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The new Governor had his troubles. The flame of
rebellion had been subdued, but the embers still remained and there was
the possibility of further outbreak. There were two factions which had to
be reconciled—the one clamoring for the arrest of the rebel leaders, and
the other, the French element, who were anxious, now that the trouble was
over, that an amnesty should be granted to all concerned. It was a case
requiring great care and deliberation and the mediatorial spirit. Mr.
Smith was of great assistance to the Governor in these trying days. It is
no secret now that the Dominion Government desired that Riel should be
induced to leave the country, as his presence was a menace to the peace of
the settlement. A secret arrangement was made with Archbishop Tachè to get
the rebel away. A sum of $1,000 was sent to pay expenses, and to this sum,
on behalf of the Government, Mr. Smith added $3,000 more, and so for a
while the country was freed from his disturbing presence.
Now came the time of the real awakening of the
North-West, and no one contributed more to its development than Mr. Smith,
who had definitely decided to cast in his lot with that country. Ile had
faith in the new country, was familiar with its resources, was able to
foresee its splendid future. The young Province was organized into
electoral districts, and Mr. Smith was elected local member for the Town
of Winnipeg on Dec. 30th, 1870. On March 2nd, 1871, he was elected to
represent the division of Selkirk in the Dominion Parliament. The times
were crude, the methods rough, but they were the beginnings of political
order in that far-off wild land. Mr. Smith was to be henceforth a great
political figure. In the short space of fifteen months he had established
himself with a reputation for fairness and courage, had won the confidence
of the inhabitants and enjoyed a popularity greater than fell to the lot
of any man in that great country. No man from Red River westward was
better known or more highly respected. lie started off on his political
career, the greatness of which no one could imagine, with the good will
and good wishes of all those varied classes with which he had had
dealings. At this time his official position was three-fold—he was member
of the North-West Council, member of the Provincial Legislature, and
member of the Dominion Parliament.
On a previous page, we have described how Mr. Smith
had been appointed by the discontented officials of the Hudson Bay Company
to proceed to London and lay their claims before the company there. The
time had now come when he was free to undertake that mission, and
therefore the next place we see him is in London, facing the body of
English shareholders and displaying there the same qualities which had
proved so successful in other difficult situations. He was a born
negotiator. It is not necessary to go into details. It is sufficient to
say that in spite of the adverse feeling which he encountered, he
succeeded in convincing these directors that the claim of their officers
in the far west was a true and just claim, and further, that it would be
to their own interests to deal generously with the men upon whose loyalty
and industry the future welfare of the company depended. As a result of
his negotiations, the sum of £107,000 was voted to the officers and a new
arrangement was entered into for the future. But a further step was taken.
In the new conditions of the North-West and in view of the expected rapid
development there, it was felt that a "Chief Commissioner" must be
appointed to assume control of the company's affairs in the North-West,
and before he left London Mr. Smith was appointed to that office, being
the unanimous choice of the directors as the one person fitted to
discharge its duties. |
