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h-
18?)7
MY CONNECTION WITH IT
BY
THOMAS STORROW BROWN
-♦-•-^
QUEBEC KAOUL KEI^AIIT/r, Publisher
1898
m
%j
1837
' ' MY COIMCTIOI WITH IT
BY
THOMAS STORROW BROWN
■» •^
QUEBEC Rx\OUL RENAULT, Publisher
1898
2 4 6 4 2 7
• 59
g R D U^ N jT r.
^
1837
1837
AND MY CONNECTION WITH IT (1)
1') CRN ill St. Andrews, Province of New Brunswick, 1 ^y Jim a '••good Tory," and not. of a Revolutionary stock. My fatlKn-'B fatlier, a Boston Tnorchant, sacrificed hia all for tlie Royal cause, and left for Halifax with General Gage, when Boston was evacuated, in 1776. My mother's mother emigrated from Postmouth to New Hrunswick, with a daugliter married to Ca[)tain Storrow, of the British army, from wliora my name was taken. She was a *' Wentworth, '* cousin to dolm Wentworth {afterwards Sir John, Governor of Nova Scoti;i), the last Royal Governor of New Hampshire ; niece to Sir Benning, his predecessor ; and gran«ldaughter to John Wentwortli, who preceded him. These three " Went- worths" — father, son, and grandson, — having governed New Hampshire for more than forty years.
(1) This :\it !'•!«> \va.s originally publislicd iii the New Dominion Monfhh/, \()\. IV, nuinbor ono, .^in'il, IHi'.'.t. It is now entirely out of the reaoh of n"arly Jill of oin' i-f^atlers. We thought it proper to reprint it, as it contains some interesting particulars in relation with jj^e Rebellion of IS.}?.
The Neiv Dominion Monthly has been foumlecl in 1868, and has subsisted, I think, until 1873. It contains several important historical papers by Bourinot, LeMoine, Rev. Rand, and others. The complete fyle iu scarce and worth to be ke])t in record. — R. K.
— 6 —
When, at fifteen yoart* of age, I came to Montreal, in the year J 818, I was already a politician from much reading of newspapers ; but forming rny ideas of wliat was right in men and things mostly from the lessons contained in '* riutaroh'a Lives." In the same year the Parliament of Lower Canada was for the first time called upon to make provision for the . " Civil List," which included payment of all ]>rovincial sal- aries, in accordance with an ofler made in 1810.
In tliose days there was no '' Responsihle Government " in the colonies, and no Colonial Ministry. Each had a House of Assembly elected by the people, a Legislative Council ap- pointed for life by the C'rown, and a Governor, who was some old military otlicer left on tlie hands of tlie Home Mi- nistry by the Peace of 1815, and who knew little of govern- ing beyond the word of command. The Executive Council, responsible no where, and to nobody, was a mere council of advice. That in J^ower Canada became a controlling power. The representatives of the peoj)le could debate and vote, but there were no means of carrying out their decisions.
Our Parliament had at this time cxisteil for nearly thirty years, with nominally all the powers of the British House of Commons ; but in the long period when our insufficient revenue required that a large portion of the " Civil List," or expenditure for provincial purposes, should be [laid from the \^itary Chest — that is, the British Treasury, through tlie Commissariat — the Assembly could hardly question the expenditure, or its particular distribution.
1 shall in this article use the words " Canadian ", and " English", as the French use them and according to our
- -7- •_
common acceptation here, — the ftrst moaning none but French Canadians ; and the second, all who are not French Oanadiaiis. With the call upon the Assembly to provide for the Civil List, came the protest that culminated in 1837. The Assembly was Canadian, and, acting upon its positive right, demanded that all the revenue of the Province, should be placeil at its disposal. The official body, including sinecurists and pluralists, being mostly English in numbers, and more 80 on the pay-list, instinctly foresaw reduction for their order. The Legislative Council, not a mere obedient appendage like the Legislative Councils of our day, or the "Senate", was a vigorous English body ; and, taking part with the office- holders, put itself in direct antagonism to the Assembly. A great portion of the legislation demanded by the people through the Assemblj'- was thrown out by the Council, till in the en«l there was an accumulation of over three hundred bills, passed by the Lower House, and thrown out by the Upper; and various governmental irregularities were com- mitted, against continued remonstrances. : , /
The constant demand of the Assembly for all the revenue, was met by tardy concessions by the British Government year after year, only to increase irritation ; till in the end, as should have been in the beginning, all was surrendered. Then came the voting of supplies. The Assembly, having no other check on the Government, on the office holders, insisted on voting salaries annually and separately to each service or individual. The Governor, supported by the Council, insisted that they should be voted en bloc, — in a lump sum — and for a term of years, to be devided by the
— 8 —
Executive ; and thus the conduct of public affairs became so insufferable that, in 1828, a deputation from Canadians (there had been deputations in former years) carried home' a petition, signed by 87,000 people, which was laid before a Committee of the House of Commons. Tlie Committee entered fully upon the question, gave the delegates a full" hearing, and by a report sustained the House of Assembly in its allegations or grievances, but left the remedy in the hands of Government.
Promises of redress were profuse, but in the multiplicity of reforms required at that time of the British Ministry, ours were overlooked till 1835, when Lord Gosford, a good- natured Irish gentleman, of n^^ political capacity or knowledge, was sent out as Governor, accompanied by an ex-captain of Engineers, and an excejitric Indian judge to act with him as " Commissioners" to in(piire into our grievances. The insult of appointing a commission to imj[uire into facts that had been re-echoed for fifteen years, when the Parliament of the Province could be tht; only inquest, was only equalled by the imbecility of selecting three men utterly incompetent for the task. The Commission was never recognized by our Parliament, nor did the British Ministry suppose it would be. It was sent out as a make- shift ; and its reports, in which in turn each Commissioner differed from his colleagues*, ended with the printing.
Lord Gosford, however, did something. He gave at Quebec a St. Catherine's ball, and, to the disgust of all loyal Britons, gave the chief place to a Canadian lady ; which disgust waa
amplitield by concessions of many things, before withheld, and 11 judicious bestowal of offices to certain Canadian poli- ticians. On return, a portion of the Quebec wing of what wan now called the " Papineau Party " split off, and desired reconciliation. Satisfied with whnt thev had in hand, and promises of more, they declare that the cry for reform meant revoluuon.
To no parly in a colony does the Biitish nation, at home and abroad, owe so much as to the *"• Papinciiu Party", to which I had the honor ol" beintc attached. To no man born in a colony does the British nation, at home and abroad, owe po much as to T^ouis Joseph Papineau, — one who, by that spirit that in heroic times falls upon choosen men, towered gigjintically amidst his coinj^eers. Though here the stuggle was presented as a contest between the French and English, in other colonies it was distinctly between the people and the colonial oligarchy.
In 1887, thcn^ was chroni(! disaffection in every British cohiviv, find each was besicijins: the Colonial ( )ffice for redresH of grievances, having their common sourec in the contest of people, speaking through their Houses of Assembly, and (yolonial Office holders supported by imbecile Governors, through an irresponsible Legislative Council. The unwaver- ing deternjination "f the Papineau Party forced (piestions to their ultinuite decision ; and the British (lovermnent, when awakened to the necessity, with a inngnanimity seldom found in history, acknowledged the tirrors of the past, and noticed all the colonies that henceforth their own government should be in their own hands, aJid her authority never again be
— 10 —
invoked against their rights. From that time to this there has been no colonial disloyalty, discontent, disaffection, or complaint. The question in England then wan, how sliall we keep the colonies? The quoption now is, how can we shake them off?
The scHsion of Parliament in 183G was, like its predeces- sors, one of strife between its Lower and Upper House, and ended without a vote of supplies. We then owed no public debt; there were no public creditor!^, exeejil the provincial oiFiciuls. There was for their payment one hun<lred an<l forty thousand pounds in the provincial chest, but without the "vote" not a shilling could be paid ; and, troni tlie judges downwards, all were suffering for want of their "arrears".
Thus matters dragged till the 7th ol March, 1837, when that great constitutional statesman, Lord John Russell, in the spirit of an absolute despot, introduced into the House of Commons a series of resolutiotis, authorizing the Governor of Lower Canada to draw from the Provincial chest this one hundred and forty thousand pounds, and pay offallarreara of salary, without waitjjig for a vote of our House of Assem- bly, which, vested so far as concerned the Province with all the powers and privileges of the House of Commons, had the sole control. Many members, who expressed the true Bristish heart, protested against huch anti-British and unwarranted resolutions, and told us we should be a disgrace to the British name and to hnnumity if we did not resist them to tlje uttermost ; but they were carried by a great majority in the Httnse ; and in the Lords, Lord Brougham was the only dissident.
— 11 —
Lord Jolin, however, become frigthened with his own success. lie siiid, in answer to inquiries, that he shouhl not act upon the resohitions, but brin^ a bill. Though twitted by Lord Stanley — now Earl Derby — the bill did not appear ; and in June, uf'tcr the accession of our beloved Queen, he declared tliat, not wishing to commence the reign with so " harsh " a measure, he wonld (Irvp the rrsolutions, and add one hundred ami forty thousand, pounds to the army estimates, to enable the Governor to pay all the arrears from, the military chest, and wait the return from the province to a convenient season. And so it was done. The commissariat o]>tained the money bv spe( ial bill> sold in New York, and commenced paying salaries on the 1-th of Octobiir.
But the mischief was done. The news of the j>assage of tlio rcsohitiona set the country in a blaze in April, and the newsoftliis wretched ending only reached us in August, when the tire was too wide-spread to bi> smothered. Had Lord .lolm Riisscll [iroposed in March ro bornnv from the military elK'>t, instead of to rob our own, there wonld have been no '' rroni>k's «>f l8-^>7." Whatever may have been the offences of that vear. his offence was the "greatest, and ho the greatest of all otfcmlers.
Our organs, the Vindicator and Mincrve, takijig their direc- tion from the philosophic democrats of the House of Oora- niinis, on the 14th of April, sounded the key-note, — " Agi- tate, agitate," — and (piickly came responses from all parts. Parties became nrraved in most viuient antagonism. On one side were all the Catuidianjf with the exception of a small
10
party in Quebec atul a few straggle/rf, the Catlioli-' Irisb, and a few scattering Englisli. On tlie otlior side w to all thtr Englisli, witl) the above exceptions, and aonie in the town- ships, who only iif the eounty of Missirifpjoi rnailo any great denioiiKtrution. •
There being no Parliiinient in session, <»r likely to be called, the peopleiould only speak by public meetings, which it was decided should bt^ held by counties, l\''(;helieu led oft", uiulei' the inijx'tuosity of Wolfrcd Nelson, on the 7th of Nfay. Montreal followed on the loth of May, at St. Laurent, to consider the means necessary to protect the rights and liber- ties of the people, and Mr. I'apineau spoke for hours. Neither at those meetings, nor in anv that followed in county after county, from May t*) August, was any revolutionary [tropo- sitions ado)>te<l, — the wliolo subject of addresses and resolu- tions hemg a reiteratii»n of the co-mjilaints of maladminis- tration in the (tovoi-nmiuit and neglect of our petitions, declarations of approval ol" t\n^ House of Assembly, and of the ]*ajtineau Party, and demands for redress. iVU that went beyond this was to use no article of liritish maimfacture, and by the use, encourage domestic matiufactures ; and so far as conceriu'd other mer<'handize, to evade tlie payment of duties by encouraging the smuggling frcmi the States, on the prin- ciple tliat, the j)ayment of imposts to a Government, and the legal expeditu re of the ])roceeds by the Government, were reciprocal obligations, atid that when the law was violated, th« first wat* dissolved.
T i ad for years been a steady adherent of the Papitieau Party, at a pecuniary and social sacritice, inevitable to him
— 13 —
who \h separated from those who may be considered his own people, and found in stormy times ranked with an opposing party, alien in blood and language. The reply to that article of the capitulation of 1759, vvliieli required safe guard for the Canadians was, " They are subjects of the King." In 1791, a free Parliament was granted to them, and it appeared to me that manliness in the British people forbade the with- holding of any right from a handful of French descent, that the fortunes of war had left in British territory. I saw, too, in their pretensions, the same principle that had been con- secrated by the triumphs of the British Commons in their victories over the " Trerogatives " in time past ; and felt that an instructive ilread of French supremacy, which I could not share, alone prevented the entire people from n)aking com- mon cause against such a Government and Colonial Office as we had. There was someting excitingly chivalric in devotion to a cause where one had everything to lose and nothing to gain.
Coming into town in the morning of the 20th June, I met the late James Duncan Gibb, who informed me that Lord Gosford had issued a proclamation forbidding the holding of public meetings— or "Anti-Coercion Meetings" as they where called. " This," said I, " is more than Bi-itish subjects can subnjit to. Not only will the county meetings already called be held, but we will hold one in Montreal ; " and this I repeated to his party, before reaching any one of my own.
An Anti-Coertion meeting in Montreal involved serious considerations, of riot and bloodshed, with which, in the bitter tnmult of the previous ten years, our city was familiar. I
_ 14 .-
vehemently urged the necessity of defiance to the proclama- tion in Montreal, as encouragement to the country, which might consider us poor braggarts who only dared to show themselves where there was no man to oppose. Timid counsels had well nigh prevailed when, at one of our discussion, a young man in the corner, who I never heard speak in public before or since, came out so violently m favor of the meeting that none present dared to vote " No." The meeting was held on the St. Lawrence Market, on the 29th of June, and all passed off quietly. The English held an opposite meeting about the same time, but no collision occurred. They also held, during the summer, several meetings in the city, and some small ones in the country, to denounce the proceedings of the Canadians.
The meeting in Montreal, as I expected, gave new vigor to country meetings. Justices of the Peace and militia offi- cers, as conspicioua men, figured frequently as movers and seconders of resolutions. The Governor, through his Secre- tary, Mr. Walcott, addressed letters of inquiry to those per- sons, and getting back somewhat sancy answers, they were peremptorily dismissed. The Executive should never have noticed these demonstrations. An imbecile opposition only gave them greater consequence. The proclamation was treated with great contempt.
An active moving power in our machinery of agitation was the "Permanent and Central Committee", which held open sittings at the Nelson Hotel, in Montreal, attended by the ardent Canadians of town and country. Here every movement in all parts of the province was echoed and
— 15 —
apx)laudecl, and new ideas were sent forth for action elao- where. Here, too, militia officers and magistrates who had incurred Executive displeasure were glorified ; country nota- bles, often made " Chairman ", went home elated with the honor, especially when seen in print.
Though the Gosfordites were strong in Quebec, Papineau was stronger in the neighboring counties, and one of the largest Anti-Coercion meetings was held at St. Thomas. Doctor Tachc — afterwards the Premier, Sir Ltienne, — was indicted for assaulting a man wlio at this meeting shouted, 'llourra pour le Roi des Anglais^ — " Hurrah for the English King " !
Our Parliament assembled in the middle of August. Gosford had in a manner, during the past two years, promised many unaccomplished thing;?. lie had no answer for old complaints, and the Assembly, declaring that the redress of grievances must precede all legislative action, separated without waiting for the hasty prorogation intended by the Governor. Thus ended the last Parliament of Lower Canada.
Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm of the district of Montreal, or the intelligence with which the questions of the day were understood. The houses along the roads we took to public meetings were decorated. Crowds stood for hours listening to speeches and resolutions. In going to the Napierville meeting, the train of vehicles behind us must have been over two miles long. On one occasion, when Mr. Papineau came from St. H^acinthe by the way of St.
Charles to Vereheres, and up the river to Montreal, the
%-
— 16 —
people turned out en masse, and conducted liini from parish to parish.
Though 80 politically active, 1837 was commercially a hard year. Owing to a general faihireoi crops in 1836, wheat was imported from Europe to New York, to sup^dy western want. Many cargoes from the continent, were landed at Quebec, and some were purchased for Tapper Canada. Nor was wheat the only article ; even pork and butter were imported at a profit. All the American Banks suspended specie payment in May. Ours followed immediately, except the Bank of Upper Canada, which the Governor would not permit to do till some months afterwards.
Matters were not gloomy with leading politicians, who paused and hesitated ; but the masses in their movement, headed by men newly warmed to public action, saw no bar- riers. Annoyed at the timid counsels that nearly stopped our Montreal meeting in June, I iuid projected a " Young Man's Party" ; but met with noencouragemeirt till the end of August, when I found that a number of Young Cana- dians had formed an anisociation, called the " Sons of Liberty," to which 1 at once attached m^'self. It was in two divisions ; the one civil, of which Mr. Ouimet, a young lawyer, Avas President, and our late mayor, Mr. Beaudry, Vice-president ; the other military. The city was divided into *' sections", the young men of each, being under a chief, Chef de Section, I was choosen general ; and we speedily became the most offending of the oftcnders, holding frequent meetings, and marching in strong numbers.
i
\
— 17 —
I had, in 1836, comraencjed a series of letters published in the New York Exp) ess, over the signature of " L. M. N.", whicli, at first, presumed to proceed from high authority, were every where republished, and commented on like mani- festoes of a party. They had reached the twelfth number, threatening armed resistance, and were now known by our party to be solely published by me on my sole responsibility. I was a constant writer for the Vindicator, and autlior of many " imprudent " articles. I had, perhaps, attended and spoke at more public meetings than any other man, and none had more to do with their organization, I was everywhere, day and night ; one of the youngest of the actors, every- where active, everywhere enthusiastic, everywhere confident. My hand was on the plough, and I looked not back. The Government of the country was at a dead lock. I saw no remedy but to push on the movement we were engaged in to its ultimate results, let that be wha*. it might.
Ardent, <levoted, dcKinterested, and fearless of conse- quences, with no enmity against any one, and no self-object in view, I felt impelled by a necessity that can alone be understood or appreciated by those who, in times of peril, find themselves forced into prominence. The course taken by our party was the true one. Thirty years' reflections con- firms the opinion that we pursued a right course, and the only one open; We could not silently submit to Russell's resolutions. We could only protest by public demonstrations. They were legal, and we were, as British subj ts,- right in resisting their suppression ; and when, in the end, illegal
2
— 18 —
warrants for high treason were issued, we were jut<titieJ in attempting self defeiiBe.
Many magistrates and militia officers, wlio had not been questioned by the Executive for their part in public agitation sent in their resignation accompanied by letters expressing very determined opinions, which were published at length, as more aliment for excite ii. nit. Not content with these voluntary demonstrations, the people in many parishes forced others to follow the same course. About the end of Octo- ber, sixty-six voluntary or forced resignations were sent from the County of Lacadie, with letters that, w^hen published, filled a page of our newspapers.
The county of Two Mountains, guided by Girouard and Scott, the members, and Chartier, Priest of St. Benoit, had been particularly active from the beginjiing, and now held a meeting which, after declaring that the country could have no confidence in any person holding a commission from the Executive, proposed that magistrates or pacificators should be elected, to whom all matters of civil contest should be referred for adjudication.
The Canadian clergy, with few exceptions, resolutely opposed all public agitation. Never was there such severance between the people and their pastors. Monseigneur Lartigue, acting as bishop of the diocese of Montreal, issued a mande- menty or pastoral letter, denouncing positively all agitation and agitators. A few priests refused to read it to their parish- ioners, or did so with an apology. In some of the parishes the men left the church when the reading commenced.
:m
4
— 19 —
The gi-catest and closing public meeting of the season, was that of the " Five Counties", held at St. Charles, on the 23rd day of October, which was attended by more men of superior position than any of the preceeding. The speakers were Papi- neau, L. M. Vigor, Louis Lacoste, E. E. Ilodier, and Dr. Cot^, all members of Parliament, and myself. The resolutions, moved and seconded by men of highest repute in the District insisted on the duty of the British authorities to amend our form of Government ; stigmatized the dismissal of officials ; declared that there could be no conlidence in their successors, which made the election of " pacificators ", as proposed in Two Mountains, necessary ; protested against the English Government for sending out troops for the destruction of our liberties; disapproved all recent appointments of Lord Gos- ford, as evidencing and continuing a system of fraud. The organization of the Sons of Liberty was approved, and hopes exjtressed that Providence, and the sympathies of our neigh- bors— Provincial and American — would bring round a favor- able opportunity for our emancipation. An armed party fired salutes, and a plan for the confederation of six counties was adopted. ' '' ' - V •
There were no secrets nor conspiracies with the Papineau party, nor was anything committed till warrants were issued, to which the charge of high treason couid attach. What was known to one was known to all, and to the world at large. There was no policy but what was expressed openly at public meetings; revolt was only the dream of a few over-excited men. There were no preparation, no purchase of arras or
— 20 —
ammunition, nor even a proposition to provide for attack or delciiso. The province was agitated to the utmost, and public clamor was incessant, but all in words, condemning the British Government for neglect of promised reforms, and approvitig the House of Assembly for withholding a vote of supplies, till our representations were acted on, and our grievances were redressed. The leaders were a noble band. Any one of them might, on any day, have sold himself to Lord Gosford for a good cash price, and certainty of honorable consideration, with his previous opponents ; but none even wavered.
In truth the " troubles " of Lower Canada were nothing but a contest between two provincial parties, in which the Governor, representing the British authority, and the mili- tary men under him, took the lorong side ; and the subsequent establishment of a form of government in accordance with the "well understood wishes of the people", that we since enjoyed, was an acknowledgement of error, and an honor- able apology, though the merits of those who sacrificed most in devotion to right cause have never been recognized.
I have said that one division of the Sons of Liberty was " military ". We called out members for parade, but there was no division into companies, or appointment of sub-officers, or arms, or " drill." In our public address we only called the young men of the Provinces to know their strength by organ- izing, and being prepared to assist for independence at some future day. In short we were only asking what the British and Dominion Governments are now asking by the militia laws. Our offence was in thinking too soon.
lk.;.v-
— 21 —
Our IjiBt public meeting was annonnced for the Gtli of November, when wo intomled to adjourn till May. Our opponcntH wore the " Doric Club ", composed of a certain number of stout .younu; '' EngliHJi ", and all the other " Fngli8h ", who chose to turn out on days of tumult, with cluos in their hands. The Dorics posted placards callin<; on the loy}d to " nip treason in the bud ", by stopping this meeting. Wo had no mayor or city government then ; the " Tnai'lstrates " feared a demTlv tumult. On their assembliuiv I waited on some of thoni to say our meeting mast he held ; it was our right, and we wouhi not back down under threats ; that if collision came, it would be their fault; tliey must control their people, and 1 would control ours ; tbey should not, come with music, nor in bands, but singly as citi/.ens, and so separate, if unmolested.
\Vo mot in a largo yard, west of the pi'csent Ottawa Hotel. Our resolutions wore mild enough ; but before we got through, a crowd gathered outside St. James street gate, and some stones were thrown over. A good portion of onr men passed out quietly into Notre Dame streets The remainder, under two hundred, 1 formed into companies, two deep, armed with stout sticks, which botli parties tlion kept in readiness at their respective rendezvous. My orders were that they should cut their wa}' through the crowd, and then scatter for their homes, for the troops and the big guns would be soon out. Opening the gates, they sallied in four columns, and rapidly reached the Place d'Armes ; for this sudden ouhlaught cleared the street. Seeing all safe, 1 turned back alone. It might be called fool-hardy ; but I was personally
oo
on the best of terms with everybody, and when one has been for months in danger, lie never thinks of it. At the corner of St. Francois Xavier street, a crowd was collecting with v^'^hom I exchanged a few words; and, on turning down the street, I was felled by a blow from a bludgeon behind, which was Ibllowed by others, with the cry, " Brown ! kill him ! kill him ! " leaving me senseless in my blood. In addition to cuts and braises, the optic nerve of ray right eye was shattered, and I have never see^i with it since.
I was dragged into a neighboring house where a little attention, and the sewing or plastering of cuts soon enabled me to get home, and I remained confined there till the 16th. The English having destroyed the Vindicator printing office, were now in quiet possession of the city. The Canadians were stmg in their houses, or at their various employments. Those noisy demonstrations that liad continued night and day, ceased suddenly. Leading men were keeping out of the way. The first stage of jigitation came to a sudded end, and all awaited the next development.
So sreneral was the idea abroad that we were organized and ripe for revolt, that Mackenzie, who had planned a rising in rear of Toronto, and an attack on the Capital, sent an agent to communicate his designs, and learn ours. We had none, and not even a committee with whom the agent could con- sult. One of tiie few with wdiora he was able to eommunioate, much alarmed at this notice of Makenzie's unexpected inten- tions, brought this agent to my room for consultation. My friend taking me aside, said : " You know we are doing nothing, and iiave no designs for the future ; Mackenzie
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should be undeceived, and dissuaded from his intentions." I replied that Mackenzie knew his own business, and should be allowed to take his course, whieli, result as it might, could only help us. What opinions the agent got elsewhere I know not ; but the mission proved no hinderance to the Toronto move.
There had been a tew arrests for sedition in the summer, which ended too farcically to be repeated ; and Attorney- General Ogden was sent up to endeavor to get out warrants for high treason. Up to this time, there was no ground for such writs, and the judges refused to grant them ; but two excited magistrates were found willing to assume the res- ponsibility. These two hot-headed men did what the judges, partisans though they might be, feared to do, by reason of its illegality. There was no high treason in 1837, except that caused by resistance to the^e illegal proceedings. Writs were issued on the 16lh November, and subsequently, that tilled our gaol for the winter with prominent Canadian citizens, against whom there was, in reality, no charge. Martial law was not declared till the 5th December.
On the afternoon of the 16th November, I learned that a warrant for high treason was issued against me. Consulting no one, and knowing I could not leave the city, I passed down St. Catherine street to the horse ferry-boat, at the foot of the current, with no idea or intent to proceed direct to the States to recover my strength there, and communicate with my political friends, from whom I had been ten days separ- ated, and who I presumed to be scattered in country parts.
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Arriving at the Hochelaga horso-boat at five o'clock, the usual hour for crot^sing, I learned it would only go at sevon, and then take over two companies of troops. Retreat' ng hastily to a ferry-boat house, I tried to get over in a canoe. The ferryman would not attempt crossing. It was too Btormy ; and, to add to my perplexity, my carter declared his horse, having worked all day, conld go no farther. An hdbitdnt returning from the market, offered to take me to his home at Pointe au.. Trembles. I got first into the cart with too short rifles : the habitunf, catching on the lock of one, as he got in, caused it to discharge, the ball whistling straight between our heads. A slight inclination of the barrel would have sent the ball through mine, iintl there would have been the '' sensation " of a suicide, or a murder, as the reporter might think best paying. We faced a furious snow-storm from the north-east. The road then ran along the river. The hahif'iDt was very drunk, and fearing he would upset, I drove the horse. After ton days' confiuf- ment and appliances to sooth my wounds, this exposure was terrible, and the night I ])a3sod at the /uibiftnif'.'^ house was one of excruciating agony.
In the morning I walked to tlie village of Pointe aux TremVdes, where all was excitement ; but no one, except myeelf, had arrived .'roni Montreal. Two boys took me over to the opposite island, where in a small house T went to bed, and spent the day. Sending for Dr. Duchesuois I returned with him in a canoe to Varen»)es, and took supper at liis house, with two of my clu'.fs <le section^ Doctor Gauviu and Rudolphe Desrivieres, who brought news of the attack
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at Lonijueuil, by hahUavts under Bonaventure Viger, on a party of eighteen Montreal Volunteer Cavalry, which liber- ated Mr. Deniaray and Toctor Davignon, who were being brought in as prisoners from St. Johns. I remarked :
"Then the ball has commenced. We muat all take our places in the dance". \
Gauvin repliful :
" Yes ; we will be chased no longer. Let us go to St. Charles, established a camp, and be soldiers".
Revived by the day's rest and supper, I assented. Gauvin, Desrivii'res, a brother of Besriviores that I had never seen before, and myself, sit out ujion our ex[)edition. I gave one of mv rifles to J)esrivicres. Gauvin, I think, had a pistol ; and, thus armed and equiftped, wo declared for war, and established the tirst " i^itriot " cfinip in Canada.
Those who have heard of the " Canadian Rebellion ", or read the long debates of the period, or oftifteen thousand troops sent out to su[)press that rebellion, nt a cost of more than three millions sterling, may presume it commence with preparation and »-ombination ; but the beginning was pre- cisely what T here relate, and no more. Leaving Montreal alone, with no intent but to take the shortest road to the States, stopped by a tired-horse and an over-cautious ferry- man, accident took me to Varennes, where accident brought two of my city associates, and where one of them, without premiditation, suggested going to St. Charles. I bad been there once, and knew but one resident ; my companions were
r
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strangers. What could be more Quixotic than our design ? Whatever might have been the offence, or responsibility of armed resistance, of failure or of success, it rests in no way on the people general) v, whether leaders or led ; but solely on the few who were actually engaged, acting upon their own individual impulses.
On the road, at a collection of houses and two taverns, we found a crowd of excited people.
" Why are the chiefs deserting" ? said they. " We have guns and powder, and can defend them ".
AVe were also told that Mr. Drolet, at St. Marc, had fifty men with muskets guarding his house; but arrived there soon after daybreak, we found neither men nor muskets- A servant man, roused from his sleeping-bench, opened the door. It was the large stone-liouse now occupied by the " Fraser." Mrs. Drolet, with her two daughters and youngest son, joined us at breakfast. A gentleman from Quebec, we learned, had passed up the river, warning all ]i»rominentmen» especially those noticeable at the meeting of the "five^ counties ", of impending danger ; and all were either secreted in the back concessions, or gone to the States for safety.^
Crossing the Richelieu to St. Charle>>, we saw waiting for us on the bank two carts. In them were Mr. Papineau, Doctor Wolfred Nelson, Doctor 0'Callaghan,and another, on tlieir way up tiie river. Tliey did not forbid our project. The coincidence in the meeting with persons so prominent, at this exact time and place, was most singular (our four names
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were the first on the hst for whom rewards were ottered). Had I left Montreal with the intentlQn of finding these gentlemen, I know not in what direction I should have gone, or when 1 should have attained my end. Nelson wds making {(reparations for defence at St. Denis.
I went in a house, and lay down to rest. Gauvin, finding a sword, }»nt liimseH at the head of suddenly-formed squad of seventeen men, armed with fowling-pieces, marched up to the manor-house of Mr. Dehartzh, and tookttossession. Soon, a servant camo with a tine horse, new saddle and bridle, for the " (ieneral " ; and I rode up to the man»)r-hou3e, a large one story wooden place, now transformed into a camp, with sentries posted, and was addressed by all as the " General ". The appointment was spontaneous, and I had no other. My conimai\d was of m v own creation. At any other time this would have been rather grand ; but, with aching bruises, a swolleti head, one eye recently destroyed, and my jaws closing, to stop eating, it required resolution to maintain the position. This was Friday, the 17th of November.
On Sunday, there was no work done, for the Canadians on