The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1885-08-07
R1EL IN HIS OWN DEFENSE.

sane and Irresponstble.
At the trial OF Louis Riel at Regina n W
r., on the S1st, the judge gave Ri.l an on.
portunity OF addressing the jury, and ne
spoke nearly two hours. The court was
crowded to the utmost. Breathless stili.
ness prevailed. Riel preiaced his speech with
the following prayer, delivered with ewes
turned h~eGvenward:
"Oh, my God, help me through the grace
and divine influence OF Jesus Christ. or
my God, bless me; bless this honorable
court bless this honorable jury; bless mn
good lawyers, who have come 700 leagues
to try to save my life; bless the LAWYERS Of
the crown, because they hare done, / am
sure, what they thought their duty, and
they rave shown fairness WHICH I did NOT
expect Oh, my God, bless all these
who are around me through the
grace Of Jesus Christ, our Savior
Turn their curiosity into calm intc..
est. Amen" Riel said he had two moth.
ers-his earthly one, who had nursed him.
and the Northwest. The first would NOT
Kill him, neither would the second. Poster.
ity would justify him yet for what he had
done. His mission was TO bring about
practical results. and il he failed tempo.
rarily, his spirit would yet accomplish the
mission. He a
WRITINGS WHICH WOULD LIVE AFTER HIM
Archbishop Bourget and other dignitar-
les told him he had a mission and for the
past ten years had been working at it and
was performing it in the Grim
inai dock. God preserved him from,
all danger. While bullets were flying about
his head thick as mosquitoes, at Batoche, he
knew he was safe because God protected
him. God acknowledged him when Middle
ton gave evidence that he was not insane.
He called on God to bless the crown LAWYER
for breaking down the evidence OF DIR. Roy.
the medical er pert. Eyenifhansed he would
have the satisfaction OF knowing that the
world believed him not insane. He said
the agitation would have been constitu-
tional had not government forces at
tackled the Metis. BY the grace OF God, the
prisoner said, lie was the founder of Mani
toba. He denounced Archbishop Tache for
some wrongdoing, and said he was a benefac-
tor OF humanity. He proclaimed himself q
prophet Of the new world; told how Gods
spirit had spoken him in his ~celllast night
and assured him ofcomfort. Comfort had
come in being allowed to speak. Therefore
he had confidence that God would speak
through him. He could prophesy by feel
ing OF the flesh on his hands and legs. He
would yet bring Sir John Macdonald to his
feet. He had stopped Populations three
times from going to the States to induce
Americans to come over to take possession
OF the country.
FINAL APPEALTo THE JURY.
In conclusion Riel read froEl pap writ
ten in pencil, as follows:
Your Honors and the Jury: Ny reputa-
ton, my liberty, my LIE, are at your dis
posal. So confident am | OF your sense OF
duty / have not the slightest doubt as to
your verdict. The calmness OF my mind
concerning the favorable decision i ex-
pect from you does not comet from any pre-
sumption on my part. ! simply hope for a
conscientious verdict, and thatafter having
heard what have to say, youwill acquit me.
lido respect you, although you are only half
a Jury, but your number OF six does not
prevent you from being just and conscien-
tious, and does not prevent you from hay-
ing my confidence. / am taking the circum-
stances o. my trial as, they are, and | wish
to call your attention to, before you retire,
that the house of and senate and
the ministry OF the dominion, which make
laws for this land, are not representative
whatever OF the people of the Northwest.
Second, that the Northwest council, gener-
ated by the federal government, has great
defect. The present number OF persons Sc
lected for that council make it only ashow,
and they are not o representative govern
ment which rules anada and the North
west. But from signs shown in court you
are compelled to admit that il they are NOT
responsible they are not insane. Good
sense alone leads to SAGE conclusions. by
testimony laid before you during the trial,
witnesses on both sides have made it GER
tain to you that.
PETITION AFTER PETITION
has been sent to thefederal government, but
so irresponsible is that government TO the
Northwest that in the course OF several
years, besides doing nothing to satisfy e
people of the Northwest, it has not an
swered once or given a sign oil response.
The fact would indicate absolute lack oil re-
sponsibility and insanity complicated with
paralysis. ILaughter.] That monster OF IT
responsible. insane government, andltsn little
one, the Northwest council, have made up
there mind to answer my petitions by sur
rounding me siyly, and by attempting 70
Jump at me and my peoplein saskatchewan
Happily when they showed their teeth TO dc
vourI was ready. Ihave fired and Wounded
them. Bear it / n mind tiiIatS . zsshat rs
called my crime of high treason. they lea
me to it, but my act was in the name oi
Jesus Christ. the only n who nneipm me.
If they are trying to tear me 70 pleceS,
il You believe the plea OF insanity OF
the defense that / am not responsible Ior
my acts, aeqnit me. since | have been guar
reling with the insane acts OF the govern
ment. III you believe in the crown, when
contends that / am responsible, accqult me.
You arc perfectly justifiable to declare tnat
having my reason and sound mind 4 nave
acted responsibility ard in sound mlnd VINE
the government, my aggressor, mas 49,
madly, and il there be high treason ~ must
be on their side, not on mine.
The Grandeur or the Funeral Pageant.
Anew York dispatch says: Preparatons
fer the great military pageant, which % 70