The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-12-21

We addressed letter few days ago TO an in
tellgent gentleman in Burlington, Vermont, and
desired him 10 furnish us with authentic Information
respecting the important events which were taking
place in Lower Canada. His reply we subjoin
BURLNsToN, Dec. IL, 1887.
wrote you in great haste yesterday, in reply to
your letter of the 9Th instant and, in compliance
with my promise, write you again to-day TO give
you al length the result of the inquiries have
made upon the subject of the late struggle of the
Canadians for independence In saying late think
use the word advisedly, as conversation with
Mr. Brown, who arrived in to-day's stage from
Swanton has fully confirmed me, and | may add
others who were present at the conversation in INV
previous opinions, that whether right or wrong on
their object, the Canadians have been altogether pre-
mature in their attempt at revolution.
Mr.. Brown effected his escape to Vermont with
great difficulty He informs me that he and DR..
Nelson, who, he insists are alone responsible for
the operations on the part of Canadians at ST. Dennis
and ST. Charles, finding that they were wholly I'M
able to meet the force which had been sent against
them under Col. Gore, advised the men under their
command TO diSperSe and go home while themselves,
under the direction OF guide employed for that
purpose, sought their way through the woods TO
Vermont. Indeed, MIR. Brown himself publicly adj
mitS that the rising not intended TO take place
till next year, and that, at this moment the Canadi-
ans are not assembled for resistance, nor for any
purpose, in any part of the Province.
The truth most assuredly is, and think speak
uninhuenced By any preconceived opinions that
Canadians have altogether mistaken their strength
or, rather, their leaders have mistaken their in1u-
ence- For 1t is most certain that there is very
wide spread opinion among those who have been
urged 10 more open resistance, that their leaders
have deserted them. Indeed, such was the feeling
of indignation at The unsuccessful issue of the affair
al ST. Charles, that Mr. Brown, he himself admits
was actually, for some time, detained under arrest
BY his own men. He illustrated the popular feeling
/ by saying that in Turkey the General who lost a
blttle paid The forfeit with his head; and that his
| ill success had been attributed 10 mismanagement
But, however that may be, the People lately inarms
have returned to their homes, while their leaders
have fled the country. M Papineau, as | learn
from Mr.. Brown, is probably in Vermont. while DIR.
| Nelson, separated from Mr.. Brown in the woods,
and has not since been heard of And in the absence
of all intelligence of him, Mr. Brown expresses
his apprehensions that he may have persisted in the
| woods.
| The editor of the Free Press in this village who
was present al the interview with Mr.. Brown and
myself, and who has also conversed with him, has
seen what have above written and concurs in the
correctness of it. He expresses himself fully con-
WINGED that the war for the present at least is at an
end-that there has been an utter want of prepare
ton and concert, and that Mr. Browns own account
of the present condition of Canadian affairs affords
but poor ground OF expecting result favorable to
his party.
1t is certain too, that there has not only been no
concert among the leaders, but that there is even
feeling of mutual recrmination between themselves.
Mr.. Brown, for instance, stated, not indeed in my
presence, but in the hearing of others, that Mr.. Pa
pineau had lost or impaired The confidence of his
parry in him, by keeping much aloof from their
measures of active resistance. This statement,
however, understand, he afterwards qualified, by
saying that he (B) might perhaps err in his OPT
nion
II turns out that the letter mentioned in the Free
Press slip, stated t. have been received by Dr. Cote
al Swanton from Mr.. Brown, was not in fact, writ
ten by the latter. He informed me that he wrote
nothing. The whole affair was mere ruse de CUR
re- designed to excite and encourage the Cannadi-
ans at Swanton, and create a feeling OF respect and
sympathy among the Americans for the cause and
character of the revolutionists And il most GER
tanly, for the time, had that effect But the entire
contradiction, which Immediately followed, of all
the facts stated in that Letter, and the certain inte
gence that the Canadians were defeated and driven
from 81. Charles, and that Col. Weherall returned
in triumph TO Montreal, dispeled the illusion, and
sympathy is giving place to far different feeling