Return To An Address Of The House of Commons, dated 1st March, 1886; - For a copy of the Report of the Medical men appointed by the Government to enquire into the mental condition of Louis Riel, after his conviction
Also contains: "Petitions Addressed to His Excellency the Governor General: - Of A. B. Dunnet, and others, of Regina, N.W.T., and of A. G. Hamilton, and others, of Moosomin, N.W.T., severally praying that the sentence passed upon Louis Riel be not disturbed in any way; that the law be permitted to take its course, and that Executive clemency be refused" etc; "Return to an Order of the House of Commons, dated 4th March, 1886; - For Return showing the number of half-breeds of the North-West Territories who proved their claims before the Commission at Fort Qu-Appelle, Touchwood Hills, Qu'Appelle Valley, Regina, Maple Creek, Calgary, Fort McLeod, Pincher Creek, Edmonton, St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan, Victoria, Fort Pitt, Battleford, Prince Albert, Batoche, Duck Lake, Forks of Saskatchewan, Fort a la Corne, Cumberland House, Moose Jaw and Willow Branch, in North-West Territories; also at Grand Rapids, in Keewatin, and Winnipeg and Griswold, in Manitoba" etc.; "Detailed Report Upon all Claims to land and right to participate in the North-West Half-breed Grant by settlers along the South Saskatchewan and vicinity, west of Range 26, West 2nd Meridian, being the settlements commonly known as St. Louis de Langevin, St. Laurent or Batoche, and Duck Lake"; "Return (Supplementary, Partial) to an Address of the House of Commons, dated 5th March, 1886; - For copies of all documents forming the record in the cases of Her Majesty against the different parties tried in connection with the late Rebellion, including the Jury Lists, the names of the Jurors, the lists of the Jurors empannelled, the motions and affidavits filed, the evidence, the incidents of the trial, the charges of the Judge, the names of the Judges who tried the different cases, the names of the Counsel for the prosecution and for the defence, the pleas entered, the verdicts, and the sentences, and in short of every document whatever relating to the said trials." All related to the claims of the Metis in the North-West Territories and the evidence and charges in the trials of particpiants in the North-West rebellion. Historical context: giving in to petitions flooding in from French Canada requesting the commutation of the death sentence against Riel and the urging of his French Canadian cabinet colleagues, Prime Minister Macdonald agreed to have Riel's mental condition re-examined. Three doctors were instructed to report on whether Riel was a reasonable and accountable man who could be held responsible for his actions and thus be executed: Dr. Jukes of Regina, Dr. Michael Lavel, warden at the Kingston penitentiary, and Dr. Francois Xavier Valade of Ottawa. The consultation was undertaken in secrecy and Valade's dissenting opining was falsified in the offical report submitted to parliament. Peel 1403 for 1st return.
