Codex Battleford
Transcription: 15
Transcription:
{14 [written in the top right corner]
about the letters he wrote to the Prime Minister and Sir Hector Langevin. They seemed greatly pleased and grateful.” But my letters”, the bishop adds, brought no answer and no result”.
On June 4th,the delegates appointed by the meeting in the Lindsay School House,arrived at St.Peter’s Mission in Montana where Mr.Louis Riel was school teacher.Thxey informed him of the state of the North-West and invited him to return with them and take the leadership of the movement.On the following day he accepted their invitation,on condition that he could return to his class work sometime in September.
On the xxx [crossed out] first day of July,Riel arrived at St.Laurent.His first visit was to Fr.Fourmond.“I set out,“he said,“with the blessing of the good Jesuit Fathers,now on my arrival,I humbly sollicit [sic] the blessing of Oblate Fathers at St.Laurent.My most sincere desire is to follow their direction and advices in all my undertakings.”
“This was the first time that I had met Louis Riel,” said [crossed out] wrote [written above] Fr.Fourmond, “and I was charmed by his conversation and good judgment.I admired the faith expressed in all his words and the mildness marked in his countenance and his speech.However,his face on which was depicted kindness,meekness and modesty x [written in the margin in pencil] waxed wroth suddenly and flamed up terribly as soon as opposition was made to his [added] pet ideas.In these moments of exasperation,he was another man:the xxx [crossed out] lightning of his eyes,the roar of his voice,the tossing of his long head of hair [crossed out] thick mane [written over it] was frightening [crossed out] gave him a frighteful [sic] countenance…One could not help xsaying:Here is a thoroughly convinced man.”
The following day,in spite of his fatigue [crossed out] exertion [written above], he decided to speek [sic] to the halfbreeds in the unfinished church of Batoche kindly put at his service [crossed out] disposal [written above] by Fr.Moulin.His entertainment disappointed the most radical amongst his hearers. xxx [crossed out] Far from preaching sedition,he strongly recommended composure,patience and moderation.He emphasized his unrelenting determination to make use of constitutional means only.
Fr.André,formerly startled at the danger of Riel’s appearance in that troublesome area,was greatly relieved by the good news coming from St.Laurent.He wrote hastily to Governor Dewdney:“You knoxw that I am far from being a friend of Riel and I looked ["ed" added] upon the prospect of his arrival as x [crossed out] noxious to the peace of our people,but to-day I have not the least apprehension.If I may beleive [sic] the reports received,Riel acts peacefully and speak wisely…Riel seems really actuated by the best motives and repudiating all evil designs.”
After a few public meetings around St.Laurent,Riel got in contact with the xx [crossed out] english [sic] speaking population,Whites and scotch-halfbreeds,on the 11th of July,in the Lindsay School House.As a reult [sic] ofthis [sic] meeting,Mr.McLize,a Tory of high standing in Prince Albert,came and asked Charles Nolin whether Riel would ever consent to appear in public in the town.Nolin answered that those who desire his presence should x [crossed out] request it.Thus it happened that an invitation signed by several worthy citizens was sent to Riel.Mr.Lawrence Clarke,hearing of this,begged Fr.André to interpose for fear of a riot. This [corrected in pen] priest to whom Riel had vowed obedience,wrote to him,on july [sic] 14th,warning him of the danger and treachery and advising him to refuse the invitation for peace’s sake.Riel Hesitated a moment,but,at last,penned his refusal,on the 18th of July,in the following letter. “Gentxlemen,I know that, as your guest,I would be perfectly safe from any discourtesy,and,with such a respectable body of men as those who have signed the invitation,I would feel far above any insult that could be offered me.But for the sake of avoiding even the slightest trouble in order to allow no germ of division weaken our basis of action,I beg leave to be excused.Please consent to put off the meeting.”}
about the letters he wrote to the Prime Minister and Sir Hector Langevin. They seemed greatly pleased and grateful.” But my letters”, the bishop adds, brought no answer and no result”.
On June 4th,the delegates appointed by the meeting in the Lindsay School House,arrived at St.Peter’s Mission in Montana where Mr.Louis Riel was school teacher.Thxey informed him of the state of the North-West and invited him to return with them and take the leadership of the movement.On the following day he accepted their invitation,on condition that he could return to his class work sometime in September.
On the xxx [crossed out] first day of July,Riel arrived at St.Laurent.His first visit was to Fr.Fourmond.“I set out,“he said,“with the blessing of the good Jesuit Fathers,now on my arrival,I humbly sollicit [sic] the blessing of Oblate Fathers at St.Laurent.My most sincere desire is to follow their direction and advices in all my undertakings.”
“This was the first time that I had met Louis Riel,” said [crossed out] wrote [written above] Fr.Fourmond, “and I was charmed by his conversation and good judgment.I admired the faith expressed in all his words and the mildness marked in his countenance and his speech.However,his face on which was depicted kindness,meekness and modesty x [written in the margin in pencil] waxed wroth suddenly and flamed up terribly as soon as opposition was made to his [added] pet ideas.In these moments of exasperation,he was another man:the xxx [crossed out] lightning of his eyes,the roar of his voice,the tossing of his long head of hair [crossed out] thick mane [written over it] was frightening [crossed out] gave him a frighteful [sic] countenance…One could not help xsaying:Here is a thoroughly convinced man.”
The following day,in spite of his fatigue [crossed out] exertion [written above], he decided to speek [sic] to the halfbreeds in the unfinished church of Batoche kindly put at his service [crossed out] disposal [written above] by Fr.Moulin.His entertainment disappointed the most radical amongst his hearers. xxx [crossed out] Far from preaching sedition,he strongly recommended composure,patience and moderation.He emphasized his unrelenting determination to make use of constitutional means only.
Fr.André,formerly startled at the danger of Riel’s appearance in that troublesome area,was greatly relieved by the good news coming from St.Laurent.He wrote hastily to Governor Dewdney:“You knoxw that I am far from being a friend of Riel and I looked ["ed" added] upon the prospect of his arrival as x [crossed out] noxious to the peace of our people,but to-day I have not the least apprehension.If I may beleive [sic] the reports received,Riel acts peacefully and speak wisely…Riel seems really actuated by the best motives and repudiating all evil designs.”
After a few public meetings around St.Laurent,Riel got in contact with the xx [crossed out] english [sic] speaking population,Whites and scotch-halfbreeds,on the 11th of July,in the Lindsay School House.As a reult [sic] ofthis [sic] meeting,Mr.McLize,a Tory of high standing in Prince Albert,came and asked Charles Nolin whether Riel would ever consent to appear in public in the town.Nolin answered that those who desire his presence should x [crossed out] request it.Thus it happened that an invitation signed by several worthy citizens was sent to Riel.Mr.Lawrence Clarke,hearing of this,begged Fr.André to interpose for fear of a riot. This [corrected in pen] priest to whom Riel had vowed obedience,wrote to him,on july [sic] 14th,warning him of the danger and treachery and advising him to refuse the invitation for peace’s sake.Riel Hesitated a moment,but,at last,penned his refusal,on the 18th of July,in the following letter. “Gentxlemen,I know that, as your guest,I would be perfectly safe from any discourtesy,and,with such a respectable body of men as those who have signed the invitation,I would feel far above any insult that could be offered me.But for the sake of avoiding even the slightest trouble in order to allow no germ of division weaken our basis of action,I beg leave to be excused.Please consent to put off the meeting.”}
