Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-12-22

| thought was doing and permitin ing acts
within our Slate which The laws Of M
tralny would not justify; which would
constitute good cause of complaint on the
part Of the English government. and If pr
sisted IN, be the source Of much evil; a0d
we're matters very proper to be presented
to the Executive for his consdcra ion -
When came to perusc he petition | found
1t 10 contain statement Of facts for the
truth Of some Of which could no, vouch,
TO express sentiments and advocate doc
,rlneS which could not subscribe TO. aud
The whole to hr drawn up III n spirit aud
temper which ] could not approve. Aud
| here beg leave to cnumpta,e some Of The
reasons for my dissent A the same time
| desire i, may be understood, that | d.
not mpuic In The Gentleman who clrc,.
lated The Petition any in,enlional misrep
resen'a'ion. for it is highly probable that
his aud my views materially differ as to III
sp'r, and import,
1S'. The petition makes an uncalcd for
attack upon portion of the public press
concerning which am constrained to say
that do not know of the publ cal ion Of
any articles concerning the difficulties ~
Canada, so foil of wrong principals or OF
so nflamtO.y character as to strike me
vii b surprise, nor had seen ANYTHING i'm
proper except the notice alluded TO.
Cd. The petition, by a sort Of cant
phrase. intends to speak dlsrespccl fully ot
the Canadian PATRIOTS winch is. OF should
be beneath the dignity Of candid and sober
petitioners
| I M pooplo NF (Nop,l, Dc E,o,o1,
traction love the country that gave them
birth, and are willing to exert their Ut
most Efforts to free that country from q
government, imposed upon it by force. !
am unable 10 discover why they are not
Justly entitled to the uppellaion Of pa riot
and that 100 without the sneers of sober
petitioners.
81. The petition Processes no, 10 enter
upon discussion of the questions between
the Canadian people and he British GOV.
eminent, and in the same paragraph pro.
ceeds to partial discussion. by stating
what grievances it is believed they do not
suffer. and foaIly CONES to the conclusion
that the demands of the patriots are IN
reasonable, because, il granted, they would
finally result in the separation OF The Can.
auhS from the BRUSH Empire.
do not profess 10 be sufficiently &C.
qua Inied with The civil and political condi,
ton of The Canadian people to saw 20 wha
degree OF degradation aud servllty they
are reduced. But # any credit can BE- Wv.
en- to The complaints they have preferred
against The British government, some pur.
iIon Of those grievance which are mega
lively enumerated IN the Petr ton, are ac'u
ally suffered. II Is presumed that. 10 quiet
times, on Englshman is not permitted to
put a Frenchman to death whenever be
may meet him, with impuniIy, nor to rob
him Of his goods, without beng amenablr
to the laws But is il not equally certain
that the French Canadians, under the
provincial system, are admitted to an
cqn'I share m tho government or in tho
administrative Of jn,lIcc' Then if they
are never I" udge, bnl ways TO b" judgcd.
and that too by their conquerors, it would
be rather extraordinary If they did not
sometimes cal of obtaining c"mplcte ju..
lice. And when IL is considered thai Cav
ada is strictly conquered country, and
that British authority was established and
has been maintained there by force of arms
is demand,on the par, ofihe Canadian poo
pie to be freed and separated from their
conQuerors, unreasonable? In Justice thr
BRUSH government ought TO grant such n
request, for it is by force Of no rule Of eQui
~ or justice that a conquered country Is
held IN bondage, unless that country has
been and would again become the common
enemy of mankind. The Canadian people
have not only right to demand separa.
ton from the British Empire, bat they have
a right, it necessary, to effect it by force of
arms, without being branded with the
name of false patriots, insurgents or trait,
Ors.
4rh. The Petition would seem to convey
The idea that fear OF the restrictions OF
trade, by which suppose is meant prcu
mary loss. our people ought 10 suppress
any manifestations OF the public sympathy
with the Patriot cause. To such a scn'-
| ment can only say, there are two things
very dear TO free people. liberty of The
press and freedom of Thought and speech.
and whoever advocates The suppression Of
either is better fitted to 1--we under an nrbi.
trary than o free government, The Jaws Of
neutrality do not prohibit rheexpresslon OF
sympathy. they did the Petition itself
would afford good cause Of complain on the
part of her Brllnnc Ma esly. though the
expressions Of sympathy are very strong in
her favor.
In conclusion | would observe that there
are in the petition many common place
sentiments which in the abstract are cor-
rect and would appear well enough in
book of proverbs, but have no fit Application
To The patriot cause IN Canada. These
axe cv,denty used as a sort OF gliding to
Its grosser parts.
Yours, &c.
c. RUSSELL.
HChrls inn patrlnIu in tho Montrcol