Codex Battleford
Transcription: 13
Transcription:
{12 [written in pencil in the top right corner]
II
Unrest in Saint Laurent’s Settlements.
______________
Many years since,the Northwestern halfbreeds were sending petitions after petitions to be granted the same rights and priviledges [sic] as their congeners in Manitoba,namely free grants of land,river lot survey and official titles of the farm properties to protect themselves against unscrupulous claim-jumpers.But letters and petitions,usually,remained unanswered.
In 1877,the surveyor-general proposed thaxt in all cases where settlements had been formed along the rivers,the Government should adopt the surveys of farms giving an average of 10 or 20 chainx frontage on the river and letting the lots run back enough to make 160 acres each.But the insistence upon the square or sectional survey brought about boundless disturbance.Such was the case when,in 1883[?],the Government surveyors intended to parcel out the twenty year old settlement of St Albert,near Edmonton,by a checkerwise survey.This led to considerable discontent among the halfbreeds and threats of violence.Fortunately calmer counsels from their missionaries prevailed and ameeting [sic] was held at which Father Leduc and Mr.Dan Maloney were delegated to Ottawa to lay the claims of the xxxxxx [crossed out] settlers [written underneath] before Sir John McDonald.Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan joined xx [crossed out] Saint-Albert in contributing to the expenses of the delegation.The demands put forward included amongst others the question of scrips,patents and river lot survey.The claims put forward by the delegates were mostly granted.
Unfortunately,however,the concessions so readily granted to St.Albert and the xxxxx xxxxxxx xxx [crossed out] neighbourhood settlements were not extended at St.Laurent colonies and the Government were unwilling to incur the expense of a new survey.They claimed that Fr.Leduc & Dan Maloney spoke only in the interest of St.Albert and neighbouring places,as if what concerned these people did not suit as xx [crossed out] well the other halfbreeds.Were xxxx [crossed out] they to be discriminated and treated as helots?
Four or five years previous,it is true,lots of then chain frontage had been surveyed on a strip along the neast [sic] bank of the South Saskatchewan. But the plain of this area known as Parish of St.Laurent was not to leave drawer of the Surveyor ‘s office until March 8th 1884.To make matters worse,a part of that land encroached upon One Arrow’s reserve,so the claimants must await the adjustment before being allowed to take steps.
All these delays,rebukes,denials of rights,haughty treatments of their just petitions,created discontent.
bordering on paroxism [sic]. The meetingsxx [crossed out] of disatisfied [sic] halfbreeds become more and more frequent.In one of these, Gabriel Dumont suggested xxx [crossed out] bringing back of Riel and placing xxx [crossed out] in his hands the management of the agitation.A board of six halfbreeds was elected to examine the project.According the advice of xx [crossed out] this board,nothing should be done in the matter without refering [sic] to the Scotch and French halfbreeds of the settlement.Therefore early in the spring,in April 1884, the Halfbreeds of the settlements of Prince Albert and Saint Laurent met in the heart of the Pine Forest.It was necessary to take the oath of complete secrecy before being admitted in the precinct of the assembly.Being convinced that the missionaries would not foster their undertaking, the leaders of the movement were xxxxx [crossed out] careful to keep them aloof.
The xxxxxx [crossed out] chairman of the meetingx,Mr Andrew Spence,proposed to chose a wise and prudent leader who could take in hand the management of their affairs with the greatest chance of success.On hearing him reckon the rare qualities such a man should possess,all the bystanders had but one name on their lips.When he uttered the name of Mr.Louis Riel,it was received by a round of applause.xxx [crossed out]
After a few meetings of the board,it was decides [sic] to elect two delegates}
II
Unrest in Saint Laurent’s Settlements.
______________
Many years since,the Northwestern halfbreeds were sending petitions after petitions to be granted the same rights and priviledges [sic] as their congeners in Manitoba,namely free grants of land,river lot survey and official titles of the farm properties to protect themselves against unscrupulous claim-jumpers.But letters and petitions,usually,remained unanswered.
In 1877,the surveyor-general proposed thaxt in all cases where settlements had been formed along the rivers,the Government should adopt the surveys of farms giving an average of 10 or 20 chainx frontage on the river and letting the lots run back enough to make 160 acres each.But the insistence upon the square or sectional survey brought about boundless disturbance.Such was the case when,in 1883[?],the Government surveyors intended to parcel out the twenty year old settlement of St Albert,near Edmonton,by a checkerwise survey.This led to considerable discontent among the halfbreeds and threats of violence.Fortunately calmer counsels from their missionaries prevailed and ameeting [sic] was held at which Father Leduc and Mr.Dan Maloney were delegated to Ottawa to lay the claims of the xxxxxx [crossed out] settlers [written underneath] before Sir John McDonald.Edmonton and Fort Saskatchewan joined xx [crossed out] Saint-Albert in contributing to the expenses of the delegation.The demands put forward included amongst others the question of scrips,patents and river lot survey.The claims put forward by the delegates were mostly granted.
Unfortunately,however,the concessions so readily granted to St.Albert and the xxxxx xxxxxxx xxx [crossed out] neighbourhood settlements were not extended at St.Laurent colonies and the Government were unwilling to incur the expense of a new survey.They claimed that Fr.Leduc & Dan Maloney spoke only in the interest of St.Albert and neighbouring places,as if what concerned these people did not suit as xx [crossed out] well the other halfbreeds.Were xxxx [crossed out] they to be discriminated and treated as helots?
Four or five years previous,it is true,lots of then chain frontage had been surveyed on a strip along the neast [sic] bank of the South Saskatchewan. But the plain of this area known as Parish of St.Laurent was not to leave drawer of the Surveyor ‘s office until March 8th 1884.To make matters worse,a part of that land encroached upon One Arrow’s reserve,so the claimants must await the adjustment before being allowed to take steps.
All these delays,rebukes,denials of rights,haughty treatments of their just petitions,created discontent.
bordering on paroxism [sic]. The meetingsxx [crossed out] of disatisfied [sic] halfbreeds become more and more frequent.In one of these, Gabriel Dumont suggested xxx [crossed out] bringing back of Riel and placing xxx [crossed out] in his hands the management of the agitation.A board of six halfbreeds was elected to examine the project.According the advice of xx [crossed out] this board,nothing should be done in the matter without refering [sic] to the Scotch and French halfbreeds of the settlement.Therefore early in the spring,in April 1884, the Halfbreeds of the settlements of Prince Albert and Saint Laurent met in the heart of the Pine Forest.It was necessary to take the oath of complete secrecy before being admitted in the precinct of the assembly.Being convinced that the missionaries would not foster their undertaking, the leaders of the movement were xxxxx [crossed out] careful to keep them aloof.
The xxxxxx [crossed out] chairman of the meetingx,Mr Andrew Spence,proposed to chose a wise and prudent leader who could take in hand the management of their affairs with the greatest chance of success.On hearing him reckon the rare qualities such a man should possess,all the bystanders had but one name on their lips.When he uttered the name of Mr.Louis Riel,it was received by a round of applause.xxx [crossed out]
After a few meetings of the board,it was decides [sic] to elect two delegates}
