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 EZHi: 
 

 MACKENZIE'S 
 N. A a R A T I V B 
 
 OF 
 
 THE LATE REBELLION, 
 
 * • 
 
 ^ -" W I T U 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS AND NOTES, 
 
 CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY: 
 EXHIBITING THE ONLY TRUE ACCOUNT OP WHAT TOOK PLACE 
 
 AT THB 
 
 MEMORABLE SIEGE 
 
 OF 
 
 IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, 
 
 1837. 
 
 Price la. 
 
 TORONTO: 
 
 PBINTBD AND SOLD AT THE PALLADIUM OrFICC, TORK-SIREKT. 
 
 I 
 
 183&. 
 
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 7 
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INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Until a more comptindious History of those important Evontit wiiicli hnve 
 occupied the attention of, and given the irost serious excitement to, tlie Canadiau 
 Public, for tiie last few months; — togeiiior wiili more extensive details, and 
 copies of ail the documents relating tiiereto — can be prepared ; all which will 
 form a volume of considerable dimensions, the following Narrative, originally 
 written for, and sent to, the Editor of XV^ Jcffcrsonian — a ncwsjiaper publisiiod 
 at WateHown, in the State of New-Yor<, by the Arch- Traitor MACKENZIE, 
 himself, will be read with the deepest ihterost by all chisscs of Society in the 
 Canadas, and even beyond the boundailes of the British Provinces in America. 
 It is authentic; and contains more truttthan Macrrnzig, generally threw into 
 his injurious compositions. 
 
 Our Canadian Editor of «his work, however, cannot permit it to go forth in 
 this country, without explanatory Noto, corrective of the errors fallen into by 
 the original writer of the Narrative ;v/\\ttC they evidently occur ; together with a 
 (qw introductory romarks. 
 
 The seeds of dissatisfaction towarci the Executive in Upper Canada were 
 first extensively sown by Robert GoVlav, Esq., tlic well known Scottish 
 Reformer ; wh" e objects, however, jit cannot now be well doubted, wcro 
 Honest. Those seeds were greatly f^vanced towards maturity by the unfor- 
 tunate agitation of the Alien Queston ; but the Chief, most deeply rooleJ, 
 and incessantly active, cause of all the principal mischief lies in the Oliuarchv, 
 
 I i 
 
 which has been suffered to mature its 
 
 f into the most frightful and calamitous 
 
 power that ever afflicted an cxtensi4, rich, and beautiful Province ; and a 
 brave and otherwise loyal p(3ople. T e system of exclusivenesji, and the mer- 
 ciless persecution of all those who refpe to bend the knee to llie narrow-minded 
 policy, and arbitrary power of the Fimily Comtact ; the consequent favorit- 
 ism ; and the baneful spirit of monopily ; with countless evils beside, — which 
 have resulted from the combined interests of a few upstart families, unfortu- 
 nately entrusted with power at an early period in the Government of the Colo- 
 ny, — have caused, and will continue t/cause, without the immediate interference 
 of the strong arm of the Imperial Power — the most serious discontents, and 
 a general paralysis in the affairs of tie Country. 
 
 So skilfully are the snares of thisdestructive Compact laid, that it seems to 
 matter but little who is sent out as Governor : for Governor after Governor 
 invariably falls into their hands, andbncomes a mere instrument to effect their 
 own purposes — abundant evidence o' this fact, even under the tmunted firmness 
 justice, and decision of character, cf Sm F. B Head— ni;«y be seen in the 
 greater part of the late civil, ai>d especially in »he late military, appointments. 
 
 With the knowledge of all these facts we must not be surprized at the con- 
 duct of Governor Head, a little previous to, and durini: tiin outbreak; nor 
 must we censure him for all the blindness and imbeoility which characterized 
 the Ei.:cntive on that occasion. As the Monarch of England, politically, 
 can do no wrong — so are we willing that the Represrntat;ve here shall ba 
 protected behind the dark curtain of his Councillors ! 
 
I 
 
 / 
 
 ''i 
 
 IT 
 
 GovERiion IIeau, asv His Councllous too, weue in possession or all 
 
 THE NECESSAUY FACTS TO Pin' DOWN TWK I, ATE INSKKRELTION IN ITS STATI". Or 
 
 iN«'irir\rY ' ! ! They cli<l hc< put it ilown ; nor «f7<7/»|>J to put it down ; bui 
 lau"lie(i ai, or treated witli contuinpt i!i -ir inCorniants ,— no matter liow respect- 
 able or deserving' ol' credciico, tlioso informnnts weic ; cr(jo, tlioir doctrino 
 is that if 11 ni'J" '^'^'"^ ""' ^^"^'' ''"* ''^'"''' ^"^^ lauiily hlown into atoms and liim- 
 sJlt(lfstrovi.'d — ho permits an immcnsL iinanti(y of gunpowder to bo put into 
 )iid collar ; tho lordi which is d jsliued t) cause its exniosion, to be Mglijed ; and 
 the assassin, who hiars it, actually to eiilcr tlio sv.id cellijr, whilst lie, himself, 
 very (luiiMly, '■'■poor cast/ /««.'," iroeh losleop, in tho mantle of his precautions, 
 imniedl'ilery abovu the albrcbaid coniLustibles ! ! ! — Accordiiic: to such .. doc- 
 trine, too, peonU; who wish to live in domestic peace and harmony, nuist bo 
 kept in continual, and aliirniin;^ a'^itaticn; and in eivil broils and discord ; and, 
 fjrUier, that the best way to clear olV liu inrtimjranres of an ah-eady deeply 
 n\ort^ii"ed eitate is to burlium it wiih an fiddilional delit of Four Millions of 
 D<-i.LAiui ! ! ! — Well, well, tlio *' Sclnwl-mastcr is abroad ;" — and, clearly tj'?t 
 wi'.lio'.it his c<(t-it^-nhir, td'th \ and the ellois of our land must at length confess 
 that thill- clueis, from Adam i]o*vnward.>— krj-v notliing ! ! ! 
 
 It may be scarcely now necessary to i?niark that, up to Sunday evening, the 
 3rd of Dtjccmher last, no precautiunarv :teps of any kind were taken to defend 
 the C'iiy of Toronto — tho fnst avowed object of attack on the part of the 
 icbels— altlioun;h rumours of their imniuiate approach were rife — and there is 
 not the smaJ'ifit doubt, in all human apj-^aranee, and by all ordinary rules of 
 calculuiii'u, that the City nii'jhl havo beti taken and sacked ; and burnt; the 
 Banks |)!undered ; p<i!)lic archives destroyed ; and all persrris obnoxious to tho 
 reh( 1j, bu'clicred in tho sliort £;)ace of iiuljour or two — in either of the nights 
 of Di-'canber Crd oi* •lih, -.vithout lat or lii.'dranco, had their leaders pushed on 
 to the catastrophe, when iKinging on .ho kirts of the City — during tho awful 
 interval of tliose two nigl:ts ; nay, it \< \ fact — that the greater part of the 
 verv armj bioiiglit fur tho defence ol tlie City, many weeks before, %vert not 
 even iiupackid until TuL^daii mornln;:^, 'he Cith of Dcccmhrr — but two days 
 bofuro tho decisive enijagemeiu at Mont.Hiicry's ilill, on Thursday, the 7th 
 inslnnt 1 ! ! 
 
 Tiu:; manifestations of Divine Favom lave been most striking, and many, 
 throii^iioiit ll.c scenes herein narrated -aiii claim the deepest, and most lasting 
 ^'; ataude uf our people. Uut, ur.der the j)iitecting favour of the ever Gracious 
 and Ai.Mioirrv (jod, no oae can road tie following pages without feeling 
 co.isiucid that our nuicli resj ected, higlt-.s|irited, yet imassnming CiiiF.r Ma- 
 GisTKATi: of the Oily — was the main instriment in its preservation ; \'oi' Anderson 
 vilv.iv. career was cheeked so oi.pi.rtiinc'ly, \\u\ so cri'ectually, was the General 
 inion whoai Mackenzie relied i'or success ; and, had he not fallen, the attack 
 on the City would undoubtedly havo been made that night. Since neither the 
 E.vccutive.nor the Parliament have seen fit U reward Mr. Powell for his gallant 
 tondncf, and for tho vi>ry essiinlial service ha has rendered, — wo hope a jjublic 
 meeting will be called to g-vu some lasting tastitiiony of the meritorious light ia 
 which that service is viewed by the whole community. 
 
 Proceed we, now, to tho Narrative. 
 
 Xj-Ji 
 
 
 ,1- 
 
AN A<:€Oll\T 
 
 OF IDE 
 
 It E B K L L 1 () iN N EAR TOR O N T O . 
 
 nr TTILLIAM DON MACKOZIB. 
 
 AdJrrued to the' Editor of the JeJfeTSonim .VfiMpa^jfr, at Watertown, in tht Side 
 
 ijf Ato. I'or/iT. 
 
 N.TT Island, L). C, 14th January, 1838. 
 
 Deak Sir, 
 
 I rorcivjil .••Cdfcrdiiy tliroo or foirof your latest piper?:, with a couple of llie 
 Upper Canada Heralds of last niuntli, ar.dli'ttfirf from Afessrs. ftkL-^oil ami Flotclier, 
 dalL'd at VVatcrtowi), tlio 'Jtl lllPt'lM^ In im of tiicsi; Haralils, 1 liud a very incorrect 
 nan.ilivo ol llio insmr.rctioii at Toroii'o ; ;rtd ac your journal (,i-cib:;b!y pirfnldtjs va llic 
 same section ol the country, mid tiicrc is ;o iiicdiljood tlio Kinq'-'ton editor would por- 
 mit me to correct iiis errord, I rrnuest tli:| you will pubLnli I'.i.-) stti.toincut, at ycsur 
 leisure, in the Jcflbrsonian. I aldo send ^ your perusal tho RornK^Tni Di;:,:ncii.\T 
 of last Tuesday, with a long article over r.jjeigiuiture, entitled '* Reasons for a Ilnoln- 
 tion in Canada" t!ic pniUsal oi wiiich miiit prriiajis be nccccplnble to tiio old friends 
 and neighbors of your fellow citizen, Johiju. Parker. . 
 
 NARRATiVK, £:c. 
 
 Ox the 31st of July last, the Leformers of Toronto responded 
 to the request of their fellou Buirercrs in Lower Canada, l>j 
 the appointment of ward cornuitlees of vigilance,' the pnssrs^e 
 of resolutions of synipalhy anc co-operation, and tlic adofjlion 
 of a dec- iration of rights and grievances, nd.ic'i only dill'ereJ 
 from your great Declaration of 177(3, in that it did not at once 
 proclaim the Province inde[endent, nor euunieratc, in all 
 * nses, the same complaiatj. 
 
 [1] Early in Replembcr last, the Go\ornor was mtidc -cn/iainted with tho naturo^ 
 extent, and objects of these secret Comni.ttecG in one of tiie inoHieeditiouH cjnartcrt of 
 th3 Home District, by an active Magistrate of Plek'Ting, v.-iui had laL-on ni .^afir.res to 
 watch their every motion. Uutit was nil without any useful cfKict. Sir F. R. Head 
 was in such liands, thai, if a prophet had risen from the dead— his admonitions would 
 have been equally ineffectual ! 
 
 A 
 
 i 
 
 { 
 
 
n 
 
 \ 
 
 [6] 
 
 Tiic Ilcrorinors lind taken great pains to inform the 
 British Government of the true state of affairs in Upper Can- 
 ada, and many believed that Sir Francis Bond Head would 
 do wliot lie could to remove the chief causes of discontent, 
 until the proceedings of (he executive previous to, and at the 
 last general election of a House of AssembI)', convinced them 
 that nothing but a revolution would relieve the country. This 
 opinion 1 was c( Jifirmed in, by observing that when the As- 
 sembly of Lower Canada deferred granting supplies until their 
 wrongs would be redressed, the House of Commons of Eng- 
 land, by a vote of about ten iu one, and the Lords unanimonsly 
 (JiOrd Brougham alone dissenting,) resolved, that the pro- 
 ceeds of the revenue raised in that colony, both by Provincial 
 and British Statutes, should be expended without the consent 
 of the Keprescntativcs of the People, or the form of law, in 
 keeping up a costly form of government iu which the governed 
 had no sharc.- 
 
 In the declaration of griivances of the 31st of July, the 
 British Government were disinctly given to understand that 
 revolt might be the consequeace of its base duplicity. And 
 that declaration was read, coisidered and approved at 200 
 public meetings in the country ; 150 branch associations, 
 agreeing to its principles, were speedily organized, and Sir F. 
 B. Head was informed throiigti the press, that the officers of 
 these societies might be used as captains and Lieutenants of 
 companies, for resistance by force, in case a change of his 
 measures did not soon take pkcc.^ 
 
 The many scenes of violerce and outrage which occurred 
 at our public meetings between July and December I need not 
 recount.^ Let it suffice to say, that we kept up a good under- 
 standing with the Reformers of Lower Canada; and conclud- 
 
 [2] All this is in the usual canting terns of the rebel party— to produce an effect 
 amongst persons who are ignorant of the \«8t power which the representatives of the 
 people posaeas in this Colony ; and the rebtls, themselves, cannot pretend to call their 
 own representatives Foreigners, nor arc thsy ignorant, though they pretend to be so, 
 that every representation made through the Legislature, to the Imperial Government, 
 IS instantly attended to. 
 
 [.")] Here \e another ''palpable, hit" at the wise Councillors of His Excellency, 
 who,>o many months afterwards was caught *' napping"! 
 
 [4] No ; but tliose scenes ought to have convinced little Mae and his Executive 
 or the resistance tliat would be made to any attempt towards an overthrow of tho 
 tjfovemmcnt. ' "^ 
 
 ■-^T^\ 
 
 
[7 1 
 
 ing that arbitrary impriaoiiments and a declaration of military 
 execution w^uld follow the anticipated outbreak at Montreal, 
 wc resolved to S!)Cond the Lower Canada movements by 
 others, equally prompt and decisive;.* 
 
 Some of the members of our branch societies wore kept 
 in ignorance of the intended revolt. Othor^ were fully aware 
 of it. Some whose names were attached to no association 
 were leaders in the revolution — other very active republicans 
 took no part." The presses under my control sent forth nearly 
 3000 copies of a periodical filled vv'ith reasons for revolt, and 
 about the third week in November it was determined that on 
 Thursday the 7th of December, our forces should secretly as- 
 semble at Montgomery's Hotel, three milch' back of Toronto, 
 between six and ten at night, and proceed from thence to the 
 city, join our friends there, seize lOOO stand of arms, which 
 had been placed by Sir Francis ir the city-hall,' take him into 
 custody, with his chief advisers, place the garrison in the 
 hands of the liberals, declare the Tovinco free, call a conven- 
 tion together, to frame a suitable constitution, and meantime 
 appoint our friend Dr. Kolph, provincial administrator of the 
 government. We expcv .ed to dt all this without shedding 
 blood, well knowing that the vie; regal government was too 
 unpopular to have many real adh'jfents.'^ 
 
 Only in one instance did w( jforward a notice of the in- 
 tended movements beyond the lidiits of the County of York, 
 and to Whitby" and some other t4vns in it; no circulars were 
 
 [5] The prelude to thcso socoHdary, oi- rartor simullancou<;, movements, wo rather 
 think might be traced up to the period whci the be- pmisett B\\)\vi:i.i., clandostiiiely 
 introduced Papineau's celebrated letter on tie table in our House of Assembly. 
 
 [6] How could they be very active and yst take tin pad .' Those Presses 
 to may be easily recoja^nized. Unc of them, vith the motit extensive edtablish 
 fortunately now in other hands. 
 
 [7] One of the most extraordinary instincca of infatuation on the part of the 
 authorities, throughout the whole affair— is Uq fact that the greater part of those arms 
 were actually not unpacked until Tuesday norning, the 5th of December, al^'iougli 
 they had been received many weeks before— and it, was known tliat the rubcls were 
 assembling. 
 
 [8] This pretended humanity is too ridi:uloua for tiic credence of any one. One 
 of the principal rebels in Young Street decltred, that they ucro U> begin by hangnig 
 Sir Francis B. Head from the top of his owi flag-stalf! ! I 
 
 [9J Is it not most extraordinary that I unter, who is here alluded to, and who 
 was, next to Mackenzie himself; the most ictive traitor of them ail, in the country, 
 should have been permitted to go at largo on bail, after liis arrest for Treunnn.' The 
 consequence was, that he immediately abscmded, after writing a ihr-jatening letter to 
 the Editor of this pampldet. 
 
 I 
 
 alludsd 
 hmcnt, id 
 
 ►. 
 
 \ 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
[8 ] 
 
 Bcnt. We never tloiibtcil the feeling of tlio Province. Sir 
 FranciB admit.^, in "his Hpe(!ch from tlic throije/' that we 
 would iiave cheerfully submitted the whole matter to a con- 
 vention of the people.'" 
 
 Twelve leading rcibrtners in the city and county ngreccJ, 
 one day in November, that on Thursday the 7th of December 
 last, between the hours of six and ten in tho evening, the 
 friends of freedom in the .several townships, led by their cap- 
 tains, would meet at iMongomciy's, march to Toronto, seize 
 the arms we so much wanted, dismiss Sir Franci.s, and pro- 
 claim a Ivepnblic. The (otaiis were left entirely to my man- 
 agement ; and an ( xeculivc in the city was named to corres- 
 pond with Mr. Papineau anJ our other fricndd below, allbrd 
 intelligence, aid our cllorts, and finally, to join the army at. 
 Mcntgonuny's. It was al-'O stipulated that no attenjpt should 
 be made by that executive" to alter the time on which we were 
 to revolt, without consulting with me in the lirst instance. 
 
 The country was ripe for a change, and I employed a 
 fortnight previous to Suntla}, the 3d December, in attending 
 secret meetings, assisting in organizing towns and places, and 
 otherwise preparing for the revolution. On that day, I rode 
 from StoullVille, (vvlierc I lad held two private meetings on 
 the Saturday,) to V'onge-sucet ; and arrived at Mr. Gibson's 
 in the evening.'- To my usonishmentand dismay, I was in- 
 formed by. him, that although I had given the captains of town- 
 ships sealed orders for the Thursday following, the executive, 
 through him, by a mere verbal message, had ordered out the 
 men beyoDd the ridges, to attend at Montgomery's with their 
 arms next day, Monday, and that it was probable they wero 
 already on the march. 
 
 I instantly sent one of Mr. Gibson's servants to the north, 
 countermanded the Monday movement, and begged Colonel 
 Lount not to come down nor in any way disturb the previous 
 regular arrangement, because neither of the other towns, nor 
 
 [ 1(1] Convention of the People i 
 worst species of Kapublicaniem ! 
 
 -Why, what is that but yielding at once to the 
 
 [11] Curiosity will be oil agog in Toronto, to fix upon the individuals who formed 
 this sama Extcutivn ! 
 
 [\2\ On Saturday, tlie 2d instant, Mackenzie was seen with both hands in his 
 breeches' pocket, knitted brows, and his hat drawn closely down over his eyes, and 
 oinst serious aspect— making a strict scrutiny of the Market Buildings — giving occa- 
 siona^ly a RignKicant nod, or wink, to some of the country peoplecollected in the square. 
 
 . 
 
I 9] 
 
 the clti/.(Mis of Toronto, vveri! ia any way prepared" for tm 
 altoratiorj which, if [)orsislcfI in, would surely ruin ih. The 
 Burvnnt returned on Alonday, with a message from Mr. Lount, 
 that it was now too Into to stoi), tiiat the men wore warned, 
 and moving with their guns niid pikes, on the march down 
 Yongo-street, (a distance of 30 or 40 miles on the wonst roads 
 in the world,) and^thut the ohj-et of their rising could there- 
 fore he no longer concealed. 
 
 I was grieved and so was Mr. Gibson, but we had to make 
 the bcHt of it; accordingly I n.ountcd my horse in tjie jiller- 
 noon, rodo in towards the city, took five tru.-^ty m';n with me, 
 arrested several men on suspicion that tliey were going to Sir 
 Frauci.^ with information, plac( J a guard on Yonge-strect, the 
 main northern avenue to Toonto, at Montgomery's, and 
 another gurrd on a parallel road, and told them to allow none 
 to pass the city. I then waiicd some time, expecting the 
 executive to arrive, but waited ii vain — no one came, not oven 
 a message — I was therefore hft in entire ignorance of the 
 rojulition of the capital; and iistcad of entering Toronto on 
 Thursday, with 4000 or 5000 iien, was apparently expected 
 to tnko it on Monday with 200'* wearied after a march of 30 
 or H) miles through the mud, in the worst possible humor <it 
 finding they had been called from the very extremity of the 
 county, and no one else warnelat all. 
 
 About eight or nine o'clock, [l accompanied Capt. Anderson 
 of liloydtown, Mr. Slirppard, and two others, on horseback, 
 down Vonge-strect, inter; Jing i'no one came with tidings from 
 the city to go there and ascertiin how far an attack and sei- 
 zure of the muskets and bayonets we so much needed, was 
 practicable. There were war'ants^'out for my apprehension, 
 but I did not mind them much 
 
 We had not proceeded far when we met Alderman John 
 
 [13] Insidious and treacherous men are alwaygj cowardly, and we suppect thai 
 Rolpk's heart failed him on coming to the sratch. 
 
 [14] It is not credible that so largo u force of rcbclj could have been collected 
 together on one point, under any circunstances ! We are however clearly of the 
 opinion that the city mipht have been captured, sacked, and destroyed, at any iiour 
 during tiie nights of Sund;iy the 3d, md Monday tlie 4lh instant, m the total 
 absence of all precaution on tlie part of ths Government — even by a less force than 
 200 men, under dashing and spirited leaders — without tiiat specialjinterfercn -O of 
 Divino Providence so wonderfully conspicuous throughout the whole affair! 
 
 1 * 
 
 i 
 
 
 ■*i 
 
 \ / 
 
 k 
 
 I 
 
 ■ i ^, ^w4i ^ \. 
 
"55^ 
 
 [ 
 
 [ 10] 
 
 Powell," (now Mayor,) and Mr. Archibald McDonald, late of 
 Kingston, on horseback, acting as a sort of patrol. I rode up to 
 them, presented a doable-barreled pistol,'" informed them that 
 the Democrats had risen in arms, that we wished to prevent 
 info-mation of that fact from reaching the city, and that they 
 would have to go back to Montgomery's as prisoners, where 
 they would be well treated, fed and lodged, and in no way 
 injured in person or purse— but they must surrender to me 
 their arms." They both assured me they had none, and when 
 I seemed to doubt, repeated the assurance; on which I said, 
 "Well, gentlemen, as you are my townsmen, and men of honor, 
 I would be ashamed to show that I question your words by 
 ordering you to be searched ;'"* and turning to Messrs. Shep- 
 pard and Anderson, I bade them place the gentlemen in the 
 guard-room, and see that they were comfortable, after which I 
 proceeded again towards the city. 
 
 Not many minutes afterwards I was overtaken by Alder 
 man Powell, riding in great haste. I asked what it meant, and 
 told him he must not proceed, except at his peril. He kept 
 on, I followed and fired over mj horse's head, but missed him. 
 He slackened his pace till his horse was beside mine, and 
 while I was expostulating vvith him, he suddenly clapt a pistol 
 quite close to my right I east, but the priming flashed in the pan, 
 and thus I was saved from instant death. At this moment 
 McDonald rode back seeming]/ in great affright, and Powell 
 escaped from me by the side bar, and by a circuitous route 
 reached Toronto. McDonald appeared unable to expluin, I 
 
 [15] [n order to ascertain the truth of all the facta connected with this part of 
 the Narrailv. — and of the remarkable ciicumstances which occurred during ihat 
 memorable evening — wo waited upon our gallant and worthy Mayor, and the result 
 of our enquiries, which ho very kindly and with much frankness answered, is so inter- 
 esting and complete, that we have thrown the intelligence, we thus obtained, into an 
 Appendix, to which we here beg leave to refer the reader. 
 
 [16] Mr. Powell thinks it was a larg;e lorse-pistol. 
 
 [17] Mr. Powell did not say that he wes unarmed ; and here it niay bn proper to 
 name another provideiilial circumstance — Mr. P. intended to have taken his fowlmg 
 piece with him — but not being able tO find its caps, he borrowed the pistols he carried 
 from the High- Bailiff'— one ot which had &'^rcussion and the other ajlini lock. They 
 were both small ones. It was the flint lock that flashed in the pan— by which incident 
 Mackenzie's life was saved for that time. Had Mr. P. taken his gun with him, it is 
 most probable his own life would have been sacrif.ccd ! 
 
 [18] Mr. P. declares that Mackenzie made no such court aous speeches, but mut- 
 tered somewhat of his dissatisfaction. Mr. P. says that he clapt his pistol into M's. 
 face, so closely, ha thinks, as to toucli it. 
 
 SiiU'gJ:^" 
 
 J^\ 
 
it 19 
 
 [11 1 
 
 therefore sent him back the second time, and being now alone 
 judged it most prudent to return to Montg-omery's, on my way 
 to which I encountered the murdered remains of the brave 
 and generous Capt. Anthony Anderson, the victim of Powell's 
 baseness. His body lay p' otched in the road, but life was 
 extinct. Tlie manner of I .s death was "^.s follows : — Sheppard 
 and Anderson were accompanying Powell and McDonald on 
 their way to the guard-room at Montgomery's, when Powell 
 was observed to slacken his horse's pace a little — by this 
 means ho got behind Anderson, and taking a pistol from his 
 pocket, shot him through the back of his neck, so that he fell 
 and died instantly.'" Sheppard's horse stumbled at the mo- 
 ment, Powell rode off and McDonald followed. Whether 
 Powell is or is not a murderer, le.- the candid reader say. I 
 give the facts."" On arriving at Montgomery's, I was told by 
 the guard that Colonel Moodie of the army had attempted to 
 pass the barrier, that they had told him what guard they were, 
 that he had persisted and fired a pistol at them, on which one 
 of the men levelled his rifle and slot him. He died in an hour 
 or two after. I find it stated in many of the papers that I 
 killed Colonel Moodie, although at the time of his death I was 
 several miles distant, as those tien present well know. But 
 I fully approved of the conduct ol those who shot him. 
 
 Sir Francis Head admits tiat he was entirely ignorant 
 of our intended movement until awakened out of his bed that 
 night. His informant, I believe to have been Capt. Bridge- 
 ford.^^ He had the bells sett a inging, took up his abode in 
 the city-hall, delivered out a few rusty guns, made speeches, 
 
 \ 
 
 [19] It ia rather singular how Mackenzie could pretend to desciibe the manner of 
 Anderson's death when he did not witness it! He, however, is not very far wrong in 
 tiiis part of his narration — as will be seen bj reference to Mr. P's account. Most of 
 the rebels assert that he was not shot at ail— if so, why was the body so carefully 
 concealed ? Mr. 1*. declares that he had nj intention of making resistance until he 
 iicard that poor Moodie was killed— he thei, naturally, concluded his own turn was 
 next — and was determined to seize the first opportunity to escape. 
 
 [20] Murder indeed ! Pray what wis, and what is Mackenzie /i imse^/"— and 
 what title would he have taken unto himself, had he shot our worthy Chief Magistrate, 
 which he attempted to do ? 
 
 [21] No— it was Mr. Powell himself, who went directly after his most fortunate 
 escape, to the Government House, and to thi bedside of His Excellency the Lieutenant 
 Governor, and awoke him ! — and ill has he been requited : — indeed, ho has not been 
 requited at al!— except by the increased csleem of his fcliow-citizens ! ! 
 
 t 
 
VI 
 
 WW 
 
 r. 
 
 i 
 
 [ 12] 
 
 and was in great trouble. Of ail which particulars our execu- 
 tive neither brought nor sent us any account whatever. 
 
 About midnight our numbers increased, and towards 
 morning I proposed to many persons to march to Toronto, 
 join such of the reformers there as were ready, and endeavor 
 to make ourselves master of the garrison and mnsquets. 
 
 To this it was objected, that I was uninformed of the 
 strength of the fortress, that the other townships had not yet 
 joined the men from the upper country, that wo were ignor- 
 ant of the state of the city, and that gentlemen who had 
 advised and urged on the movements, and even the cxecu( ve 
 w^ho had ordered this premature Monday rising, stood a!oo.) 
 and had neither joined us nor communicated with us. 
 
 Next day (Tuesday) we increased in number to 800, of 
 wliom very many had no arms, others had rifles, old fowling 
 pieces, Indian guns, pikes, «fcc. Vast numbers came and 
 went off again, when they found we had neither musquets or 
 bayonets. Had they possessed my feeling in favour of free- 
 dom, they would have stood by us even if armed but with 
 pitch forks and broom handes. 
 
 About noon wo ohtaired correct intelligence that with 
 all his exertions, and including the college boys, Sir Francis 
 could hardly raise 150 supporters" in town and country; and 
 by one P. M. a flag of truce reached our camp near the city, 
 the Messengers being the Honorables Messrs. Rolph and 
 Baldwin,"^ deputed by Sir Francis to ask what would satisfy 
 us, I replied, "Independence;" but sent a verbal message that 
 we had no confidence in Sir F's word, he would have to send 
 his messages in writing, aid within one hour. I then turned 
 round to Colonel Lount and advised him to march the men 
 under his command at once into the city, and lake a position 
 near tbe Lawyer's Hall, and rode westward to Col. Baldwin's 
 where the bulk of the rebels were, and advised an instant 
 march to Toronto. We had advanced as far as the college 
 avenue, when another flag of truce arrived, by the same mes- 
 with a message from Sir F. declining to comply 
 
 sengers, 
 
 [22] This all the City of Toronto well knows— and Mackenzie himself must 
 have known when he wrote it, to be one of those deliberate falsehoods he took so much 
 deliglit ;n uttering. 
 
 [23] Of all the absurdities during the whole affair, this embassy was the most 
 absurd! It ip, indeed, so inconceivably ridiculous, considering Iho cliaractcr of the 
 parties, as to be absolutely incredible, if it wag not confirmed by so many witnesses : 
 
 with 
 wheni 
 then 
 then 
 
 for 01 
 the wl 
 on oui 
 could 
 and c\ 
 not IJ 
 was a I 
 
 mo r 
 
 that al 
 at one 
 
 ■g.l i . I ' ' MS. ' 
 
 r 
 
 " mi 
 
IRWe 
 
 T^ 
 
 r execu- 
 
 r. 
 
 towards 
 
 !^oronto,. 
 
 luleavor 
 
 its. 
 
 (1 of the 
 
 1 not yet 
 
 e ignor- 
 
 ho had 
 
 xecui've 
 
 d aloo.i 
 
 800, of 
 
 fowling 
 
 imo and 
 
 quets or 
 
 of free - 
 
 )ut with 
 
 hat witli 
 Francis 
 ,ry; and 
 the city, 
 Iph and 
 
 satisfy 
 lage that 
 to send 
 11 turned 
 lie men 
 [position 
 ildwin's 
 
 instant 
 I college 
 he mes- 
 
 comply 
 
 liBoIf must 
 Ik 60 much 
 
 Is the most 
 ctcr of the 
 Itnessca : 
 
 [ 13] 
 
 with our previous request. We were proceed in<j to town, 
 when orders from the executive arrived tiiat we should not 
 then go to Toronto, but wait till 6 o'clock in the evening and 
 then take the city. 
 
 True to the principle on which tlic compact was made 
 for our rising, the order was obeyed, and at a quarter to six 
 the whole of our forces were near the toll bar, on Yonge-f5treet, 
 on our way to the city. 1 told them that I was certain there 
 could be no difficulty in taking Toronto ; that both in town 
 and country the people had stood aloof from Sir Francis ;■' that 
 not 150 men ajid boys could be got to delcnd him ; that he 
 was alarmed, and had got his family on board a steamer, that 
 600 reformers were ready waiting to join us in the city, and 
 that all we had to do was to be firm, and with the city would 
 at once go down every vestige of foreign government in U. C.*^^ 
 
 It was dark, and there might bean ambush of some sort,-^ 
 1 therefore told six rifle men to go a liead o( us a quarter of a 
 mile on the one side of the street, inside the fences, and as 
 many more on the other side, and to fire in the direction in 
 which they might see any of our opponents stationed. When 
 within half a mile of ttie town, we t(ok prisoners the Captain 
 of tlieir Artillery, a Lawyer, and ilie Sherid's horse. Our 
 riflemen a head saw some 20 or 30 of the enemy in the road 
 and fired at them, the 20 or 30, or some of them, fired at us, 
 and instantly took to their heels ant ran towards th.e town. — 
 Our riflemen were in front, after theti the pikemen, then those 
 who had old guns of various kinds, and lastly those who car- 
 ried only clubs and walkingsticks. Colonel Lount was at 
 the head of the riflemen, und he ard those in the front rank 
 fired, and instead of stepping to oae side to make room for 
 tiiosc behind to fire, fell fiat on thcii faces, the next rank fired 
 
 [21] It ia needless now to coDlnidict tliist^russ fa'gehpod, since tlie danger in 
 wliicli t!io Cii,y had been placed was no sooner known in the counttyi than thowands 
 rush'd in arm!), from all quarters, to the rescue. All Upper Canada, indeed, rose, 
 with but few exceptions, as onernan ; — or, as a lion, in iiisstrengi hand majesty, shaking 
 the dew'dropi? from his mane ! Justifying the lj:?h character of its people for their 
 loyalty, high, and unconquorahlo spirit, when the.r host and dearest intorests are in 
 danger. 
 
 As well might 
 
 i 
 
 [25] Again, this disgusting expression of "IVeig-n Government"-—! 
 Yorkshire, in England, stigmatize Middlesex, as a foreign Country ! 
 
 [20] Yes— a gun rnay go off— though it bt nol chargad ! 
 
tm * *•'" 
 
 ( 
 
 i7 
 
 [ 14 ] 
 
 and did the same thing.*' I was rather in front when the firing 
 begun, and stood in more danger from the rifles of my friends 
 than the musqncts of my enemies. I slept to the side of the 
 road and bade them stop firing, and it appeared to me that 
 one of our people who was killed was shot in this way by our 
 own men. Certainly it was not by the enemy. 
 
 Some persons from town friendly to ns, but not very brave 
 had joined us during the march, and they unknown to mc, told 
 awful stories about the preparations the torics had made in 
 several streets, to fire out of the windows at us, protected by 
 feather beds, mattrasses &c. These representations terrified 
 many of the country people, and when they saw the riflemen 
 in front falling down, and heard the firing, they imagined that 
 those who fell were the killed and wounded by the enemy's 
 fire ; and took to their heels with a speed and steadiness of 
 purpose that would have baffled pursuit on foot. In a short 
 time not twenty persons were to be found below tiie toll bar! 
 This was olmost too much for human patience.'-^ The city 
 would have beci' ours in in hour, probably without firing a 
 shot; hundreds of our friends waited to join ns at its entrance; 
 the officials were terror sir nek ; Gov. Head hud few to rely 
 on ; the colony would hai^e followed the city ; a democratic 
 constitution been adopted, and a bloodless chassge from a 
 contemptible tyranny to freedom accomplished. But 800 ran 
 where no one pursued, and unfortunately ran the wrong way.^' 
 I rode hastily back un.il I got in the rear of the main body, 
 stopt a number of them, and implored thoju to return. I ex- 
 plained matters to them, told them to fear nothing, offered 
 with half a dozen more to go between them and all danger, 
 and reminded them that the opportunity of that night would 
 be their last^° — that the moment it was known in the country 
 that the reformers were timid and fearful without cause, Sir 
 Francis would instantly gain numbers. But it was of no use. 
 To successive groups I spoke in vain. Neither threats^' nor 
 
 [27] How delighted would all the lovers of poace be, if, wlieti two armie3 met 
 both B\de3 fell flat on their faces, or, like true yatriotst dotermiricd lo proserve their lives 
 as long as possible for the good of their Country — ran away I 
 
 [28] Certainly quite staggering .' 
 
 [29] Most capital! 
 
 [30] True : the last, the very last ! 
 
 [31] It is quite amusinij to bear the little rebel talk of threats ur)dc4- his ovva 
 favourite system of Mob-Laie ! 
 
 
 ] 
 ( 
 
 II 
 
 
 
Uie flring 
 ly friends 
 ide of the 
 me that 
 oy by our 
 
 rcry brave 
 me, told 
 
 made in 
 jtectod by 
 g terrified 
 riflemen 
 gined that 
 ) enemy's 
 adin3ss of 
 
 In a sliort 
 e toll bar ! 
 
 The city 
 ut firing a 
 3 entrance; 
 ew to rely 
 democratic 
 <re from a 
 Itit 800 ran 
 
 29 
 
 ong way. 
 main body, 
 rn. I ex- 
 <T, offered 
 all danger, 
 ght would 
 10 country 
 cause, Sir 
 of no use. 
 ueats'-" nor 
 
 vo armies met 
 erve tlieir lives 
 
 uride* his «vvo 
 
 [ 15] 
 
 coaxing could induce them to go to the city. I tri-ed to find 
 even fifty or forty to go to town, but the reply was, " we will 
 go in the day light but not in the tlark.''^" Of those many went 
 home that evening, and although about 200 had joined us 
 during the night, we were 200 less numerous on the Wednes- 
 day morning. 
 
 With the steamers in the hands of the government, the 
 city, 4,000 musquets and bayonets, perhaps 60 experienced 
 military ofl[icers, the well paid oificials and their sons and 
 dependants, abundance of ammunition, a park of artillery well 
 served, the garrison, and the aid of all who are prejudiced in 
 favor of colonial government, it had become a diflicult task 
 for a collection of undisciplined half armed countrymen, with- 
 out cannon, scarce of gunpowder, uot possessed of a single 
 bayonet, not even ot guns or pkes for half their numbers, to 
 contend successfully against the enemy for the city ; we there- 
 fore stood on the defensive en Wednesday. Gentlemen of 
 influence, who were pledged to join us, and even the executive 
 who had commanded us to make the premature and unfortu- 
 nate movement, neither corresponded with us nor joined us. 
 To explain their conduct was beyond my power. It discour- 
 aged many, and thinned our ranks.^^ 
 
 On Wednesday forenoon, I took a party with me to Dun- 
 das street, intercepted the great western mail stage and took 
 a number of prisoners, with tie stage, mails and driver, up to 
 our camp. The editors state that money was taken from the 
 mail, which was not the case.^ But the letters of Mr. Sullivan, 
 President of the Executive Coimcil, Mr. Buchanan, and others, 
 conveyed useful information. We found they expected soon to 
 attack us in the country, and I wrote to the executive in the 
 city to give us timely notice of any such attack. Some of the 
 
 [32] Rifles, to be sure, are not tf mjch use in the dark !— and their use has a 
 tendency to produce cowardice. 
 
 [33] How true the remark that has been often made, but not generally believed, 
 that Maekenzie, after all, was a mere too. in the hands of others. 
 
 [34] This wretched, bad man pretended he robbed no one: — he robbed many 
 with his own hands, and, among them, a ooor woman of her all ! The following is only 
 one of many vouchors : — 
 
 I, Thomas Cooper, of the City of Toronto, hereby certify, that on Wednesday 
 the 6th of December last, I was travelling from the Ciiy into the Township of Toronto, 
 in company with James Armstrong, of tlie Humber, both being on horseback. About 
 one o'clock in the day, as far as I recollect, both of us stopped at Mr Farr's of the 
 Peacock Inn, to get a glass of beer, and fastened our horses to a post. On going back 
 to our horses, we found them removed to a shed, and were [proceeding to mount them, 
 
 ♦ 
 
 •'J 
 
 I 
 
 X 
 
I 16 ] 
 
 leading reformerci'^ in t!ie city had left it, but not to join ns — 
 others socmcd to have lost their eticrjjies ; neither mosscrijrer 
 nor letter rcachod our camp ; the executive was not thete. — 
 One man on horseback told us wo laiglit be attacked on 
 Tliursday. 
 
 My chief hope lay in this, that if we were not attacked 
 till Thursday night, vast reinforcements would join us from the 
 outer townrsiiipa, and that reformers at a distance would inarch 
 to our aid, the moment they heard that we had struck for 
 self-government. V/ith this view, I sought to confine the 
 attention of the enemy to the defence of the city, and on 
 Thursday morning selected lO riflemen and "20 others to go 
 down and burn tlie Don bridga, the eastern appr jach to To- 
 ronto, and the house at its end, to take the Montreal mail 
 stage and mails, and to Jrav/ out the forces^" in that quarter if 
 possible. 1 also proposed that the rest of our men who had 
 arms, should take the direction of the city, and be ready to 
 move to t!?,e right or left, or to retreat to a strong position as 
 
 when \VQ were taken prisoners and handled very rou;;,'h!y ; both our pockets were 
 searclicd, and my purse taken iioin ine ; when jusi ut that moment Makenzie made his 
 nppcarance, and asked t!ie man who liad riflsd my poi,''ets, how much money wrs in 
 my purse ; the man said lie did not know, but handed the purse to Mackenzie, wlio 
 counted it and found eluvev pounds five shillings ; he took therefrom a two dollar nnto 
 and a one dollar note, winch he returned to aae in t!ic purse, and the remainder of the 
 money he put in his own pocket : ho also look my horse, wliich coat nic j£27 lOs.f 
 and a nearly new bridle and saddle. Fron. Mr. Armstrong he toolc four dollars in 
 money, and one pound of tea, two pounds o* coffee, and also his horse and bridle and 
 saddle. Mr. Armstrong was so alarmed fnm the rough treatment we received, that 
 he jumped over a fence and ran across a ficll, when two men fired after but happily 
 missed liiin. 1 was also witness to Mackenzie's seizure of the trunk of the servant- 
 girl of the house, which contained all her clothes, and as she alleged, fifteen dollars in 
 money. The poor girl untreated to have herciotliea and trunk returned, and s-aid he 
 might laue the mono;', but Mackenzie was deaf to her entreaties, though made on her 
 knees. The woods resounded with her lameitalions ; and 1 was further witness to the 
 robbery of a poor wayfarer travelling to Tor»nto, who happened to be passing at the 
 time ; he took him prisoner and searched iiis person, on whom he found only half a 
 dollar. The poor man was clothed in rags ; and when deprived of his money, the 
 tears coursed down his cheeks. 
 
 In about two or three hours after this, the Western Mail arrived at the Peacock, 
 which Mackenzie also robbed, and carried ofT horses, coach, and all 
 
 All this I rlo solemnly declare to be true. THOMAS COOPER. 
 
 Toronto, February 10th, 1838. 
 
 [35] The amiable, hemvolent, religions Dr. John Rolph, to wit — who, in his 
 charity and good-will to all mankind, advised the conjlagralxon of the City, as ihc beat 
 moans to insure success ! 
 
 [30] How carefully this diabolical traitor avoii> all mention of the burning of 
 Dr. Home's house with his own hands. Surely, Euch a remorseless villain ought to 
 he demanded of the American Government, and the delivery of his person insisted up on 
 at all hazards. 
 
i 
 
 on 
 
 go 
 
 in Ills 
 Lhc beat 
 
 [ning of 
 light to 
 [dupon 
 
 [ 17 ] 
 
 prudence might dictate. At this moment Colonel Van Eg- 
 mond ," a native of Holland, owning 13,000 acres of land in 
 the Huron Tract, a tried patriot, and of great military expe- 
 rience under Napoleon, joined ua, and one of the Captains 
 desired a council to bo held, which was done- Col. V. ap- 
 proved of my plan, a party went off, set fire to the bridge, burnt 
 the house, took Mie mails,^ and went through a part of the city 
 ttnmolested. But the councilling and discussing of my project 
 occasioned a delay of two hours, which proved our ruin, for 
 the enemy having obtained large reinforcements by the steam- 
 ers from Cobourg, Niagara and Hamilton, resolved to ^attack 
 us in three divisions, one of then to march up Yonge street, 
 and the others by ways about a mile to the right and left of 
 that road* Had our forces stared in the morning, the party 
 at the bridge would have interfered with and broken up the 
 enemy's plan of attack, and we would have been in motion 
 near Toronto, ready to retreat tD some one of the command- 
 ing positions in its rear, or to joirthe riflemen below and there 
 enter the city. 
 
 We Vvcre still at the hotel, discussing what was best to be 
 done, when one of the guards told us that the enemy was march- 
 ing Up with music and artillery, md within a mile of us.^^ Our 
 people immediately prepared for battle, I rode down towards 
 the enemy, doubting the intelligence, until when within a short 
 distance I saw them with my ovn eyes. I rode quickly back, 
 asked our men if they were ready to fight a greatly superior 
 force, well armed, and with artillery well served. They were 
 ready, and I bade them go to the woods and do their best. — 
 They did so, and never did mei; fight more courageously. In 
 the face of a heavy fire of grape and canister, with broadside 
 following broadside of musketry in steady and rapid succession, 
 the;f stood their ground firmly, and killed^" k wounded a large 
 
 [37j This fellow, who was taken at Montgomery'e, died in the City Hospital 
 whilst a prisoner. 
 
 [38] This was done by the notorious Peter Matthews, but nothing is said about 
 •hooting a poor harmless woman, out of sheer wantonness, at the same lime ! 
 
 [39] Had anything like good generalsli p been observed by the Queen's troops on 
 this occasion, the entire rebel squad m)ght. lave been caplured with the utmost ease 
 and without loss or risk — a full accouni of t.io transactions of this day will be given 
 in the enlarged History of this Rebellion. 
 
 [40] VvhaL outrageous falsehood ! Tlio loyalists did wot lose a single man ; nor 
 
 did the rebels stand their grc 'd at all, until they got into the woods ; and then only for 
 
 a moment or two, being speedily put to the route by a well directed charge of grapa 
 
 and cannistcr, Jired by our gallant townsman. Dr. Lang — and as to the position of the 
 
 ebels it was exceedingly /awurad/e ; and, moreover, they had the choice of the ground. 
 
 t 
 I- 
 
( 
 
 ^- 
 
 . \ 
 
 I 18 J 
 
 number of the enemy, but were at length compelled to retreat. 
 Li a more favorable position, I have no doubt bui that they 
 would have beaten oft' their assailants with immense loss. As 
 it was they had only three killed and three or four wounded. 
 I felt anxious to go to Montgomery's for my portfolio and 
 papers, which wore important, but it was out of the question, 
 so they fell into the hands of Sir Francis. All my papers 
 previous to the events of that week I had destroyed, except a 
 number of business letters, and these it took my family upwards 
 of an hour and a quarter to burn. But with all my caution, 
 some letters fell into their hands to the injury of others. 
 
 The manly courage with which two hundred farmers, 
 miserably armed, withstood tiie formidable attack of an enemy 
 1200 strong, and who had plenty of ammunition, with new 
 muskets and bayonets, artillery, first rate European ofHcers, 
 and the choice of a position of attack, convinces me that dis- 
 cipline, order, obedience and subordination, under competent 
 leaders, would enable them speedily to attam a confidence suf- 
 ficient to foil even the regulars from Europe. About 200 of 
 our friends stood at the tavern during the battle, being un- 
 armed. 
 
 Mr. Fletcher, Col. Van Egmond, myself, and others, held 
 a consultation near Hogg's Hollow, and concluded that it 
 would be useless to reassemble our scattered forces, for that 
 without arms, success would be doubtful. I instantly deter- 
 mined to pass over to the United States, and accomplished my 
 purpose in three days, travelled 125 miles, was seen by 2000 
 persons at least, and with a reward of 4000 dollars advertised 
 for ray head, speedily reached Buffalo. 
 
 It is said we were cruel to our prisoners, 54 in number, 
 but nothing could be farther from the truth. They had the 
 largest and best rooms in the hotel, twelve bed chambers were 
 appropriaated to their especial use, and bedding, while our 
 volunteers lay in their wearing clothes on the floor of the bar 
 and other apartments — they fared as we fared ; and for their 
 amusement I sent them up European, American and Canadian 
 papers,*^ often without reading them myself. Mr. McDonald 
 wrote to his family that he was kindly tr. ated, and it is unjust 
 for any British officer to allow such slanders as have appeared 
 in the newspapers to go uncontradicted. 
 
 (41] Stolen flrom the Maili. 
 
 (: kf,. 
 
un- 
 
 [ 19] 
 
 As to Sir Francis Head's story of 10,000 men itistantlj 
 making to the capital to support him, it is a sheer fabrication* 
 If that were true, why has a law become necessary since to 
 8r~pend the trial by jury? Why were his family confined for 
 two days on board a steamboat? Why did he send us a flag 
 of truce on Tuesday, when all the force he could muster was 
 150 men and boys, out of a population of 20,000 in and near 
 to Toronto P The truth is, that thousands were on their way 
 to join u3 on Thursday evening, that being the regular time 
 for which the towns had been summoned ; and they, on learn- 
 ing that wo were dispersed, made a virtue of necessity, and 
 professed that they had come to aid the tories ! Sir Francis, 
 in his Speech, s ys they were " generally speaking, without 
 arms ;" and in fact most of tliem had none to bring. That 
 was the grand difficulty ; and would have been remedied had 
 our movement been delayed till Thursday, as agreed on. — 
 Very few Militia men in Upper Canada had been entrusted 
 with arms, and of these few the Government had endeavored, 
 through Captain Magrath and others, to deprive them previous 
 to the outbreak. 
 
 The burning of Mr. Gibson's house, stables, and out- 
 houses, by the order and in the presence of Governor Head,** 
 was highly disgraceful to him, and is a stain upon his reputa- 
 tion. Dr. Home's premises was head quarters to the spies 
 and traitors who invested our camp, aud used for the purpose 
 of the enemy, but this was not the case with those of Mr. 
 Gibson. Yet ijovernment destroyed them, and carried off his 
 cattle, horses, grain, and property, and used or sold it, and 
 kept the money. The moveables of hundreds of others were 
 taken in the same way. Sir Francis' advisers may live to see 
 this example followed more extensively than they desire.** 
 When the reformers destroyed the house of Dr. Home, they 
 
 [42] So far from being a fabrication all America now knowa it to be fact. 
 
 [43] We admit these are rather home questions — which the Councillors of Hi* 
 .Excellency the Lieutenant Governor inugt answer. 
 
 [44] This was done neither by the order, nor in the presence, of the Governor— 
 who evinced an extraordinary degree of clemency throughout the day . 
 
 [451 The abortive attempts which have been made, although abetted by thouaandg 
 of rascally Yanktet, to carry this threat into txecution, promise ampl« •wwitf foe 
 the future. 
 
 i 
 
 jt. 
 
 '^W 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 t. 
 
■J 
 
 # 
 
 \ 
 
 * r 
 
 [20] 
 
 dill not curry off to ihe value of oiio farthing of his eflecls.*' A» 
 to Sherill'Jarvis' premises, they would have been burnt but 
 for two reasons — 1st, wo liad no proof that the Slierirt's houao 
 was used as a rendezous for our enemies ; and, 2ndly, there 
 were sick people in it, whom w ''d not wish to make war 
 upon. 
 
 About 3,500 persons joined us during the three days on 
 which we were behind Toronto." 
 
 My large and extensive Book Store, the newest and most 
 valuable Printing Establishment in Up|)er Canada, and my 
 Bindery, were entered by Alderman Powell, and others, on the 
 Tuesday, the types upset, the work destroyed, and every thing 
 on the premises cither rendered useless or carried oft". 
 
 The American people will understand the state of society 
 in the Canadas, when infortped, that martial law obtains at 
 Montreal, and that the Habeus Corpus Act is suspended at 
 Toronto — that the opposiliou presses are all destroyed or 
 silenced, and their Editors expatriated — and that the liberty 
 of speech, and of the press, is erijoined in an equal degree in 
 conquered Poland and in conquered Canada. ""^ 
 
 There may be errors in ttje preceding narrative, and if 
 so, I shall be thankful for their correction. My motives having 
 been impeached by sorno, I cheerfully refer to those of all 
 parties who have had the best means of observing my public 
 and private conduct for many years past, whether I am deserv- 
 ing of blame, as one who recommended a movement which has 
 not been successful, or for lack of discretion, or energy, so far 
 as concerned in its execution, are questions which, if worth 
 while, the public have the facts before them to determine. — 
 Being of opinion that a vast majority of the people of Upper 
 Canada earnestly desire independence, and firmly persuaded 
 that with perseverance they will attain it, I intend to continue 
 to devote my very humble efforts towards hastening the happy 
 
 [46] No, because it wa8 not very convenient for them so to do; but the Fvebrand 
 Mackenzie broke up, and burnt ecnie of the valuable lurniture in the house with hit 
 own hands ! 
 
 [47] We have no means of ascertaining the truth of this statement, but we do 
 not believe there was ever, at any one time half the number. 
 
 [48] The American people are not such fools as to believe any portion of this 
 lying braggadocio. Look at the public declarations of the American citizens of Moh' 
 trtal and ,S<. Catharimt- 
 
 r 
 
v^ 
 
 [ '^^ ] 
 
 time when Culoiiial vassalage will bo exchanged for fVeedoni 
 and poace.*' 
 
 The Canadian people owe to their American brethren a 
 large debt of gratitude, and will, I trust, ever remember the 
 kindness and sympathy extended towards ihem.'" The freemen 
 of this frontier have lost sight of the political and party divisions 
 of the hour, and enthusiastically cheered our aspirats for 
 liberty, indulging a lively hope that heaven would speedily bles» 
 their efforts, and hasten the day in which they will be enabled 
 to burst the bonds of ages of tyranny, attain liberal political' 
 institutions, and become prosperois and free. 
 
 I am, dear Sir, 
 
 Ycur faithfcrl-^Tvant, t 
 
 W. L. MACKEINZIE. 
 
 ^A^ 
 
 [49] Sliould Mackenzie'H ('ju over rest u?on Iheao notes, we shall here as iuro 
 hiui that his very nnmo is hold in execration, c\m by liis former friends in Canada — 
 and both his public and his nrivalu conduct Ims iiccured tho inheritance uf an eternal 
 infamy ! and the very way to secure tlio freedom and peace he so liypocritically talksr 
 about — is to brmg himself and all oiiicrs aa guiliy as himself, to speedy justice. 
 
 [50] Yes, such a debt, revcrbing the matter— that Jonathan will find it very difB- 
 cult to pay. Of character, to bo sunt ho lius no: much to lose, but he has a few dollara 
 left — and most abominably does he iiate to purl with them — but part with them h« 
 must on this occasion. 
 
 ins 
 "ar 
 •th 
 
 A 1» P E N I X , 
 
 CONTAINING FUllTHER PARTICULARS OBTAINED FROM CONVER- 
 SATIONS WITH JOHN POWELL, ESQUIRE, MAYOR 
 OF THE CITY OF TORONTO. 
 
 do 
 this 
 
 OH' 
 
 On Monday evening, the 4ili ol December, 1837, whilst engaged at the 
 City Hall, in swearing in Special Constables, and in tiie distribution of arms, 
 &,c., finding from the number of Magistrates present, that lie could be of more 
 service by taking charge of several volunteers who had assembled to patrol on 
 horsebauk through tho diflercnt approaches to the City during the night, for the 
 purpose of reconnoitering the movements of the Rebels, who were said to be 
 in force, especially ii. Yonge-Street, Mr. Powell determined on turning out, in 
 person, on that critical service, and Mr. Archibald McDonald offered to accom- 
 pany him. 
 
 -W 
 
 U- 
 
'•\ 
 
 ''; 
 
 A- 
 
 [2^2 ] 
 
 Juit ai the arrAni;enienti were niHdo for thii lerTice, Col. FmoiBaon, io 
 company wiih Mr. Brock and Mr. Bkllinoiiam, rudo up and declared their 
 intention of turning out lik«!wise. It wiis agreed thoy should go togetlicr. Mr. 
 McDonald went home for his home, and Mr. Powell went to his house for 
 arms ; hut, after loading his gun, finding ho had no caps, ho abandoned the 
 idea of taking it, and proceeded to overtake the party, wlio had gone on be- 
 fore, Invini; with hitn only two small pistols, which he had borrowed from the 
 High BiiililV as ho left the City Hall. 
 
 Mr. Powell went alone as far as the Sheriff's Hill, about a niile from the 
 Citv, when Iih met Col. Fitxgibbon returning by liimMelf, who observed that 
 Mr". Brock and Mr. Bullingham had gone farther on. Mr. Potvoll returned with 
 Col. Fitzgibbon as fur as the toll-gate, when they met Mr. McDonald ; Col. F. 
 observing that all was quiet, as he thought, up Yonge-Street, went homo ; but 
 Mr. Powell and Mr. McDonald not being quite satisfied, resolved upon pro- 
 ceeding northwards with the view of overtaking Mr. Brock and Mr. Belling- 
 ham. 
 
 As tlioy were proceeding leisurely along,'|on rising tin; eminence called the 
 lilue- Hills, they encountered dhur^crsons on horseback, riding abreast of each 
 other ; Mr. Powell thought they were friends, but, as they approached, no less 
 a personage than Mackenzie himself, advanced a little before the rest, and 
 ordered Mr. Powell and his friend to halt ; the others, his companions, instantly 
 surrounded them — Mackenzie was armed with a large horse-pistol, the rest had 
 rilles in their hands. 
 
 Or. Mackenzie telling Mr. P. and his friend that they were prisoners, Mr. P. 
 detnandud by what authority ! Mackenzie replied, he would soon let him know 
 by what authority ! Anderson, who was one of the opposing party, then cried 
 out, that " their rifles were their authority !^'' Mackenzie asked many questions 
 iis .0 the <" 'cc, and prepatioiis made in town? — what guard was placed at tho 
 Government House ? and whether an attack on the part of ilic rebels was ex- 
 pected that light? &c. &,c., to all which questions Mr. P. indignantly and 
 fearlessly replied, that he, Macl:enzie, might go and see. This answer ap- 
 peared to cnrago the little rebel very much, and ho immediately ordered An- 
 derson and Sheppard to march his prisoners into the rear, and " hurry on the 
 
 men 
 
 n» 
 
 Anderson took charce of Mr. Powell, and Sheppard undertook to secure 
 Mr. McDonald. Mr. P. arfd his guard went first, and Mr. McD., with his 
 sentry about ten yards behind. Anderson was excessively abusive towards the 
 Governor, and said that he would " let Bund Head know something before 
 long .'" Mr. P. asked him of what he had to complain, and attempted to rea- 
 son with him on the impropriety and wickedness of his conduct: Anderson 
 replied that " they had borne Tyranny and Oppression too long, and were now 
 determined to have a Government of their own.^* 
 
 From all Mr. P. could gather he "■'•jnd, beyond doubt, that the rebels were 
 upon their march to the City, and werj near at hand, with a view of taking "u 
 by surprize ; and, that those who had captured himself, and his companion, 
 were the advance guard. 
 
 When opposite to Mr. Home's gate^ a person on horseback met them—- 
 Anderson ordened him to halt, and inquired who he was? He replied " Thom- 
 jo«." Mr. P. instantly said, " Mr. Thomson, I claim your protection — J am 
 aprisoner.^^ The person, who turned out to be Mr. Brooks, recognized Mf. P. 
 by his voice, and said, " Powell, the rebeb httee that po»r Gul. Moodie, and 
 
UIBBON, in 
 Inred their 
 tlicr. Mr. 
 s house fur 
 idoncd the 
 ono on he- 
 el from the 
 
 le from the 
 iorvcd that 
 turned with 
 Id; Col.K. 
 homo ; but 
 upon pio- 
 Ir. Belling- 
 
 called the 
 east of each 
 hed, no less 
 10 rest, nnd 
 ns, instantly 
 the rest had 
 
 oners, Mr. P. 
 et him know 
 f, then cried 
 iny questions 
 ilaccd at the 
 bels was ex- 
 gnantly and 
 answer ap- 
 ordored An- 
 hurry on the 
 
 ok 
 :D, 
 
 to secure 
 
 with his 
 
 towards the 
 
 '.thing before 
 
 npted to rea- 
 
 Anderson 
 
 ind were now 
 
 B rebels were 
 
 f of taking u 
 
 companion, 
 
 met them — 
 lied " Thom- 
 *ection — I am 
 
 ;nized Mf. P. 
 
 Moodie, and 
 
 ■^■^v 
 
 [ *^3 ] 
 
 mri adtancing on th$ City f " On taying iMii, Mr. B. put ipHr* to hit borte, 
 and luccuedeU in making hi» vicape ; fur, ulthough both Anderson nnJ Shep- 
 pard turned round to fire ut him, th«y cuuld not utfuct their purpoio, owing to 
 Mr. Powell and liis friend being between them and iheir object. 
 
 Upon this intelligence, Mr. Powell made up his mind to an attempt at 
 escape, nt all hazards, feeling assured that the salvation of the City depended 
 upon instant and correct information being conveyed to it. Mr. P. made several 
 attempts to fall buck ; which, being observed by Anderson, the latter said if 
 Mr. P. persisted in such attempts, ho (Anderson) would ^^ drive a ball through 
 Mm.^^ Iluviii^ ^uno on in this way, as fur as Mr. lleath*s gate, Mr. Powell 
 suddenly drew out a pistol and fired at Anderson, who was not more than two 
 jeet distant at the time ; — Anderson fell like a suck, and neither spoke nor 
 moved afterwards ;— Mr. P. riding off, a: the instant, at full speed, down the 
 Street, towards tlio City. Mr. McDonald did the same. Sheppard followed, 
 and fired at them, tho ball passing betwten them, although Mr. McD. was 
 considerably in advance. Mr. P. finding his horse could not keep up, shouted 
 to McDonald to ride hard, and give the alarm to the City. 
 
 At the SherifT's Mill, they were Rgiin met by Mackenzie, and the other 
 person. Mackenzie rode after Mr. Puweil, and pitfienting a pistol at his head, 
 ordered him to stop, on which Mr. P. turned round, and snapped his remaining 
 pistol in Mackenziti's face, which he actually touched, being so near. Mac- 
 kenzie's hoise either took fright, or he could not be sibpped, for he ran on 
 ahead of Mr. Powell, who suddenly drew up at the road which turns off towards 
 Dr. Baldwin's house at Spadipa. up whicli he gallopped for about twenty yards, 
 and then jumped off his horse, 9hd ran in o the woods. * 
 
 Hearing himself pursued, Mr. P. laid down for a short time behind a log, 
 whilst u person on horseback passed by lim, withirf 4he short distance of ten 
 yards. At this crisis, indeed, the feelings of Mr. P. must have been very 
 acute ; for he did not know but ^lat the adjoining woods were filled with 
 rebels. 
 
 Soon as something like a pause in tlie pursuit occurred, Mr. Powell started 
 from his retreat behind the log; and, running through t-he College fields, gained 
 the Avenue ; — down which he continued his course, keeping near the fcnco, 'lill 
 he reached the City. He went instantly to the Government House ; and, 
 after much difficulty, obtained an interview with the Governor, who was in bed! 
 In a few words, Mr. P. related all that he had seen and heard. Delicacy, of 
 course, forbade Mr. P. from informing us of all that took place during the inter- 
 view; but, at length, His Excellency appeared to believe in the reality of ih» 
 thing! From tho Government House, Mr. P. went to the City Hall, and did 
 what was necessary there. 
 
 Mr. McDonald was re-captured at the Toil-Gate, and neither Mr. Brooke's, 
 nor any other person, arrived in the City from Yonge Street, until all the bells 
 were ringing. 
 
 LouNT has confe«|^ed to several persons that the death of Anderson, alone, 
 prevented the attack upon the City that night. Who then, under Providence, 
 is to be accounted its Saviour? Unhesitatingly, we answer, John Powbll, 
 Esquire — the present Mayor of the City! — and he knows not of this fair rii4 
 candid eulogium. 
 
 
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