Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-08-24


this Canada question and the acts growing
out OF it, have wholly mistaken the char.
ac,er of the people.
| will take 1t for granted that it was the
duty of Congress last winter to keep invio.
late the peace subsisting between this
country and Great Britain, and if so. it fol.
lows as necessary consequence that Con-
eress were bound TO pass an act of some
sort, to prevent any outbreak on the lines.
do not intend by this to imply that there
was any necessity of restraining American
citizens, for don't believe a man Of them
was disposed to disturb the peace Of the
nation. But the people OF Canada were
collecting in great numbers on this side, and
the probability that they might attempt 10
set on foot some military expedition deman
ded the attention of Congress. II they
passed any act at all, they could not do less
than they have done. Whoever will take
the trouble 10 examine the acts Of Congress
on the subject Of maintaining friendly rela
tons, will find that we have always had acts
of that sort in force. They seem not to
have contemplated the existence Of state
of ,hinas like that of last winter. 1t never
occurred to Congress that foreigners would
come in bodies into the United States and
attempt to use our soil as camp of prepa-
ration for hostile objects without. And
while they guarded against expeditions BY
water, the avs did not reach the case that
has Just occurred, and all Congress have
done is to extend an old law TO meet new
case. The act is supplementary 10 the act
Of 1918, and it merely extends the provis.
cat -. mr.
manner in which questions of seizure shall
be tried and property restored. 1t is mis-
take to suppose that any new powers are
given TO the President, for so far as regards
this point the power Of the President is in
the identical words of the old act, being a
copy from it, the same as the act under
which Col. Burr was arrested and tried.
Did any one eyer cavil against this &C, ?
did any one ever suppose that it was inn
proper or unnecessary. Did any one ever
contend it was demonstrations And
when we call TO mind the individual tina:
was arrested and tried, the great men who
defended him and the more Than great man
before whom he was tried, it is decisive of
the nature, character and necessity o: The
act.
Without intending any injury to a man
whose private character stands deservedy
high, and without intending to allude TO
any thing that has past-could the govern
menl allow Doct. Nelson to organize mil
itary force consisting of the people of Can.
ada who might choose 10 come over this
side for that purpose and march them with
drum and fife TO any place without United
States? No prudent man can hesitate as
to the answer, and hence the absolute ne.
necessity that was laid on Congress to pass
an act that should prevent the possibility Of
such an occurrence. They had reason to
suppose that such a state of things might
occur, and they were driven either to pass
an act of that kind or be accused Of aiding
The people of Canada in hostilitles against
the government. When therefore the act
was submitted to Congress they had to de-
eide between peace or war, between the
duty of maintaining friendly relations and
permitting those acts which would Of ne
cessiy lead TO hosllli,es. They resolved
upon the latter with unanimiy rarely
equaled. The great meE, the good men,
the patriots, all cried, peace-away with
hostlties. In that constellation of great
names, of men who know no lear but dis.
honor. of patriots ready to sacrifice every
thing for their country, stands recorded the
name Of Heman Allen, and if it were his
only vote. it would secure TO him the char.
ac,er of an independent man, a true friend
of his country.
Cast your eye over the list Of names in
the Senate, it may be said all voted for it.
Ia the House, among host. John Quincy
Adams and Governor Lincoln were for it,
and many who opposed it, did SO because it
was not strong enough.
The passage of this bill is no indication
that they who were in favor of it were op
posed to the extension Of liberty, or that
they did not feel an interest in the Canada
struggle. If there is yet doubt as TO the
feelings Of such men as John Quincy AID
ans and Henry Clay, they have lived in
VAN, and if the assertion was written with
sunbeam on the arch OF heaven it would
be doubted. Henry Clay not an advocate
for liberty then liberty never had an ad-
vocate. Ask the South American States
whose voice babe them welcome to the
family ofna,ions! And because the friends
of liberty did not allow state of war, are
they therefore to be condemned as abetting
oppression. l, is most unjust. They were
blind who did not see that the Canada
movement was wholly premature, that it
must end in ruin. and could it be expected
of an American Congress to take such men
as 7. 8. Brown by the hand and make
common cause against government with
whom we were al peace, against whom
we bad no compnint Absurd The
event has shown what many knew before.
that the outbreak was i'll advised, without
means, without organization, and would
end ln he destruction Of its abelors. Pa.
pineau himself was against it.
No one has any authority to assert, much
less to insinuate, that Mr.. Allen is untrlend.
Iy 10 the Canadians or to any people who