THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION. ' 215 



sistance to the Canadian Government from their 

 altars. 



Mr TVilliam M'Dougall had been selected by the 

 Dominion Ministry to be the Lieutenant-Governor 

 of the newly-acquired province. It \vas an inju- 

 dicious appointment, as those who knew that gentle- 

 man were aware at the time. He had been for 

 many years in political life, having been previously 

 well known as an able newspaper writer. Indeed, 

 like a large number of men who have held high 

 positions both in Canada and the United States, 

 he may be said to have attained power through his 

 connection with the press. He was known to be an 

 essentially cold-blooded man, entirely wanting in 

 that cordiality which is an indispensable quality 

 with those who have to lead or even to act with 

 others in the direction of affairs. He had some poli- 

 tical supporters, but he was said to have no friends. 

 There was nothing genial about him, and his manner 

 was said at times to be so unsympathetic that many 

 left his presence accusing him of rudeness. "We 

 shall not attempt to enter upon Canadian politics 

 that most uninteresting and least edifying of topics 

 in order to trace the progress of events which led up 

 to this strange appointment ; suffice it to say that 

 the Ministry which then ruled at Ottawa was a 

 coalition one, the Conservative element being, how- 

 ever, the strongest. The intended Lieutenant-Gover- 

 nor was Minister of Public Works in that administra- 



