North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-04-01
CORRESPONDENCE.
TO n. J. Thomas. Editor Of The North
american.


oppressed country, or those who have iali-
en- in us defence, | send you few facts,
connected with the history OF the lamented
Lieutenant Alexander Wright, who tell
victim to the bafbarous eIueltIes OF those
bIhod-IhiEsiy Williams employed by The colo
NAL government to exlerminate those brave
tsoulea men who dared TO assert their rights
and resist oppression on the battlefield OF
Prescott. And | doubt not that every
iDatfiot, every uue-hearted Canadian, whe-
iher in exile in this noaiuaiiy boosted land
Iof liberty, or still writing under the tron
yoke Of oppression, in The land OF carnage
and blood, will feel the loss OF brave aud
/ true hearted patriot, that nobly risked ms
! life and his all In the glorious cause ol
/ Canadian independence and while they
/ drop a tear Of regret at tie recollection Of
his suherugs and his death, let them swear
never 10 abandon the cause IN which he
died, or give up the struggle until venge-
ance shall overtake the guilty, and the
perpetrators of such soul-less deeds OF in
| fanny and blood, shall meet their Tong
meriled doom, at the hands OF the friends
of those who have been so cruelty and
shameful!y batchered With Lieuten-
ant Wright was intimately and person
InalIY acquainted having had many inter-
esting interviews with him, both on the
Canadian and American soil; the object OF
which, was connected with the Ultimate
| liberation Of his country from foreign and
domestic oppression.
AS an enemy ot misgule he ardentlv de-
sired the overthrow Of British power IN
Canada and the emancipation OF hls conn-
irymen from the calling manacIes with
witch they had SO long been iettered. An
enthusiastic admirer OF Republican lnSiitu-
lions, he longed to see his country freed
from the highiing influence of colonial mis-
rule, and raised to a rank among the ma
lions Of the earth, with government, un-
surpassed by any, for the equality OF its
laws, the soundness Of its policy, and The
purity OF its principles. lie believed inI
the republican doctrines OF equality, and
denied the right Of privileged orders. He
loved freedom, and hated oppression. tie
was ever ready 10 resist the least encroach~
ment upon his rights and his privileges. -
He felt for his oppressed countrymen, he
knew the wrongs and grievances under
which they groaned he had witnessed
scenes OF cruelty he had seen his coun-
trymen torn from their homes and families,
and ncarcerated in dismal dungeons. with
out crime or offence. He had heard their
mocktrials, and seen them dragged forth
for slaUg liter, or driven into distant and
hopeless banishuent--h had witnessed
the tears and groans Of widows and orphans
he had heard their heart-touchiug ap- |
peals, to those brutal monsters, - Bond |
Head, and Arthur, for their husbands and
their lathers!! He saw his country turned |
into east slaughter house, and his coun-
trymen made its victims. He had seen
all this-more he needed not : he saw the |
crsis-new chains were forging heir
clankings were heard in every Legislative |
enactment--he knew that vassaage would |
be the price Of submission-he hesitaed |
not, but resolved to resist, to die, or be
free. He signed the pledge Of fidelity, and I
well he kept his word and his bones, now
bleaching in the waters Of the ST. Law
renee, rendered sacred as his winding sheet,
will, one day, rise, not only to cry for
vengeance upon those gorgonS who so nhu-
manly sunk him in watery-grave, but as
a memento of the baseness aud treacherv |
of those who violated their pledge, and
proved recreant 10 the cause in which he I
fell. Let those time-serving, trucking
cringing sycoLhants, who have denounc-
ed those brave young men, who like La
iayette, volunteered 10 assist people Strug-
Cling TO be free, as outlaws and brigands, |
destitute of feelings or principle, reaf the
following noble sentiments OF Lieutenant
Wright, and then say whether they de- |
serve the epilheis Of falsehood and calurn-
ny heaped upon them even by the high
official furctionaries Of the United States. |
Alter signing the bond of unity he turned |
TO me and taking me BY the hand, while |
his whole frame was convulsed with pairi- |
otto ardor and burning with zeal to engage
in the glorious work of redeemng his coun-
try from British thraldom, he said " Bro !
Their, you know not my feelings while |
think Of the present, and look forward to
the future. Were not the wrongs OF nv
country beyond endurance and the last
hope of redress blasted, situated as am. II
would suffer indignities without a murmur
and wait the effect of further petition and
remonstrance. But alas there is no hone
FOR my country but in physical resistance. |
Let those who have driven us 10 this al. !
tentative suffer the consequences Of their
policy. have an aged mother