Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-04-27

would De enforced, regfogAtive which |
the Crown Of no other nation holds over
their born subjects, and one which every
enlightened beng in the world--and par.
,icuarly those residing in tina, independent
Republic Of which am q citizen. will and
ought to look upon With horror and detes.
talon.
protested on my trial, against the iurs.
dic,lon Of this Court. That could not be
guilty of Treason, not being subject Of
Great Britain, but n citizen of the United
States, and that IT. had committed an Of
! fence it was one against the Law Of Ma
,lons, and that | could not be tried in this
Province but 10 England, or the country of
which was citizen.
II was admitted, Nv Lord nv the
Court, "thai ! wns citizen of the United
States, but not less subject, having been
born 10 Ireland, that being q born subject
no net of mine could make me aupht else.
| That Great Britain could Notwithstanding
my citizenship, still hold me as a subject"
Such doctrine certainly places the natural.
wed citizen Of The U. s., IN singular pre-.
dlcament obliged as they are TO do military
duty as well rs the native born, without
distinction. In event Of War, if they were
ordered to invade The British dominion. BY
refusing, they would be punished bv the
one Government, for INSTRUMENTATION and
cowardce, or obeyipg, be punished by the
other as Traitor.
a precedent was quoted by the Attorney
General, IN the case Of Ephas McDonold,
which somewhat rescmbed mine, q, Your
Lordsh,p remarked, he was found guilty
also, but not executed. and this happened
% years years ago. Since that time, what
a change has taken place among Nations.
a. among men! More liberal and extend
ed views have been held both by the Gov
erAors and The governed - new nation
has sprung up from English Colonl.'S. with
population Of upwards OF ~ 900 O00 one
fourth ct whom are IN the same situation
as mnself having been born under a monar
chv. but who have since BECOME citizens Of
free and independent republic, whose
constitution was framed directly opposite
to the law laid down by his Court-"once
a subject, always subject"
When tried my Lord, rested nv dc.
fence on that ground. | did not call evl
dencr TO prove. as might have done. tina,
when pursuing my course from an Amerl.
7,
ing to an American island, and in the REQ
uIar channel and thoroughfare which all
regular vessels take hat pass and rrpo.s
from the ports Of the States of New York.
Ohio, Michigan, Illinois. and Wisconsin, |
was fired upon in repeated vollles Of musk
| etry, by your Militia, Indians, and Negroes.
> Of Maiden. and when drawn upon your
, chores by the inclemency Of the wea' her,
; and my men killed and wounded BY the
calling fire Of three or four hundred con.
! cealed rif1emen, fl ed upon them in self
, defence, this ! would have proved. and if
, Your Lord-hlp could remember. nearly all
Of which was admitted BY the very evidence
brought against me,--by my cap'ors, as
. they styled themselves, they, even they,
5 admitted the greater part.
: And now. my Lord after three months
= severe imprisonment, the greater part Of
which time was passed in chains. | nave
been tried for mot having the fear of God
: IN my heart nor weighing the allegiance
owed Her Majesty the Queen" An ale,
i glance which did not consider myself to
5 owe, and which 10 years before have sol
3 EMMY sworn, in open Court, to renounce
: in the manner prescribed By the Constl,u-
u ton Of the United S'nt,s.
9 And what, my Lord. was the verdict Of
\ the Jury?-a conditional one. Their dis,
Z eliminating minds plainly perceived that
could not be The citizen Of one country and
d the subject of another tia, both were
y Incomp6' bIa and they gave in their YER
0 dict. which TO me seems strange one--"I
e | was subject was guilty Of treason" |
n nj I
of treason.
!, am free from saying. my Lord. or OF
wishing myself understood to say | have
not done wrong, AMI acted contrary to the
laws of my ovn country. But in extenua-
:, ton of my offence, would state to your
. Lordshlp, that IN the middle Of December
last, there came TO Detroit vast number
OF men, who fled from this coun,rv,-many
Of them were poor, hungry, and naked
They had fled from their homes and fam
lies at moments notice. Thev told the
story Of their sutf'rings and their wrongs
There stories were circulated by the press
and believed by all while your Magistrate:
and others in authority on your frontier
j.. confirmed in the minds of many the sane
by their Insulting and overbearing conduc,
l. towards some of our citizens, whom bust.
d ness had induced to 90 over among them
e Then came the thrilling news ofthe cut.
% 'lrg out of the steamboat Caroline al
Schlosser, an lndigniiy committed on on,
national honor-an insult on our naiona
nag Before that time, NV Lord nothing
was done by the citizens of Nj icbipan. MOI
m was lheIr any thing intended to be done
/. out contributing TO the comfort Of the un.
N fortunate men who were SAID to be sufferer.
ID IN the same cause, like the fathers of on,
~ own Revolution Of 70. Report. were ais,
n circulated by persons residing in Sandwich
1 ana Maiden ma they were raising the