St. Landry democrat., 1886-12-04
RlEL'S GRAVE.

The.Neglected Resting-Place of the Half-
Breed Leader In the Northwest Terri
tory.
No visit to this interesting region is
complete without crossing over Red
river from Winnipeg to the suburb of
st. Doniface, the home of Archbishop
Tache. There are two men of Winni-
peg who, by their personal merits and
long course of wise actions for the
benefit of this region, have become
pre-eminent in their influence over the
people of the Canadian Northwest.
Sir Donald A. Smith, whose Winnipeg
home is at Silver Heights, on the banks
of the Assinibone, was for many years
the head of the Hudson's Bay Company
in this country and his influence over
the people in the wide domain extend
ing from the boundary to the Arctic
circle and from the great lakes west
ward to the Rocky Mountains has been
very marked. Archbishop Tache,
whose province extends over the same
wide territory, is the revered spiritual
adviser of the French and Indians, and
also sage counselor for the whole
country. These two men for long
period have been a reliance of the Gov
eminent in dealing with these remote
peoples, and they were mainly instru
mental in settling the original troubles
in Manitoba which resulted in its being
made Canadian province. Riel very
properly objected to some suggested
modes of settlement, because, as he
said, the people of this region desired
to be equal to and not subordinate to
Canada; they did not wish ''to be the |
colony o. colony" Crossing over |
the substantial bridge spanning the |
Red river between Winnipeg and St.
Boniface, the attractive cathedral is in
full view. The river sweeps grandly |
around from the west to the north, and |
on the edge of the outer bank is road. |
A plain white fence borders this |
road, with foliage behind it, from
among which stands up the
cathedral of St. Boniface, with
its tall, shining. Uncovered spire,
reproduction of those seen on the
lower St. Lawrence. Above this is the
large, square academy building, which
is school of the Sisterhood of Gray
Nuns from Montreal, and adjoining it =
is their convent. Below the church,
embosomed in trees, stands the modest
residence of the Archbishop, low,
square-roofed house, yet comfortable
in its appointments. ST. Boniface Col
lcge is behind. The buildings are con-
structed of the cream-colored stone
found near by and which is used so ex-
tensively in Winnipeg. The church is
of modern build, erected in 1860, to
succeed the original church then burnt.
1t has famous chime of bells, first sent
out from London to the old church, de-
stroyed when the church was burnt,
the fragments collected and sent back
to London for recasting, again sent out,
and. after meeting various mishaps,
finally safely brought overland by OK
teams from St Paul, on the Mississippi
river. They are known here as 1.-The
bells of st. Boniface." But
the most interesting part of the place
is the grave of Riel in the church yard
1t is fiat grave inclosed by plain
wooden fence, with cross, also of
wood, stuck in the ground and bearing
the words Louis David Riel," with
out mark. His widow, who recently
died, is inferred alongside without any
mark, and, in fact, the graves show no
evidence of any care being taken of
them. The death of Riel by the ex-
IRENE penalty of the law, while still a
cause of great irritation among the
French of Lower Canada. has proba-
ply ended all prospect of French half
breed domination in any part of the
Northwest, where the English rule.
mainly through the instrumentality of
The Canadian Pacific railway. has now
established its supreme authority
Winnipeg Cor. London Times.