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Primary sourceBook1886

The Gibbet of Regina: the truth about Riel, Sir John A. Macdonald and his cabinet

Napoléon Thompson · 1886

An 1886 pamphlet attacking Macdonald and his cabinet over the execution of Louis Riel, showing the fierce controversy that followed it.

A contemporary pamphlet condemning Macdonald and his cabinet for the execution of Louis Riel.

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The Gibbet of Regina: the truth about Riel, Sir John A. Macdonald and his cabinetPDF · 218 pages
Napoléon Thompson, The Gibbet of Regina: the truth about Riel, Sir John A. Macdonald and his cabinet, 1886. Scanned book, Internet Archive.

About this source

What it is

This is a pamphlet published in 1886 in New York by Napoléon Thompson, titled The Gibbet of Regina: the truth about Riel, Sir John A. Macdonald and his cabinet before public opinion. It runs to 200 pages and was written soon after the execution of Louis Riel in November 1885. A scanned copy survives in a library collection.

Why it matters

The pamphlet is a piece of political protest literature from the time of one of Canada's most bitter controversies: the execution of Métis leader Louis Riel after the North-West Rebellion. It attacks Macdonald and his government directly, showing how deeply the decision divided public opinion, especially among French Canadians. It is a reminder that primary sources about a leader are not always flattering.

Look closer

  • Why might the author have chosen the word "gibbet" (a structure for hanging) in the title?
  • What does the preface's language tell you about the writer's feelings toward the execution?
  • How might a pamphlet like this have shaped public opinion in 1886?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sir John A. Macdonald on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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