The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-03-15
REPORT
THE RETALiATING SYSTEM. &,


unauthorized aode Of scarfre adopted by The enemy
on the Plea u realization REPORT
hat, although the war has happily terninated, they
diem important To rescue the American government
FROM unworthy impnts,o,s, with hitch It has b.en as
sailed during its progress They have, therefore, Ell
deavored to ascertain, whether the destruction of ork
M Upper Canada and the other cases assumed by our
late enemy, aulorisnga departure fom the settled
ceG Of civilized warfare ola character TO Justify;
extenuate their conduct
The result ofthe inquiries of the committee M nj
testing to the world, that the plea which has been adj
vsnced for the tiestructon-of tie Am rean capital
the plunder ct private property, is without ounatiou
VIII be found IN the communications OF the secretaries
If the depa tnents of and navy, and of General
Dearborn, commsnder of the American forces in The
attack en- York, herewith submitted
department IF State, Feb. %, 1915
Sir-l have the honor to receive your letter. reuues-
ing, on behalf OF the committee of foreign relations
any iniorm nation which this department possesses rela
tive to the sconduct that has been imputed to the A
inerican troops IN Upper Canada during the late war
and, IN ply, have the honor state that the char
Ses appear To- be confined to three. 1st The alsdg-
ed burning of York Cd, the burning ewark and Sd
the burning OF the Indian villages, usually called the
Moravian Towns.
1st The burning Of York. or Of any of its public et
fees, tany Of its private houses has never been
PIE ertcd to tie view of the american government by
its own officer as matter otniormation; and it
was exhibited 10y the British government or any of il.
Officers, as matter OF complaint until Il asserted
IN the address OF the governor IN chief the provincial
parliament OF Carada on the e4th of January 1915
that as Just retibtior, the proud capitol ut Wash
so, has experienced similar fate that IT, aicte h,
IN American force the seat OF government in Upper
Canada. BIS assertion. having led to an inquiry,
am enabled, from official documents, and general in
formation, to state the following facts OF the case for
u,e informal ON Of the committee.
The town of York, in Upper Canada, was taken by
the American army under the command of general
Dearborn, the eth of April 1875 and it was eva
cuated oa the succeeding LIST of May althoughit was a.
sa'u VISITED for day by an American squadron under
commodore Channcey, on the 4th Of August At
flAt FFrlR m H.
treat set fire to their magazine ami great injury was
done by the explosion, to property to persons
within the range Gifts effects At the time of the cap
ture well rs at the time of commodore Chauncevs
visit, tue public stores seized and the public store
houses destroyed but the destruction of nub,c
IN oes oT civil uses OF private property was nor
only unauthorized, but positively forbidden. by the A
nhercan commanders; and, it is understood, that
m private house Was destroyed BY the American
troops.
has recently, however. appeared that n public
bnildig OF little value, called the Parliament honse
(ro the government bouse) in which il is said that an
American scalp Was found. part OF the decorate
OH CT the speakers chair had seen bornt; whe ar IL
and IF il was neither twas an accidental co,
sequence ofthe confusion, in which the explosion of
she magazine involved the town the unauthorized
set OF some exasrsted individual has not been ascer-
sa'ned The silence OF the airy and civil officers IF
tne provincial government of Canada seems to indi-
cate, that the transaction deemed when IL nc
Cured. cause, either for retaliation or reproaeh
I'd. The burning Of Newark, adjacent to Fl George
indicated by the American general as necessary
tohls military operations but rs the Anne rican
government card oi Instructions dated the Sth of
January, 1914, were given by the dcpal ment of war;
10 MAJOR general Wilkinson to disavow the concIuc
ofthe officer who committed it, and TO transmit to
GOV Pre- vost, copy of the ORDER under color of
which that officer had acted" This disavo,rai wssac
cnrhnsy communicated, and the 10th of February
1914, governor Provost answered "that il had been
with great satisfaction he had received the assurance
snat the pe'petrat"n OF the burning of the of
Newark, was both unauthorized by the American 90
vernment, and sbhorrent to every American fselipe
that any outrages had cnsued the wanton and unust
haoie destruction of Newark, passing the bounds of
Just retaliation they were to be attributed to the inu.
cree Of r1Tated passops the part Of the unfortu-
tiNr sufferers by event, winch IN state of active
warfare, had not been possible altogether TO restrain
and hatt was as little congenia to the disposition Of
ms majesys government, it was 10 that Of the ao
vernnent oftbe United States, deliberately to sdont
any plan of policy, which had for its object the de.
vastation Of private property
But the disavowai Of the American government was
not the only eNpstion of the Unauthorized offence
committed by its officer; for the British government
undertook ITSELF To redress the wrong. A few DAYS
aiterthe burning OF Newark the British and Indian
troops crossed the Niagara for this purpose: they sur
priced aud seized Fort Niagara they burned Tho. viii
lagos of Lewisto~n, Manchester, Tuscsrora Buffalo.
aud Black Rock desoating the whole Of the Niagara
frontier and dispensing the inhabitants in the ,xtrs
OF the winter. Sir George Provost himself appears TO
have been satisfied with the vengeance that had been
nhcted md, in his proclamation of the 10th of jam.
a 1914 he expressly declared, that for the burning
OF Newark, the opportunity of punishment had oc.
CURED; that full of retaliation had taken
place, ard that it not his intention to pursue fur
Their system OF warfare, sorevotug ibis own feel
ings and so little congenia to the Bcjtish character
uOicsi the future measures the enemy should com
pei him again to resort to it." With his answer 10
MAJOR general Wilkinson, which has BE- en- already To-
tced he transmitted copy of the proclamation AS
expressive Of the Differentiation as 20 isIuure line of
conduct" and added, I" that he was happy to lesrn
that there probability that any measures on the
part Of The American government would obliKe him
20 depart from it."
Sd Thspaces usually called he Morayian towns
we're mere collection ofIndan and catins on tho
river Retrench Thames, not probably worth in the
sole, thousand dollars The Indians W ho inbabi
red kern among vhon some VIGOROUSLY hostile
N Ire United Statea had made incursions the most
cruel their territory. WHEN, therefore, the A.
meriean army nnder general Harrison invaded Cana
da on the OF 1913, The huts and cabins Of
the hostile Indians destroved Bot this seeics If
warfare has been invariably pursued by every nation
engaged IN war With The Indians OF the American cn
tnent. However il may be regretted m the score, Of
humanity, appears 70 be the necessary means of a.
vertng the still greater caames Of savage hostIites
ant is believed, that the occurrence would never
have been made the subject Of charge against the
American troops, If the fact had not been misrepresen
Ted or misunderstood. Many people at home ana
10 og people abroad, have been led suppose that the
Hma'an towns we're the pcacsabie settlements of a |
religious sect Of Christians, srJ the abode ola hos
tale tribe ofsavages
have the honor to be, &c.