North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1841-05-12

"1a p8"hhHiehRr1s hHNashts ENg@g way,
aud Instantly, as ii by magic, spprovr oi
that system, against which they had Ia.
bsFed for yearly thirty wears. and rreofn-
mend Submission 10 the Identical laws
which they had denounced as anconstllu-
,ionai, arbitrary and tyrannieai, we are ted
to enquire, what can be the cause Of 40 sod
den and unexpected change The terror
spread among the ioyaiiss az Monucai,
was so great that these saliant Brilons
were already prepared 10 submit to The
Canadian Republicans and were ready 10
make peace al any hazard. The battle Of
ST. Denis had for time sofiened tlleir vim.
dictive dispositions and made them As
harmless as lambs, wholly unwilling 10 do
any injury TO the people and disavowinc
the cruel, harsh and inhuman language OF
the Herald" Yet il could not be sup.
poseddhai Sir John Colborne with his en-.
tcurage, would so speedily yield the con-
test. II he were unable 10 cope with The
patriots 10 the field, he hoped BY bribery,
intrigue, lattery. intimidation and above
all, by British gold, to make new prosely,es
and thereby neutralize the effects af re-
belion, which, on It's ontbfeak, had filed
The old veteran with the mosl lively alarm.
Thus we have seen the Commander Of the
forces employing c. ID. Day and otbef
renegade Americans, 10 influence their
counifymen both in the Canadas and IN the
United States against the patriot cause .
But what will most surprise our readers,
who have observed tile zeal, activity and
patriotism displayed for more than thirty
years by The Honorable ID. b. Viger, Is
the sudden and inexpiicable change in tile
career Of that gentleman, who, Until then,
was the implacable enemy Of lie BRUSH
Government; who had been the constant
and unwavering friend Of the Democratic
party in The Province; who had so ably
employed oil the energies 81 his cultivated
intellect to expose The misdeeds Of the
Colonial authori,ies-yet wien The hour Of
danger arrived, he reiracied- abandoned
his former political friends and was the
first to sign, as magistrate, proclana-
ton advising the people not ID prosecute
any further their design Of resisting Queen
Victoria'S power, bu, 10 submit quietly TO
The iron yoke prepared fur Them On ihe
other side OF the Atlantic ocean. Incredi-
bic as the fact may at first appear, il is but
too true that the Honorable Denis Benia.
min Viger who had constantly, since he
had enteted into the political arena, advo-
Gated democratic principles, and who had
been the terror OF the peoples enemies !;
who had been the right arm Of the Hon.
Mr.. Papneau in his exposition Of British
Colonial turpitude who 10 1898, had been
sent TO England with John Nelson and
Austin CuvilIier, to carry TO the foot Of
the throne the divers petitions Of the people
complaining Of the innumerable grievances
under which the Colony was then groan-
ing who IN 1881, was again sent to Eng
land as Agent Of the House OF Assembly
TO sustain the charges brought by that
body against the greatest tyrant that ever
lived . and who by his great and acknow-
lodged talents, succeeded in efec,ing the
temporary downfall Of the accused who 10
his capacity as Agent Of the House of ASS
emily, had rendered so many essential SER
vices TO bis countrymen il is hut too true,
we repeat, that when the time arrived
when his countrymen, actuated by those
same principles which he had lnculcated
By his powerful eloquence and by. his per-
suasive reasoning, he turned his back
upon them and in his proclamation which
he signed as a magistrate, openly advoca-
ted the maintainance Of British institutions. I
II was no matter OF surprise TO rs, when
we saw Nelson, Cuviliier and Debartzch. I
one after the other, leaving the popular
ranks and siding with the friends Of Co
onial OIgsrchy. Private interest, in the 6rst,
disappointed expectaiions,in the second, ard
nordinaie ambition, in the third, may
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