You are
perfectly justified in declaring that having my reason
and sound mind, I acted reasonably and in self-defence,
while the Government, my aggressor, being irresponsible,
and consequently insane, cannot but have acted madly and
wrong; and if high treason there is, it must be on its
side, not on my part."
At the conclusion of Riel's lengthy address, MR. CHRISTOPHER
ROBINSON, Q.C., closed the case for the Crown in a powerful
speech, which went far to counteract the sympathetic
effect produced by Riel's disconnected but eloquent
oration. Mr. Robinson pointed out that no evidence was
produced to show that the prisoner had not committed the
acts he was charged with. From the evidence it was quite
clear the prisoner was neither a patriot nor a lunatic.
If prisoner was not responsible for the rebellion, who
was? The speaker went over the evidence and showed that
Riel's acts were not those of a lunatic, but well considered
in all their bearings, and the deliberate acts of a
particularly sound mind. The evidence as to Riel's
confinement in an asylum nine years ago was not
satisfactory. Why was he sent there under an assumed
name? Why was the record of his case not produced along
with the other papers, and a statement of his condition
when leaving the asylum? Medical men were not always the
best judges of insanity. Taking up the evidence against
the prisoner, Mr. Robinson went over it in detail, and
said no mercy should be shown one who had committed such
acts.
Pages:
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234