North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1841-03-17


NJ March. 1887, laid before The House AZ
Commons, ien resolutions, which were Of
the most coerciYe nature against the con
liberty Of the inhabitants Of
Lower Caaads. II was declared therein,
that 10 the present state Of affairs, il
would DOT be expedient TO render the Leg
islatise CoaGci' elective, nor to give 10 tie
Canadians a responsible Executive govern
ment, and the sum Of Gl42, oO0- ID - c
was 10 be taken from the public chest with
put the consent or authority OF the Colo
nial Government.
4 soon as the news Of the publication
OF the report Of the Royai commission, was
known in Lswer Canada. together with
the PRONUNCIATION Of the ab~e ten resou-
lions which had passed by an overwhem-
ing majority in the House of Commons,
and unanimously in the House Of Lords,
deep despair was manifest from one end al
the Province 10 the other. The county Of
Rieheeu took the lead, and al a public
meeting called for that purpose, eensnted
in the most uumeasured terms, this flag
RAM violation OF the peoples tights. They
declared that they looked upon the British
Government, as a government Of mere
physlca force and appealed to God alone
for the blessings Of liberty enjoyed under
a free and more equitable government.
AT the same, they openly advocated the
practice OF smuggling into the Province.
these goods, on which they would other
wise be obliged to pay duties, which would
only serve to increase the Provincial de-
posites that were now 10 he used, by the
Imperial authorities against the will oi
those, who, with their money were con-
tributing TO the accumulation OF the re-
venues in the Provincial chest. They al
50 declared that, In the present state Of the
country, ii was expcdirft, IN order to ct
feet the redemption oil the Province, in i'm
ilslion of the example set them by Ire
land, to rally around the standard Of dis
ting uishcd individual, whom God had de-
signed, like O'Corneil To he the political
chief and redeemer Of his country, & who
Tor this purpose had been endowed with
uncommon talents, aud with energy Of
mind unsurpassed by any. Hating OPP
preston, loving his countfy, unsubducd
with fair promises or by menaces, that
man was the Honorable LIS. Joseph Papn-
eau for whom they even, as in Ireland,
proposed TO levy a tribute on the people.
Ii was evident from the tyranncal snd
oppressive measures adopted by the I'M
pefaI Government against Lower Canada
that, there was spirit Of determination in
the constituted English authorities, to car
nv out their nefarious designs against the
liberties OF the people Of Lower Canada
II was also evident, that the people would
not submit tamely and without complaint,
Ia this unconstitutional and desp0tic en-
cfoachmeut upon their dearest rights.
The interests, of the crown Of England in
Lower Canada, were thereby entirely sep
arated from those of the people. The
English officials were trying unlawluhy 10
grasp the money ol the people, hence it
became their duty TO resist, by al! consti-
tutional means within their power, the VIC
latien Of their constituted rights. A COM
plete organization had existed for long
series of years among those who, for
long time, had premediiatcd this wanlon
and shameful attack upon the Consitu-
ton OF Lower Canada, and ii was there
fore the duty Of the people,t organize mn
mediately SO as TO repel this Invasion Of
their sacred privileges. For an organza-
ton to be complete, a leader was necessary,
and whom could the Canadians select more
worthy or better qualified, than a man
who like Mr.. Pspineau, had spent more
than thirty years of his life in the political
srena.S who till then had always borne the
character Of an unfinching, inconuptible
and tried friend Of the peoples cause. We
cannot then cast any censuTe on the choice
af The freeholders Of Richelieu, as far as
e....sn r-u.s. &c nniitieHl ea3pr