as about one-third of the
Indians of Canada, or nearly 81 900,
are in Manitoba and the Northwest,
and rs these people, or the mojority
of them, have II grievance, there is
imminent danger the movement under
Riel's leadership will attain formida-
BILE strength. He is competent to lead,
as was demonstrated many years ago.
and is able to work adroitly on the
view of their interest taken by the I'M
educated half-breeds and Indians in
habiting the district of country in
which he is operating, IN the enlarge
ment of the movement which again
brings his name prominent into his
tory.
Riel was first heard of IN 1869, the
year in which the Canadian Govern
ment bought the greater part of the
lands owned by the Hudson's Bay
Company. Soon after the Northwest
became part of the Canadian Con-
federation, and the government under
took to survey the whole country
with the view of making alloUments
of land to settlers. These rectangles,
it seems, are measured off apparently
without regard either to the natural
features of the country or to the
habitations or claims of the settlers,
mainly half breeds, who are already
in possession. Even when the half
breed has not established habitation
he has staked out "claim." and
he has 'located" it, as matter of
course, with the greatest possible
frontage upon one of the rivers, which
are the only highways of the wilder
ness. No record existing anywhere
OF these claims, and the Government
at Ottawa has disposed of them to
persons who had acquired no rights
by settlement, but who had complied,
as the half-breeds in possession had
failed to. comply, with the require
ments of the law. One day, as survive
or and his men were suryeyinga base
line through some property, Riel, who
was followed by party of unarmed
half-breeds, put his foot on the chain
being used, and ordered the surveyor
and his men to leave work. They did
so. Subsequently, in the fall of 1869
he took possession of Fort Garry, now
Winnipeg, and armed his followers
with 800 Enfield rifles found in the
stores of the Hudson's Bay Company.
He issued bill of rights from Fort
Garry and continued the insurrection
until the following spring. when he
was driving across the border into the
United States by the forces under
Colonel. now Lord Wolseley. An act
of Parliament was passed banishing
the vanquished rebel for five years
He then returned to Manitoba and
was elected to the House of Commons.
After taking his seat in Parliament he
left it on account of the excitement
his appearance occasioned and never
returned.
One result of the first Riel rebellion
was that the Government gave $40
in Manitoba. AS this excluded from
the advantages of the concession more
than it included, the grievance as de-
scribed in the last paragraph still
exists, and is the cause of the present
trouble. The rebels now serving
under Riel demand that the claims
arising from possession shall take pre-
cedence of the claims arising from pat
ents where there is a conflict; that
each settler shall have his possession
to the extent of 240 acres confirmed
by patent, that his location" of his |
land shall be respected, and that the !
Government shall make provision for
the education of the children of the |
half-breeds and for the support of the |
Indians whose alliance is cOurted by |
this demand.
Riel was born in 1874, within five |
miles of Fort Garry. He was educated |
for the priesthood IN Montreal, ana |
possesses the ability, especially in
tact, craft and persuasion. which, !
aided by considerable attainments, |
and strong sense of what he believes |
to be the wrongs suffered by the half
breeds, accounts for his domination
over the aggrieved Indians and half
breeds who follow his leadership.
While the form of his features sug-
gests the Indian, his complexion is fair
and his eyes are light blue. The e.
pectation of war between the United
Kingdom and Russia and hostilities in
the Soudan seem to have precipitated
his Instruction. Whether or not he
has an understanding with the Irish
revolutionists is unknown. Probably
he has, as negotiations took place be-
tween him and them in the past.
While the early suppression OF the re-
bellion is expected, directing attention,
as it does, to apparent injustice, this
will probably be removed by the action
Of the Dominion Government.