New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-04-08

rebels were granted to the Inhabitants of the
country, and they have since lived under q
representative form of government The
population of all Manitoba at that time was
about Ia, 900, the proportion of whites to
half-breeds being about one to seven or
eight An agrarian feature Of the Manitoba
act is what has led to the present difficulty
AS intimated above, the titles of half breeds
to their lands were not very distinct, and
many of the people were doubtless squatters
acres of land set apart for half breed infants;
subsequent grants were made Of land
and scrip to the half-breed heads of
families. Afterwards came an order divid-
ing up the ], 100000 of land, so as to grant
to each half-br child born prior to July ),
1870, a parcel of $40 acres free.
APpoRT1oN1NG THE LAND.
There were many difficulties met with in
apportioning out land. The tracts possessed
by the French half-bre along the crooked
rivers OF Canada We're in most cases long
parallelograms, with narrow river frontage
and extending back inland. These the do
minion surveyors were obliged to cut up
and divide up in manner that seemed ut
terly reckless to the poor half-breeds, and
there were many protests and threats
Then there had been delays and more or less
dissatisfaction from the beginning On the
other hand the law of apportionment was
appreciated to such an extent that half
breed infants came to be at premium, and
it is even said that children were transferred
to obtain land. Next, lands were
placed in chancery until the chill
dren should have come of age, with the spe-
cial stipulation that they should be consid-
cred to have attained their majority at eight
cen. In many cases, however, tho money
realize by the sale Of lands was not placed
in the care OF the court, but orders were even
given that tho money should be given to the
care of parish priests or the heads of families
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-
ion. The half breeds themselves were an
easy going people, and the lands and scrip
granted to heads Of families were in many
cases squande1ed Doubtless there were
numerous abuses Of this kind, but the law
was generally acceptable to the half breeds
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
places did not demand an apportionment OF
land at 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
that they should receive some consideration,
and asked to be placed on the same footing
with regard to homesteads and lands as the
surveyors were sent into the country to lay
out the lands. Here the same difficulty was
met as in the Red and Assinaboine
river districts The half breeds, accord
ing to their French custom, had laid
out their farms In parallelograms
wan and it's branches, and the surveyors
were of course compelled to destroy this ar
rangement. The people earnestly protested.
They also renewed their claims for grants of
24O acres per capita, and from that time to
this the agitation has been kept up Various
complications have arisen In the meantime
and complaints have been made of delays
ment Riel was again called upon fol
counsel and advice He was visited in Mon
tana, where he has been living, by depu-
tation of the half Breeds and in response tt
their appeal went into the St Laurent
country. The half breeds, in the meantime
ion parliament at Ottawa Last September
they held meeting at st Laurent, at which
they adopted bill of rights, Of which the
following is the substance:
| First, the subdivision into provinces Of til,
Northwest territories; second, the half breeds
to receive the same grants and other advantages
as tho Manitoba half breeds; third, patents t,
be issued at once to the 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 o
| schools, hospitals and such-like institutions
| and to the equipment Of the poorer half breed
with seed grain and implements: fifth, the res
| ervation of 100 townships Of swamp land TO
distribution among the children of half breed
during the next 100 years; sixth, grant of a
least 81. 900 for the maintenance Of an institu
ton to be conducted by the nuns in each half
breed settlement; and seventh, better provision
| for the support Of the Indians.
The last item, it is said, was inserted BY
Riel In order to please Poundmaker, an In
dim chief who has made common cause