The Mineral argus. [volume] (Maiden, Mont.) 1883-1886, 1885-04-16

governor Of the new Canadian province.
arrived Sept 3 After this commissions were
appointed ON behalf of the British govern
mem; and the inhabitants OF Manitoba TO
arrange the difficulties existing anu 10 arIisc
M an equitable adjustment OF affairs in the
proyince In this conference Bishop 1ache
participated represent ug the People OF the
rrovince. At the time he was attending the
Ucumenical council sitting IN Rome, anu
came home to attend to his duties in this
connection in response tn a telegram from
the British government He always had
great influence with the people. from the
fact that he declines to act as mediator In
the present crisis, il is suImised that lie
did not consider himself wei treated in
connection with the previous negotiations
What was known as the Manitoba act was
passed by parliament this same wear 10y tnis
act many Of the privileges asked by the
rebes were granted to the inhabitants OF the
country and they have since lived under a
re- re-cntat,ve form of government Inc
population Of all Manitoba III that tinic was
about | / 600, the proportion OF Whites 10
half-hrccds being about one TO seven or
cipht IN agrarian feature OF the Manitoba
al: ia what has led TO the present difficulty.
As in;imatcd above, the titles OF hal breeds
To their lands were not very distinct, ana
many of the people were doubtless squatters
Iy the Manitoba act there we've /. lOO,oO
acres of land set apart for aif-breed infants:
subseuuent grants were made OF land
and Scrip To the half-biecd heads of
families Afterwards came an order divid-
ing up the 400. 900 of land, so as to grant
to each half-breed child born prior to July 1,
1870, a parcel of . 10 acres free
ArpoETIoNISG THE LANE.
There were many difficulties met with In
I appor;ioning out land. The tracts possessed
/ by the French hal. -hreeds along the crooked
I rivers Of Canada were in most cases long
/ para kilograms, with a marrow river frontage
| and extending back inland. These the do
,s,,F,. oil N SsIl
/ nnd Il vide up in n manner that seemed ut
] .oIls reckless to the poor af-breeds, and
/ there were many protests and threats
/ I hen there had been delays and more or less
| dissatisfaction from the beginning On the
/ oth"r and the law oi apportion,nent was
| appreciated u such an extent that half
| breed infants came TO he at a premium, and
it is even said that children were transferred
from one family To another in order
placed in chanccry until the chill
| dren should have come of age. with the spe-
cial stipulation that they should be consld-
cred To have attained their majority ut eight
cen. In many cases, however. the money
realize 10y the sale of lands was not placed
! in the care of the court hut orders were even
given that the money should lie given to the
care OF parish priests or the heads of families
| Lands were also taken out ~! chancery and
! sod out rapidly. and land sharks were about
making all Ia " could I,y taking advantage
| of the peculiar feature of the infant provis
ion. The halt breeds themselves were an
easy going people. and the lands and SCRIP
| granted To heads of families were in many
eases s,Iuandeied Doubtless there were
numerous abuses of this kind but the law
was generally acceptable to the half-breed'
| 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 a matter of fact. the inhabitants of these
! places did not demand an superintendent OF
| land at the time. Tha - Laurent district
the seat OF the present uprising, was among
these sections.
THE AGITATION AT ST LAURENT.
About ten years ago, however, the settler'
of this district began tn wake up To the fact
that they should receive some consideration
and asked to be placed ON the same footing
! with regard to homrsteads and lands as the
half b-ceds of Manitoba. Later dominion
! surveyors were sent into the country to lay
ont the lands. Here the same difficulty wa
mt as in the Red and Assinaboint
liver districts. The h;Lt-hIesds, accord