North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-09-25

they meet on the road. They are very
soon on board Of the Steamboat which i'm
medistely starts.
After what Mr.. Simpson had promised,
we had right to expect that our friends
would be well treated; we were far from
thinking that they would be hand-cufed.
And il was because we expected very dif-
lerent treatment that we could not repress
our indignation when we found our exiled
brethren in irons. Besides, this cruel and
vigorous precaution was quite unnecessa-
ry, after all the other precautions which
had been taken. The dishonor of this in
famous cruelty is due 10 the Sheriff and 10
the military slave called Major General
Cliterow.
7h Juiy.-Reader, witness how Royal
amnesty ends. IL begun by exiting to the
United States sixteen Of our best citizens,
by snare to entrap eight other generous
and brave men, who are banished without
trial, and by promise Of fair trial to
seven others. From the effects of the
amnesty ordinance upon the unfortunate
eight who had been sent away the remain
ing prisoners had right to expect that
the provisions Of the said ordinance would
result benefcially to them. But alas, the
Sheriff has been here this day with the list
of prisoners which has been read to us. The
prisoners are divided into classes. Those
Of the first class can 90 out of iai! mmedi-
diately on giving personal bail to the a.
mount Of $4,000. Those of the end class
must give personal bail to the same a.
mount, and two sureties besides themselves
in the sum Of $1,000 each. Those of the
srd class are obliged to give personal bail
in The sum of $4,000, besides two balls of
$4,000 each. Some of the prisoners have
been forced to give hail to the enormous
sum OF $4,000. We are obliged to keep
the peace during five years, ieAich is ecr-
tainly a cery honest condition. Why did
they not ask US to keep peace for twenty,
fifty, or even hundred years. Has the
government promised TO be juste We sus-
pect not
BY these odious conditions a prisoner
who had not taken up arms, nor ex-
cited any one to do so, who had not even
attended public meeting where the rights
of his country were peaceably discussed,
(such meetings we all know are considered
treasonable,) whose only crime was that
of superior success in his commercial BUSH
ness, that it was more thriving than that
Of jealous and suspicious neighhor who
has caused him to be thrown into Jail, is
forced to give bail TO keep the peace for
FIVE years. BY one of the clauses of this
atrocious ordinance passed by the illegal
Special Council. the scoundrel who has
been the cause of his captivity, cannot be
prosecuted for false imprisonment, because
he is supposed to be q loyal subject, and
that il was his loyalty that prompted him
TO arrest the pretended rebel. Moreover
as the prisoner is 10 return amongst his
prosecutors who were made bold by the
manner in which they are shielded, shall
he not be again in danger Of being drag
ged TO prison to undergo second time
all his former suferings? If he undergoes
a trial and the Governor wishes him to be |
found guilty, is it not easy for the Govern
or to find Sheriff and Jury yell dispo-
sed? Under the slightest pretence the
government will at any time be able to
pocket out OF this prisoner from 4 to 5000
dollars as his personal bail, ard from to
5000 dollars from his sureties. Really
great number if not all Of the political
prisoners would have preferred a trial, liz
the course of which they could have
brought TO light all the infamous practice
Of the so called loyals. These last ones
had more TO fear from trial than the State
prisoners, il justice could have been i'm
partially administered. The more think
about it, the more believe that this gen.
sral amnesty ordinance was made for the
special benefit OF the Ioyalists.
The State prisoners in consenting TO
give bail for keeping the peace, look as il