From 1821 to 1869 the Governor and Council of Assiniboine (appointer by the Hudson's Bay Company) possessed the legal authority in the Red River Settlement, and, x6 might have been expected, found the task of enforcing their decrees often difficult, and at times impossible, The population consisted largely of French malt-breeds, "and the Governor. had armed force in reserve to meet resistance 80 that only the constant exercise of tact and firmness could ensure the safety of life and property in times of excitement. Though the fact that nearly all the mem: bors of the community owed their means of livelihood to the Company strengthened d ever be accounted creditable (not only to his hands very considerably, yet it must
the Governors but also to the governed) that murder and theft were almost unknown among the Red River settlers. Prue, there were seasons of the year (after the return of the buffalo-runnets, for instance, and when freighters from Saskatchawan or York Factory came in) when the little village under the walls of Fort Garry was a pandemonium of drunken, gambling "Breeds," but nothing worse fran a Huck eye oe bitten thumb, or a kick "between the long ribs and' the short" over befell those who took a hand in these scrapping-hitches." As for shooting affrays, lynching parties, and other incidents of the macch of civilisation in the Western States—nothing of the sort is to be found in the chronicles of Red River in the days when Sir George Simpson ruled all Rupert's Land. And, perhaps, it is to Sir George Simpson himself that this state of things was due in the last result. For forty years Governor of Rupert's Land, during all that time there was no appeal from his decision in any matter affecting the North-Western policy of the Company; and being President ex officio of the Council_of Assiniboine he was superior to the Governor, whom indeed he himself virtually appointed. No man ever understood the half-breeds better, nor was more loved and feared by them, and there is reason to believe that, if he had been living in 1869, we should never have heard of Louis Nei, or of the Rebellios of '70 and '85. The rapidity of his movements, whether travelling by water or over the snows—his majestic cordiality towards inferiors—his wonderful memory for nates and faces—his exact knowledge of the smallest matters pertaining to the fur-trade—are still remembered in the North-West. Another characteristic of this traly great man was his carefulness to surround himself with all possible display. Wherever he went he took piper, and, when entering a fort, was most particular that his men should be dressed in their best. On his arrival it was customary to fire a gun; after which the piper struck up his music and the whole party matched into the fort, the piper in front and Sir George behind them with the rest also stepping in time at a decent interval.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.