The Huron Expositor, 1870-05-06, Page 1r
CHEAP!,
NONIAOHINE
win be told at cost
'it the "Eit'osiTen" office.
MoPHAIL
,UCTIONEEft
t THE
RTH ANO HURON
sincere thanks to the in -
fir their liberal patronage
S. He would respectfelly-
ttencl to all orders in
Or 18,0. Orders left at
ejn.Seaforth, the Beacon
4t1rocate, in Mitchell,
Lal to.
,eai Estate Agency attend -
ted. -
sf the market, -
116-tf.
OR 8i. SON,
tiLLETf..
xecute binding in every
eeiding at a distanceby
the Signal Book Store,
xreasares. office, Seaforth.
y upen' them being well
VEST PRICES.
1 without delay.
1870. 80-tf.
SALE,
-thy Township of Hibbert,
acres of choice land, all
Maple and Elm, with
miing through it. West
the 2ad. Core, within, LIF
ad,
€r -e mile from, the vil-
ad 5 Miles from. Seaforth.
. half of Lot 21,_ in the lst
ares cleared and well
inder bemg well timbered
!eine- nearly the same dis-
ttrIst'hing villages, and. one
[olio Churela. The above .
r.r
separately or both to-
ifa. Tenn& of, sale made
he subscriber, OR the pre
EDWrN DOWNEY.
370.
!os.;rtl-H
SfOMIL.L
.06,17L, AN D
ACTORY!
leave to tender their sin -
r neenerani cestorners and
the -very liberal patronage
[cing 'business in Seaforth.
-a very large stock of Dry -
wed having lately enlarged
d. New Machinery (there-
lities for doing work with
&dent of giving every ea -
o m y favour them with
Fie but first-class.*orkraen
paid to custom planing,
ROADFOOT & GRAY.
, 1870.
L.LS
LLS.
LLS.
LL
The National Pills
area new discovery
m medicine. They
are composed of
purely vegetable
extract prepare4
by a newly discov-
ered process, wad.
are sugar coated.
They are the great
blood and stomach
purifier. They act
on. the liver with
magical' effect, are
mild, searching,
yet a thorough
purgative, & have
no:equal as a first
class family :pill.
See circulars With
each box
•.EN and E. FfICKSON &
Heine dealers generally.
BENTLY Co.,
1)rietors„ Brougbans,
Ont.
NGL
SAks
LS.
DERSON'S
5TOCK OF
Itch,
idian Tweeds,
LOTHS,IL°
RRIVED.
,SSO-RTMENT OF
Checks.
RES,DONE IN A FIRST
ND ACCORDING TO.
p:It ANY OTHER
TO SUIT
MEM.
1870.
4
NM, F. LUXTONI
" Freedom, in oTrade--Liberty in Religion—Equality in Civil Rights".
EDITOR 8c. PUBLISHER.'
VOL. 3, NO. 22,
SEAy04TH, FRIDAY, MAY 6,1870'.
WHOLE NO. 126.
*BUSINESS CARDS.
MEDICAL.
RTRACY, M. D., Coroner for the County of
. Huron. Office and Residence—On door
East of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Seaforth, Dec. 14th, 1868, 53-ly
}j. VERCOE, M. Er. C. M. Physician, Sur-
„ geon, etc., Office and Residence, corner
of Market and High Street, immediately in rear
of Kidd & McMulkin's Store.
Seaforth, Feb. 4th. 1870. 53-1y.
-ran. W. R. SMITH,
J Office, —Opposite
Zence—Main-street, No
Seaforth, Dec-. 14, 18
Physician. Surgeon, etc.
Veal's Grocery. Reei-
rth.
63. 53- 1 y
T CA.MPBELL, M. D. C. M., (Graduate 9fMc-
Gill Gill University, Montreal) Physician, Sur,
geon, ete. , Seaforth Office and es iden ce,---Old
Post Office Buildingeup stairs, where he 'be
'found by night or day when at home. -
Seaforth, July 15th, 1869. 84-ly
LEGAL.
CAMERON & 0-AEROW Barristera, Solicit-
ors in Chancert, &c. OFFICE,—Kingston
St., Goderich:
M. C. CAMERON,
J. T. GAREOW.
Seaforth, April 14, 1870.
53-tf
Tito F. 'WALKER, Attorney -at -Law and So-
•"- licitotin-Chancery, Conveyancer, Notary
Public, &c. Office of the Clerk of the Peace,
Court House, Goderieh, Ont.
—Money to lend at 8 per cent on Farm
Lan:ds.-.
Goderich, jan'y. 28. 1870. 112-1y.
jf'CA1JG HEY <!c, H OLM STE D, Barristers,
Attorneys at Law, Solicitors in Chancery
and Insolvency, Notaries 'Public and Conveyanc-
a.rs. Solicitors for the R 0 Bank, Seaforth,
Agents for the Canada Life Assurance j,Co.
N. B. —S30,000 to lend at 8 per cent. Farms,
Houses and Lots for sale.
Seaforth, Dec. 14th, 1868. 53-tf.
-DENSON & fsi EYEE., Barristers and Attorney,
at Law, Solicitors in Chancery and- insolv-
tency, Conv-2yancers, Notaries Public, etc. Of-
, ficese—Seaforth and Wroxeter. Agents for the
*Trust anal Loan. Co. of Upper Canada, and the
Colonial Securities- Co. . of London, England.
Money at 8 per cent; no commission, charged.
TAS. BEN.TSONr, W. C. MEYER.
53-ly
Seaforth, Dec. 10th. 1868.
DENTAL -L.
G. W. .HARRTS, L. D. S. Artie
fraesi Dentures inserted with all the
laitest improvements. The greatest
care taken fur tne preservation of decayed and
tender teeth. Teeth extracted without pain.
Rooms over Collier's Store.
Seaforth.- Dec. 14, 1898. 1 y.
HOTELS.
flOMAIE RU1AL HOTEL, Ainleyville, jams
Laild, proprietor, affords first -desk, accom,
modation for the travelling public. The larder
and bar are always supplied with the best the
markets afferd. Excellent stabling in connection
A inleyville, April 23, 1869. 70 -tf.
JE. ROSS, Proprietor New Dominion Hotel,
begs to inform the people of s' aforth and
the travelling coo@munity generally; Lhat he keeps
'first-class accommodation in every thing required
by travellers. A_ good. stable ,and willing hostler
-always on hand, Regular Boarders will receive
every necessary attention. •
Seaforth, Feb. 8th, 1869.
63-1y.
141 RITISH EXCHANGE HOTEL, GoDErstela
1..) O., CALLAWAX, PROPRIETOR ; J. S.
WILLIAMS, (late of American Hotel, Warsaw, N:
Y.) Manager. This hotel has recentlybeen new
furnished, and. refitted throughout, and is. now
one of the most cnmfertable and commodious in
the Province. Good Sample Rooms for Commer-
cial Travellers. Terms liberal,
Goderich, April 14, 1870. 123-tf.
ARCHITECTS.
0 MAILL & CROOKE, Arehitects, eth. Plans
0 and Specifications drawn cerrectly. Carpen%
ter's, Plasterer's; and Mason's werk, measured
and valued. Office—Over J. 0. Detlor & Co.'s
Store, Court -House Square, Godericin
Gocierich, April 23, 1869. 79-1y.
SVRVEYORS.
& W. McPHILLIPS, Provincial Land Sur,'
Veyora, Civil Enbineers, etc._ All manner
of Conveyancing done with neatness and. dispatch.
G. McPhillips, Commissioner in B. R. Office --
Next door south of Sharp's Hotels Seaforth.
Seaforth, Dec. 14, 1868. 53-1y.
MISCELLANEOUS.
SSTABLE, HSAE ...R4 FPO IRST IL. INFT-EiristtYClass Horses
always on hand. ataeasonable terms
R .L SHARP,
Sea -forth, May 5th, 1870.
MAIN ST.,
and Carriages
13roprietor.
3-tf
T S. PORTER., Seaforth, Ont.'„dealer in hides,
pi „ sheep skins, furs and wool. Liberal advanCe-
meats made on consignments. Money to . lend.
Insurance agent Debts collected. Highest
price paid. for green backs. --Office east side of
Main Street, one door north Johnson Bros'.
Hardware Store. 122-tf. .
110 HAZLEHURST, Licensed Auctioneer fo
the County of Huron. Goderich, Ont
Particular attention paid to the sale of Bankrupt
Stock. Farm Stock Sales attended on Liberal
'Terms. Goods Appraised, Mortgages Foreclosed,
Landlord's Warrants Executed. Also, Bailiff
Tirst Division Court for Huron.
- t2ederich, June 9th, 1869. 76. tf,
DONALD A. SMITH'S REPORT.
HIS RECEPTION AT FORT GARRY.—
TREATMENT BY RIEL.—THE RISING OF
THE ENGLISH.—THE COLD-BLOODED
MURDER OF THOMAS SCOTT.
To the Hon, Joseph Bowe, -Secy. of State, Ottawa,
SIR :—In pursuance of the Commission confid-
ed to me by His Excellency the Governor Gene-
ral, in relation to the affairs of - the North-West
Territory, I addressed you from time to time,
during my residence within Fort Garry, a corres-
pondence carried on under very unfavourable _cir-
cumstances, as will appear from the Report I have
now the honour to submit. Leaving Ottawa on
the 13th December last, I reached St. Cloud, the
terminus of the railway communication, on the
.17th, continuing on the same day, -by stage, and
atria- ing at Abercrombie on the eVening of the
l 9th. ' Here we had to abandon wheeled carriages
and procuring O sleigh, after 'a couple of hours
rest; we resumed our journey. On the afternoon
of the 21st, we met the Hon. Mr. McDougall and
party about thirty - mike below Georgetown.
From him I learned how serious the aspect, of af-
fairs had latterly become at Red River, and 'push-
ing on we got to Pembina about 11 p.m. on the
24th, and to Fort Garry on the 27th. .The gate
of the Fort we found open, but. guarded by sever-
al armed men, who on my desiring to be shown to
Gov. MeTavisli's house, requested me to wait till
they could communicate with their. chief. In a
short tinie Mr. Louis 1.4e1 appeared. I announc-
ed my name', and he said he had heard of my arri,
val at' Pembina, and -was about to send eff a party
to bring me in. I then accompanied him to -a
. room occupied by ten or a dozen men, Whom he in-
troducecl to me as members of the Previsional
Government. He requested to know the purport
of my visit, to which I replied in: substance that
Iwas connected with theHudson's Bay Company,
but also held a commission from the Canadian
Government to the people of RedRiver, and would
be prepared to produce my credentials so soon as
they (the people) were Willing to receive me. _ I
was then asked to take an oath not to attempt to
leave the fort that night, nor to upset their-Gov-
primient legally established. ThisrequestI per,
erepthrily refused- to comply with, but said that
being very tired, I had no desire to go outside the
gate that night, and promised to take' no immedi-
ate steps forcibly to upset their so-called Pi ovisi-
enal Go yernment, legal or like -al 43 it might be,
without first announcing my attention to do _so.
Mr. Riel, taking objection to the word "illegal,"
while I insisted on retaning it, Mr. O'Donohoe, to
get over the difficulty, remarked "that is as he
(meaning myself) understood it ;” to which I re-
joined "Precisely so." The above explanation I
am- the more partieular in giving as it has been
reported that I at once acknowledged the Provis-
ional Government to be legal. Neither then- nor
afterwards did I do so. . I took up my quarter's at
one of the houses 'occupied by the Hudson's. Bay
Company's officers, . and from that date until to-
ward -3 the close of February was virtually a pri-
soner within the Fort, although with permission
too outside the wails for exercise, accompanied
by wo armed guards—a piivilege of which I never
a,v, iled myself. All my official papers had been
left in charge of :Mr. Provencher at Pembina, as.
I had been Weraed that if found in my possession
they would. unquestionably be seized, as Were
those brought into the Settlement shortly after
by Rev. Mr. Thiebault and Col. De Salaberty. The
state Of matters at this time in end around Fort
- Garry was most unsatisfactory and truly humili-
ating. Upwards of sixty .British subjects were
hehrin close confinement as ."political prisoners."
Security for persons and property there was none.
The Fort, with its large supplies of ammunition,
provisions and stores of all kinds, was in the pos-
session -Of a few hundred half-breeds, whose lead-
ers had declared theheVeterminaton to use every
effort for the purpose of annexing the Territory to
the United States, and the Governor and Council
of Aesiniboia were powerless to enforce the law..
On the -6th January. I saw Mr. Kiel,. and - soon
came to th.e .conclusion. that no good could arise
from entering into any negotiations withhie Coun-
cil, te en Were -we to admit their authority, which
I. wasnot prepared to do. . We learnt that On the
13th Grand. Vicar Thiebault and Colonel DeSala-
berty appeered before the President and Council
Of the people, when .some explanations and .eom,
eiliments were exchanged, after which the. Very
Rev. gentleman arid his associatewere politely
bowed out and. lost sight of. '
Meantime, we had frequent visits in the Fort
from 'some of the most ' influential and most relia-
ble in the Settlement, who gladlts made -known to
:the people generally the liberal intentions of the
Canadian Government, and, in !consequence, one
after another of - Riere Councillors seceded from
him, and; being joined by their i friends and by
Many of their compatriots and co -religionists, who
had throtighont held aloof from the insurgents,
they determined no longer to submit to his dicta-
tion. This change evidently had O Marked effect
on, Biel, causin°a him to alter his tactics and ta-
protess a 'desire. for an accommodation with Cana-
da. _Accordingly on ' the 14th January he called -
.;on me and informed me that he had seen Messrs..
Thiebault and DeSalaberry,- whose in
did hot authorizethem to give assurance that the
people would be secured M possession of their
rights on entering into the Confed.etatfon, their
errand being merely "to.calm the French half-
breeds." He then asked to see thy Commission,
and on my explaining that owing -entirely to the
action taken' by himself it was not on my posses -
Sion. He said M an excited yet faltering man-
ner, ",Yes, I know, 'tis a great pity, but how
soon could you have it?" "Probably in five or
six days," I replied. "That is too long, far too .
long," he responded, and then asked where the
decuments were deposited, requesting at the same
time a li-ritteli ox der ff. r their delivery to his mes-
senger.1 To this I WOrtiti-not anceed ; but on his
assuring me that they would be delivered into
my hands, and. that I should be afferded an op-
portunity of comniunicatingtheir contents to the
people, I .consented to send a friend for theta. It
was so decided: ; and immediately after the mes-
senger had received his ' instructions from me, I
was placed under arrest, a captain's guard being
'assigned Me, *hose instructions were not to lose
- Sight of me for one raranent, day or night, and to
prevent me from Oominunicating, either verbally
or in Writing, With any indiyidual. I protested,
saying, "Am I to consider .myself a prisoner !"
He replied, "Certainly not. - 1 have perfect con-
fidence in your honor,- but circumstances demand
this." It was now about 10 o'elock, and my mes-
senger having been marched out I retired to bed,
but only to be awikened twixt 2 and 3 o'clock in
the morning of. the 15th by Mr. Riel, who, with a
guard, stood by the bedside, and again demanded
a written order for the delivery of 'my official pa-
pers, which I again peremptorpy refused to give.
The well affected. French party became
aware of what had happened., and not believing in
Riel's good faith, determined to prevent the pa-
pers from falling into his hands.- They got to-
gether some 60 or 80 men, who met my friend on
his way back, and were escorting him, when, on
the 18th, about ten miles from the Fort they were
accosted by Riel and some of his party, and by
the Rev. Mr. Richot, and an altercation took
place, Riel attempted to use his pistol, saying he
would not be taken alive in his own country, on
which a revolver was levelled at his head; and
Richot having interposed, he was unceremo•
niously told to stand aside, and not to interfere
any further in matters unconnected with his spiri-
tual duties. It may. be well to note that all those
who took part in this affair were Catholics, and
with one Or two exceptions French half-breeds.
Nothing more serious happened at this time, and
the party proceeded together to Fort Garry, where
they arrived in the forenoon. A few minutes
before they entered the house, the Very Rev. Mr.
Thiebault, Pere Lestanc and Colonel DeSalaberry
called upon me, and with exception of my guard
they were the first individuals with whom I was
permitted to converse since the 14th. They ap-
peared to be much concerned, and said it was cur-
rently reported that I had been endeavouring to
excite the different parties th hostile collision. I
repudiated any suchcharge, and explained that I
had acted only in the cause of peace and order,
and with the desire of making the people, both
French 'and English, fully acquainted with the lib-
eral views of the Canadian Government so that a
peaceful transfer of the Territory might be effect-
ed ; adding that I was pleased to think there was
now every likelihood this would speedily be ac-
complished. In the meantime the party_ in the
possession of my papers entered the adjoining
room in which Pere Lestanc joined them, while
Messrs. Thiebault and DeSalabeiry went outside.
immediately after they retired, Mr. Riel came
to me saying, " Your Commission is here, but in
the hands of men who had no right to have it
-I expressed satisfaction that it had been brought
in, and said, being now in possession of it I must
be relieved from, all restraint, and be permitted
freelyto con-ununicate With the people." He
at once removed the guard, and we went up to
the party who had just arrived. Messrs. Riel
and O'Donohoe, with a few of their friends
were present, and vehemently protested against
the action now being taken,, while the ex-Coun-
cillers accused them of treason to the Imperial
Crown, and Of using every effort to bring about
the Annexation of the country to the United
States. Riel replieci that that was only suppos-
ing that the people desired it, hilt that he was
willing that the question should be submitted to
them. Pere Lestanc spoke warmly in favor of
the President, who, he said, had acted 'so as to
merit the gratitude of his countrymen, and
begged them still to place confidence in him.
This, evidently, had no effect, and ultimately,
after a good deal of recrimination, it was ar-
ranged that a meeting of the inhabitants from
all parts 'of the Settlement should be called for on
the morrow, the 19th., at which the pa,pers bear-
ing on the subject should be read, a guard of
forty Men remaining in the room to ensure- the
safe keeping of the documents. Riel's men were
now, falling away from him; while the loyal
party expressed their determination no longer to
be guided in the matter either by him or Pere
Lestanc and his associates. _ They were full of
hope, and confident that the following day would'
bring with it complete success to the cause of
Canada. That night,: Pere Lestanc paid them
another visit, which was prolonged for several
hours beyond. midnight, and next morning it
was found that a majority of those who had. se-
ceded from Riel were again on friendly terms
with him. The hour for the meeting hayine ar-
rived, upwards of a thousand pepple attended,
and deeming it of importance that the explan-
ations to be made on behalf of the Canadian Gov -
eminent should be faithfully rendered to the
French speaking portion of the settlers, whose
leader had studiously witheld from them all
knowledge of the true state of affairs in connec-
tion with the proposed transfer of the country.
I requested. Col. De Salaberry to act as interpre-
ter, and the latter was appointed accordingly.
At this meeting and that held the following day,
the reading of the Commission, the Queen's letter,
and every other document was contested with
obstinacy but ultimately carried, and threats
were used to myself in the presence and hearing
of the Chairman, or the Secretary, Judge Black
and others, more especially by Mr. Riel and -the
Rev. Mr. Lestanc. At the commencement of
s meeting I requested the Chairman
and those near him to begin by in
that arms should be laid clown, and that
the ilag then flying, Fleur de- Li,$ and Shamrock.
should be replaced by the British Ensign. This
they thought would come better at an after stage,
but the opportunity of doing so, now lost, never
recurred. As is generally known, the result of
40 delegates, 20 on ,either side, to meet on the
25th of January with the object of considering the
subject of Mr. Smith's Commission, and to de-
cide what would be the best for the welfare of
the country—the English as a body, and a large
number of the French .declaring their entire satis-
faction with the explanations given, and their
earnest desire for union with Canada. On the
22nd inst., Biel had several conferences with the
well affected French within the FortHe was melt-
ed even to tears; and told! them how earnestly he
desired aa arrangement with Canada, and as-
sured them that he would lay down his authority
immediately on the meeting of the Convention.
They believed him sincere; and although I consid-
ered that their guard in the Fort should not be de-
creased, they held that ten men would be amply
sufficient to leave while they went to secure their
elution. The consequence Was that they had
hardly gone when repressive measures were re-
sorted,to ; and the Hudsen's Bay Company stores,
which had hitherto been, only partially in their
hands were now taken ccimplete possession of by
Riel. Efforts .were made ;to have the prisoners re-
leased butl.withouteifect: The delegates met on the
25th, and continued in session till the 10th of Feb-
ruary. On the 26th, I handed to their Chairman,
Judge Black, the documents read at the meet-
ings of the 19th and 28th, January, and on the
27th attended the Convention by appointment.
I was received with much cordiality by all the
delegates, I explained to them the views of
the Canadian Government, and gave assurances
that on entering Confederation they would bi
secured in thepossession of all rigets, privileges;an.d
immunities enjoyed by British subjects in other
parts of the Dominion; but. on being requested by
Mr. Riel to give an opinion regarding a certain
list of rights prepared. by 'his. party in December
last, I declined to do so, thinking it better that
the present Convention should place in my hands
a paper stating their wishes to which 1 should be
happy to give such answers, as I believed would
be in accordance with the views of the Canadian
Government. The Convention then set about the
task. of preparing a list of rights, embodying the
conditions on which.they would be willing to en-
ter into Confederation. 'While thediscussion re-
garding this list was going on, Mr. Riel called on
me and asked if the Canadian Government would
consent to receive them as a Province. My 're-
ply was that I could not speak with any degree
of certainty on the subject, as it had not been
referred to when I was at Ottawa, the intention
then ming that the North-West should in the
first instance be incorporated under the Dominion
as a territory; but I added. that no doubt it would
become a Province within two or three years.
On this Mr. Riel; with much emphasis. exclaim-
ed, "Then the Hudson's Bay Company is not
safe yet;" to which I 'answered, "Mr. Riel, that
cannot influence ine in the slightest degree, and
I am quite prepared to act as may be required. of
me in my capacity as Canadian Commissioner."
This was on the evening of the 3rd of February.
On the following day the proposition to enter as
a Province was negotiated by the Convention;
and on the 5th another motion directed against
the Hudson's Bay Company also failed. --the
language need by Mr. Riel on the latter occas-
sion having been violent in the extreme. The
same evening Riel proceeded to Governor Mc-
Tavish who had been dangerosly ill for many weeks
back, and was then barely able to sit up, placed a
guard over him and heaping reproaches and insults
on him declared he would have him shot ,before
midnight. Riel then sought out Dr. Cowan,
the officer in immediate charge of the Red River
district, and upbraided him for his persistent op-
position to the people, the insurgents, and, de-
claring that his name would go down with infamy
to posterity for the part he had taken, demanded
that he should immediately swear allegiance to
the Provisional Government or prepare for death
within three hours, given him a quarter of an
hour for consideration. The doctor immediately
replied that he knew no legal authority in the
country but that of Great Britain to wheth his al-
legiance was due, and that he would not take the
oath required of him. He was then seized and
put in confinement along with the prison'ers ta-
ken in December last. I was also put under
strict guard, but not removed from the house.
Notwithstanding this and the painful doubts
created in the midst of the English members of
the Convention as to the course they should pur-
sue alter these arrests, the delegates again met
on the 1st, On the 5th they had resolved to
place in my hands the List of Rightsthey had
ural,vn up, which was done at 11 o'clock on the
7th, with an intimatione that the Convention
would be glad to meet me at 1 p. m, the interven-
ing two hours being allowed me to frame my. an-
swers. In drawing up these 1- was allowed no
reference to any document either written or
printed, except the List of Rights, and a guard
stood over rne to see that I should. write 'noth-
ing else than that to be presented to the Con-
vention. I had just finished writing when Mr.
Riel and his Adjutant -General, Lepine, who was
also a member of the Convention, came in, and
Riel, looking at ite matter in a significant man-
ner, said. the answers!to the List of Rights must
be simply yes or no. On this I said that I
thought otherwise, end would act as circumstances
might appear to me to "sequire. I then retired,
and on returning to the room a few minutes la-
ter, found there Mr. Riel and. the Rev. Mr.
Thiebault and Col. De Sala.berry. We proceeded
together to the Convention, and in the course of
conversation, Col De Salaberry said he would glad.
ly have come to see me before, bat could not, as he
had been a prisoner throughout. The
proceedings of the Convention as report -
in the New Nation- newspaper of the
llth and 18th February, copies of
which I have had the honor of addressing to you,
are sufficiently exact, and render it unnecessary
for me here to enter into details. Suffice it to, say,
that a large majority of the delegates expressed
entire satisfaction with the answer to their
List of Rights, and professed confidence in the
Canadian Government, to which I invited them
to .send dalegates, with a, view of effecting a
speedy transfer of the Territory te the Dominion.
The invitation was received with acclamation,
and unanimously aecepted, as will appear by the
resolution hereto annexed, along with the list and
answer to the same. The delegates named were
John Black, Esq., Recorder; the Rev. Mr. Rich-
ot and Alfred II. Scott. A good deal of oppo-
sition having been offered to the election of the
last named of the three. The proceedings of the
Convention came to a -close on the 10th of Feb-
ruary, by the nomination of a Provisional Gov-
ernment, in the formation of which several dele-
gates declined to take any part. Gov.. McTa-
vish, Dr. Cowan and two or three other persons
were then released and the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany's officers were again alloWed to come and go
at pleasure. But I was still confined to the
Fort, Riel, as he expressly stated to Judge Black,
being apprehensive of my influence with the
people the ain pproaching election. Biel had pro-
mised that all the prisoners should soon be re-
leased, and on the lith or 12th six or eight of
them were set at liberty, and Dr. Cowan was in-
formed inmy preseuce that as they were all to
be discharged without delay the rooms they had
occupied would be placed at his disposal in a day
or two, Riel remarking at the same tune that he
would have them thoroughly cleaned: out. Ru-
mours now began to cireulate of a rising at the
Portage, and on the night of the 14th and 15th of
February, some eighty or one hundred
men from that district passed down close
to Fort Garry, and proceeded to Kildonan, where
they were joined by from 300 to 350 men, prin-
cipally English half-1>,ecas from the lower parts
of the Settlement11 i d these men been properly
armed and organized, or been prepared to sup-
port the well affected French party, when the
latter took action about the middle of January,
or even in the beguming of February during the
sitting of the Convention, order rnight have been
restored, and the transfer to Canada provided
for without the necessity of firing a single shot,
but now the rising was not only rash but pur-
poseless, as without its intervention the prisoners
would unquestionably have been released. The
party was entirely unorganized, indifferently
armed, unprovided with -food even for a meal,
and whooly incapable of coping with the French
now re -united, who to the number of at least
700, were prepared to offer the most determined
resistence, which, as they were in possession of a
number of guns, 6 and 3 pounders, ample stores
of ammunition, provisions and every other re-
quisite, they could have done most effectually.
My sympathies were in a great measure with the
Portage Men, who 1 believe tata.ve been actuated
by the best of motives; but under the circum-
stances it was not 'very difficult to forsee that the
issue could not be otherwise than disastrous to
their cause. The attempt was thereforeto be de-
plored, as it resulted in placing the whole Settle-
ment at the feet of Riel. The great majority of
the settlers—English and Scotch—:discoimten-
anced the movement, and. bitterly complained of
those who had. set it on foot. Forty-seven of the
party were captured on their way home, while
passing within a few hundred yards of the Fort,
The explanation. I have heard given for their
otherwise inexplicable conduct in having taken
this route, instead of making a, detour, which
would have •ensured safety, 'being a supposed pro-
mise by Riel that they wonld be permitted to
pass unmolested. . The messenger, a young man
named McLean, on being questioned by Arch-
deqcan McLeaa and myself, in the presence of
the Rev. Mr. Gardner and one or two.other gen-
tlemen, admitted that Riel, on being asked if the
party would. be permitted to pass, was silent, and
only on being informed that they intendednext
day to use the route just outside - the town, re-
marked, "Oh, that is good," and for his purpose
it no doubt Was so. Capt. Boulton led the par-
ty, and he and his friends at the Portage assured
me that he exerted. hirnself in the utmost to keep
them from rising, and only joined them at the
last moment when he saw that they were deter-
mined to go forward. He was captured on the
17th, tried by Court Martial, and comlenmed -to
be shot at noon on the following day, but at the
intercession of the Lord Bishop of Rupurt's
Land, Archdeacon McLean, and in short every
influential man among the English, and I have
been told also at the earnest entreaty of the Ca-
tholic clergy the execution was delaye& till mid-
night of Saturday the 19th. Further than this
Riel declared. he 'could not, would not yield, ex-
cept indeed Dr. Schultz should be captured in
the meantime in which case he would. be shot
instead tof BOulton. Archdeacon McLean had.
been in close attendance cn Captain Boulton
for twenty-four hours, had administerecl to him
the Sacrament, reacl his last commands, and had
promised, to be present with him at the last mo-
ment, and when I inet the Archdeacon . on my
way to see-Riel about 8 o'clock in the evening of
the , 19th. He was deeply affected and had given
up all hope. I found with Riel Mr. C. H. Rob-
inson., of the Nation newspaper, and shortly .af-
terwards Mr. James ROgS, Chief Justice, entered,
followed in a .few- minutes by Mr.. Bannatyne,
Post Master, who had been ordered to bringth.e
key of the mail bag, which he opened, and exam-
ining the letters perused and - retained one or
more Mr. Ross pleaded for Boulton, but was
repulsed in the most contemptuous manner., I
had already been speaking to Biel on the sub-
ject, when inturrupted by Mr. Ross' entrance,
and now resumed the conversation. Riel was
obdurate, and. said the English settlers end Can-
adians, but 1more especially the latter, had laugh -
,ed at and despised the French half-breeds,' believ-
Mg that they would not dare to take the life of
any one, and that under the eircinnstanees it
would be impossible to have peace and. establish
order in the country. An example must, there-
fore'. be made, and. he firmly resolved that Boni-
ton'sexecution should be carried out, bitterly as he
deplored the necessity of doing so. I reasoned
with him long and earnestly, until at length,
about 10 o'clock, he yielded, and. addressing me
apparently with much feeling, said, "Hitherto 1
have been cleef td all entreaties, and innow grant-
ing you this man's life (or words to that effect)
may I ask you a favor?" ".Aitything," I replied;
"anything that in honour I can do." He con-
tinued, "Canada has dieunitedus. will you use
yklur influence to re -unite us. You can do so-,' and
without WS it must be war, bloody civil War."
I answered that as I had said On first coming -into
the country, I would now repeat, that I would
give my whole heart to effect a peaceful union of
the country with Canada. We want only our
just rights as Thitish subjects,' he said. "and we
want the English thjoin us simply to obtain these"
`"Then," I remarked, "I shall at once see them
ancl induce them to go on with the. election of de-
legates for that purpose,"- andhereplied, "if you
cau do this, war will he. avoided, not only the
lives, but. the liberty of all the piisoners
will be aecured, for on your success depend.
the lives- of all the Canadians in the country."
He immediately proceeded to the prison and in-
timiated. to Archdeacon- McLean that he had
been induced by me to spare Capt. Boulton',s life,
andlad further promised to me that immediately
on the meeting of the Council, shortly to by elect-
ed, the whole of the prisoners would, be released,
requesting the Archdeacon at the same time, -to
explain these circumstances to Captain Boulton
and the other prisoners. Themornent was a fear-
ful one for the Settlement. Every man's life was
in the hands of Riel, and fully appreciating the
significance of this, the Bishop of Rupert's Land
and the Protestant clergy generally, now earnest-
ly counselled the people to elect their delegates
without loss of time, as by thiarneans . they xnight
to some extent control the course of events, while
otherwise they were utterly powerless. I entire-
ly concurred in this view of the ease, and Arch-
deacon McLean having kindly offered. to .accom-
pany me, ,we visited the different parts of the
settlement, and found that in several parishes the
people there most loyal to the British Crown, and
most desirous for union with Canada, had already
chosen their Councillor, I explained to all that
the Council was to be provisional in the strictest
sense of the word, intended. specially for effecting
the transference of the country to Canada, and
for ensuring safety of all life and. property in the
meantime. In some instances I found they had
torn up a petition to Mr. Riel, as President, ex-
pressing submission, &c. These I requested them
to destroy, advising that nothing more -should be
done then under the circumstances than was ab-
solutely necessary, namely that having made
their elections they should simply intimate the
fact in formal terms to Mr. Barmatyne WilQ ha --1
been named Secretary of the Council, and. not to
Mr. Riel. The elections in the English parishes
having taken place on the 26th February, I again
saw Riel, who assured me that all the prisoners
would be released within a day or two after the
grst meeting of the Council. On the 28th, he
again sent for me, -and in presence of Mr. Frazer,
. delegate from the cotch parish of Kilclonan, re-
peated his promise that the lives of the prisoners
were secure, and that their release would shortly
follow. I ha.cl no further communication until
Monday, the 4th March, when, about 10 o'clock
in the morning, Pere Lestanc called on me.. He
informed me of Bishop Tache's expected aasaval no
lair than the 8th, and probably pomp days ear-
lier and that I should defer my departure till he
could-eommunicate personally with Me. Ile then
said that the conduct of the prisoners was very
unsatisfactory, that they were very unruly and
insolent to the soldiers, and that their .behaviour
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