The Times publishes some Canadian statements showing that Riel, the
insurgent Winnipegger, commands very nearly 2,000 rifles, and can only be subdued by a strong force, which, however, can move by water at the end of this month. The unhappy man Scott, murdered by Riel for his loyalty, was tried by a court- martial of French half-breeds, whose language he did not under- stand, and was shot in front of Fort Garry by three men, "who did their work in such a bungling and brutal manner that he was not killed, but was taken up by his inhuman executioners and placed in his coffin, where he lay writhing in helpless agony for a whole hour, until death terminated his sufferings." Let us hope that last touch is a sensational one. The affair is bad enough without that, and reflects the deepest discredit on the House of Commons, which suffers the Imperial authority to be defied without caring even to debate the conduct of the Minister responsible. Even now it is Canada, not England, which is to send an expedition to the Red River to replace the British flag.
