The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-12-05
EARLY HISTORY-NO. vi.
From the Detroit Free Press.

FROM the Detroit II rec 1Tesb.
Ii Is reported at Montreal in the spring OF
1776 that the rebels" despair OF taking Quebec,
upon which the few royalists OF the city rem
der thanks, internally, TO the Almighty" On
April Is, Gen. Arnold, for soma unexplained
reason, passed up the river in haste for Mon
treal. On April 10 the news reaches Canada
that the English army, under Gen. Howe, has
evac lated Boston. II seems chat the Catholics
OF Canada favored the English. for they had
not become rebels and gwen their souls over
to the DEVIL Much anxiety is felt IN Quebec
that relief should arrive soon and before a sur
render would become necessary.
On May 8, thorn bushes were placed on the
glacis before Quebec, as part OF the means of
resisting an expected assault A rebel fire ship
attempted TO destroy the English shipping IN
the harbor. A Yankee yebsl from before Que
bee reported that the garrison " fired like the
devil" on the besegers, and that the place
could not be taken. On May 6, two English
ships arrived at Quebec with strong reiu-
forcement, and the siege, after having been
continued for SIX months, is raised and teh
" rebel army" retreats up the river. Several
rebel Canadians come into Quebec ashamed of
their behavior, and are as mean IN their sub
mission as they would have been oveIbearing
if the result had been different.
Yankee rebels on the retreat are reported as
wishing that Congress would go to the devil"
The American army retreated in May and June
and thus ended this invasion and attempt to
induce Canada to join in the war of the revo-
luton with the other colonies.
Detroit IN the revolution was held as q Brit
lsh outpost under command Of Lieut. Gov.
Henry Hamilton, who had under him two in
struments by the name OF Dejean and La
mothe, as cruel and as brutal as himself This
was focal point for British intrigue in stirring
up the savages OF the Northwest against the
Americans; and Detroit was made by Hamil-
ton sort OF rendezvous from which TO send
out war parties and then to receive them
home again" with their bloody trophies of
barbarian warfare.
Hamilton offered standing rewards to the
Indians for the scalps OF men, women and
children but none for prisoners and under
the influence OF those offers, Indian war par
ties were known to bring'in prisoners laden
with baggage, and when they arrived near the
quarters Of Hamilton to butcher them, tear of
their scalps and present the latter to him for
th promised rewards, while at the same time
they were welcomed IA victors by the discharge
Of British artillery.
1t 20 happened, Sin the couree OF human
events" that in 1779 Hamilton, Dejean and
Lamothe, in one of their raids. were all caught
like so manv wolves, by the American pioneers
and rangers; and 1t go happened, IN the course
OF other human events, that one Thomas JEFF
ferson was then Governor OF Virginia; ani the
three captives were at once taken to Williams
burg, the then capital OF that State.
The captive army OF Burgoyne was also ther
in Virginia, and while the English prisoners
had been treated with humanity as prisoners
of war, the American prisoners taken by the
enemy were, general thing, treated with
unparalleled cruelty and barbarity. The au.
thor OF the Declaration OF Independence was
not the man to shrink from PLAIN duty, ho y.
ever painful the performance Of it might be
and he determined, by suitable retaliation
and system o. retributive justice, to 2brln.
Clinton, Cornwallis and Rawdon to sense oi
humanity, and to an observance OF the rules o!
civilized warfare. lie accordingly, with the ad
vice OF the Council OF state, ordered Hamilton
Dejean and Lamothe TO be put in irons, to bt
confined in dungeon OF tie pubic gaol, to b,
denied pen, INK and paper and to be.excudet
from all conversation, except with their keeper
This started the hair Of the British officers, VIII
demonstrated with Mr.. Jefferson jefferson
consulted with Washington, and both conclude
that after short exemplary retaliation, th
severity OF imprisonment should be relaxed.
The British commanders perpetrated whs
they called retaliation, ana Mr. Jefferson, VIII
held the cold end Of the poker, expressed hi
surprise to Washington, that the enemy shoul
attempt "to bully US IN this manner and add
ed, I'VE have too many of their subjects in ou
power, and too much iron to clothe them will
to fear their pretended retaliations.' Th
whole proceeding was exceedingly painful I
Mr. Jefferson, but he felt the necessity for
= on our part, and in letter to sufferin
American officer, held by the onemy, he wroi
that "the enemy's iron should be retalste
with iron, and prison ships with prison ships
till they should be brought to their sensss.-
?, This finally took place, and the prisoners wei
!" treated with more humanity for the remsind'
; OF the war.
;, Hamilton, Dejean and Lamoihe were offere
their parole on condition that they should
y inoffensive in word and deed. This Hamiltc
at first refused courting the honor of marty
= which in his case was most absurd, aud aft
> sulking for time in prison. be accepted Il
- conditions and was released.
LEVI BISHOP.
The step-daughter OF John Stuart Mill h