five of whom, Riel told me, with tears streaming from their eyes, condemned him as worthy of death,' a sentence which he had confirmed-now entered, and in answer to Riel said, 'He must die.' Riel then requested the Rev. Père Lestane to put the people on their knees for prayer, as it might do good to the condemned man's soul. Referring to Père Lestanc, and making a final appeal, unnecessary here to repeat, I retired. It was now within a few minutes of one o'clock, and on entering the Governor's house, Rev. Mr. Young joined me and said, 'It is now considerably past the hour, I trust you have succeeded.' 'No,' I said, 'for God's sake go back at once to the poor man, for I fear the worst.' He left immediately, and a few minutes after he entered the room in which the prisoner was confined some guards marched in and told Scott his hour was come. Not until then did the reality of his position flash upon poor Scott. He said good-bye to the other prisoners, was led outside the gate of the fort with a white handkerchief covering his head; his coffin, having a piece of white cotton thrown over it, was carried out. His eyes were then bandaged; he continued in prayer, in which he had been engaged on the way for a few minutes. for a few minutes. He asked Mr. Young how he should place himself, whether standing or kneeling; then knelt in the snow, said farewell, and immediately fell back, pierced by three bullets which had passed through his body. The firing party consisted of six men, all of whom, it is said, were more or less intoxicated. It has been further stated that only three of the muskets were loaded with ball cartridge, and that one man did not discharge his piece. Mr. Young turned aside when the first shots were fired, then went back to the body, and again retired for a moment, while a man discharged his revolver at the sufferer, the ball, it is said, entering the eye and passing round the head.

"The wounded man groaned between the time of receiving the musket shots and the discharge of the revolver. Mr. Young asked to have the remains for interment in the burying-ground of the Presbyterian Church, but this was not acceded to, and a similar request, preferred by the Bishop of Rupert's Land, was also refused. He was buried within the walls of the fort.

On descending the steps leading from the prison poor Scott, addressing Mr. Young, said, 'This is a cold-blooded murder'; then engaged in prayer, and was so occupied until he was shot.

"After this date I held no communication whatsoever with Riel, except in reference to getting away from the country, which I was not allowed to leave without a pass. I felt that under the circumstances it was not desirable. I should remain longer at Red River, but it was not until late on the night of the 18th inst., Riel gave permission for my departure. Although not accomplishing all that could have been desired, the mission to Red River, as I shall endeavour to show in a few words, had been productive of some good; and that it was not entirely successful may fairly be attributed to the circumstances above referred to, in connection with the action taken and meetings held in January last. Success, although in a lesser degree, might also have been gained at a later period, but for the rising in February, which, though rash and productive of results most unfortunate, I can hardly blame, knowing, as already stated, that those who took part in it were actuated and impelled by generous motives.

"On reaching Red River in December last I found the Englishspeaking portion of the inhabitants greatly divided in opinion as to the comparative advantages of union with Canada and the formation of a Crown Colony, while a few, a very small number, favoured annexation to the United States. The explanations offered on the part of Canada they received as satisfactory, and with hardly a dissentient voice they would now vote for the immediate transfer to the Dominion. They earnestly requested me to assure His Excellency the Governor-General of their warm loyalty to the British Crown.

"The case is difficult as regards the French half-breeds. A not inconsiderable number of them remained true to their allegiance during all the troubles through which they have had to pass, and with these will now be found associated many others whose minds had for a time been poisoned by gross misrepresentations made by designing men for their own selfish ends. A knowledge of the true state of the case, and of the advantages they would derive from union with Canada had been carefully kept from them, and they

were told to judge of Canadians generally by the acts and bearing of some of the less reflective immigrants, who had denounced them as 'cumberers of the ground,' who must speedily make way for the 'superior race' about to pour in upon them.

"It is also too true that in the unauthorized proceedings of some of the recent Canadian arrivals some plausible ground had been given for the feeling of jealousy and alarm with which the contemplated change of government was regarded by the native population. In various localities these adventurers have been industriously marking off for themselves considerable and in some ways very extensive and exceptionally valuable tracts of land, thereby impressing the minds of the people with the belief that the time had come when in their own country they were to be entirely supplanted by the stranger, a belief, however, which I have no doubt might have been completely precluded by the prevention of all such operations until Canada had fully unfolded her policy and shown the groundlessness of these fears.

"Let us further bear in mind that many of the Catholic clergymen in the country are not French-Canadians, but Frenchmen, and consequently, it may be presumed, not very conversant with British laws and institutions and with the liberty and privileges enjoyed under them. Warmly attached to their flocks, they deemed it necessary to exact some guarantee that in their new political condition they would not be treated with injustice. It is unnecessary here to point out how the breach widened, until at length it attained a magnitude and significance little dreamt of in the commencement, even by those who joined most heartily in the movement. It is far more pleasing to be able to state, which I do with much confidence, that a large majority of the French party have no misgivings as to Union with Canada, and that joined by and under the guidance of his lordship, Bishop Taché, and other members of the clergy who enjoy their confidence, they will shortly prove themselves to be staunch supporters of the Dominion, firm in their allegiance to England.