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Later events in Canada part 5 · Canadian Scenery

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  Section fourteen of Canadian Scenery Volume one. This is a LibriVox recording. All
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  LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
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  please visit LibriVox dot org. Canadian Scenery Volume one by Nathaniel Parker Willis.
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  Later Events in Canada, Part five, The Affair of Saint Charles decided the
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  fate of the contest. A general panic spread among the peasantry, and they
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  began to consider themselves betrayed by leaders who did not show the courage expected of
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  them. In the hour of trial. Colonel Gore strongly reinforced again advanced upon
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  Saint Denis, which he entered without resistance on the second of December, Nielsen
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  and Brown having quitted it on the preceding evening. He then marched upon Saint
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  Hyacinth, but found it also undefended, and made a vain search for Papineaut.
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  The chiefs, renouncing their hopes, were already seeking safety in the territory
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  of the United States. Brown reached it with great difficulty through many perils.
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  Nielsen was taken in a barn, conveyed to Montreal, and thrown into prison.
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  Papinaut could not be traced, nor is there any record of his having
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  compromised his personal safety in a contest which he had been the main instrument in.
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  Exciting. Attempts, however, were made to support the cause from a
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  quarter which, under certain circumstances might have proved very formidable. The United States
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  contained many individuals disposed to sympathize deeply with the Canadians, and many restless spirits
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  were inclined to join them, allured by the promise of large lots of confiscated
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  land, even in the present hopeless circumstances. Two hundred passed the frontier,
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  But before Sir John Colburne could send a force against them, a party of
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  the volunteers of Missiqui County, under the command of Captain Kemp, took arms
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  and drove them back with some laws. Thus the whole of the six counties,
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  so lately in open rebellion, were in a fortnight reach used to perfect
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  tranquility. There remained still the districts of two mountains in Terbun, north of
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  Montreal, where insurrection had first been organized, and still wore its most determined
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  aspect. Sir John Colborn had judiciously postponed operations against this quarter till the south
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  being completely tranquilized, he could direct thither his whole force. On the fourteenth
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  of December, he marched in person with about thirteen hundred regular and volunteer troops
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  against the large village of Saint e Stat. The disasters of their brethren elsewhere
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  had spread a well founded alarm, and the greater number of the men and
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  their leaders, including Giogo, the supposed commander in chief, fled precipitately.
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  About four hundred of the most desperate, however, continued to occupy a church
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  and adjoining buildings, which had been carefully fortified, and here so obstinate that
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  a stand was made that a British detachment was at one point made to recede,
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  but fire having reached them, the adjacent edifices soon spread to the church
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  itself, the defenders of which were thereby speedily dislodged, while the troops,
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  being protected by the houses, did not lose more than one killed and nine
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  wounded. Colonel Maitland now marched towards Saint Benois, the chief village of the
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  carm Perrouli district, which had been the focus of insurrection, But on his
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  way he met a deputation, tendering the most humble submission, and he entered
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  the place without resistance. Unfortunately, the loyal inhabitants, who had been plundered
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  and driven out of the country could not be restrained from acts of violence,
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  and a considerable portion of the houses were reduced to ashes. Maitland after occupying
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  Saint Scholastic returned to Montreal, leaving the district in a state of perfect tranquility.
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  The people, complaining that their chiefs, after instigating them to revolt,
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  had deserted them, seemed determined not to be again seduced into such a course.
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  Several of the leaders were taken. Jogo himself, being surrounded so that
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  he could not escape, committed suicide. Upper Canada, meantime, had become
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  the theater of important events for a considerable time, especially since the residents there
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  of Monsieur Goulay, a party had existed supporting extreme political opinions. These,
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  it is true, were not embittered by any feelings arising from difference of race,
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  but many of the inhabitants had emigrated from the United States, to whose
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  institutions they were naturally partial. They gained over a number of the British residents
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  influenced by the usual motives, and who complained, especially of the favoritism shown
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  in the granting of land. These grounds of discontent were carefully investigated by the
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  Committee of eighteen twenty eight and instructions issued by Lord Godrich, which here as
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  in the Lower Province, gave general satisfaction. The discontented party, however,
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  proceeded from one step to another till Mackenzie, Duncombe and other leaders scarcely made
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  any secret of their desire to separate from Britain and join the American Union.
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  In eighteen thirty four, this party, for the first time obtained a majority
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  in the Assembly, and though they had hitherto confined themselves to complaints on particular
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  subjects, they now commenced a general opposition to the Royal government, and,
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  at length, as in the other province, came into violent collision with the
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  Legislative Council. They transmitted to the King a long and elaborate list of grievances,
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  complaining that the officers in the colony were too numerous, too highly paid,
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  and the holders removable at the pleasure of the Crown, that support had
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  been unduly given to particular religious establishments, and that Lord Godrich's recommendations had been
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  by no means fully acted upon. They also urged with the same vehemence as
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  in the sister colony, the demand for an elective legislative council. This union
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  of the two provinces, pushing with equal zeal the most extreme measures, brought
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  affairs into a somewhat hazardous position. When Lord Gosford and the Commissioners were sent
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  to Lower Canada, the Ministry placed the Upper province under Sir Francis Head,
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  a man of literary talent and of peculiar firmness, shrewdness, and energy of
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  character, having arrived early in eighteen thirty six. As already related, he
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  took the straightforward course of at once publishing the extent and limits of his instructions,
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  at the same time assuring the people of his most zealous efforts to remove
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  every practical grievance. The Assembly, however, were by no means satisfied,
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  and another ground of contests soon arose. Sir Francis added to the executive three
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  members whose appointment was highly satisfactory to the Popular Party, but as several weeks
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  elapsed without their having been consulted on any subject, they stated in a letter
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  that they considered themselves thus rendered responsible for measures in which they were allowed no
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  share, and therefore tendered their resignation. While accepting it with regret, he
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  maintained that he lay under no obligation to consult them on every measure, but
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  was at perfect liberty to judge of the occasions on which the public interest might
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  require their aid. The House of Assembly immediately took up the affair, and,
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  having agreeably to request, been furnished with a copy of the correspondents,
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  drew up a report and afterwards a long address to the King, strenuously converting
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  the governor's doctrine, and in the course of it broadly charting him with deviations
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  from truth and candor. Proceeding in the same hostile spirit, they for the
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  first time stopped the supplies, in consequence of which Sir Francis reserved all their
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  money bills for his Majesty's decision, and rejected the application for payment of their
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  incidental expenses. All hopes of accommodation being thus closed, he determined on the
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  twenty eighth of May to make an appeal to the people by a new election.
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  It was contested by an extraordinary ardor, and a war of Manifesto's proclamations
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  and addresses was forthwith wills aged between the parties. Perhaps no ruler ever affected
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  more by writing than Sir Francis. The frank, energetic, and popular style
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  in which his addresses were penned produced an extraordinary effect, and already the peaceable
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  inhabitants had begun to shrink from the extremes into which the popular leaders were hurrying
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  them. These several causes produced the important result that in the new Assembly a
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  decided majority supported the constitutional Outside, the demagogues complained to the ministry that this
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  effect had been produced by illegal means, by extraordinary grants of land, and
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  even by violence and bribery. The Assembly, however, after strict inquiry by
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  a committee, declared these allegations to be utterly false, expressing at the same
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  time the strongest attachment to the mother country and to the governor. During this
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  tranquil and satisfactory state of Upper Canada, insurrection broke out in the lower province,
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  and Sir Francis being requested to state what force he could spare. His
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  answer was all he considered it not only practicable but desirable that every soldier should
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  be removed out of his district, and a full display thus made of its
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  loyal and peaceful condition. He caused the arms to be deposited in the City
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  Hall of Toronto under charge of the Mayor, declining even to place a guard
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  over them. To prevent sudden capture. In this state of things, Mackenzie
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  determined to make an attempt upon the capital. Having a number of small,
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  detached parties throughout the province who were ready to obey his mandate and had even
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  been trained to the use of weapons, he ordered them to assemble on the
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  fourth of December on the great road called Yung Street, leading to Lake Simcoe.
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  Hurrying by crossing paths through the forest, they mustered at Montgomery's Tavern,
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  about four miles from Toronto. Their numbers, at first estimated at three thousand,
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  are not supposed to have exceeded five hundred. With the view of effecting
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  a surprise, they attacked every one going to the city, among whom Colonel
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  Moody, a distinguished officer, was wounded and died in a few hours.
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  Alderman Powell, however, having shot one of his assailants, escaped, roused
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  the governor and gave the alarm, upon which Sir Francis ran to the town
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  hall, where he found the Chief Justice with a musket on his shoulder,
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  surrounded by a band of brave men who had hastily assembled the arms being unpacked
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  and placed in their hands. They posted themselves in a defensive attitude at the
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  winters of the building and of others flanking it. But Mackenzie, presuming that
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  Powell would instantly give notice, did not venture to advance a pusillanimous resolution,
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  assuredly since he could never again expect so favorable an opportunity. By morning,
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  three hundred royalists were mustered, and in the course of the day mister Allan
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  mc nab, Speaker of the House of Assembly, arrived with sixty from the
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  Gore district, and others from different quarters raised the number to five hundred.
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  On the sixth the force was considered sufficient for offensive operations, but the governor,
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  anxious to avoid the effusion of blood, sent a message to the insurgents
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  inviting them to lay down their arms. Mackenzie offered to comply on condition that
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  a national convention should be called, allowing till two o'clock for the answer,
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  but as no reply could be given to this proposition, Arrangements were immediately made
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  for an attack on the following day, On the seventh of December, at
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  noon, the whole force marched out in this civic array. Principal commands were
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  held by Colonel mc nabb the present and Mister Justice mc lean the late Speaker
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  of the Assembly, while the Clerk of the House officiated as Adjutant general.
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  The rebels had occupied an elevated position in the front of the tavern, where,
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  being in some degree protected by houses, they endeavored to make a stand.
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  But the militia, advancing to the charge with the utmost enthusiasm, soon
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  broke the whole corps, which dispersed in every direction, Mackenzie himself escaping with
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  extreme precipitation. They were pursued four miles. Two of the chiefs were taken,
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  the tavern was burnt to the ground, and the revolt was so completely
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  quashed that Sir Francis considered he might safely exercise the attribute of mercy by dismissing
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  the greater part of the misguided prisoners. The militia, meantime, had been
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  marching toward Toronto in vast numbers. Twenty six hundred from the Newcastle district,
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  and in all upwards of ten thousand. Immediate notice was now issued that they
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  might return to their homes, and those of the eastern districts were authorized to
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  give their aid to Lower Canada. As it was understood, however, that
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  Duncombe had assembled a corps in the London district, which had been a mean
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  seat of faction. Colonel mc naught was sent thither with a sufficient force.
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  On its approach, the chiefs disappeared, and about three hundred of their followers
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  laid down their arms, expressing deep regret and even of readiness to serve in
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  the Royal army. The insurrection had thus been entirely put down, and Upper
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  Canada was everywhere completely tranquil. When a sudden danger arose which threatened to become
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  very serious. Mackenzie fled to the town of Buffalo, in which he held
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  crowded meetings and kindled a considerable enthusiasm in his cause. Besides the prevalent democratic
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  feeling, commercial distress had thrown numbers out of employment who were ready to engage
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  in any desperate enterprise. Some of a more opulent class furnished resources, while
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  then Ranselaire Sutherland and other individuals acquainted with military service presented themselves as leaders of
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  the armament. Thus, the small corps was quickly assembled, which took possession
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  of Navy Island, situated in the Niagara Channel between Grand Island and the British
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  shore, which they fortified with thirteen pieces of cannon. Hence, mackenzie issued
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  a proclamation in the assumed name of the Provisional Government of Upper Canada. Volunteers
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  were invited from that country and from the States, being assured that out of
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  the ten millions of acres which Victory would place at their disposal, each should
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  receive three hundred in full property. There was to be no more dependence on
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  Downing Street. The Assembly, Council, governor and officers were all to be
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  elected by the people. Trade was to be freed from all restraints, and
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  in a strain of rhodomontade, it was added that the largest vessels would be
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  able to ascend to Lake Superior. Recruits continued flocking to this post till their
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  numbers amounted to about a thousand. Colonel McNabb soon arrived with double that number
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  of militia, but he wanted materials for crossing the channel. And forcing the
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  strong position held by the rebels. All eyes were now turned to the government
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  of the United States, on which the question of peace or war evidently depended.
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  As soon as the first notice was received, there was displayed the most
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  sincere determination to maintain a strict neutrality. Van Buren. The President issued two
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  successive proclamations warning the people of the past to which they would become liable by
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  engaging in hostilities with a friendly power, and the debates in Congress displayed the
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  most complete unanimity against any measure which might commit the American government in such a
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  contest. Play Davis, Benton Calhoun, leaders of opposite parties united with one
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  voice in this sentiment. The last of these declared that quote of all calamities
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  which could befall the civilized world, a war with Great Britain would at this
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  moment be the most to be deplored. End. There was scarcely time for
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  a legislative enactment, but the President appointed General Scott, a veteran officer of
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  energetic and decisive character, to take the command of the disturbed frontier. End
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  of Section fourteen read by Sandra Near Two Mountains, twenty twenty three