Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-11-16
COMM cDoRE JOHNSTON,
From the Albany Family Newspaper.

From the Albany Family Newspaper.
WILLIAM JOHNSTON is native of Up.
per Canada. His father was an indepen~
dent and wealthy farmer of that province,
as respectable and honest man as ever
lived the e or any where else. When he
died he left his son, the subject of these
remarks, a handsome property, which
William Johnston, at the commencement
Of the war between Great Britain and the
United States, had greatly improved
1t was supposed by his worst enemies
to amount TO S4O,OOO-his friends said it
was worth 100000. We know that we
speak in moderate terms only when we
say it worth from $4,000 to 100000.
When our troops invaded Canada, Will
liam Johnston, and one or two hundred
others, all, like himself men of property
and responsibility, being republicans in
principle, Ia wing long wished to throw
off the yoke of British Supremacy, and
which was very unfortunate for them
thinking our government in earnest on
their attack upon Canada did not hes-
tate to risk at once their lives and pro.
perty by joining our standard. They soon
found, however, that they had nobly and
gloriously r:sked their all in the service
of government, which, to use a boat
mans phrase, looked one way and rowed
another"
These brave men were Immediately
out. lawed, attained of high.treason, and
their property confscated, by the British
government. A reward was offered for
their heads individually. They had no
alternative but to leave their property a
prey to the British government, and retreat
with our army into our territory.
They knew that our government had de-
ceived them-but they knew it too late.
While the convict lasted, however, they
adhered firmly to our arms, and rendered
effectual service, fighting, precisely as
Washington, and Greene, and Hamilton
fought, in our Revolution, with the GER
talnty of being hung for traitors, if taken
prisoners under total failure of the en-
terprise. During the conflict William
Johnston, In particular, rendered very
important services to our cause-scrvces,
for which he deserved far different re-.
muneration-to say nothing of his loss of
property-than he has ever received for
the only remuneration he is known to
have received, was that ola confidential
commission in the Custom-House Depart
ment at French Creek, yielding him per.
haps $4,000 or $4,000 per annum.
But let us come to the facts in relation
to at least one important service render
ed to the American cause by the man
who, when man Of fortune, living in the
style of gentleman, was called William
Johnston but since he has lost his es.
tate in the service Of the United States,
and has enjoyed what we call "Ihe plea.
sures Of Porerty," it has become lash
ionable to call him Bill Johnston.
General Brown,knowing that Sackett's
Harbor would be attacked by Sir George
Provost, unless he could anticipate the
movements of the latter, sent William
Johnston, at the head of half a dozen
brave men, to intercept two mails con.
tanning Sir George Prevost's dispatches
to his Lieutenants,in relation TO the medi.
tated attack upon Sackett's HARDER.
Captain Johnston executed his orders
faithfully and bravel y--sezed the mails,
and brought them unopened, unsoiled,
to General Brown. He opened them, and
thanked William Johnston for having put
it into his power, TO save Sackett's Har-
Dor: For this heroic exploit, and its
consequences in the saving of that in.
portant post. Johnston has still thousands
Of friends on that frontier, who will never
look on calmly and see him sacrificed.
Such were the eminent services which
William Johnston rendered the American
arms in the cause of 1919.
His history since has been known to
the frontiers in general +; and there are
persons in this city of known veracity
and responsibility, who had much inter
course with him and they say, that il
that intercourse he proved himself uni
formly gentleman in his manners, ant
in all his department.
When the late outbreak occurred
thinking probably that the way was open
to him to redeem his property, which
was confscated by the British govern
ment in l8l3-lSl4-he accepted the
commission Of Commodore OF the Patri
OF Maya very small Navy we admit
but still nearly as large as our own wher
our fathers commenced the revolutionar,
war-playing the same part that William
Johnston has been playing for it mus
be recollected, that it was as Commodore
in the Patriot Service, that he attacked