828 COMMONS DEBATES April 4, 1870
RED RIVER MURDER
Mr. Mackenzie—Before the orders of the
day are called, he desired to ask the leader of
the Government whether he was prepared to
place any information before the House regarding recent events in Red River territory.
We
have most painful accounts in public newspapers of an atrocious murder being committed
by men—ruffians I might say—(hear, hear),
who are at the head of forces there, that calls
for the most extraordinary exertions on the
part of our Government, (hear, hear), and in
order to know exactly what the House and
country ought to do, the Government, I think,
are bound to place in possession of this House
all the information they have with regard to
that murder. We know that other persons were
held prisoners there besides the unfortunate
gentleman who was murdered, and what security have we in this country that others
of our
fellow-subjects shall not be murdered as well
as poor Scott? In order to ascertain what
course we ought to take, I think the Government is bound to place before us all information
in their power to obtain, and while the
hon. gentleman is replying, I would like him to
state if in the special instructions given to the
parties sent by the Government to that country
if power was given them to negotiate with
regard to the prisoners, if parties have been
imprisoned there for their loyalty to the British Crown, and if so, our Government
ought to
take the strongest possible measures in order
to ensure the safety of these prisoners' lives. I
am anxious to know what steps the Government have taken in order to obtain this necessary
and desirable result.
Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald—With respect
to the first point referred to by the member for
Lambton, I may say that I am not at all sur—
prised at his making the enquiry respecting the
murder which no doubt has taken place at Red
River. The Government as yet have no written
report on the subject; but Mr. Smith who went
to that country as a Special Commissioner, on
behalf of the Canadian Government, arrived
here on Saturday afternoon and left the same
night so as to be with his family over Sunday.
829
He leaves Montreal to-night, and will be here
to-morrow morning. On his return he will, I
have no doubt, prepare a report of all the circumstances connected with his mission,
and
connected with this most deplorable affair to
which the hon. gentleman has alluded. There
can be no doubt of the murder, though I hoped
against hope, that the rumour of his death was
erroneous, so many rumours from that country
having been proved subsequently to be untrue.
There can be no doubt that this man after the
sentence of a trial by court martial, was shot in
pursuance of some sentence of this self-constituted court martial. All the facts that
are
within Mr. Smith's cognizance will, I have no
doubt, be produced immediately on his return.
And the Government will lay before the House
such portions of them as can be laid before the
House without prejudice to public interests.
With respect to the last part of the hon. gentleman's enquiry, I may simply say that
the Commissioners and all parties sent on behalf of the
Canadian Government to Red River were sent
there for the purpose of conciliation, for settling all disturbance and removing any
apprehensions that the people might have entertained of not being treated as British
subjects.
The necessary consequence of such conciliation
would, of course, be a discharge of any prisoners. We had no power to order the discharge
of
these prisoners, that country not being under
our Government. We had no right to command
their discharge, and any threat would have
been impolitic, for in that case we would on the
one hand have offered conciliation, and on the
other hand destroyed it. A threat would have
been of no value—a mere brutum fulmen. We
have no means of enforcing such threats, and
under such circumstances they would have
prevented any hope of conciliatory measures
being carried out. I believe that the prisoners
are now all discharged. Half of them were
discharged before Mr. Smith left, and the
remainder were to be discharged a day or two
afterwards. I believe also that the delegates
who were originally chosen may be expected
any time. Mr. Smith was not aware when they
were to leave. I do not know exactly under
what circumstances they do come. The fact,
however, that Judge Black has consented to be
one of them—although at first he declined—
shows that in his opinion—and he is a man of
high standing—matters may yet be settled.
This is all the statement I can make just now. I
hope Mr. Smith will be here to-morrow, and his
first duty will be to prepare a report, and the
facts, in full detail, so far as it can be done, will
be laid before the House as soon as that report
is received.
830 COMMONS DEBATES April 4, 1870
Mr. Mackenzie—I have simply to express
the hope that the facts will be laid fully before
the House. The time is now past for hiding
anything connected with these people, (hear,
hear), and when they have resorted to the
outrage of murdering our fellow subjects, there
is to be no further squeamishness on the part
of the people of this country in the matter.
(Hear, hear.) I have merely to say this, within
the last day or two I have received two letters
from old men in Western Canada who have
sons in Red River, and who believe them to be
still imprisoned and in danger of their lives.
Nothing can be more painful than to read the
letters of these old men.
Hon. Dr. Tupper—I regret I was not in the
House when the statement was made by the
leader of the Government, and I would like to
ask whether the Government have any information from any person who saw the murder
committed?
Hon. Dr. Tupper—I have no hesitation is
saying that, until some person who saw the
murder committed, until some person who is
not in the interest of Riel, testifies to the fact, I
shall cherish the hope that no such execution
took place. The reason I have to say so is, that
we know of a case which occurred some time
ago, that of Goudy, that he was ordered for
execution but it was generally believed he was
not executed. Captain Cameron has this
moment received a letter from Mr. Provencher,
at Pembina, who states that until he gets further information he is inclined to believe
that
Riel was attempting to establish his authority
by a sham execution. Mr. Provencher's letter is
dated 14th, and says that the guns were only
loaded with powder, but he says at the close of
the letter that this rumor was contradicted,
and that Scott's life was actually taken. Until
we get information from some person present I
shall cherish the hope that it was an attempt of
Riel to strengthen his power and produce a
reign of terror, as it would be the most effective means of preventing any reaction.
I presume there is no difference of opinion, that if
so foul and brutal a murder has taken place,
the sentiments expressed by the hon. member
for Lambton will be felt and re-echoed by
every man in Canada, (hear, hear); that there
will be an uniform feeling of asserting the
authority of the Crown at all hazards, and in
the most effectual manner. (Hear, hear.)
Hon. Sir John A. Macdonald—I have just
received a note from a friend in the reporters'
gallery stating that the
New Nation of the 4th of
March contains a report of the execution.
831
Hon. Dr. Tupper—The report in the
New
Nation does not weaken in the least the view I
take. What I hope was done is that the man
was concealed away somewhere and that every
means possible was taken to create the universal opinion that he was executed; and
until we
have the information of some person who saw
the execution, that it did actually take place, I
shall cherish the hope that so extreme a step
has not been taken.
SUN INSURANCE CO.
The Bill intituled: "An Act to amend the Act
intituled, An Act to incorporate the Sun Insurance Company of Montreal" was read a
third
time and passed on motion of Mr. Workman.
BANK OF COMMERCE AND GORE BANK
The House went into Committee, and passed
the Bill intituled: "An Act to provide for the
Amalgamation of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, and the President, Directors and Company
of the Gore Bank", on motion of Mr.
Angus Morrison.
Hon. Sir Francis Hincks said there would be
no objection to the bill passing this stage, provided it was not passed further, till
after the
Government policy on the subject was brought
down.
The Bill passed through Committee, and
amendments were read a first and second time.
CANADIAN ARTISTS' SOCIETY
The Bill intituled: "An Act to incorporate the
Society of Canadian Artists" was moved into
Committee.
Mr. Bodwell moved an amendment to strike
out the fifth clause, which allowed of disposing
of their works by lottery.
Mr. Workman explained that the object of
the Bill was to establish a taste for arts, and
also a fund for the relief of artists' widows, etc.
Mr. Morris explained that the Bill had been
fully considered in the Private Bill Committee,
where it was found that the same privilege of
disposing of pictures by lottery was in existence in England and the United States.
An
amendment was made to provide that the
society should submit to any future legislation
on the subject by this Parliament, and it could
be deprived of its power if the liberty granted
by the clause was in any way abused. He could
see no objection to the Bill as it stood.
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