Codex Battleford
Transcription: 21
Transcription:
{23 [crossed out] 20 [written in the top right corner]
tor [crossed out] who had become a naturalized citizen of the United States. [crossed out]
Therefore [written in the margins] Moreover [crossed out], when that news was comminicated [sic] to him on Sunday, February 8th, he [crossed out] Riel [written over the text] fell into a violent passion, and striking the table with his sword [crossed out] fist [written underneath], he exclaimed, “In forty days Ottawa will have my answer.” [quotation marks added]
On Tuesday February 24th, there was a great assembly [crossed out] meeting [added above] at Batoche. Fathers Andre, Moulin and Vegreville attended. [crossed out] The halfbreed xxxxx leader [written over the text] instead of announcing the government’s xxxx answer [written over the text] to their petition, began to speak of his departure in terms of a nature to draw forth lively opposition. [crossed out] in such a way that a strong opposition would ensue [written above] It was said to be previously arranged affair. [crossed out] Since the mass of the people were opposed to his departure [crossed out] leaving his leadership [added], he would remain and continue the conflict. [crossed out] consequently he decided fight to remain at the helm [added].
He continued, in his best manner [crossed out] to sow the seeds of revolt, and to repect [sic][crossed out] in [added] his fiery speeches, without paying any attention to what Ottawa had said [crossed out] promised [written above]. He attempted again, to give more weight to his cause by gaining over Father Fourmond, but the latter stopped him [added, crossed out] short [crossed out] him short [added] at the first words. On this ground, there was no compromise possible. Besides, Riel had entirely lost his confidence. “Poor Riel,” he wrote, “has such extravagant ideas, that we have reason to doubt his sincerity or his common sense [crossed out] brains [added].” [quotation marks added]
On March 2nd there was held a large assembly at Prince Albert Riel appeared to desire [crossed out] seemed desirous [written above] to change his tactics; instead of advocating revolt, he decided on a campaign of passive resistance: by boy- [added] cotting the land Office, refusing seed wheat and the grants to schools [crossed out] refusal of Gt[?] seeds grain [added, crossed out] offer of seed grain and school grants [written above], cancelling contracts for telegraph posts, asking the [added] resignation of half-breed government [added] employees etc. in a word notice of non-reception of all that came directly of indirectly from the government. If to punish them, their property was confiscated they should suffer stoically, without saying or doing anything.
This new-order was,however, nothing but an illusion [crossed out] sham- [added above] for the same night, between ten and eleven o’clock, Riel knocked at Father Andre’s door, asking permission to proclaim a provisional government before midnight.
For answer, the Father dismissed him [crossed out] turned him out [written above] at once.
Three days later, Riel came to submit to Charles Nolin, a plan for a general uprising. [next section crossed out and note added with an arrow to the bottom of the page] The latter refused explicitly expressly [written above] to sign it, but seeing the bad look of the thing [written over the text] had taken, [crossed out] affairs [written above] he was shocked [crossed out] ashamed [added] of his [added] xx own work Nolin [added] who had been one of the leaders in the movement, and [crossed out] perceiving the abyss into which his plots and provocations had led the half-breeds, resolved the appeal to their faith, and try to xxx [illegible word written and crossed out in the margin] save them from the disaster. He proposed to make a novena before undertaking anything. He [crossed out] went, therefore, [crossed out] in great haste to ask [end of crossed out section] Father Fourmond for public prayers, in order to avert the calamities about to fall upon the colony. The good father, who had not ceased to make novena after novena with the little children of the convent, consented willingly to the desire of Nolin. Riel to whom he communicated his proposition approved it saying that it would be necessary to pray much to Our Lady of Lourdes, for the right direction of affairs. He even sent his recommendations to the other missionaries, in order that the novena would be general throughout the district.
These good dispositions of the leaders of the movement ro [crossed out]
[arrow from the above crossed out section to note at the bottom of the page] The latter, seeing the bad turn of the affairs, was of [crossed out] ashamed of his own work and refused to sign. He went in great haste to Father Fourm [crossed out] ask Father Fourm and for public prayers in order.}
tor [crossed out] who had become a naturalized citizen of the United States. [crossed out]
Therefore [written in the margins] Moreover [crossed out], when that news was comminicated [sic] to him on Sunday, February 8th, he [crossed out] Riel [written over the text] fell into a violent passion, and striking the table with his sword [crossed out] fist [written underneath], he exclaimed, “In forty days Ottawa will have my answer.” [quotation marks added]
On Tuesday February 24th, there was a great assembly [crossed out] meeting [added above] at Batoche. Fathers Andre, Moulin and Vegreville attended. [crossed out] The halfbreed xxxxx leader [written over the text] instead of announcing the government’s xxxx answer [written over the text] to their petition, began to speak of his departure in terms of a nature to draw forth lively opposition. [crossed out] in such a way that a strong opposition would ensue [written above] It was said to be previously arranged affair. [crossed out] Since the mass of the people were opposed to his departure [crossed out] leaving his leadership [added], he would remain and continue the conflict. [crossed out] consequently he decided fight to remain at the helm [added].
He continued, in his best manner [crossed out] to sow the seeds of revolt, and to repect [sic][crossed out] in [added] his fiery speeches, without paying any attention to what Ottawa had said [crossed out] promised [written above]. He attempted again, to give more weight to his cause by gaining over Father Fourmond, but the latter stopped him [added, crossed out] short [crossed out] him short [added] at the first words. On this ground, there was no compromise possible. Besides, Riel had entirely lost his confidence. “Poor Riel,” he wrote, “has such extravagant ideas, that we have reason to doubt his sincerity or his common sense [crossed out] brains [added].” [quotation marks added]
On March 2nd there was held a large assembly at Prince Albert Riel appeared to desire [crossed out] seemed desirous [written above] to change his tactics; instead of advocating revolt, he decided on a campaign of passive resistance: by boy- [added] cotting the land Office, refusing seed wheat and the grants to schools [crossed out] refusal of Gt[?] seeds grain [added, crossed out] offer of seed grain and school grants [written above], cancelling contracts for telegraph posts, asking the [added] resignation of half-breed government [added] employees etc. in a word notice of non-reception of all that came directly of indirectly from the government. If to punish them, their property was confiscated they should suffer stoically, without saying or doing anything.
This new-order was,however, nothing but an illusion [crossed out] sham- [added above] for the same night, between ten and eleven o’clock, Riel knocked at Father Andre’s door, asking permission to proclaim a provisional government before midnight.
For answer, the Father dismissed him [crossed out] turned him out [written above] at once.
Three days later, Riel came to submit to Charles Nolin, a plan for a general uprising. [next section crossed out and note added with an arrow to the bottom of the page] The latter refused explicitly expressly [written above] to sign it, but seeing the bad look of the thing [written over the text] had taken, [crossed out] affairs [written above] he was shocked [crossed out] ashamed [added] of his [added] xx own work Nolin [added] who had been one of the leaders in the movement, and [crossed out] perceiving the abyss into which his plots and provocations had led the half-breeds, resolved the appeal to their faith, and try to xxx [illegible word written and crossed out in the margin] save them from the disaster. He proposed to make a novena before undertaking anything. He [crossed out] went, therefore, [crossed out] in great haste to ask [end of crossed out section] Father Fourmond for public prayers, in order to avert the calamities about to fall upon the colony. The good father, who had not ceased to make novena after novena with the little children of the convent, consented willingly to the desire of Nolin. Riel to whom he communicated his proposition approved it saying that it would be necessary to pray much to Our Lady of Lourdes, for the right direction of affairs. He even sent his recommendations to the other missionaries, in order that the novena would be general throughout the district.
These good dispositions of the leaders of the movement ro [crossed out]
[arrow from the above crossed out section to note at the bottom of the page] The latter, seeing the bad turn of the affairs, was of [crossed out] ashamed of his own work and refused to sign. He went in great haste to Father Fourm [crossed out] ask Father Fourm and for public prayers in order.}
