North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-07-01

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These atfocious ouirsges were commit.
ted upon the rights and liberties Of British
subjects, while the U. States were yet At
war with the mother country, and the
least suspicion was sufieient cause for ihe
immediate arres, and incarceration Of any
man. Ffenchmen and French Canadians
were more particularly, the special objects
Of English hatred.
To give the reader some idea Of the
crueIties Of the British at that time, we
copy the following from Du Calvet's letter
TO the Canadians -
The history Of my Imprisonment sc
lec's, stirs, and undoubtedly, softens kind
hearts, but governments never pque them
selves upon their tenderness. In these
bloody days, the first quality Of a minister
consists oil consummage insensfbility. To
Judge oil ministers generally by their
acts we should take them for men entirely
destitute OF all feeling, and who glory nI
| ceasnp TO be human beings. Bot the his
tory OF The captivity ri whole people or
OF large numbers chained together. or
subject TO be put in irons at the mere within
ol their governor, ought ut least 10 alarm
the administration OF the country because
such a calamity, such general oppression
IS always harbnger OF approaching revo-
lutlons. Such is the horrible situation un.
der which the province Of Quebec has
groaned and is yet groaning. could count
by hundreds the companions of my cap
tlvlty, taken from the most respectable
class Of the people.
Names Of the principal gentlemen who
were prisoners with me at Quebec -
Valentine Jaulaud, Larger,
Fleury Mespet, printer,
FRANCOIS Cazeau, merchant,
Charles Hay, do.
Louis Carignan, do.
Joseph Dnlort, do
Pellon, surgeon,
Burton, baker,
Bostwck,
Williams,
La Terriere. Director Of the Forgts,
La ValIee, blacksmith,
Jacques Noel, shoemaker,
HameI,
Cazetty, Al
Faucher,
Lehert, junior,
Cazeau, do.
D'HeIzen, do.
The inquisitions OF Spain and Portu-
gal when IN The height Of their mona
chal lanaticism, never filled their internal
dungeons with greater rapidity than the |
state imposition, established at Quebec |
during the late troubles, filled the mill |
tary prisons Of that civ. The mere men |
ton OF The name Of Bostonians, even pro-
nonnced with Indifference, was a sure
passport FOR lodging in one Of the damp
cells. Not only that, but the bare susp- |
clon Of not abhoring that name was
crime Against the state sufficient to cause |
at once The incarceration of citizen. The
Canadians were taken by dozens or more
at once, and torn from their families no
regard was paid TO the tears Of father or
a mother, of a wife or young children, who
were doomed 10 certain ruin by the incar
ceration OF their friends. Tie Cancedur,
Ga prison-ship) was very soon overloaded
with these victims so large was the num-
her condemned 10 bad nourishmcnt and 10
nth, that they were very soon visited with I
infectious diseases (; contagion spread i
over the ship and would have extended 10
Quebec, had not the vessel been removed
to the Island of Orleans, a few miles be-
low the city.
In the midst Of all these horrors, as If to
increase their ravages, Gen. Hadimand
under the pretence Of economy, reduced
the rations Of the prisoners. The CAPTAIN
of the prison-ship, recollecting that he be-
longed to the human species, thought he
could allow one OF the prisoners 10 90 and
beg, from the inhabitants of the island,
some provisions to support his Unfortunate
companions. Ii was not long before these
w!eicbed men were reduced 10 complete
uakedness, peTishing with hunger and want.
Vainly did they petition the governor for
a trial. More than thirty men were con-
demned 10 expire in all the agonies OF star
walton, rendered q thousand times more
horrible by their nudity. II
A large number OF the prisoners belong
ing TO respectable class of citizens, had
spent the last OF their fortune, to mitigate
their snfTerings. They were so much re- '
duced as to appear Ike skeletons, and in |
their nakedness were revolving 10 human
nature. Some well-meaning persons in-
spired bv christian charity, went from
aouse tn house 10 solicit dOnetionS in lsvot I