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


tlheation OF witnessing the failure OF his
most sang interpretations.
Many Of the friends Of the political pris-
ouers who were lingering 10 the Jail Of
Montreal, had been led by some of their
correspondents in England, to hope that
Lord Durham on his arrival in The Prov
nce, Would grant general amnesty with
out any restrictions whatever. For fear o,
compromising their imprisoned friends, the
patriots had thought prudent not 10 peti.
lion his ExceIlcncy for the liberation Of
those who were cruelty suffering 10 crow
ded and filthy lails,-whiie on the other
side, Lord Durham seems To have been
rather in doubt what course 10 pursue
He was afraid that il he liberated the 30.
IiticaI prisoners without any conditions
whatever, the loyaists would he dissatisfied
and oppose his administration, yet his
Lordship too well knew the real feelings o.
the great mass OF the people 10 expect,
tina, by fair and impartial trial by jury,
he could convict any OF the prisoners OF
the crime Of High Treason. Ii was the
Crown that had rebelled against the peo-
pie, who had taken up arms in their own
defence. The mex, expedient, contempla.
led by his Excelleney, was to appoint a
special commission to try the prisoners,
and i seems that he was fuy bent on thai
project, had he not succeeded in shame
fully and neanly extorting rom some Of
the prisoners, a written confession in which
they acknowledged their guilt and pu,
themselves under the immediate disposal
of his Excelency. To effect this object,
Lord Durham made use of a plant tool
named John Simpson, collector of Her
Majesty's Customs at Coteau du Lac, in
the county OF Vaudreuil. This individual
called upon the prisoners and after some
preliminary conversation with them, he
advised them TO petition Lord Durham and
at the same time, he invited about twenty
of the prisoners 10 sign document which
he handed to them. The paper was read,
revised and very essentially altered, and
after much consultation and deliberation,
eight OF the prisoners, at The head OF whom
was the gallant Hero Of 81. Denis, signed
the address to Lord Durham, which may
be found in the appendix, (s.s.) We
forbear to make any harsh expressions
concerning this document, in which fiat
teriEg and undrserved compliments are
Iavished upon the Representative of a
murderous Queen. However, we can but
deprecate The act as contrasting with the
noble conduct OF the brave and generous
Leader at St. Denis; and could he no,
plead that patriotism and philanthropy
alone influenced him to subscribe his I'M
suIlied name TO that adulatory address, we
should be forced 10 ccnsure the deed. But
when we consider that by thus Offering
themselves as victims upon the altar oi
their country, they were instrumental IN
re establishing peace and tranquility in
distracted Province, opening the prison
doors 10 hundreds of their countrvmen
and thereby restoring TO their homes and
families, fathers, husbands, brothers and
sons who had been so cruelty and inhu-
manly torn from their parents, wives, sisters
and chiIdren,-we respect, we applaud the
motive but regret the act, though such
philanthropic and high-souied motives are
enough 10 exonera,e Them from blame, tor
having affixed their signatures to a paper
which la sded one OF the instruments OF
Colonial FassaIsge.
II would appear that Lord Darham did
not find this address of the prisoners as
explicit as he wished, and Mr.. Simpson
was again sent back to the Jail and alter
having submitted TO the prisoners, His
Excellency's objections, obtained from
them a second letter more explicit, which
will be found in the appendix, O-D The
next news which the sigHers OF these letters
TO Lord Durham, received, was that they
were TO be transported to Bermuda as