The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1875-04-15
Reeolicetlans Of the canadian Rebellion.

A meeting OF the Luna Historical
socioiy was held At lhc ruouia over The
Western Savings bauk last evening,
Judge Sheldon presiding, and Mr.. L. q.
SALISBURY acting as secretary. Alter
the meeting had been called 10 order 1,
number OF persons wtre proposed and
elected resident member, Of the society.
The president then started if there
was no farther business before the So
ciety, The club would listen TO the paper,
by Mr.. Linus w Miller, OF Stockton,
Chautauqua county, entitled Personal
"reminiscences Of the Canadian Rebel
lion, and Sir John Franklin s Treatment
of The Canadian Stale Prisoners in Van
Dieman's Land" Nr. MIler's story:
Starting as a staff officer of Gen. Nc
l,eod, commander-In-chief of the patriot
for es, with the rank Of lieutenant colon
e, and acting under the provincial gov.
ernment of Canada, Mr.. Miller stated
that he spent four months in the spring
aud early summer of 1898, organizing
the disafiectcd inhubitan:s lii aniicipa-
lion Of the uprising on the 4th of July.
On the 14th of April OF that year he
received orders from the provisional
prisoners in Jail at Hamilton, ordered
80 be executed on the 10th inst, and
proceeded to raise a ioic &C Of two hun
dred men, which might easily be made
Two InouSard, sucn was lnecuthu>iasnr
Of the people. Mr.. Miller then related
some incidents OF the horseback journey
to Hamilton, which was reached after
five days. Ec took quarters at the
Queens Arms hotel, where he sax a
handful descriptive of his person
and offering reward for his apprehen-
sion. Another hand bill contained a
proclamation announcing the reprieye
of the men he had come 10 rescue. He
was then passing himself off as a Bos-
I,n broker, but became aware that he
was suspected, or had been betrayed
Mr.. Miller then related how be had
made his escape, but had met, while in
disguise, young Lieut.. Gibson, who
boosted of his exploits AS "a spy among
The patriots. lie afterwards met this /
same LicHt. Gibson ia Buffalo, when on I
one OF his exploits, and only consented !
10 use his influence 10 save the proud |
lieutenant when appealed ia in the name
of his mother. Two weeks later he .
(dillcr) was a prisoner in Niagara Jail, |
charged with being one of the most dan
gerous men to the BRUSH government.
lie there again met Lieut.. Gibson and .
his father, who had not forgotten his /
friendly 2cts, and showed their graft
tude.
Four months later nc (Miller) had
been tried and sentenced to death, bat
his sentence was commGted TO transpor-
iatlon TO Van Dieman's Land, and con-
fined at Fort Henry, one OF the strong
Canadian fOr's. His eXcclIcncy Gov.
Geo. Arthur visited the fort for the pur.
pose OF interviewing the prisoners.
Gov. Arthur was a man Of iron nerves,
and who the prisoners called before him
raid was utterly without pity. When
he (MiIler) was called before him, how
ever, the governor sait ho came as his
friend, and in compliance with the petit
lion OF his friends had agreed TO par
don him on his making certain promises
These were that no should acknowledge .
that he hnd done wrong, promise To 40 )
so no more, and on returning to his
Try to dissuade others from aid
lng the Canadian patriots. These prom.
Uses be refused TO make, ~ II was pur. :
chasing hIs freedom too dearly, and he "
continued prisoner, Sir George Arthur
saying that he still wished to be regard
cd as his friend. ]
Mr.. Miller continued Having said :
what | have of Governor Arthur, turn !.
10 Sir John Franklin, whose melancholy :
fate as an explorer in the Northern re
Gious is well known. have outived
the wrongs | suffered at his hands bat .
his murdered victims still seem to rise :.
ap and challenge me to avenge their ,
wrongs. The first installment of prison y
FRS sent 10 Van Diemans Land only in !,
;luded nine, of whom Benjamin Waite :.
was one, and he has written history Of :.
how they were reduced 10 slavery by "
GOV. John Franklin. On the l7th OF |"
January, 1870, saw Gov. Franklin for :
he first timo. The prison ship Canton :,
lad discharged her cargo aud We were :
nj Hobart Town, Van Dieman's .
Land. Gov. Franklin appeared, strut a
ing with dignity, proudcr than any -,
peacock. The speaker hero describ d :,
lis appearance with some minuteneSs. "
was written ali over him; he :
vas short and large, with an idiotic head, ~
hick lips, an immense mouth and prom -
ncnt check bonds. He made a speech ';
weuty minutes, which he opened bv -
aging: "Iou are all very bad men = -
cry bad indeed He then approached ~
he four state prisoners, who stood in ~
r0nt OF the other men, and included
lys,h, John Grant, James Grenswell W
M Jacob Bemer. He demanded TO I
now who we were, and being told u
Tas an American, he descended into u
NV, vulgar abpsc OF American institu- -
'ons. | said MAY we not hope for al
= good treatment Lore as IN England, h'
'here no labor nor unnecessary severity IN
'as required Of state prisoners" lie al
cplied that he did not know what he al
ouid do for us. A week later tie lie
uperinten3ent sent tor me and asked If W
We wished Is much exercise as TO do AT
Ialf and hours work each morning at b
weeping barracks. He would advise al
hpugh the work would be entirely pa
olun,ary if undertaken on our rant 81
We unfortunately acted on the super &
ntcndent's advice. Mr. Miller then M
cferred to the arrival OF another cargo ca
prisoners and as their samaritan ,h,r,, hU