Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-10-19


ent posture of your affairs, it was necessary
that the most unusual confidence should
accompany the delegation of most unusu
al authority; and that in addition to such
great legal powers, the government here
should possess all the moral force that
could be derived from the assurance that
lis acts would be final, and its engagements
religlously observed. 1t is not by s,ntcd
powers, or a dubious authority, that the
present danger can be averted, or the
foundation LAID Of q better order of things.
| had reason to believe that | was armed
with all the power which | thought requi.
site, by the commissions and instructions
under The royal sign manual, with which
was charged as Governor General, and
[ High Commlssoncr,-by the authority
vested in me and my council, by the act OF
The imperial Legislature, and by the general
appreciation Of my appointment, which all
parties were pleased to express. also
trusted that | should enjoy Throughout, the
course ofmy administration all the strength
which the cordial and steadfast support OF
the authorities at home can alone give to
their distant officers, and TINT even party
feeling would refrain from molesting me
whilst occupied in maintaining the integ-
rity of the British empire.
In these just expectations ! have been
painfully disappointed. From The very
commencement of my task, the minutest
details OF my administration have been ex-
posed to ncessant criticism, in spirit
which has evinced an entire ignorance of
the state of this country. and of the only
mode in which the supremacy ofthe British
; Crown can here be upheld and exercised
i Those who have in the British legislature
Systematically deprecated my powers, and
the ministers of the Crown by their tacit
acqulescence therein, have produced the
effect OF making it too clear that my au-
thorlty is inadequate for the emergency
which called it into existence. At length
an act OF my government, the frs, and most
important which was brought under the
notice OF the authorities at home, has been
annuled ; and the entire policy of which
that act was small though essential part,
has thus been defeated.
The disposal Of the political prisoners
was from the first a matter foreign to my
mission. With view to the more easy
attainment of the great objects con,empla-
ted, that question ough'lto have been set.
. tied before my arrival. But it was essen.
tial to my plans for the future tranquility
and Improvement Of the colony, that |
should commence by allaying actual irrita.
ton. had in the first place to determine
the fate of those who were under prosecu
ton, and 20 provide for the security of the
province by removing the most dangerous
| nf Il
the ordinary tribunals, as a recent trial has
F clearly shown, afforded me no means. Ju-
diclal proceedings would only have agitaled
the public mind afresh-would have put in
evidence the sympathy Of a large portion Of
the people with rebellion and would have
given to the dsaffected generally, fresh
assurance of mpunty for political guilt
An acqutal in the face of the clearest evi
dence, which am justified in having anti.
cipa'ed as inevitable, would have set the
immediate leaders of the Instruction n,
liberty, absoved from crime, and exalted
IN the eyes of their deluded countrymen, as
the innocent victims of unjust Imprisonment
and a vndlctve charge. | looked upon
these. as mschefs which was bound to
avert by the utmost exercise of,he powers
and conviction, take any measures of
purely penal character; but felt justified
IN awaiting myself OF an acknowledgment
OF guilt aud adopting measures of prccau
ton against a small number of the mos,
Gu pabe or most dangerous oil The accused
To all the rest extended complete am.
nesy.
Whether better mode of acting could
have been devised for the emergency, is
now mmaterlal This is the one that ha :
been adopted-the discussion which it at
first excited has passed away--and those
who were once most inclined to condemn
lis enlency. had acqulesccd in or submit
Ted to It. The good effects which must
necessarily have resulted from any settle
ment of this difficult question. had already
1 begun to show themselves. OF these, the
, principal were, the general approval of my
policy by the people of The United States
and the consequent cessation of Amer
q can sympathy with any attempt to disturb
/ the Canadas. This result has been most
/ gratifying to me, inasmuch as it has gone
TAR toward complete restoration of that
, good will eween you and great kindred
nation. which | have taken every means il
q my power to cultivate, and which earnest
v ly entreat you to cherish as essential Il
? your peace and prosperity.
Il 1t is also very satisfactory to me to fine
=. that the reclltude of my policy has hardly
b been disputed at home, and the disa llownnct
. OF the ordinance does not proceed from any
n doubt of its substantial merit, but from The
!. Importance which has been attached to Q
G supposed technical error in the assump' ior
d ola power, which, if had it not, ought
!. TO have had.
: The particular defect in the ordinance
which has been made the ground of its dis
s allowance, was occasloned not by my mis-
It taking the extern of my powers, but by my
| rplinncn IN tho rno1,nass of Pa claimant =,