Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-08-10
M | S G. F. l. l. A n Y 3,
From the PlcJian.
TWO YEARS IN VAN DIEMAN'S LAND.
BY JAMES GEMMELL.


the su1erings and hardships Of number
of brave men who were transported to
Van Dicman's land for the part they took
in The political troubles Of Canada in 1887
and '38, is not offered to the public with
view to excite angry feelings between
the people Of this country and Great Brit
an, whose vast energies may be far better
directed for their own welfare and that of
the human race than in waging against
each other, long, bloody, and dcsoIatlng
wars, ENGINEERING bitter feelings, d strov-
ing or manning thousands, perhaps hun
dreds OF thousands; Of the bravest popula-
ton, delaying The beneficial influences of
education and useful industry, and seldom
accomplishing the immediate objects in
view SO judicousIy Though at infinitely
greater cost as the patient exercise of Just
remonstrancc, friendly communication and
able and honest agency by good men
would have done. My desire is TO inter-
est :hc benevolent, true hearted and kind
people Of America and Britain and through
them their respective governments, for the
liberation and restoration to their friends,
families and homes, of my truly unfortu
nate companions who yet remain in cap
tvity or Van Dicman's Land; and as am
the first Of the Canadian or American
| prisoners taken at Prescott, Winsor or the
Short Hills, who has been enabled by the
blessings Of a kind Providence to escape
from the tcrrors Of that far distant prison
house, earnestly cntreat the editors Of
newspapers Of all parties; to lay the state
mo | m loH 10, hot Cor bo;,
pcctivc subscribers and readers.
In brief notice Of my arrival in this
city, your contemporary of the Herald dcs-
crIbes me as a native of Ncw-I ork. This
is mistake. | was born in Lilmarnock
in Scotland, omigrated in infancy TO this
city with my father and his family, Joined
my uncle, Mr.. James Reid, formerly land
steward to Col. Wynn, near Sligo) at the
gore of Toronto in my 18th year, and
continued an inhabitant Of Upper Canada,
until the troubles four years ago, in which
| took an active and decided part against
Sir f. Head, the agent Of the British gov
crnmCnt.
was then in my 23d year, and little
| disposed to quarrel about forms Of govern
mont but had witnessed an accommodation
Of real expressions and acts Of injustice
| which | could see no other way to get rid
observation-disclosures TO the Legislature, or
by Il TO the British power in the colony, or
England had long proved unavailing, dep
! uta,lon succeeded deputaton to London,
with no success. The English government
acknowledged the Justice Of our complaints
and said they had sent Sir Francis Head
to redress them, and he proved more
corrupt and partial ruler than any Of his
predecessors. Lower Canada was still
worse used than us, and as had voted for
the resolution to make common cause with
her, kept my word, our interests being
the same.
was taken prisoner at the Short Hills,
carried before Sir George Arthur, and
promised a full and free pardon if would
| tell all knew of the conduct Of w. Mus
son, WIN. kctcham, and the Messrs. Mac
klntosh of Toronto, whom he said he sus-
! pccod, but lacked Evidence to convict. |
declined freedom on these terms, was tried
before Judge Jones at Niagara, in August
1888, with fifteen others, sentenced to be
executed, but afterwards ordered to Van
Demands Land.
In November Of that year, sailed from
Quebec for New England, with John G..
Parker and p others, on the 22nd Of Sept
1889, was placed on board the Canton, a
British convict ship, with Miller, of Chau-
tauque, and two others, and carried 10 Ho-
bart Town, where VIC arrived on the 18th Of
Jan. 1910; the distance from our homes
being, as am informed, about $4,000
miles.
The American prisoners taken at Win
sor and Prescott, reached Van Dicman's
Land, month after us in the Buffalo,.
The Lower Canada prisoners were taken
thence to Sidney; in Australia, where their
treatment, as learn, was better than ours.
The interesting part of my narrative
begins here. Very few letters from reia-
tivos or friends have been permitted to
reach them. believe | am acquainted
with all the political prisoners; and except
one or two letters from Mrs. Waite to her
husband and one from Mahlon Burwell, a
loyalSt member of the Canadian Parlia-
mcnt, 10 his nephew, Mr.. Turril, knew
of no letters received on the island by any
prisoner during the two years was there.
1t was the wish Of our jailors that we
should forget our far distant homes and be
forgotten there.
Letters in the Albany Journal, from AL
yin Is. Sweet, and in the Norwich Journal
from EIIzur Stevens, are no doubt genuine
but no prisoner would dare to tell his
sutferings in letter. or if he did, the au-
thori'ies would dctain it and punish him.
Besides the above two have been shown
in this city, letter published in the Ohio
Statesman, signed by Mitchell Monroe, Of
Toledo, Wood county, Ohio. The facts
stated by him arc correct, but remember
of no such person on the Island, and be-
ieve that the letter is from a prisoner
whose real name is suppressed for fear of