Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1885-08-15
THE SENTENCE OF RIEL.
Irtense>Feeli Among French Cana
dians Over the Conviction of the
Rebel Leader.

An Ottawa special says: There i
an intense feeling among Frencl
Canadians over Riel's conviction
while English people are general,
satisfied with the result. The French
contend that the trial has not beer
fairly conducted, and that what the
authorities sought was not justice but
vengeance. There is strong feeling
against the government among the
French, because, they say, the minis
ter sought to parade the Orangemen
Of Ontario, who hate Riel for causing
the death Of Scott in 1870. A peti-
ton to the goyernor-general asking
for Rsel's pardon will at once be put
into circulation, and will be signed by
about the entire French population
1t is possible that counter petitions
may be sent in from Ontario. The
question will prove a most embarras-
sing one for the government, but what
the ministry and their friends hope
for is that the British government
may interfere, or tie governor gener-
al may undertake to exercise his pre-
rogative Of clemency without any ad-
wee from his ministry, and thus en-
able the latter to evads the response
bllity. This evening a number Of
French Canadians waited on Leves-
que, who tore down the Riel efigy a
few days ago, and presented him with
a gold watch and chain. For over
ten years the Conservatives have been
holding Riel up before the French
Canadians as great patriot and
hero, who was prevented and banish-
ed from the country by the Liberal
in 1875, and now the men
who have been lauding Riel find their
hero sentenced to death as rebel
and q murderer. They cannot now
the people that all they have
been saying in praise Of Riel was
wrong, and must make an effort to
save him. French Canadian mem
bers OF the cabinet are in an extreme
Iy awkward position. They got into
power in 1878 largely on the strength |
4 5v5 tbe G. cry ~! that the the. Liberal govern
Riel by turning him out OF parlia-
nent and sentencing him into exile. |
Unless they do better for him now
when he is in danger Of being hang
"a, Quebec province will be aroused |
against the Conservative party.
Chapleau, the Secretary of State
who wrote a letter denouncing Riel
and denying that the half breeds had
petitioned Tor redress Of their griev-
ances, is now strongly condemned,
even by supporters of his own party,
some Of whom declare that he is a
renegade. The statement that the
half breeds never made complaint to
the government has been shown to be
untrue. The conduct Of the crown
prosecutors IN refusing to produce the
papers captured at the taking of Ba-
toche also produces much bad feeling,
as French Canadians are persuaded
that if everything were made known
Riel could not be convicted, as ac-
cording to the most reliable state
ment he had very little to do with in
citing the half breeds to take up arms.
The general conviction among disin-
terested persons is that Riel will not
be executed. An appeal will be taken
to the supreme court Of Manitoba on
a question Of the constitutionality of
the court that tried Riel, and the case
may be carried to the privy council of
England if a stay Of proceedings IS
obtained