Welcome to the public history site for louis riel and metis rebellions
Designed as a project for HIST11228GD - Creating Public History - This website highlights the early life and rise of Louis Riel while also providing details of two large rebellions that highlighted his career - The Red River and North-West Rebellions. This page serves to highlight our key primary source written by the Manitoba Free Press years after Riel's unceremonious execution. Lastly, we provide an update on the ongoing struggles of the Metis people in contemporary Canada.
Louis Riel - A Maker of History
branded with infamy on the one hand and raised to the pedestal of a martyr-patriot on the other
[Transcribed from the Manitoba Free Press Publication] Just twenty-seven years ago, on November 16, 1885, there perished on the scaffold at Regina, Louis Riel, the leader of the Metis of Red River and Saskatchewan in the uprising against the Hudson's Bay Company in 1869-70, and in the rebellion against the Dominion in 1885. Racial and religious, part and political passion have branded his name with infamy on the one hand and raised him to the pedestal of a martyr-patriot on the other. The twenty-seven years which have elapsed have not been sufficient to allow a generally calm estimate of the public aims as distinct from the personality of the man to be made, and it is unwise to start any useless controversy on the subject, the perspective of the past is still too short.
But to critics collecting historical data and more especially to students of psychology, the two hitherto unpublished letters of Louis Riel, which are now presented, will be of uncommon interest, and they are given without comment further than to state whence the originals, from which these copies are taken, have been obtained. The first letter is in French and has been specifically translated into English by a highly competent man in Winnipeg in whose keeping the original remains. It is without date, but was evidently written (probably at a time of some political excitement) about the time the county court of Marquette East was established in 1872. The second letter is a photographic facsimile of the press copy from a letter book, which press copy is in the possession of Captain Richardson, Winnipeg. It is merely necessary to say about this facsimile that it was written when poor Riel was without hope of escape from the fate which he knew would befall him in forty-eight hours, when he was to appear before the Judge of all the earth. A word more lest some forget their good fortune. Military men who came acquainted with the old type of Metis hunter-warriors of the western plains, and who afterwards met the Boers of South Africa on the field, are wont to describe very similar those Metis and Boers were in habits, training and environment. Men who served against both on the field are emphatic in declaring that had the Metis been led by such men as the Boers the whole power of Canada could hardly have prevailed against them. However the leader of the Metis was not one of the old chiefs of the Red river buffalo brigades, but the dreamer Riel.
Letter No. 1 - Written by Louis Riel
To Mr. Pierre Lovallea Clerk of the Court of Marquee East, Clerk and Treasurer of the Municipality of St. Francois Xavier:
Very Dear Sir and Friend - I am very happy to see you enjoying the confidence of the public. I congratulate you, and I encourage you to do all in your power to increase this trust in you; and I urge you most strongly to make use of the honorable position you occupy to promote the most cordial possible union between the Metis and the (French) Canadians. I recommend you to keep yourself in the good graces of the clergy, if your submission be discerning, sincere, you are sure to please God; and you will be protected as you know we have been in the past. When you see a Canadian angry at the Metis manner of living, try to quiet him, if that be possible, by suggesting to him that if the Metis have grave defects, they also possess great qualities, I will myself tabulate the good qualities which I find in our dear Metis citizens. Next to the clergy, the Metis prevail over the Canadians in that: (1) They believe more simply and more truly in God. (2) Their hopes as Christians are more firm and more perfect. (3) They are more charitable and more disinterested. (4) They are more modest in dress and in appearance. (5) Their politeness is more natural and more cordial. (6) They are more frank in their social relations. (7) They swear less and blaspheme less. (8) They are more peaceable and more gentle in their intercourse with everyone. (9) They are more patient in distress and in all sorts of trouble. (10) They think and judge more directly and more justly. (11) Their life is more simple and no less extravagant. (12) They forgive injury more easily; they excuse their neighbor more willingly. (13) They are more respectful and more obedient. (14) They know better how to be satisfied with little. (15) They speak less. (16) They are better judges of character and disposition. Physically, the Metis are ahead of Canadians in that they (1) are more vigorous; (2) more power of resistance under privation; (3) are more dexterous; (4) have better and stronger eyesight; (5) have, generally speaker, better figures; (6) are more surefooted; (7) their faces indicate more kindness; (8) they have better health. Everything considered, let us be, above all, Metis.
My dear friend, be careful to present the good side of the Metis character in such a manner that none can take offence at it. Persuade the Canadians that they are loved by the Metis , and instead of allowing our folk to grow bitter against our co-citizens born in Lower Canada, through dwelling too much on whatever deficiencies these desirable emigrants may have, apply yourself to known the good qualities of the French Canadians, and towards causing to be appreciated as much as possible the advantages which they in turn have over the Metis. For reasons highly important say distinctly: 1 - That French Canadians are more learned. 2 - more artistic. 3 - more experienced. 4 - more industrious. 5 - more constant. 6 - more careful. 7 - more temperate. 8 - more economical. 9 - are better trained. 10 - have wider knowledge. Do not fail in all kindness, to the Metis, that physically the French-Canadians - (1) have lighter complexions, (2) they are better dressed, (3) they are better housed, (4) they are clever in preparing agreeable dishes, (5) they are more wealthy. Show the French-Canadians that which they can profitably imitate in the Metis. And show the Metis that which they can profitably copy from the French-Canadians. May the Metis and the Canadians cease at any cost, maliciously reproaching each other with their defects. The kindness of the Metis and the generosity of the French-Canadians call for mutual liking; so that the Metis may become more Canadian through the Canadian virtues and the Canadians become more Metis through the admirable virtues which the Metis possess as a primitive people. It must be; let us be Metis-Canadian. Effort must be made to keep in the minds of the Metis-Canadian a very lively gratitude towards everything that is good French. For a larger and strong part of our clergy is French. France for a long time propagated the faith in our midst and among the Indians through their copious gifts. And to-day, in spite of her impious government which harms her, she helps as much as she can religion the world over. Let us be proud of being French. Our language, one of the most beautiful in the world, and certainly the most polished of all, is the French language. Let us lover greatly the French. Let us be Metis-Canadians-French.
- Signed Louis Riel
Very Dear Sir and Friend - I am very happy to see you enjoying the confidence of the public. I congratulate you, and I encourage you to do all in your power to increase this trust in you; and I urge you most strongly to make use of the honorable position you occupy to promote the most cordial possible union between the Metis and the (French) Canadians. I recommend you to keep yourself in the good graces of the clergy, if your submission be discerning, sincere, you are sure to please God; and you will be protected as you know we have been in the past. When you see a Canadian angry at the Metis manner of living, try to quiet him, if that be possible, by suggesting to him that if the Metis have grave defects, they also possess great qualities, I will myself tabulate the good qualities which I find in our dear Metis citizens. Next to the clergy, the Metis prevail over the Canadians in that: (1) They believe more simply and more truly in God. (2) Their hopes as Christians are more firm and more perfect. (3) They are more charitable and more disinterested. (4) They are more modest in dress and in appearance. (5) Their politeness is more natural and more cordial. (6) They are more frank in their social relations. (7) They swear less and blaspheme less. (8) They are more peaceable and more gentle in their intercourse with everyone. (9) They are more patient in distress and in all sorts of trouble. (10) They think and judge more directly and more justly. (11) Their life is more simple and no less extravagant. (12) They forgive injury more easily; they excuse their neighbor more willingly. (13) They are more respectful and more obedient. (14) They know better how to be satisfied with little. (15) They speak less. (16) They are better judges of character and disposition. Physically, the Metis are ahead of Canadians in that they (1) are more vigorous; (2) more power of resistance under privation; (3) are more dexterous; (4) have better and stronger eyesight; (5) have, generally speaker, better figures; (6) are more surefooted; (7) their faces indicate more kindness; (8) they have better health. Everything considered, let us be, above all, Metis.
My dear friend, be careful to present the good side of the Metis character in such a manner that none can take offence at it. Persuade the Canadians that they are loved by the Metis , and instead of allowing our folk to grow bitter against our co-citizens born in Lower Canada, through dwelling too much on whatever deficiencies these desirable emigrants may have, apply yourself to known the good qualities of the French Canadians, and towards causing to be appreciated as much as possible the advantages which they in turn have over the Metis. For reasons highly important say distinctly: 1 - That French Canadians are more learned. 2 - more artistic. 3 - more experienced. 4 - more industrious. 5 - more constant. 6 - more careful. 7 - more temperate. 8 - more economical. 9 - are better trained. 10 - have wider knowledge. Do not fail in all kindness, to the Metis, that physically the French-Canadians - (1) have lighter complexions, (2) they are better dressed, (3) they are better housed, (4) they are clever in preparing agreeable dishes, (5) they are more wealthy. Show the French-Canadians that which they can profitably imitate in the Metis. And show the Metis that which they can profitably copy from the French-Canadians. May the Metis and the Canadians cease at any cost, maliciously reproaching each other with their defects. The kindness of the Metis and the generosity of the French-Canadians call for mutual liking; so that the Metis may become more Canadian through the Canadian virtues and the Canadians become more Metis through the admirable virtues which the Metis possess as a primitive people. It must be; let us be Metis-Canadian. Effort must be made to keep in the minds of the Metis-Canadian a very lively gratitude towards everything that is good French. For a larger and strong part of our clergy is French. France for a long time propagated the faith in our midst and among the Indians through their copious gifts. And to-day, in spite of her impious government which harms her, she helps as much as she can religion the world over. Let us be proud of being French. Our language, one of the most beautiful in the world, and certainly the most polished of all, is the French language. Let us lover greatly the French. Let us be Metis-Canadians-French.
- Signed Louis Riel