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YORK^ iPBUrrES btuk. c. ixobn% isfe. .«. m wtmmmmimmmmmmm \ \ K .* ■■ nai haj pre int m 111 DEDICATION. TO those, whose minds have not entirely dis- carded the loftiest principles of Honor and Mag- nanimit/ 5 who ardently contemplate the rising glQiy of this country ;— and, in whose nature, are happily united, Patriotism, Virtue and Sensibility : It To such characters, a notice of the following proceedings is offered, without any formality of introduction. *. », <*• V # I > l ( (''''iij :'Ji' .^ ' ' ' * .' ♦ ^,,, .^ ;...,,. J ;^vv--:f:; :.:Wj < ., A ■ %::^':^.i ^•■■KtMm'^^J:-. ■.£i--'n ,,r^?P^fWlrf¥^«^'- 'f' }'<->y-r ■■ r |i;^-•,^ : v.;i?*tlf':t--^'''' (; ■ '' t'S." !l^ k ■,i. -I': t M i'. 'M J !,' • ••, ■. ' y i • . * ^.''1 .-iv.;*" ' ?.:}/' fr.r ;-•.; ^,4 :: t PROCEEDINGS, &c. ■ '.-V.:'. .if'y ".«,;'>■.>■< > -l . ',, vt< ^.-'.-l ... ;-■>,! ' •■■■'"-f; fj'^Jyl.ti !!-■.«. • Al'TER a great deal of unconnected, and^ sometimes incoherent matter, which occasioned Mr. Gourlaj a long and painful delivery of nearly three hours, which was listened to with no small degltJe of impatience by a numerous and very res- I^ectable meeting of the inhabitants and land- lolders, of the Townships of Hope and Hamilton. Mr. Fothergill rose in reply, and began by apolo- gizing to the older inhabitants, for the liberty he was about to take, and craving their indulgence for having come amongst them wholly unprepared for such an encounter, which the nature of his many avocations did not permit ; then, turning towards Mr. G — , with much animation he ob- served : ..,; ' ; .■ ... ..■ ^.', ;;,:"..: ■.■ ■.-:'■;■ /-^ '■.,"■"■•*■ '''^-- .' *'?.?:» » M.Ji- " As to Mr. Gourlay himself, I *vhuld remark, that every man w^ho has actually become a public character or may be aiming at that distinction, has iivo characters — a public and n private one. It can- not be supposed, that I am acquainted with Mr. G's privacy in the more obscure paths of life. I .-*■ \U 'J •• • f f I have no desire to be acquainted with it. It is his public conduct, alone, in this country, that I would scrutini7.e, because this is my right, and the riglu, gentlemen, of all. The moment a private individual starts from the great mass of society and endeavors to elevate himself, into greater no- tice than belongs to him, he is a fair object of ani- madversion : if, as an elegant writer of modern times has judiciously remarked, any vain or foolish individual, proud of his person and accomplish- ments, tin// jump upon the pedestal of Apollo, and place himself in the attitude of that fabled deity, he ought not to be surprised should he be examin ed and criticised by the strictest rules of grace and proportion. I premise thus much, because 1 wish to speak fieely of this man's proceedings in public. And I must confess to you, gentlemen, that it is a sense of duty, which brings me this day amongst you, unprepared and unaccustomed as 1 am to speak in large and mixed asf^emblies. It is but lately I havo been called to a seat j n the Bench of Magistrates. I tell you this from noim- pulse of vanity — from no feeling of arrogance— but I tell it you, because I have sworn to keep the peace in this fine, this extensive, and happy Dis* Irict. From my soui, gentlemen, 1 believe that that peace is in danger-^and an oath is a solemn, a sacred thing. > " These proceedings of IMr. Gourlay's, are not only in my mind a breach of the peace, but a glaring msult to the gentry, and native good sense of the country. The Americans, as a nation, are remarkable for their quickness of perception, their shrewdness, and their sagacity ; — many of you, gentlemen, have American blood in your veins : the British, as you well know, are not less cele- brated, for their love of liberty, and their hatred of ■w m- ■'«» tyranny and oppression^ n whatever shape those foul fii^nds may appear ; as well as for their high carriage and loltiness of demeanor, even in situa- tions of the greatest danger ; and for their uncon- querable spirit in assertini? their rights and support- ing and defending their liberty, when infringed up- on. — Is it not then insulting \o a society constitut- ed of sucb parts, to be told thai we can neither see, nor remove, the accumulated burthens which are said to be heaping upon us ? — Good God. gentlemen, are we all blina, all deaf, all 3,tupifiea by the heavy load of our grievances, and so to- tally benighted in the thick gloom of political darkness, as to be insensible of what is passing a- round us ! This man, daringly tells you of his surprise, that you have been patient so long ! he is certain that you cannot be quiet much longer ; and advises you immediately to come forward and st^nd delegates, — to do what ? why to insult your Go- vernor, to controul your Parliament, and finally, in all human probability — could this strange and wandering patriot have his will — to revolutionize this great and magniacent Country. Yet, gentle- men, this is all quite harmless— this is no excite- ment to discontent and disorder — no attempt to make you dissatisfied with your excellent Govern- ment — no endeavour to disturb your domestic peace !^f the attempts of this man are not of a seditious nature*— the seeds which he scatters amongst you, are from a tree not less baneful, he conjures up a set of ideal and frightful forms, and fashions them out of the fumes and vapours of his own wild, vain, ard feverish imagination, in order to terrify the weak and uninformed, and then to profit by their terror. Because he has been per- sonally disappointed in the bounty of government, he would be revenged — deeply revenged, and he would make you, gentlemen, the instrument of « if i thai revenge. — Depend upon it. he has less at heart ,, your wrongs, whether real or pretended, than his ^i own assumed riichts.. This is the most ind jlgent light in which we can regard his conduct. But he is exciting you to in- sult your King — in the person of your august Go- vernor ; for, that your Governors the nibble repre- sentative of your Sovereign, you must know, and you are well assured that he has been chosen for his high meiits, and, on account of the splendour of his career in the service of his Country ; you know also, that this illustrious person has already given us the highest hopes in regard to the future prosperity of this beautiful and happy Province, under his auspices. — Is it possible, then, that you can deliberately stain your character by offering such an insult at the instigation of one whom you know not ? — Oh 1 am sure you will spurn at the idea, and regard the instigator in the light he de- serves. Next, gentlemen, he wants to setup a new and controuling power over your Parliament, whom he has already stigmatized, in the grossest nianner. The proceedings of this man, indeed, too much resemble the measures adopted by the dis- affected, both in France and England, aC the fatal period of the French revolution, not to have some similar object in view. — A plan was then formed, gentlemen, in both countries, to assemble aConven- tion of the people, that was to assume the charac- ter and powers ot a national representation, and to controul, if not to supercede, the authority of Parliament : with an audacity, 'till then unknown, but since alas, too frequent — it had taken upon it-* self the task of watching over every transaction of Parliament-^-of netting limits to its powers, and threatening vengeance if it dared to transgress them : the final object, most clearly was, to lodge ' i • >■: : '> 1 i" ■M.I >T the supreme power in their own hands. What I'ol- lowed, Gentlemen, many of you know ; it would be needless therefore on the present occasion to go into the melancholy detail. What I wish to im- press on your minds, is simply this — that if you as- sent to any of the various petitions (I say various, gentlemen, because, as you see, this expert cook has prepared a choice of dishes — though with poison in them all) which this man has the effron- tery to offer for your signatures — ^you stigmatize your own judgment and faculties — by stigmatiz- ing your representatives in Parliament. It is one of the beautiful maxims of that noble and immor^ tal fabric of human wisdom — ^the English Constitu- tion, that all law is ybr the people— /rom the peo- ple — and, when abused, or in need of repair, must oe remedied by the people ; yet in that sober, dis- creet, wise and temperate manner, for which the law has. provided, both by the right of choosing your own Legislators, and the right of petitioning itself—- which this restless, infatuated man, would Fain make you believe is shortly to be no more. — If you have grievances, which fortunately for us, all exist in imagination onlyy and your representa- tives will not listen to your complaints and your directions for amendment — look out for more faith- ful, more enlightened, more patriotic men — ivho will do their duty — as the independant representa- tives of a great and a free people. f»;v?'-' " As to the right of petitioning, Mr. G very well knows that it is a part of the fundamental law of the land, and that it is not in the power even of the King himself to do it away — but he greatly fears, and with reason, that some very proper steps will be taken to arrest his revolutionizing career. — As to a proposed law for the p-eventicn ofsedition^ * ■ ! i^''-'^ U-, , i , /!: JO tVhich this zealous demagogue is ever ringing in your ears, surely every good subject must rejoice in the passing of such an Act, were it really want- ed. But I am apt to think that His Excellency, our illustrious Governor, is better informed than Mr. G imagines, and rather supposes the ex- istence of a seditious person, than sedition itself, in any alarming shape. No wonder then Mr. G should feel a little sore, and dread the axe which he knows mu^t strike at the root of, and ruin all his plans ! Let the galled jade wince, our withers are unwrung. Since my acquaintance with this fine Country, I never heard the slightest intima- tion that the. inhabitants of Hope and Hamilton, were accused of sedition ; why, therefore, should they take the trouble of disclaiming and rebutting that which never attached to them : an over anxie- ty to prove a suspecled innocence, hath ever been construed into an appearance, if not a proof, of guilt. Mr. G— has evident pleasure in telling you, that your district, the finest and most exten- sive in Canada, has been termed the Rehel District! what shameless effrontery — what infamy — what vilencss of insinuation ! Doubtless he was in hopes of finding you so far faflen from your high estate, as to merit that opprobrious epithet. But I trust, gentlemen, that you will know how to uphold your character, thus aspersed, and rebut the abominable charge — from whomsoever and from wheresoever it may proceed, with the keenest indignation of insulted worth. ! trust, gentlemen, that not only your conduct of this day, but every day, and that of your children for ever, will shew the whole ^vorld that the accusation is false, false as hell ! " Mr. G — knows that the plans he has laid for calling these township-meetings, and for sending dclciiatcs to a Convention in Yuri ^ would not be tolerated id England-^!, e. I mean that the prin- ciple could not be admitted as a coifistitutional principle. Where any public grievance has be- come insufferable, or any great and general cala- mity is apprehended, in that land of &eedom, it is usual for the country gentlemen, and men of in- fluence and weight in the country, to sign a requisi- tion to the High Sheriff for the purpose of calling ia public meeting, which is accordingly doqe ; ana the business of whatever nature it may be, orderly and constitutionally conducted : such meetings are indeed regular, and strictly conformable to the law of the land, and the petition^ emanating from them have never failed of receiving the most res- pectful attention on the part of government ; nei- ther will they. But it is my full belief, gentlemen, that no petition in which Mr. G — 's name is in any wise implicated or concerned, will be received, or listened to for a moment, by His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, who will be too well informed as to the history of all this farrago. I would, therefore have those gentlemen who may be in doubt, pause a while ere tliey commit their names with one so notorious. I will also take the liberty of asking Mr. G — whether he has not himself drawn up all — or by far the greater part, of the petitions which he has beeh at the pains to get bruited about the country, as the spontaneous voice of thousands of free people, a small part of whom, and a very small part indeed — have been seduced into signature, by every kind of trick uad decep- tion it was in his power to play off. Now gentle- men, can any thing be more ridiculous ? Look at this man, this self created champion of liberty — narrowly mark all his proceedings, his unsteady, anxious eye, his hurried gait, his pockets swelled out with combustible?, which he is ever ready to 12 deal forth hy handfuls in the hope that one, at least, will be accepted — ^his artful attempts to raise up a standard of discord, and his quick transitions from truth to misrepresentation and falsehood, and then say whether you would take such a man, for your organ, your champion, and your great politi- cal leader ! J Amongst the numerous false representations of this man, he tells you, thjit our new settlers are dissatisfied with their lot, and that they are daily leaving this Province in crowds for the United States : he complains, not themselves^ of their be- ing sent so far into the woods for location ; as if they could be placed on lands in front already tak- en up. If he will have them in front, they must be pushed into Lake Ontario ; or, what would pro- bably suit his purpose much better, be sent still further in front, even entirely across the water in- to the land of our enemy, or at least into the pos- sessions of our great rival. I am happy, that cir- cumstances, and my situation together, enable me directly to contradict this statement, which is alto- gether, and utterly, devoid of truth. These new settlers, almost to a man, are not only delighted with their situation, which, indeed, they have every reason to be ; but they have written to their friends and connections, even to the remotest degree of acquaintance and consanguinity, in Great Britain, to come cut and share in their happiness and pros- perity. Many, to ray own certain knowledge, have even sold their clothing and furniture, in order to raise a fund for the transportation of their poorer friends and relatives to this happy country, which is rapidly rising to that consequence, wealth, and power, which God and Nature hath decreed for its inheritance and its glory. , t-un. 't 1 * J 15 -Gentlemen, we are, or we ought to be, as one large and happy family ; and we ousht especially to be on our guard against those who would dis- turb our tranquility, or embroil us in that civil dis- cord to which we have hitherto, under the bles- sing of Providence, be^n happily strangers. The little disorder that has of late occurred in some parts of the Province is all to be attributed to the machinations of the man who has this day called you together, not however, as I hope, to meet with your support, but to hear his condemnation. On one account, indeed, I am glad that we have met him ; it is this, the generality of the people of this country are so little acquainted with the beauty and inestimable value of their greatest boon, the English Constitution, that 1 am always happy when an opportunity occurs of commenting upon, or illustrating, the glorious privileges which f it bestows on the people who are blessed under its ; influence. Give me leave to read an extract from 1 a work of the highest authority, which bears im«^' mediately upon those very rights which Mr. G — has had the impudence to say you are about to be deprived of for ever." (Here Mr. F— read an ex^ tract from Blachtone^s First Chapter on the absolute ri^ht of individuals, which appeared to have a great effect upon several individuals present.) 5 " You must now see" continued Mr. F — " the futility of this man's arguments, and that you Can- not be robbed of your great inheritance — the right of a free representation in parliament, the right of bearing arms for self-defence, and the Right of Petition. Believe me, gentlemen, you cannot place too high a value upon that which is the en- vy and the admiration of the world, th^t wonder- ful <5ombination of all the perfections of the only three regular forms of government, which the >vorld hath yet scon — the monarchical, the aristo- H H H-? ii.H,:-i t^i t qratical and dem^cratijcal forms of government. It. is indeed the cUii|a;x of human wisdom ; and as a noble writer has justly said, we have a code of suqh,>yise, rational, and humane legislation as was never before kqown— which prescribes the rule of conduc.t, as well to the governors as to. the go- verned :•— -the frtincipl^s oi which are founded in the [Perfection of human reason, and, in a great de- gree on tliaA happy uni^n of Justice and Mercy, which divines have given to the decrees of Omni- potence. — ^We have seen, the whole civilized world hath sqen, what it has been able to accom- plish, under the blessings of Providence, for one little spot, even for that dear, little, sea-girt Isle, from which many of us, proudly, derive our des- cent. Some small and transient errors of admi- nistration may have occasionally crept in ; it is the ^ nature of all human institutions to be subject to ^ injury or ^ejav : but thqugh these things may hap- ^ pen ; though in the long lapse of after ages, and the course of hunian frailty, this glorious fabric shall fall-— yet, in the pages of history it will re- main in letters of gold, the wonder and admira- tion of the world, to the last syllable of recorded time. It is this Constitution, and this government, we are all called upon to defend ; nay, we have sworn to defend it, and I, for one, will defend it as long as I have a tongue to wag — or one drop of blood in my veins to shed. Let us be firm — let us be united, and then we may say in the language of our immortal bard, as emphatically applied to our darling country : " This England never did (nor nevor shall,) Lye at the proud foot of a Conqueror, -^ But wheM It first did help to wound itself: ' ''^'*^ ' '* ' y%. Now thi^ her princes are come home again, 'v- Come the three corners of t lie world in arms. And we siiall shock them : Nought shall make us rue, If England to it self do rest but true.'* 15 ^J > if: Gentlemen, I am really fearful of trekpassiiig too long on your attention, but there is^ne point on which I would comment a little, ere We part, m it is one, in my view, of vital importance to the inte- rests of this country. Mr. G — has giveh you many compliments on the American people ^nd their go- vernment ; whether to flatter those amongst you who are more closely connected with that (ieopl^, or to serve his purposes elsewhere, I shall^nbt divine. But gentlemen, this touches a tender point, oq which I would arrest yuur attention for a few mo- ments, and 1 wish to God it were in toiy power to rouse the fullest attention of our Government, and fix all its watchfulness on the same^klarming ob- ^'ect. Garble and smother it, as you please, we are iving and cultivating our fields in tl^e face of an active and a powerful enemy, who hits heretofore shewn but little delicacy in scrupling at the basest means to attain his ends. The eye of the .wolf, reddening with all the eagerness of keen desire, is Steadily fixed upon the unsuspecting l^b, even the lamb of Canada, feeding at ease in this happy country, literally flowing with milk and boney ; he is thirstmg for your blcod ; be not deceived by this' or that trick — gather yourselves together, be united^ be firm, be watchful. Can we have lived so long and not know something of the temper and de- signs of that ambitious, arrogant people ? Do we not know that they have made the possession of this fine country, a political desidtratum on their part. EJieve me, Gentlemen, it is the greatest, the dearest object of their contemplation. I knovf^ it from the best private, as well as public informa- tion. The late discomfiture only makes them more anxious to try their fortune again. It is a favorite subject of discussion in their private par- ties, and it has more than once escaped their pub- lic orators in Congress assembled. They know •i .lh'.; ii i I 16 the valtlq of this country, and the day is not very distant vnien they will once more assail your do^ xnestic sa^tuaries with all the tumult ana horrors oF war ; am^ther tremendous effort for your subju- gation under the yoke of a noisy and unprincipled dernocracy -will DC made, ?» orc^cr to complete, as they term i^ their territorial arrangements. Never, * perhaps, diq any Cabinet use a more co^lv. deep- . laid, policy-*-nor one more wicked and profligate. ^ Your attentimi is called to the South, by a flagitious outrage towwds Spain, by an asss^sin-like attack^ on the Flondas, and by butchering thousands of the poor natives of the neutral ground : whilst, in reality, the si^eatest and most formidable prepara- tions are gomg on in the North — in your very face ; military roaifs are making rapid progress through their forests towards the chief point|Of attack ;-— Canals, under the double and plausiDfe pretext of commercial improvement — but really for facilitat- ing the transport of heavy ordnance and naval stores, are extending with extraordinary despatch towards the upper Lakes ; — whilst the most skil- ful and experienced Engineers from France, are traversing their whole northern frontier, for the express purpose of fixing upon the most eligible scites for fortifications, and other means of attack. All of which is going on under the immediate in- spection of the President himself. And that no- tning may be left undone, to render the way more open, emissaries of civil discord are sent forth in- to the desired land, amongst the devoted people, to lighten up the flames of jealousy and discontent, in order that the deep mouthed dogs of war may have more ready passage to their prey. These things, gentlemen, with many more 1 might add, are altogether conclusive in my mind'of what is preparing for you : and I could have wished that Mr. G— , instead of running off" into a variety of It unconnected stuflf and nonsense, with which we have nothing to do, had cleared himself of the sus- picions which many attacli to him, as being more or less cx»ncerned in the diabolical plot at which I liave hintf^d. An honest plain-dealing mnn, goes directly to his pomt — it is not so here. — Mr. G — shifts his ground too often not to be suspected. — One time we are told of his Agricultural views; at another, we are entertained with disquisitions on the poor Laws of England, with which we have nothing to dc here ; then of the necessity of re- form, in a hundred different ways ; and, iinally, he has taken a new and more daring step — an attempt to controul Parliament and dictate to the Execu- tive. Depend upon it, ^-entlemen, all was, and is, a mask — ^)'ou do not yet see all the evil this artful and dangerous person would briiip; upon you ; and guch rlk my present opinion of liis proceedings in ' pjilSl^; thdrlthink the people ought to sUew theii* abhorrence and their indignation, by hooting and "shouting him from their society, as they would do a fiend of darkness." ^ J/ d/ '« THE following Resolutions tvere adopted and signr ed by all icko were present ^ with the exception of a very few. ■*«•■ RESOLVED, That we the Inhabitants of ihe Townships of Hope & Hamilton, having assembled pursuant to a Public Notice, observe with extreme pain, that Mr. Gour^ lay's plan and proceedings for addressing thtf*Lt. Governor and House of Assembly, are entirely drs«- sonant with the principles of a Country, enjoying sacred privileges we hii\ e to boast ' fiiiHij|]j[jiiiiiii(4imt 4 x C o > I il ■^ ( 4 I f fn 4 .lb Resolved — TTfaftt we totally diaf^ountenanpe auy attempt of Mr. Gourlay, to excite indignation a- g;ainst the Liout. Governor of thi^ Province, or our Reprcsentaiivos now in Parliament assembled. i?^.9o/i?ci— That although we claim the undoubt^ ed right of i?eiitioning, we oppose th^.uieajSure. of Petitioning for a dissolution of the House of As- B€«ibly, it being dictated through a private, maliT cious and turbulent spirit, \v**h aview t9 bring irir- to disrepuie our loyal Ilej)rei jntatives, and to orr ganize disconlent and commotion, among his Ma- jiBSty's subjects in Upper Canada. , , r John D. Smith, J. P. Ch^s, Fothergill. J. P. Elias Jones, J. P. R. Henry, J. P. Francis Raynes, John Taylgr, Robert Sheri/, Chas. Sheriff, Scnr. Chas. Sheriff,' J unr. M. F. \Vl1iteh9ad, John Hutchison, T.Ward, Thomas Harris,. Walter Bmyell, capt. R ErasmusT'owke, John Spencer; Sheriff, Timo. Kittredge, James Stevens, Jolm Hannah, J.^ Bethune^ Saml. Potter, James Caldwell, John Bumham, % IVIyndert Harris, James W. Fox, A. McDonell, John Brown, Dennis Mord af i y James Ewing, Jr. John Hageroian, Jacob Fyke,' John Burn, J. P. Wm. Sowden, David U vans, C. Cooper, Jfohn C. Burwell^ N Daniel Simmon, John Farmer, John McLean, J. V. Valkenburg, John Perry, Levi Bates, Jolm jGril Christ, Eliyha Jones, E[>hraim Farra?,, Mark Burnham, J]ikt%jaiiljtai|l4i^' ""#_Mk.. ation a- i, or our bled. ndoubt^ ^s^re, of f of As- e, malU d to Ofr his Ma- 19 '#». Lewis Stile, John Bumhaftj, John White, William Fleming, James Hunter, Nicholas Beylan, Pierre Miehon, Bte. Beauchamp, John McNie, James Andrews, David Furnian, Tlieophilus Andrews, Jeremiah Lapp, Francis H. Burk, George Elsworthy Nathaniel Andrews, Walter Kittredge, Francis Bercier, George Huddleston, Jonas Jones. Benjiwrnin Jiurdy, Benjamin Nickols, inn. Francis Fike, Rohert J. Kerr, LeyiiLewi*, Robert Summers, ^ AMHERST, nth Nov. 1818. f r^-i^. , «. 1/^'