North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-11-13
SrplcTrRrs ON Mr.. NACKFN.
yrs CONDUCT AT TORONTO
nrRfSG THE INSURRECTiON,
lac. NsWERED.

Sis-~In vnuf rSes3srnt newspaper a the
iCsh ia.iant, ! tad en- account 81 Dir.
Msrkraxie's proceedings "a Canada, def
lac the insuttecsion ST Tomnio. ia 1887,
whseh. with the very kindest intention on
vows part dora him great lnIustlcr.
asa native If Scotland, lnsi returned
from q Brit. ps,ppr.. IN the Csaa.lism revolt
TOOK q vrrv active and dreaded part; wit
prssrI Mf. Maskenz'e's copdaei rom bfsi
IN iasi: was taken prisoner after hts dcivsli
aud 10 the wiaief 81 lsSfes, oecufird
cnl and dismal cell 10 company with Tie
gallant Captain Mathews snd General Van
Esmnnd. was very hravily losded with
chnins ard letters, the ELECTS ol which and
the excessive cold, wei and frost, yet feel.
One of nv coauaIrs, Captain NJ. was re-
sn0sea from tie dungeon 10 the sca!iold,
s,n wfsrh he suffered with our l,end Col.
L.ouat. Gearral Van Egmond intfeaied
10 be removed as he was very old, but they
krp, lam IN IL tli he was 50 irozen and
chilled that he had only 10 he sent 10 their
hospital snh ihcnce IN his grave. With
your counstyman John G. Parker and
,,thets, was suecrssively carried 10 Fort
HrnfY, Quebec, Liverpool and London,
and should hare now been IN slavery al
Botany Bay lad not Messrs. Hume. Roe
buck, Ashursi. Hill and other generous and
good men taken our case before The Queens
Couft nj Westminster. The final de-
eison Of the Judges was adverse TO the
wishes of the government, aud Lord
Bfougham brought the whole matter be-
fore Parliament, on whieh we were tesinr-
cd 10 liberty on giving our own. Tecogniz-
ances not 10. approach within sixty miles
OF the Canada frontier. Our treatment 10
the prisons of the Colonies was very hard,
but in England we were much better
treated than MIR. Mackenzie is here. The
people Of Liverpool and London showed
us great kindress. for which viii ever
feel grateful
You mention that il you have fallen into
error you will be glad to correct it. |
think Your mistakes material, and there
fore hone that this letter will he published
The people Of Upper Canada had not,
as YOU suppose, n majority in their legis-
lalve assembly at the revolt. Even Sir
r. b. Head in his Narrative, admits that
had that been the case, England would
have abandoned Canada; and Lord Dur
ham in his Report states that the elections
were carried by intimidation, fraud and
corruption.
You assume that If Mr.. Mackenzie had
possessed the daring qualities some have
ascrihed TO him, he could have taken the
Canadas in a month and Toronto in a
night. Ii is well known To all who witnessed
his conduct that il is not 10 any want OF
energy or decision on his part that the
failure is to be ascribcd. He persevered to
the very last.
A hundred of the hravest citizens could
have been armed SO as 10 surprise Toronto
any night al an hours notice; but 10 give
permanence to such q movement it was
necessary that the country should be pre-
pared to support the town, and take such
uiierior measures as might be deemed es-
srntial 10 the common welfare. The lea-
ders Of The instruction had agreed that a
general armed meeting OF the insurgents
lNom various paris should be held at Mont
gomery'S Hotel, near Toronto, on Thurs
aay The 7Ih of Dec. 1897, there To back
the citizens in their object Of attaining an
independent legislature. Mr.. Mackenzie,
at previous meeting beld al Lloydlown.
refused TO lead the military operations, and
Messls. Lount, Anderson and others were
there named TO command. Mr.. Macken
xir had written TO General Van Eemond
and oiher military persons Of skill to be on
the ground on the evening agreed on. He
placed much reliance on those persons;
and was employed in the country organiz-
ing the people when tidings were brought
him that the gentleman who acted as our
executive in the city had suddenly ordered
Col. Lount and as many as he could mus
ter 10 march on Toronto so as Ia be there
on the Monday. The roads were bad the
distance 10 miles, and the messenger made
his important efrand known to bali the
country before delivering to Col. l.. the
important order which he most reluctantly
oheyed. This movement was not made
with Mr.. Mackenzie's knowledge or con-
sent; on the contrary he sent Mr.. Gibson's
man 10 stop lis progress, but it was TOO
late. The news of the reverses in Lower
Canada had dispi.i,ed many, and when
Col. LounI arrived al Monigomery's on
Monday evening, he had with him ONLY
so or 90 wearied men who had marched
through mud and mire nearly 30 miles,
carrying their arms.
Or the condition Of the city after ten
iha, day nothing was known. None of
the gentlemen who had called out this
party either joined il, OF sent any word.