lf-breeds. The Hudson's Bay
Company had now re-bought the land of Assiniboia from Lord Selkirk's
heirs. Hitherto it was difficult to find out precisely who their
oppressor was. Now, though Governor Simpson sought by diplomacy to evade
the responsibility, yet the explanation given by the Colonists of the
arrival of Recorder Thom, was that he had come to uphold the Company's
pretensions and to restrict their liberties. According to Ross, the
Colonists reasoned that "a man placed in Recorder Thom's position,
liable to be turned out of office at the Company's pleasure, naturally
provokes the doubt whether he could at all times be proof against the
sin of partiality. Is it likely," they said, "that he could always take
the impartial view of a case that might involve in its results his own
interests or deprive him of his daily bread?"

Likewise, on the part of the French half-breeds, there was the same
distrust in regard to the limiting of the privileges which they enjoyed,
while along with this it had been noised about that during the Papineau
trouble in Canada, the Judge was no favorite of the French. The French
half-breeds, accordingly, became strongly prejudiced against the new
Recorder.

In the year after the arrival of Recorder Thom, a most startling and
mysterious event--which indeed has never been solved to the present day,
happened in the case of Thomas Simpson, who it will be remembered had
roused by his crushing blow on the head of Larocque, the rage of the
whole French half-breed community. The case was that Thomas Simpson,
with a party of natives, had been going southward through Minnesota,
ahead of the main body of sojourners. In a state of frenzy he had shot
two of his four companions. The other two returned to the main body, and
got assistance. He was seen to be alive as they approached him, a shot
was heard, and then shots were fired in his direction by those observing
him. Whether he committed suicide or was killed by those approaching,
some of whom were French, will never be known. The fact that he had
quarreled with the French half-breeds, five years before this event, was
used to throw suspicion. The body of Simpson was carried back to St.
John's Cemetery in Winnipeg, and it is said was buried along the wall in
token of the belief that he had committed suicide.

What the body of the people had feared in the tightening of the legal
restrictions by the new laws and new officials, did actually take place.