the way for the new governor. Howe
found the people {89} largely uninformed as to the true position of
affairs, but he added that by 'frank and courteous explanation' he had
cleared the air a good deal, and that the future would depend upon
M'Dougall's tact, temper, and discretion. What happened is well
known--the bad handling of the situation by M'Dougall, the insurrection
of the half-breeds under Louis Riel, the murder of Thomas Scott--and I
shall not allude to these events further than to say that they gave Sir
John Macdonald the occasion of meeting, for the first time, the future
Lord Strathcona. It happened in this way. When news of the outbreak
on the Red River reached Ottawa, George Stephen--between whom and Sir
John Macdonald there existed a warm friendship even then--wrote to Sir
John to say that he thought he knew a man well qualified to act as a
peacemaker at Fort Garry if he would undertake the mission. This was
Donald A. Smith, chief factor of the Hudson's Bay Company in Montreal.
Armed with a letter of introduction to Macdonald from Stephen, Smith
went to Ottawa. I give three brief extracts from Sir John's
correspondence of the time.

I was very glad to see Mr Smith, who {90} seems a clever man; at the
same time I am exceedingly disappointed at the apparent helplessness of
the Hudson's Bay authorities. Mr Smith has nothing to suggest, and
they seem to have been utterly neglectful at Red River of their duty in
preparing the people for the change.[9]

Your friend Donald A. Smith is rather lucky. He will go up there on an
important mission, will succeed beyond a doubt, and get a good deal of
praise therefor.[10]

Smith left this morning with full powers and instructions. He seemed
to think that he would be able to do good there. It would never have
done for Colonel Wolseley to have gone with him. Smith goes to carry
the olive branch, and were it known at Red River that he was
accompanied by an officer high in rank in the military service, he
would be looked upon as having the olive branch in one hand and a
revolver in the other.[11]

{91}

Smith's mission, however, did not prove effective, and it became
necessary later to send Colonel (afterwards Lord) Wolseley with a
military expedition to the Red River. It may not be generally known
that after the troubles were over, Colonel Wolseley intimated his
willingness to accept the position of lieutenant-governor of the newly
created provi