CHAPTER IX.

The close of the year 1837, and the Outbreak of the Lower Canada Rebellion.

LORD GOSFORD, in November, 1837, found himself in a most awkward predicament. The "Nation Canadienne," with Papineau at its head, determined in an evil moment to try its strength with the British Government, and all his Lordship's schemes of conciliation and kindness were scattered to the winds; he was, in short, totally unable to struggle with circumstances. But he had a man of military experience and renown to fight his battles.

The first overt act was concerted by Thomas Storrow Brown, who, possessed by the demon of revolution, had nothing to lose and everything to gain by becoming Generalissimo of the Patriot forces. Accordingly, on the 6th November, 1837, the trial of skill was made in Montreal. An association had been formed there, styled "Les fils de la Liberté;" and with Brown as their chief, these sons of Canadian freedom assembled in the yard of Bonacina's tavern, in front of the American Presbyterian Church, in Great St. James'sstreet; and shortly after two o'clock, 250 heroes sallied

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forth into the city, determined to carry everything before them. The first person who received a slight hurt was a man of the name of Whitelaw, a carpenter, whose coat was perforated by a pistol-ball. The leader, Brown, was immediately knocked down by a member of "The Doric Club," consisting chiefly of the young loyalists of the city. Brown was then severely handled, and the rebels, chasing their opponents, broke the windows of the persons obnoxious to them, and cleared St. James's-street. The Dorics receiving a reinforcement, the battle became general, and Brown's party fled into the main street of the St. Lawrence suburb, where they were pursued, beaten, and dispersed, after a short fight in Dorchester-street.

The indignation of the loyalists now knew no bounds; they entered the house of a man of the name of Idler, where the rebels had met occasionally to drill, and finding a seven-barrelled gun, a double-barrelled one, a musket, a sword, and the flag of "Les fils de la Liberté," they sacked the house, and delivered the offensive weapons to the magistrates. A Mr. Joshua Bell's house next attracted their attention, as this person was thought to have acted a double part in the game; and he, to preserve his property, had snapped a fowling-piece out of a window.

The Riot Act in the meantime had been read, and soon afterwards the 1st or Royal Regiment appeared, supported by artillery; but nothing could prevent a demonstration upon the house of Papineau, and the destruction of Ludger Duvernay's office, where the Vindicator, a furious radical paper, had been printed, and the types, the paper, and everything

connected with it, were destroyed or thrown into the kennel.

The inhabitants who were attached to order and reason, now formed themselves into a town-guard, and at night were stationed at all the entrances to the city.

In the county of L'Acadie, simultaneous acts of rebellion occurred, bodies of two or three hundred men visiting the houses of those who were opposed to their designs, and compelling the loyal French to resign their militia commissions, and to write letters of resignation, in which they were directed to state, that they never again would hold commissions under the Queen, or serve under Lord Gosford. Such was the panic inspired in this extensive county, that many persons, whose circumstances enabled them to do so, left it to take the protection of the troops and the laws.

Papineau must have felt that this first attempt at revolution was very disheartening to the cause, and that it would require all his powers of persuasion to induce the quiet and moral Canadians to believe, as his proclamations asserted, that he was "a brilliant leader, and a constellation of moral excellence."

It was now industriously circulated by the frontier presses, that J. A. Roebuck, Esq., M.P., who had advocated their cause in the British Parliament, was on his way from England, and that fifteen millions of freemen in the United States, only waited with their rifles in their hands, to proclaim La grand Nation Canadienne.

Upper Canada took fire at once. The idea of the United States interfering in the domestic quarrels of Canada, was quite enough for the bile of John Bull's

Canadian offspring; and we cannot do better than to afford the British reader, out of many similar meetings, the resolutions and addresses of that at Kingston, which immediately followed the outbreak of the "Sons of Liberty" at Montreal, expressive of the sense of the Upper Canadians of that one act of Sir Francis Head, which has been so much blamed and so much praised, the withdrawal of all the regular troops from the province, to reinforce Sir John Colborne in Lower Canada.*

GREAT MEETING IN KINGSTON.

(From the "Kingston Chronicle.")

At a very numerous and respectable meeting of the inhabitants of Kingston, convened by requisition addressed to Richard Bullock, Esq., High-sheriff of the Midland District, and held at the Court-house on Thursday, the 2nd day of November, 1837 ;-the meeting was opened by the High-sheriff as Chairman, who explained the object of the meeting; Mr. Francis M. Hill was chosen Secretary; when it wasMoved by John S. Cartwright, Esq,, M.P.P.; and seconded by James Macfarlane, Esq. :

"1. Resolved,-That we are at all times ready to unite with the different provinces of British North America, in all proper measures of Reform, and in all matters concerning our interest, or those of the British Colonies, or in any way tending to support and defend our rights as British subjects, consistent with the supremacy of the British Government. Carried nem. con."

Moved by Thomas Kirkpatrick, Esq.; and seconded by John Counter, Esq.:

"2. Resolved,-That this Meeting looks with concern and regret on the proceedings of the revolutionary faction in Lower Canada, as tending, not to the legitimate removal of any known or imaginary grievances, but to the utter subversion of the British Constitution. Carried nem. con."

Moved by Anthony Manahan, Esq., M.P.P.; and seconded by John Strange, Esq. :

"3. Resolved,That circumstanced as this province is, in relation to Lower Canada, we cannot any longer defer the declaration of our

This was the general, although not the universal feeling in Upper Canada; and the rebellion there had

determination to support with our lives and fortunes, the supremacy of the British Constitution, and the just dependency of the Canadas upon the British Crown. Carried nem. con.”

Moved by John Marks, Esq., M.P.P.; and seconded by Major Logie :

"4. Resolved, That this Meeting will promptly assist the endea vours of the loyal and well-disposed inhabitants of Lower Canada in maintaining the liberty and laws of the British Constitution in that province; being convinced that it only requires moderate firmness on the part of our general Government, to suppress the attempts of the rebellious party there, who for many years have retarded our agricultural and commercial prosperity, and the general improvement of both provinces. Carried nem. con.”

Moved by John Richardson Forsyth, Esq.; seconded by Walter M'Cunliffe, Esq.;

"5. Resolved,--That understanding that His Excellency Sir Francis Bond Head has signified his assent to the removal of Her Majesty's troops of the line from this province, for the purpose of aiding the Civil Power in Lower Canada, this Meeting cannot but feel gratified at the confidence which His Excellency has thus manifested in the loyalty of the people of Upper Canada, and which we are determined to prove, should occasion require it, has not been misplaced. Carried by acclamation."

Moved by James Sampson, Esq.; and seconded by Francis Hill, Esq. : "6. Resolved,―That proud as we are of our origin as Britons, and dearly as we value the blessings of our glorious Constitution, we cannot but regard as our enemies all those who would assail the one, or endeavour to subvert the other; and in order to assist our countrymen and friends in Lower Canada, in defending these cherished objects from the assaults of their foes, that it is expedient, under the sanction of His Excellency the Lieutenant-governor, to raise and enrol a Volunteer-corps in this town, to be in readiness to act in the hour of need; and we take this occasion heartily to congratulate the loyal population of Lower Canada on their good fortune, in beholding at the head of Her Majesty's troops in their province an officer of such tried gallantry, vigilance, and decision as Sir John Colborne ; and we feel assured that to act under such a commander would be an additional attraction to Volunteers from Upper Canada. Carried by acclamation."