North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-07-03
AR lie TN
From the Washington Metropolis,
iR PREsENT STATE or THE CANADAs

THE PREkENT STATE OF THE ChNADAs.
We learn, through our exchange pa
ders, that a public dinner was recently
given by the citizens o. Rochester, to the
celebrated DR.. Thelier, who figured Sc
conspicuously in the bloody scenes which,
few months since, were enacted by the
British merecnaries Of Canada. In the
course OF this complimentary entertain
Inent, the Doctor, in speech Of some
length, gave lucid and strenuous descrip-
ton OF the present state Of the Canadas,
and the effort Of the establishment of a
military despotsm, on the minds of an in
Roeent and unotTending people.
Ii IS really melancholy 10 view the cruel
and desoiatIng effects OF despotic Gov
eminent upon the internal economy of a
nation; the innumerahe incidental evils,
flowing from a state OF physical and moral
degradation, and the total prostration OF
life aud energy. In the case of Canada,
this species of political and social oppres-
sion is rendered more gating, by the stri-
king contrast presented in our nation. On
the one side OF the ST. Lawrence, we see
every thing nourishing in its native and
youthful vigor, peace and happiness grow
ing up under the genial atmosphere of civil
and religious liberty. We see the repub-
lie of the sister States, constituting the
emporium of wealth and prosperity her
cities are made the rich repositories of for
cign and domestic merchandise, her fields
teen with whitening harvests, the fruit OIL
the husbandmsn's toll, and her working
men, mechanics, and farmers are emphati-
caliy the chosen people Of Gods heritage.
the legitimate nobility of nature. Under /
sun oi meridian prosperity, every thing
ntialns matury IN its allotted time: the wide /
aud almost unbounded field laid open for !
the operations OF perseverance and indus. /
try; the blessings Of true and rational 30. /
litical freedom, aud the inestmabIe privi- I
lege Of worshipping the Maker of the I
universe in whatever mode or form our
reason OF belief may dictate: has created /
the United States an asylum for the op /
pressed If al rations. On the other side. /
the hand Of political tyranny has palsied /!
the energies and crushed the spirit OF
once en,erpTisng and aspiring people nei-
ther commerce nor agriculture can thrive /
under the scathing heat Of an atmosphere
loaded with disease aud death. The state
Of Canada - indeed deplorabe in the high /
est degree; both politically and socially. she +
ID under the chains Of the most calling and
degrading species Of civil slavery. Her
Governments administe red under the mos,
ri2ld code Of military despotsm: a hired
soldIeFy have been permitted, bv the tools
Of power, 10 range over the whole country.
unresuaned by either the laws Of Justice
OF mercy; they have literally plundered the
people Of every kind Of property which the
SWORD and torch ol civil war had left On.
consumed. Neither life nor property has
been spared. The domestic sanctuary
which IS generally considered an asvlum
Of safety, has been Invaded and sacked
neither age nor sex hare been regarded By
an insoient and blood thirsty military
intent upon pluncer, rapine aud lust. In
addition to their enormous grievances. they
have suffered, politically, every thing
people could suffer: taxation withou,