THE RIEL REBELLION IN MANITOBA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 691, 29 May 1885, Page 7

THE RIEL REBELLION IN MANITOBA.

In 1870. the surrender of the Northwest Territory of the British Possessions by the Hudson Bay Company, and its annexation to the Dominion of Canada, resulted in an uprising of the French half-breeds inhabiting the Red River Settlement, under the leadership of Louis Riel/ a member of their own caste. The half-breeds, or Metis as they are provincially called, claimed that the transfer deprived them of their inheritance. The uprising was an appeal to arms in defence of their rights and their independence. The uprising at that time was of short duration. It was soon suppressed by the military authorities, and Riel was exiled from the Red River Settlement. The half-breeds have since been endeavouring to obtain a recognition of their claims by Constitutional means. They formulated their claims into a demand for the setting apart of certain reservations for their benefit, Bubject to the jurisdiction of the Dominion Government. While this peaceable agitation was going on, the discontented half-breeds invited Louis Riel to return from his enforced exile and again lead their movement. The Toronto Globe of March 24th, says of the uprising of 1870 : - If the people of the Northwest had been treated with due consideration, if due respect had been shown for their rights and for themselves, there would have been no Red River Rebellion. Canadian rule would have been welcomed if it had not been presented to the people a 3 the means of placing themselves and their property at the mercy of a swarm of hungry adventurers. Alluding to the present troubles the same paper says : The half-breeds some time ago adopted a series of resolutions in which there grievances were set forth and their wishes were expressed. They have frequently held public meetings since. They have employed all the usual constitutional means of gaining the attention of the Govern nent, and Obtaining redress of what they believe to be intolerable grievances. We are not prepared to say that

everything they asked in those resolutions should be done, although it does seem that when lands were set apart for the Metis in Manitoba, the Metis in other parts of the Northwest should have had as much done for them. Hut w« say that if the Government had pursued a wise policy in their regard, a people whose brethren in Manitoba were found so tractable would not be so discontented, and it would not be necessary to concentrate a large force of the mounted police to subdue or overawe them. If Mr Dewdney were a man mindful of his duty, and capable of dealing with the Metis and the Indians in such a way as to secure their and respect; and if Sir John Macdonald and his Minister of the Interior knew what their duty was, and made an honest effort to do it, the discontent might easily have been allayed long ago, if, indeed, it had ever existed. The failure of the Dominion Government to recognise the grievances of the French half-breeds has resulted in another appeal to arms, with Louis Riel again in command. As we are advised by recent cablegrams it has been suppressed, but it is to be hoped the just claims of the half-breeds will be recognised, and that lasting peace will be established in those far away but promising regions.