North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-11-25
Original.
HISTORY or LOWER CANADA.
oNTIHuED.l


As sooR Us the rejection Of the Speaker
oi the House of Assembly by Lord
Dalhoasie, was known in the Province
universal burs, Of Indignation arose from
the people against The Governner who
was justly accused of paying more aten-
ton 10 personal hatred than 10 the public
welfare. Meetings were called in differ
rni parts Of the country but more particu-
larry in the cities of Quebec and Montreal
and in the Borough of Three Rivers, at
which meetings il was resolved TO petition
the King Of England against the Admins.
trelinn Of Lord Dalhouse, earnestly de-
manding the recall of the Governor whom
they accused Of ,yrannicaI and unconsti-
tutional conduct. Whilst the people were
exercising one or their most sacred privile-
gPs in meeting IN express freely and
constitutlonally their feelings and opinions
on the state OF their country, the govern
mcnt officers were plotting new schemes
tn prevent the free expression Of the sem
,iments OF the Canadians whom they knew
To he dissatisfied with the acts Of Lord
Dalhousr. Among the numerous instan-
res Of those prosecutions against the pa
uiols who were meeting TO express THAR
dsapproval Of the conduct Of the Gov
erner, we shall cite one which will prove
how Tar tyranny was carried in those days.
In the month of Deccember there was a
great meeting Of the radicals Of the city OF
Montreal. 1t was well known that Joce-
Iyn Waller, ESQ, the editor Of the Cana
dian Spectator, an Irishman by birth and
gentleman of extensive knowledge and
vas, capacity, would take part ia this
meeting. Consequently the President of
the Quarter Sessions Of the peace, issued
his warrant against Mr.. Waller and Lud-
ger Duvernay, Esqs., and these gentle
men were apprehended on their way to
the place where the meeting was held.
The matter could have been settled in
a few minutes before any magistrate what
ever, but the constable was instructed TO
carry these gentlemen befoie Dir. Gale
himself, who like lord babe hem to wait
ill he should be ready and thereby forced
them 10 remain at the Police office till the
meeting was entirely over, But what
was the more arbitrary he insisted that bail
should be givcn, tina, these Two gentle
men would not write any moro against the
government not only were they TO be
punished for pretended offence, but they
were also forced to give bail for any Of
fence tina, they nigh, afterwards commit,
although they were not ys. titled for the
first offence. Can justice be mere polluted
and more contaminated than by such az
bitrary and despotic conduct and yet this
snan has been promoted to the Bench and
10 now ore of the Administrators OF JUS
lice in the Court OF Montreal
We shall now inform our readers 81 the
result of those meetings which, like that OF
Montreal, resolved upon petitionlng the
King of England against the adminisira-
sion oil Lord Dalhousie and demanding
from His Majesty the recall Of the present
Governor General. Members were ma
med TO meet 10 q general convention
which was held at Montreal on the cath
January, 1898, when three agents were
appointed to proceed forthwith TO Eng
land 10 Law al the foot Of the throne add TO
expose before the Parliament Of Great
Britain the :nnumerssle and heavy gfiev-
anecs under which the Pfovisee Of Lower