THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION. 223 



is known in America as an Irish Yankee a race that 

 is not thought highly of in the United States. Hav- 

 ing nothing to lose and everything to gain, he had 

 gladly joined the rebel movement. 



As soon as it was known in Ontario that these men 

 were on their way to Ottawa by invitation of the 

 Ministry, the whole country was indignant. "What !" 

 it was said, "treat directly with two men who are 

 alleged to have taken part in Scott's murder?" So 

 violent was this feeling, that it was considered neces- 

 sary to send a police magistrate to meet them in the 

 States for the purpose of taking them to Ottawa 

 secretly, by a roundabout way, so as to avoid passing 

 through any of the large cities. When once they had 

 reached Ottawa they would be safe from popidar 

 violence, as the French element is strong there. 

 "When it was announced that these men had arrived, 

 indignation meetings were assembled all over the 

 western province, at which resolutions were made 

 deprecating in the strongest language their reception 

 by the Governor-General. The brother of the mur- 

 dered Scott had them arrested on a charge of being 

 privy to the crime. They attempted to assume to 

 themselves the importance and position of ambassa- 

 dors sent by one sovereign state to another, and 

 pleaded their immunity from imprisonment upon 

 those grounds. The French party was entirely in 

 their favour, and regarded the treatment they had 

 met with as an outrage. This circumstance conipli- 



