Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-04-05

no other primate than himself: but
1t is only just to add my conviction
that personal ambition was not the
controlling motive Of Louis Riel, and
that there was no faint of self-seeking
in his efforts for freedom, justice and
humanity.
A brief sketch Of Riels career may
be fitting supplement to these per-
sonal recollections. He was singular
composite in his ancestry. His father
his mother was partly Irish and part
ly Indian, while remote progenitOrs
contributed strains of Scotch and
French blood. He was born at st.
Boniface, a small village near Winni-
peg. Destined for the priesthood from
his BIRTH after attending school at
his native place, he was transferred
to the Jesuit college OF Montreal.
There he was noted for his diligence
and proficiency in his studies. He was
master of Latin, French and English,
and later learned to speak four In
dian languages. He was returned to
Red river without taking orders and
took up the life Of a farmer at st.
Vidal. But a natural talent for leader
ship, which is said to have been mani
tested even in his schoolboy days,
speedily asserted itself and he prompt
ly gained great influence with the
Metis, as the half-breeds Of Manitoba
were called.
In 1869 when the Hudson's Bay Co.
surrendered Manitoba and the North
west territory to the Dominion Of
Canada, the half-breeds were loud in
their expression Of dissent. AS Roberts
says in his admirable History Of
Canada" they objected that they
were being thrust into the ignoble po-
sition Of a colony" Their more prac-
tical objection was that they had no
assurance that they would be pro-
tected In the possession of the farms
which they had redeemed from the
and therein at least their
cause was unquestionably founded In
justice.
Soon they assumed a state Of open
and formed a provisional
government, of which Riel was chosen
president. In the bill of rights that
he drafted for the Manitobans, he
demanded among other things, fair |
in the dominion par
lament, provincial legislature, local |
seh-government, the official use OF
both French and English languages,
land grants for the parish schools and /
Stead law and the issuance Of patents
10 settlers for their respective holdings
While Riel is commonly classed as
and sometimes as a mad
man, it will be difficult to find any
thing in these demands that was
either unreasonable or tmpracticable.
It must have been later that dreams
possessed him.
Riel led the revolt with dauntless
7igor and untiring energy. Selling
Fort Garry, he speedily established the
of the insurrectionary gov
throughout the province. A
Canadian named Thomas Scott, who
lad defied the authority of Riel, was
tried by a courtmartial for treason
10 the republic, sentenced to death
and executed-an act Of cruelty for
which 1t would be useless to attempt
any justification.
Hon. William McDougau had been
governor of Manitoba; but
when he reached the boundary line
IN his way to the capital he was met
" the half-breeds and forbidden to
inter the province.
Archbishop Tache, who enjoyed the
confidence and affection of the in
visited Fort Garry and by
LIBERAL promises of clemency created
! more conciliatory sentiment. One
evidence of this was that Riel and
lis followers participated in the cele-
'ration Of the Queens birthday, and
mother was the sending Of a dele
gation to treat with the government
It Ottawa. The dominion government
lad sent the Red river expedition I'M
Ter Col. Garnet Wolsely, TO suppress
he instruction. AS it could not enter
he United States, it had toilsome
md tedious march across 500 miles
Il wilderness and did not reach Mani
oba until August, 1870.
In the meantime the parliament Of
he dominion had passed the Manitoba
vet, which admitted the province into
he federation with local self-govern-
nent and representation at Ottawa
nd made provision to recognize the
light Of the haIf-breeds to their lands.
Yearly all the demands Of the rebels
we're conceded; and when the expe- .