North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-09-18

ri the memorial 10 Lord Durham, that
ihsrr existed some doabuBlness about the
meaning Of it. and that II was necessary
iof them tn give some explanations. lie
showed them letter that he had himself
prepared for the purpose, bot the contents
IL which these gentlemen eonid not approve
of. inasinuch as IL was confession oi
guilt. As Mr.. Simpson was insisting on
tlcit signiag ihis letter, they asked him for a
.cgal Counsellor to guide them IN so diff
eult path. Mr.. Walker an eminent law
yer ii Montreal was called, AMI made some
alterations IN the lcttbr (which was ultimate.
~ framed as follows:
MoNrREAL JAIL,
Goth June, 1885, !
Mr. T.oap.- We have some reasons TO
apptchcnd the expressions used by MS in a
letter which we addressed to your l.ordshlp
on the 18Th inst. may appear vague and
ambigpo
Or intention, my Lord, was distinctly
To ayow, that in pursuit Of Objects dear 10
the gfea, mass Of our population we took
part in that has eyentua,ed In charge Of
High Treason.
We prolesscd our willing ness In pleas
guilty, thereby to avoid the necessity ol a
trial. and thus to give as far as in our pow
cr, tranquility to the countryi-but whilst
we were thus disposed to contribute 10 the
happiness ol Others, we could not conde>
scend to shield ourselves under the pro-
visions Of an Ordinance passed by the late
Special Council of the Province.
Permit US then, my Lord, TO perform
this great duty, to mark our entire conf
drnce in your Lorlship, and to place our
selves at your disposal without availing
ourselves Of provisions which would de-
grade US 10 our own eyes by marking an
unworthy distrusi on both sides
With this short explanation of our feel
ings we again place ourselves at your
i.ordship's discretion and pray that the
peace Of the country may not be endan-
gercd by Trial. We have the honor to
be with unleigned respect, your Lordship's |
most obedent aud humble servants,
+. II. Goddu, WoIfred Nelson,
T.. III. Mason, II. s. NJ. Bouchetie,
n. Des Riyieres, $. Marchesseault,
D. Viger, II. A. Gavin.
On the S0ih Of the same month Mr..
Simpson came back To Montreal and asked
for Drs. Kimber, Gauvin, Mason, and
Wollred Nelson, and Messrs. b. Niger,
Pres Riyieres, Boucher BeIleville, Girouard,
Simeon Maschcsseault, Goddu, Bouchette
and Coursolles He told them Of tho de-
termination which Lord Durham and his
Special Council had al last come TO, viz. TO
transport them to Bermuda, not as GRIMM
ais but as state prisoners, and as mea>
sure Of public safety. He assured these
gentlemen that during the journey as well /
as during their exile, they would be treat
eli like gentlemen. The four state prison. +
soners who had not signed the memorial TO /
Lord Durham, protested against the ar b
biuary and despotic conduct Of Lord Dur
ham and his Special Council, who were
exiting them thus without any trial what J
ever, and when two Of these gentlemen |
had protested their innocence in a petition |
to Lord Durham, saying that they dreaded
not trial before an impartial jury. Every i,
one Of these gentlemen said that it was c
snare into which they had been arifulIy
led: Mr.. Bouehetie more particularly c
spoke with much warmth agains, the au- .
hors Of this base trick Of deception u
prepared by the administration; and DR..
w. Nelson even begged pardon from some .
II his friends whom he had engaged to il
10 sign the memorial, saying that he had /;
sren deceived at tirsi in irusiing TO the good a
'aitk Of the government From this IN
itani, The guard Of the jail was doubled. Il
md increased 10 the number Of 50 soldiers. 4
{ To b eoniiaaed) a