Kelsey's Blog: December 2010

Thesis statement: Louis Riel led the Metis people in a historical rebellion, but Louis Riel was a madman.

1. Nervous Breakdown Stuff

in 1875 Riel suffered a nervous breakdown. This was shortly after being granted the amnesty he had been striving for, the only condition being that he leave, "Her Majesty's domain," for five years.
Riel had finally submitted to insanity after permitting the murder of Thomas Scott. Riel had been holding him captive for a while, and Scott had been a troublesome prisoner, yelling racist comments to the Metis guard. Soon Riel's people wanted him to execute Scott, but Riel didn't. He knew it would give the government cause for war, but he also knew that as long as Scott lived, the enemy had a cause to ralley around. So on March 4th, 1870, Thomas Scott was killed by a firing squad. That decision haunted Riel for the rest of his life.
Riel was admitted to a hospital at Longue Point, Montreal as, "Louis R. David."
There the doctors struggled with him, he constantly ripped up all his clothes, believing that the spirit of charity had told him that, "one who is good must show himself naked."
he was later transferred to a mental asylum in Beauport as, "Louis La Rochelle."

2. Religion

Riel became obsessed with his religion, and believed that he was the prophet of the new world.
He was convinced that his mission was to establish a new North American Catholicism, with Bishop Bourget of Montreal as Pope of the New World.
decided upon the name, "David," because of King David in the Bible.
During battles he would not fight, instead he sat upon his horse holding a crucifix above his head, praying, or walking around to his men and reading aloud from the Bible and praying for them.

3. Trial and Execution Crazies

Riel gave himself up, after fighting (or praying through) many battles, he decided to surrender himself to the government of Canada. He had a chance to escape to the United States, but instead chose to give himself up, sure that he would not be hanged.
When Riel was charged with treason in 1885, his lawyers wanted to defend him on grounds of insanity. Riel denied his insanity, but upon being examined by physicians, it was decided by one that he was entirely insane.
At his trial Riel denied most of what his lawyers were saying in his defense, and because of this he was sentenced to be executed November 16th, 1885.
The jury delivered the sentence, saying, "We (the jury) tried Louis Riel for treason, but he hanged for the murder of Thomas Scott." This shows that the jury knew he was insane, and understood that Scott's murder was Riel's biggest mistake, as well as his biggest weakness.

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