John Black (judge)
Encyclopedia
John Black was the recorder for Rupert's Land
in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company
. In this capacity he acted as a judge for the Council of Assiniboia
, and is noted for his various roles in Red River Rebellion
of 1869 – 1870.
Black presided over the council on 23 October 1869 when Louis Riel
was summoned to explain his rational for preventing lieutenant governor-designate William McDougall
from entering the Red River Settlement. However, he was also one of three delegates (along with Alfred Henry Scott and Joseph-Noël Ritchot
) selected by Riel to travel to Ottawa, Ontario in order to negotiate with the Canadian Government
on behalf of Riel's provisional government
. During the negotiations, Black proved to be more concilliatory to the government than the other negotiators. Following the Rebellion, Black returned to his native Scotland
. He died at St. Andrews on 3 February 1879.
Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land, or Prince Rupert's Land, was a territory in British North America, consisting of the Hudson Bay drainage basin that was nominally owned by the Hudson's Bay Company for 200 years from 1670 to 1870, although numerous aboriginal groups lived in the same territory and disputed the...
in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
. In this capacity he acted as a judge for the Council of Assiniboia
Council of Assiniboia
The Council of Assiniboia was, from 1821 until 1870, the appointed administrative body of Rupert's Land.-History:This Council was created by the Hudson's Bay Company to govern the territory following its merger with the North West Company, and the death of Lord Selkirk...
, and is noted for his various roles in Red River Rebellion
Red River Rebellion
The Red River Rebellion or Red River Resistance was the sequence of events related to the 1869 establishment of a provisional government by the Métis leader Louis Riel and his followers at the Red River Settlement, in what is now the Canadian province of Manitoba.The Rebellion was the first crisis...
of 1869 – 1870.
Black presided over the council on 23 October 1869 when Louis Riel
Louis Riel
Louis David Riel was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political and spiritual leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies. He led two resistance movements against the Canadian government and its first post-Confederation Prime Minister, Sir John A....
was summoned to explain his rational for preventing lieutenant governor-designate William McDougall
William McDougall (politician)
Sir William McDougall PC CB was a Canadian lawyer, politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation.Born near York, Upper Canada...
from entering the Red River Settlement. However, he was also one of three delegates (along with Alfred Henry Scott and Joseph-Noël Ritchot
Joseph-Noël Ritchot
Father Joseph-Noël Ritchot commonly known as Father Noël-Joseph Ritchot was a Roman Catholic priest noted for his role in negotiating with the Government of Canada on behalf of the Métis during the Red River Rebellion of 1869 – 1870.Ritchot credited the Blessed Virgin Mary with allowing the...
) selected by Riel to travel to Ottawa, Ontario in order to negotiate with the Canadian Government
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
on behalf of Riel's provisional government
Provisional government
A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a very large government. The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule...
. During the negotiations, Black proved to be more concilliatory to the government than the other negotiators. Following the Rebellion, Black returned to his native Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He died at St. Andrews on 3 February 1879.