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What sort of discipline does he maintain, that he did not reveal it? “The excited Republicans refuse to credit his disclaimer, and charge him with having more than once violated their territory on Grand Island, which lies within about a mile and a half of Navy Island. One of the New York papers mentions a rumour, that the Royalists attacked Navy Island on the 1st of January, but were repulsed with loss. It is certain that great preparations had been made for attacking it. ‘The possession of the island is of little consequence except as a rallying points; and only then on the supposition that a large portion of the population of Upper Canada is ready to join Mackenzie, but that such a disposition is ex tremely prevalent in the province, has not been proved by anything that has recently occurred. The session of the Legislature of Upper Canada was opened, a few days before the usual time, on the 28th of December, by Governor Head. ‘The speech of that functionary is ‘ egomet iose” from beginning’ to end. Adverting to Mackenzie's insurrection, he says— “As soon as this conspiracy became known to me, I deter mined that, for the public good, I would allow it to work its own cure; but as I felt convinced that that cure would never be ad mitted to be perfect if her M gesty’s troops were required to take any part in the contest, I cheerfully approved of their leaving the province, in order that the people of Upper Canada, in a state of uncontrolled independence, might be allowed another opportu nity of unequivocally demonstrating whether they would support me or desert me in the determination I had evinced ‘ to maintain for them the British Constitution inviolate.’ Besides parting with the troops, I further resolved to place in the hands of the civil community all the muskets (a ont 4,000) which the Government had in store; and I accordingly delivered them over to the custody of the mayor, aldermen, and commonalty of the city of Toronto. “ Without either soldiers or weapons to enforce my cause, I allowed the leader of the intended insurrection a full opportunity to make his intended experiment—I freely allowed him to write what he chose, say what he chose, do what he chose. I allowed him to assemble his deluded adherents for the purpose of drill: I even allowed them unopposed to assemble with loaded firearms ; and, in spite of the remonstrances which, from almost every district in the province, I received from the peaceable portion of the com munity, I allowed him to make deliberate preparations for revolt ; for I freely confess that I did underrate the degree of audacity and cruelty which these armed insulters of the law were prepared, as events have proved, to exhibit. “ “ “The ultimate object of the conspiracy was veiled under a mysterious secrecy, which had no desire to penetrate ; ‘and rely ing implicity on the people, so hile did I inquire into it or, im pede it, that I was actually in bed and asleep, when I was awaken ed by a messenger, who abruptly informed me that a numerous body of armed rebels had been congregated by their leader ; that the murder of a veteran officer of distinction, a settler in the pro vince, had already been committed; and that the assailants were within one hour's march of Toronto.” This passage is the most important in the speech, and has therefore been quoted at length. .It demonstrates the utter unfitness of the man for the post he occupied. He absolutely glories in the grossest neglect of duty with which the ruler of a country can be charged. He prides himself on having encouraged the disaffected to revolt. Instead of taking precautions to prevent rebellion, he en couraged the commission of high treason. Regardless of remonstrances, spurning advice, eager only for the oppor tunity of proving his own superiority and, of wreaking his vengeance on the opponents of his government, Sir Fran cis Head hazarded the overthrow of the Queen’s authority in the province; and if his notion of the character and objects of the rebels be correct, the pillage and slaughter of her Majesty’s loyal subjects. If impeachment, nowa days, were not mere brutum ful men in all hands, we should say that no public officer ever deserved it more than Governor Head; and there would be no occasion to go beyond his own speech for evidence to support the charge. After dwelling with triumph on the suppression of the rebellion, Sir Francis proceeds to complain of the support given by citizens of the United States to the insurgents on the Navy Island. ‘This portion of his speech is foolishly insulting to his Republican’ neighbours— “The interference of forigners in’ the domestic policy of a free country is an agression which no nation of character can ever submit to endure (rsp ectally where a band of people, viola ting ther own laws, our laws, as well as the sacred obligations of national amity, intrude themselves upon the peaceable inhabi tants, lawlessly to advocate by force of arms the practical bless ings and advantages of Republican institutions, which, by their own showing, have at least ended with them in anarchy and plunder ; and as every country is a natural fortress to its inha bitants, as every village is a strong military position; and as every bridge and ravine can be advantageously defended, I must own that, deeply as I should lament a conflict of this nature, I enter tain no feeling of anxiety for the result. There is nothing else in Governor Head’s speech wor thy of especial notice, except that he had been in com munication with the American Government on the subject of the breach of treaties by its citizens. The President of the United States had issued another proclamation, enjoining neutrality. But if this has no more effect than previous documents, it will be little bet ter than waste paper. He had said before Congress documents relative to the seizure of the Caroline, and applied for additional powers to enable him to prevent the interference of United States citizens in the affairs of other nations, and to fulfil the treaties into which the American Government had entered. He characterized the attack on the Caroline as “an outrage of an aggrava ted character.” A discussion which arose in the Senate was distinguished by a friendly tone towards England. Other proceedings at Washington have not quite so friendly a character. A Committee, appointed to inquire into alleged enroachments on the Northwest territory of the United States, has reported, that some parties con nected with the Hudson’s Bay Company, had formed a settlement on lands of the United States; and Mr. Evans ,of Maine, had given notice of a bill to authorize the Pre sident to send surveyors and engineers on the disputed territory between Maine and New Brunswick, and “run a line” in conformity with the claim of the United States, or By the arrival of the Ramona packet at Falmouth, in telligence has been received from New York to the 10th of January. The message sent by the President Van Buren to Congress, on the Caroline affair, (dated the 8th January, was in these terms— “To the Senate and House of Representatives, United States. “In the highly excited state of feeling on the northern fron tier, occasioned by the disturbances 1 Canada, it was to be ap prehended that causes of complaint might arise on the line dividing the United States from her Britannic Majesty's domi nions. Every precaution was therefore taken on our part, anho held by the existing law: and, as the troops of the pro vinces were embodied on the Canadian side, it was hoped that insering violation of the rights of the United States would be permitted to occur. I regret, however, to inform you that an outrage of a most aggravated character has been committed, no. Compinied by a hostile, though temporary invasion of our terri tory, producing the strongrsl feelings of resentment on the part of our citizens in the neighbourhood, and on the whole border line ; and that the excitement previously existing has been alarmingly increased. To geard against the possible recurrence of any si ailar uc. have thought it indispensable to call out a portion of the ailitia, to be posted on that frontier. The documents here arh presented a Congress show the character of the outrage committed, the measures taken in consequence of its occurrence, and the necessity for resorting to them. It will also be seen that the subject was inmmediately brought to the notice of the British Minister, accredited to this country, and the proper steps taken on our part to obtain the fiest information of all the er constances leading and attendant upon the trasaction, preparatory to a demand foreparation. Task such appropriation as the circumstances in which our country is thus anecmetedy Placed require 4 “ M. Van Burns ” The tone of this message is certainly not pacifictaory , but in the debate that dallowed in the House of Repre-
Newspaper Details
Christian Advocate
London, Middlesex, GB
Mon, Feb 05, 1838
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Thomas M.
CA 25 Jul 2026
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