The National tribune., 1885-04-02
Rebellion in Canada.

The greatest excitement prevails il Canada
on account Of the uprising of Louis Riel and
large body Of followers, who are now in posses
sion of the country eastward of Carlton, and
are armed with Winchester and Remington
rifles. Riel Is we'll known in connection with
the Red River rebellion, 10 years ago. He has
in his command 1.500 halfbreeds. and others
are joining his ranks rapidly. Several whites
have been placed in custody by the rebels;
among the number being Mr.. Lash, the Indian
Agent at Duck Lake. and Mr.. Hilliard, mer-
chant. Many Indian chiefs and tribes have
Joined in the uprising. Those already known
are Lucky Man, Big Bear, and Little Insino.
The Northwest Mounted Police, who have
been sent TO suppress the half-breed uprising,
number 500 troopers. They scattered in
small detaehments all over the Territories from
Calgary, at the base of the Rocky Mountains,
to Edmunton and Prince Albert, the two most
northern immigrant settlements in the Domln-
ion Their principal business has been to pre-
vent the sale of whisky TO the Indians, and to
watch the whisky smugglers from this side of
the line. A son of the late Charles Dickens Is
an officer of the force. 1t will take them two
weeks in sleighs to reach Prince Albert from
Regina, from which place detachment OF them
has already started. The settlement at Prince
Albert does not contain more than 1000 souls,
the town not more than 500. The settlers are
principally Scotch and the land for hundred
miles on three sides of it is said to be excellent
Louis Riel, who has organized the rebellion,
is the man who made Lord WOlseley a British
General and Peer. But for RiePs rising in
1870 Wolseley, then a Colonel in
Canada, with small hopes of preferment, would
have missed his chance of leading the Red
River expedition, which brought him first into
notice and led to all his subsequent prefer
ment.
The half-breed grievance at Prince Albert is
simply a demand for more land. When the
Territory became part of Canada they received
grants OH pretty liberal scale. but now they
want more in proportion to the number of their
families. As there is plenty of land and to
spare in the Canadian northwest, there should
have been no difficulty III granting any reason
able demand for it that the half-breedS might
make, but red tape seems TO have delayed the
redress of grievances and the breeds. tired
of waiting, have taken the Law into their own
hands.
Lieut. Col. Irvine telegraphed on the 9th
to the Canadian Parliament, as follows: I" The
party under my command have just arrived.
When near Fort Carlton found that Maj. Gro
zier, with party of 100. had gone to Duck
Lake to secure a large quantity of supplies.
They were met by some hundred rebels, who
fired upon Maj. Crozier's forces Maj. Crozler,
owing TO the disadvantage at which he was
taken retreated in good order, arriving at the
fort at the same time rs my party. Ten civil
ians of Prince Albert and two policemen were
killed and four civilians and seven cOustableS
were wounded The number of rebels killed
is not known"
The Canadian Government is now actually
engaged in getting troops 70 the scene OF the
revolt rs it is now rumOrtd that the Indians
are preparing to go on the war path in eoniuRo<
tion with Biel.