The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-06-30
MIMIC FELLED BY
OUIMET'S BLOW
INCIDENT OF THE HALFBREED
REBELLION OF 1886.
Governor General of Canada Could
Not Save His Tory Friend, Lord
Dundonald, from Dismissal-Sup-
pressed History Adds Fuel to the
Resentment Felt by the ColoniaIs.

Dundonald, from DISTINGUISHING
pressed History Adds Fuel to the
Resentment Felt by the ColoniaIs.
| Special to The Journal.
Raymond, Alb. June ao.-The Do>
tine IN the throes OF an asitauon
such as only theological disputes or
quarrels between military politicians
can generate. Those who remember
the Schley-Sampson controversy will
/ appreciate to degree the state Of
4 feeling which the Canadian and British
| press at large has brought to the dis
| cussion of the difficulties between
Lord Dundonald, general officer COM
nanding the Canadian militia and mill
| itary forces in Canada, and the Cana
dian cabinet.
The animus in these debates has not
/ been assessed by the fact that the
| cabinet ministers are only colonials,
| with French-Canadian at their head,
while Lord Dundonald was an inn
periaI officer closely allied with the
forces which mount guard around the
! sacred precincts OF the British war
office.
Amidst the unpleasant smoke OF
partiZan and racial prejudlces formed
by the debate, it is easy to distinguish,
however that Canada has come to
serious crisis. It is not for Amerl-
cans to ignore the fact that the ar
rogance Of the British officers toward
their colonial troops and civil leaders
at the time of the French-Indian wars
was the prime cause which led to
dissatisfaction and finally revolution.
The situation In Canada today would
not be less serious were it not that
English statesmen and English pubic
opinion are presumably more en-
| 1ightened as to colonial teellng imam
in the days of Pitt.
Even before confederation, Canada
assumed the burden Of defending her
: own frontiers and her militia took
the place Of the garrtsons Of British
regulars everywhere, except In Hall
fax The present minister of militia.
in Canada was presumed to have all
the rights and responsibilities within
the limits Of his Jurisdictions, OF g
British secretary for war. The only
now disappeared from the statute
;, book-was that the general officer
: commanding should be selected from
among British regulars.
These officers, with a single excep-
ton, have brought to their office such
:. exalted ideas Of the superiority of the
Il regular over the colonial ministers,
that they have rapidly fallen out with
the government, and have had to be
sent home under one pretense or ans
other.
Downfall OF DundoIas,1d-
"a The latter, whose term Of office Is
L. the immediate cause Of the present
ruction has been more sudden and
his dismissal more peremptory even
than in previous cases. Two years
ago, when he came to the country,
- Dundonald brought with him g. rec
re ord of splendid services, brilliant man
: ners and a ready tongue-aboye all he
= was a real lord, which has still its
~ influence with many colonials In
u public he became a lion. But in gov
o. eminent circles 1t soon became evil
IN dent that the new Communicating
4 chief had set his mind upon using his
F. office to breed a spirit of militarisn1
oCj in Canada and to impose upon the
r. country a war establishments. The
20 Laurier government had resolutely SCI
es it's face against any such policy at the
We time of the queens jubilee, and LORD
Dundonald was made aware of 1t. In.
stead Of submitting or giving his resig.
Fl nation, the noble lord set himself the
a members Of the minority, apparently
with the sanction Of the governo
general, Lord Mimic.
al Minto's Record Attacked.
ssh The lotter, whose term of office
soon to be at an end, had record il
no dealing with colonials which has beer
to breed rebellion of 1886, the presen
ng governor general Of Canada, thel
ed known only as Lord Melgun, was OF
es' the staff Of General Middleton. On,
H. day he expressed himself in sucl
ey terms about the men of the sixty-fifti
les battalion, composed of French-Cana
dams, that Lieutenant Colonel Oul
met, its commander, struck him down
Military law was positive as to thu
I penalty incurred by Ouinet in thu
Ia. ~fc3 TOJJ& \,
was a man of means and influence
a member of parliament supporting
the government then in power, 81
that it was arranged to let the mat
ter drop If Ouimet would leave hi
battalion in the field-being thus pu
in the position Of a deserter-an,
keep silent. He agreed and has live
to be a judge Of the court of appeal o
the province of Quebec, while his con
duct in 1886 has remained unex
planned until this day. :
Lord Mimic having such record
it can be easily understood that tn
relations between the French-Cana
dian Laurier and himself and his tor
friend, Lord Dundonald, would easil
become unbearable. The secret his
come may explain the real cause Q
the vehemence shown by the Cana
dian premier in this case.
Firm Attitude of ColoniaIs
More important than any display c
personal feeling, however, is the fri
stand taken by the Canadian govern
ment since Dundonald's attacks hav
been published. Instead of shown
any disposition to minimize the maj
ter, the government organs hay
boldly re-asserted the right of til
Canadian government to control 4
are military forces and to exact respectfl
service from any British officer ser
over. 1t is a stand which Lord Mint
OF himself had to accept when he signe
nd Lord Dundonald's dismissal, and til
1e- British government has found it wis
rm not to interfere.
ab- Such incidents do not point to in
rs. perial consolidation on the basis
for an unloading on the colonies of tt
de, military burden now carried by Gre