North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-03-25

rssfso,s and heroes q America.
THs Toast eltcifea desieniag an3 p5asfaci-
81 foan44 III sp14aesr from iHe company,
sna vas elouqeGilg aaI lec8aely fespon-
del 10 b. d.. Nelson. lie commenced by
tsn3enng hls grateful acknow Judgements
iaf ihe compliment conveyed IN tae toast,
and the manner 70 which u was Tece .ea.
He sad that this was the FIRST ii0ne sinee he
had brcn on this frontier thar hr ba5 com
pira with invitations 50 often ,enjrted him
b. the citizens 81 THIS kepubie, shai he had
uniformly declined then, knowing ihst lhe
eneSnlrs Of his coualfy wnaGd misfrpfeseni
what he might say ard de-, for the purpose
ri iast.fyng their aelarous proceedings
aassast tire uahappY Canadians, aad
that he had no doubl taai the oceUf-
fcnees of this evening would he seized
upon by his political Opponents, aHj, by
misiatemeat and peryefsinn, converted
into oil that is evil ana dangerous. Pass
sag from these preliminary topics be ad-
vrfird ia the outbreak 10 Cauada 10 1887.
HE said that il was wholly unprecedented
that il would have been madaess Ia at
tempt a revolution in the then uuprepsred
state Of the pstfiots. The great meeting
at ST. Charles. over which he had the
honour 10 preside, wss not called with rev
alutionary designs, nor DID IL adopt any
meaures Of a revolutionary character. 1t
assumed the attitude ol bold and determi-
ned remonstrance, and iaatlessly deman-
died OF the government those concessions
10 favour Of popular rights which in Justice
and reason il was bound 10 make. No re-
volution was undertaken--no act ofireason
committed. The Convention kept within
she bounds OF the Constitution. and mere.
Nv exercised The rights guaranteed by it 10
all British sublects--thoSe Of petition and
remonstrance It's proceedings were how
ever, made a pretext, by the ruling faction
III Canada, for the commencement Of pros
ccutions for high treason against the patriot
leaders, and warrants were issued for their
arrest. MANY who weren Montreal fed
10 the country. He remained Ut home in
Saint Denis. He said that he had de-
TERMED peaeably 10 submit 90 the civil
authority il il attempted % arres, him. -
But this was not the course pursued
The first summons which he received from
government was a cannon-bal through the
hous. where he and his neiahbors were
assembled which killed three men. Then
followed a second, which slew two others,
dashing out the brains of one of the unior-
tunate beings, and scattering them upon
his own person. He then told his friends
that il was not their persons, but their
lives that were sought, and that il they
would not be buichered where they stood
they must fight. II was not in all this
had happeaed that they .resarted To arms.
And IN this, said he, We did not make our
selves rebels. We fought 10 defend our
dwellings and our lives. We were iusu-
fled in what we did by that maxim OF
British law which declares that Il" mans
house is his CASTLE" and by a still higher
and more sacred right, the law Of self-pre
servation, established by the Almighty
himself. So far from regretting his con
duct on that occasion, he said that he stood
se!i-approved, and unhesitatingly declared
that il again placed in a similar situation
he wond repeat it, and so he told the At
torney General of Lower Canada le.he
was 10 prison awaiting trial. And he
was satisfied, whatever the tary faction in
Canada might say 10 the contrary, that,
under the British constitution and laws ne
was guiltless of all offence. So confident
was he of this, that he would learlesSiy
have appeared before his sovereign, aud
defended himself against the accusations
of his enemies, and should have gone 10
England for that purpose, on his return
from Bermuda, had not the loss and de- /
struciion oi his property rendered him des- !
tiiuie OF the means tn make the voyage. |
To Canada, said he, cauGat go for there !
Iusiice cannot be obtained. Its author- /
ties assume a respect for The Constitution /
oi England, only TO cloak their gross and ,
infamous violations il, would rather.
he remarked, live under the despotism of
Russia, than in country governed as
Canada is, for were subject Of the Au-
tocrat, should know that his will was
law, and that had no political rights, and
therefore should not endanger myself nv
attempting 10 exercise any but in Canada
il is otherwise. There we are told that
we are freemen, and that the Constitution
secures TO us certain rights, which neither
the sovereign nor any inferior magistrate
can Infringe Under this assurance we
exercise the liberties of Englishmen, but
the moment we do 50 we are denounced as
traitors, aud price set upon our heads.
this is the freedom which is enjoyed in
Canada.
He said that il had been stated 10 var.
Gus quarters, and especially by Lord Dur {