North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1841-07-03

administration, had already become so
odious that i, was lcsrcd BY bis lrieuas,
that IL would be difficult for his Exeeliercy
TO carry on his government, Bot as .
coun,erpoise far his dcspo,ic dealings tow
ards those devoted victims which hr had
thus maiiciously doomrd 10 persecution,
exile and rain, Lord Durham proclaimed
general amnesty, which however exclu
ded from It's benefits, a number of The po.
liiical prisoners. Political Judicial plur.
ders had AIKEN place in the Upper Prov
| ince, and the deep horton and Indignation
produced BY these bloody and inhuman
deeds, was so apparent, that Lord Durham
| deemed IL not advisable la adopt the snmr
/ bloody and despotic measures 10 the Low
4 er Province, but Al the same time the tory
! faction ol this colony, were anxious TO ser
these prescribed paliiols, explate THEN
| political offences upon the scatlold. Con
seqnently, the cunning and decriiful Gov.
etnor had recourse In an expedirn: very
low aud degrading Tor such a pretended
high character, and by his Crdinence, chap
ter first, $50 provide Tor the security Of
the Province Of Lower Canada", his Ex-
cellencv excluded from the benefits OF the
amesty, ten Individuals AZ being connect
ed with the pretended murder Of Lieut.
Wier and the spy Joseph Choruand. Our
readers have already seen our views on
the legality Of the proceedings OF those
who, in a state Of open war, had found 1t
necessary TO in1ct death upon these men,
we shal therefore refrain from any further
comment. A copy Of Lord Dnrhsm's
amnesty may be found in the appendix,
marked OWL
But few words suffice TO give an outline
OF lord Durham's pompons ard vain ad-
minisiralion, which resulted in total dis
appointment OF all his airy anticpaions.
on leaving the shores OF Eng land for the
Canadian Provinces. AZ soon as his DIES
potic edicis were published in England,
lord Brougham, the champion OF Canadian
liberty, brough, them before the House OF
Lords, whilst similar steps wee adopt
ed in the Commons the ministry could
NOT support lord Durham's acts They
were censured "a bill Of indemnify was
Immediately passed by both Houses and
sanctioned by the Queen, TO retrieve this
fragrant violation oil the Fundamental pt'n-
ciples Of the English Constitution, AMI
lord Durham's partial amnesty was dis-a-
lowed. On the receipt Of this news, the
petulant and naughty Governor General
issued proclamation, explaining his mo-
,ves and teeming with bitter invec'Ive
against the Ministry for Withholding their
cordial support from his measures, and
concluding by stating bis determination to
abandon MS responsible and afduous post
Of Governor. He returned 10 England,
where he published long and able report
on the actual state Of both Cansdas, cor
rect so far as il portrayed the mismsnsee
meat of the officials in the Upper Prov
ince, but replete with the bittefrst and
most ignorant prejudices against the popu
lation al the Lower Province. Indeed
when we reflect that his lordship arrived
in Lower Canada at the end Of May and
left at the beginning Of November, great
part OF his time having been spent in trav-
ersing the lower province and injourneying
through Upper Canada, seldom meeilae
the leaders Of The radical party and con
s,antlv besieged by the tory faction, we
are not surprised that lord Durham com.
mitted such gross errors. His disgrace
and downfall 10 Canada followed him across
the Atlantic, and after q painful existence
er,bittered with the sad recollection OF his
former elevated position in pubic estima'
ton. he descended to the tomb, an example
Of Justly punished vanity, ambition and
despot.sm.
ITO be continued.)
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