North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-12-05
POLITICAL PENALTIES IN CANADA.

For a period quail to the ordinary life
time of generation of men Canada has
enjoy cd an honorable reputation for tie
magnanlmity aud wisdom of its policy in
regard to those who have broken its laws
under the Influence of political motives.
Thirty years ago that justly distinguish
ed statesmen, Lord DURHAM, then Cover
nor General of the Canadas, in language as
forcible as was compatible with the digni-
ty of his high Office, expressed his disap-
probation of the vlndictive course adopted
to wards the prisoners taken in the then re-
cent rebellion, referring particularly
to the executions of LoUNr and MATTHEWS
two Canadians, whose fault evidently was
not any deficiency of att ,chment to their
country, but that they had loved it unwise
ly, and thus committed acts for which, un-
der'the dominion of a weak and short sight
ed Governor, Sir Francis BOND HEAD,
they paid with their lives the uttermost
penalties prescribed by the laws they had
broken.
The memorable report of Lord DURHAM
initiated "A new era in the colonial policy of
cution of offenders and the costly system of
repressing disloyalty by force, be recon-
mended the redress of colonial grievances
and the development of that system of self
government under which political cemmun-
tiles are usually ready to endure, because
they are self inflicted, burdens ten-fold as
onerous as those against which they are
ready to rebel when imposed on them bv
extraneous governments, giving them no
just or adequate representation.
With the introduction of this change. the
removal of the causes of complaint, disaf
fectIo-. ceased in Canada. The result WAS
in ma degree owing to the deplorable execn-
tons of political offenders. The Canadi
an people, through their Parliament, did
all that renamed in their power to atone
for irretrievable acts. They passed laws
to idemnify the rebels of those days for
their losses. The surviving leaders of the
rebellion. who would have been brouobt 70
the scaffold ifthev could have been apnre-
hended IN Canada at an earlier date, were
permitted to return to the Province VIM.
LYON MACKENZIE the chief inciter of the
movement in Upper Canada, became again
a member of the Colonial Parliament. fully
satisfied with the existing system of govern
ment; and CARTIER, Ofthe Lower Province
became the Minister of the United Provin-
ces, and was the guest of the Queen at
Windsor Castle. Men of less distinction
in public life returned again to their homes.
and the career Of Canada since the adop-
tion of such policy has beeu one of the
most progressive and instructive known in
history. Her friends in the United States
wonId regard with apprehension and the
deepest regret her return to san culinary
policy, initiated by the execution OF the Fe-
niau prisoners now under sentence of death.
Repression by these means will fall If the
evils sustained by the Canadians can ever
be remedied, it is by liberal policy on
the part of the home government toward
the suffering aud disafected members of
the British Empire.
The course of the Canadian government
should be determined no more by Temporal
| ry feelings OF exasperation among their own
people than by boasts of revenge from their
enemies. Those who know the people OF
the Provinces will concur in the opinion
that they are more likely 10 be goaded by
threats, into the acts which the friends of
humanity will regret than that they will
be influenced by cowardly fear. Their
DANCE" is that they may pay so much at
tention to buster as to retalate by acts
whith are beyond remedy or recall, and
forget how well they can afford to over
look any temporary triumph of few un-
reasoning individuals among their enemies,
if they win well-deserved esteem by such
policy of wisdom and magnaminity as
other nations will at once appreciate, and
the cooler verdict of future historians will
further sanction.