North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-09-02

John Black.
The FIRST witnes. who was heard on the
part of The Crown against the prisoner,
was an individual from Montreal, named
William Barnard, another infofmer who
alter having soemnly pledged his word 10
the too contding McI.sne, went and sold
him 10 British Magistrate of MONTREAL
by The name oi MeCofd, who advised the
witness TO continue apparently friend Of
the prisoner so as 10 get out of him oil he
could which infamous coarse the witness
IN court declared he had pursued. His
testimony consisted in saying tha, In July
1876 he had met McLane at the Provincial
line, that this individual told him OF his plan
olsecuring Canada TO the French Republic,
which was In send an army and fleet
for that purpose. That he (McLanel
had then urged the witness 10 take an ae-
tive part 10 this affair but that he (lhe
witness) bad declined. Tha, n few DAYS
afterwards he met the prisoner at Moui-
real, who again solicited him (the wiiness)
TO join 10 his plan, but was again refused.
That in November OF the same wear, the
witness saw the prisoner once more at
Laprarie where again he (McLanc)
told the witness that things were progress
ing rapidly and that Canada mfgbi he con-
sdered as conquered. The remaining
part OF the testimony Of this witness
was unimponant. We shall now hear
the second witness, who was the ever in.
famous & despistd traitor Elmer Cushing.
He testified that he had known Mr.. Nc
Lane for eleven years, that the prisoner
was at his (wiiness) house in the proceed
ing November where after having admin
istercd the oath OF secrecy to the witness,
he (the prisoner) made him acquainted
with his plan of conquering the Province
OF Canada for the French Republic, & that
that Mr.. Adet the French Minister az
Philadelphia had employed him (McLsne)
for that purpose. That 10 convince him
(Cushing) that he tthe prisoner) was
saying the truth he opened his trunk from
which he took a pair of shoes, and from
between the sole Of one of them he (pri-
soner) pulled paper signed cadet"
That he (McLane) told him then that he
was going to Philadelphia TO relate TO Mr..
Adet all the Information he had gathered:
that perhaps he would go 10 France and
then return to Philadelphia, and that GER
tanly he (McLane) would visit Canada
again in the Spring. That the project
was to attack Quebec and Montreal al the
same time; that the government Of the
latter place had been promised TO him
(the prisoner). That he had visited the
mountain behind the city Of Montreal and
had found il commanding the town. That
he (rhe prisoner) had told him (the wit.
ness) that several persons Of influence on
the lines OF the Province were engaged in
the plo, and that these men were 10 enlist
each certain number Of soldiers; that the
arms and munitions Tor their soldiers and
for as many Canadians as would join 10 the
rebellion, would be furnished from France
through the United States. Such is the
summary Of Cushing's testimony against
McLane. Cross examined by Mr.. Frank
lin one of McLane's counseIs, he said he
had received no reward nor promise of re-
ward from the Colonial Administration.
Yet this man under the solemn obligation
OF an oath in 1926, mad the barefacedness
in bis pamphlet to ayow that he would not
consent giving TO The Colonial Adminis.ra-
lion any informations in his possession
concerning McLane's plot, before the
Governor bad solemnly pledged himself
through the Attorney General Mr.. Jona-
than Sewell that the Township of Ship
ton should as early as possible, be granted
TO me- aud to my associates in lots OF
10 ,0oY acres each.''. One OF the two fol.
lowingeonseqoences must be deduced from
the two conflicting assertions Of DIR.
Gushing. That he either perjured him
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