The constitutionalist. (Augusta, Ga.) 1823-1832, April 22, 1825, Image 2

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VluU’s #Men\«vtß, Os the Campaign of the North IVestern J Jinny, in the year mi. Addressed to the people of the United Slates. On the .abject of the number which I •ImU now to you. Heel more mtereet than on any other winch has been or will be dicussed. It » the procUm.l.un wh.ch , issued to the inhabitants of Canada. 1 Ins ( was not made an article «» charge .gainst me, because it would have re acted on the , administration. By the letter of the he , cretarv of War, of the 24th June, and , which was received before the proclamation was issued, I was authorised, when I com ( menced oftVr sive operations, to give assur- , ances of protection to tlie inhabitants, in , their persons, property and rights. 1 his was the foundation of the proclamation, and | the substance of it was authorized in this , letter, and the other parts of it contained g reasons to induce the inhabitants not to take anv part in the contest. I shall endeavour thrive it a fair and candid explanation, and f state the motives which induced me to issue it in the form it appeared. Whatever opin ( ion you may form of it—whether it meets ( with your approbation or disapprobation— I pledge myself to produce authentic test)- , mony, that as soon as it was published, it £ was sent to the government, approved by ( the government, and consequently became ( the act of the government; and that, in , publishing it, I was intluenced by pure ( and honorable motives. _ . ■, L feel the more solicitude on this subject, j because, many honourable men, who have | approved of my conduct generally, during . that campaign, have not tieen satisfied with every part of the proclamation. As many of vou, perhaps, have not had an opportuni ty of seeing it, I shall here transcribe the whole of it; after which, I shall give such explanations as in my opinions the text will justify. , Bo William Hull, Governor of the ir.r ritory of .Michigan, and Commanding the Norik Western 'nny. A PROCLAMATION, Inhabitants or Canada, After thirty years of peace and prosperi ty, the United Stales have been driven to arms. The injuries and aggressions, the insults and indignities of Great Britain have once more left them no alternative but man ly resistance or unconditional submission. The army under my command lias inv tiled your country ; the standard of the Union now waves over the territory of Cana la. To the peaceable, unoffending inhabitants, ii b.ings neither danger nor difficulty. I come to find enemies, not to make them. 1 come to protect, not to injure you. Separated by an immense ocean and an extensive wilderness Irom Great Bntain, you have no participation in her councils, no interest in her conduct. You have felt her tyranny, you have seen her injustice. But I do not ask you to avenge the one or redress the other.* The United States are sufficiently powerful to idl'ml every securi ty consistent with their rights and your ex-' pectatious. I tender to you the invaluable blessingsot civil, political, and religions li berty, and their necessary result; individu al and general prosperity : that liberty which gave decision to our councils and en ergy to our conduct,, in a struggle for inde pendence, which conducted us safely and triumphantly through the stormy period of' the revolution—-that liberty which raised us I to an elevated rank among the nations of the! world ; and which afforded a greater mea sure of peace and security, of wealth and| improvement, than ever fell to the lotol any; people. In the name of my country, and the au-j thority of government, 1 promise you pro tection, to your persons, property, and rights. Remain at your homes, pursue your peace-j fnl and customary avocations,; raise not your hands against your brethren. Many of your fathers fought tor the freedom and independence we now enjoy. Being chi 1 dreo, therefore, of the same family with us, and heirs to the same heritage., the arrival of an army of friends must be hailed by you, with a cordial welcome. You willbeeman cipa'ed from tyranny and oppression, and restored to the dignified station of freemen. Had I any doubt of eventual success, 1 might ask your assistance, but 1 do not, I come prepared for every contingency. I have a force which will break down all opposition, and that force is but the vanguard of a much greater. If enn tiarv to your own interest, and the just ex pectations of my country, you should take! a part in the approaching contest, you will be considered as enemies, and the horrors and calamities of war will stalk before you. If the barbarous and savage policy of Great Britain be pursued, and the savages be let loose t i murder our citizens and butcher our w *me n and children, this war will be a war ol extermination. Ihe first stroke of the tomahawk, the first attempt with the scalp ing knife, will be the signal of one indis criminate scene of desolation. No while mnn found lighting by the aide of an Indi an will be taken prisoner —instant death wnll be his lot. If the dictates of reason, dmv. justice, and humanity, cannot prevent th employment of a force which respects no rights, aad knows no wrong.it will b> presented oy a severe and relentless sys I'm ot retaliation. 1 doubt mu your cour a end lir.nness, I will not doubt your al taciiment to liberty. If you tender youi iei ce» voluntarily, they will be accepted readily. The United ttutes offer you pence, liberty, ami security. Your choice lies be*, tween thc*e and war, slavery or destruc tion. Choose then ; choose wisely, and may He who knows the justice of our cause, and who holds in his hand the fate of nations, guide you to the result the most compatible with your rights and interest, your peace and happiness. WILLIAM HULL. Before 1 proceed to any particular ex planations, I ask you to bear in mind the situation in which I was placed by the or ders of the government. I was in an ene mv’s country, with the command of a small body of militia, and a few regulars, (the numbers will hereafter be described) nearly three hit ml red miles distant from any ma gazines of provisions, munitions of war, or re-enforcements. The enemy with which I hail to contend, was all the British troops m Upper Canada, all the militia of that province, and all the northern and western Indians, both, in the territory of Canada and the United States, together with all the strength and resources of the wealthy and powerful North-west Company. Placed in this insulated situation, by the orders of the government ; and surrounded bv all the veteran British troops in Upper Canada, a powerful militia, subject to the command of the British governor of the province, who was the general of the army ; with but a small stock of provisions on hand and no possibility .f obtaining a further sup ply, as the lake was commanded by a Bri tish naval squadron, and the only commu nication by laud, a wilderness of more than two hundred miles, filled with hostile sav ages ; I saw no possibility of even sustain- \ ing my situation, unless the militia could be prevented from taking a part in the war, and joining the British standard. I A large portion ot the population of that province had emigrated from the U lited States. They had been educated with the principles of freedom and independence ; and some of them,and many oft u ir la’tiers, had fought and bled iji our revolutionary contest. They were situated more than three thousand miles from the country to which they ware subjected, and had no par ticipation or interest in the measures it a dopted. Having fora number of years liv ed in then neighbourhood, I had often heard them express the injustice and oppression they sutfi red, and their natural right, and strong wishes, to participate in the same freedom and independence which their Bre thren of the United Slates enjoyed, and under which they were so prosperous and happy. They were informed that the force I had was but the vanguard ofamuchgrea ter. I considered that 1 had solid grounds to make this declaration. In the first place, it will be seen that I was authorized to pledge the faith of the government, that they should be protected in their persons, property, and rights. Could I have believed that the government would have authorized me to nave mad this pledge, without furnishing the moans of redeeming it ? I beg you, my fellow citi zens, to look back, ami consider what took, place, before I left Washington, on this sub ject. In my official communications to (he government, I stated, that in the event of war with Great Britain, it would be neces sary to command the waters of Lake Erie, by a naval forte superiour to that of the enemy; to provide re-enforcements, to se cure the communication through the wilder ness I was to penetrate —and a powerful ar my, to co-oporate from the States of New- and Pennsylvania, which b irder on 'the cast part of the lake: that, without | these measures, it would be impossible for line to sustain my situation ; and the ports |of Detroit, Michillimackauack, and Chica igo, would fall into the possession of the I enemy. 1 hope, and indeed believe, you ! will be satisfied, there were sufficient grounds on my part fur making this decla ration. I now come to that part of the proclam i tion which regards the Indians, and the employment of them in the war by the Bri tish government. It is well known, that the mode of Indian warfare is to give no quarter. After torturing their prisoners in the mast inhuman manner, they put them to death, unless they believe they will be use ful to them as slaves, or they can obtain an high ransom for them, in their warfare,! they have no respect to age, to women, ot .children.; wherever their power extends, it j becomes an indiscriminate scene of desola-l tion ; and, on their part, a war of extermi nation. In the former wars, it is well known, that many of the Canadians have joined theirj bands, and in every respect assumed their: juress, and so assimilated themselves to them, that it was impossible to make anyi distinction. If it is the Indian mode of, 1 warfare to give no quarter, it is certainly proper for those against whom they fight to observe the same rule. If white men paint and disfigure themselves, and assume the dress of Indians, and fight by their aides in war, in such a manner that they cannot be distinguished, 4 ask whether it is not pro per to ire a i them in the same manner as In- - dians. By a reference to General Brock’s proclamation, in answer to mine, it will be seen that he justified this mode of warfare of his savage allies. It is observed, if the barbarous and sav ige policy of Great Britain be pursued, and be savages are let loose to murder our citi Lens, and butcher our women and children, his war will be a war of extermination. I (hen states, that if the dictates of reason, luty,justice, and huma iitv cannot prev«n he employment of a force, which respect no rights, and knows no wrongs, it will bo by & seve»e and relentless sys tein of retaliation. It will be perceived, that all these decla rations are grounded on the principle of re taliation ; this principle, I have ever beer 'aught by the high author ity of the laws o nations, is well founded and just. Tht whole proclamation has been recited ; and I beg it may be particularly observed, that the threatening declarations a*e hypotheti cal ; that, if the enemy pursue this barbarous policy we must retaliate in our own defence. On the 13th of July, the day after it was published, a copy of it was sent to the go vernment. The paragraph of tire letter is in these words; —“ Enclosed is a copy of a proclamation to the inhabitants, which I hope will be approved by the government. Two hundred copies have been printed and are lit circulation.” See Hull's Trial, page 10 of the Index. Here follow several extracts of letters receiveil from the war department, in reply to my letters aoout (hat dale. “ IVar Department Hu *, t, 1813. «< Sin Your letters of the 13th and 14'lr, ogether with your proclamation, have been received. Your operations are apmoved by the President.” |j^ In another letter, dated on the same day the proclamation was received, theSecreia ryof war says; “The progress you have made, and the success which has attended it, are highly satisfactory to the President.” In another letter from the Secretary of W ar, dated the B*h of August, eight days ifter the receipt ot the proclamation, he says : “ Your letters of the 21st and 23d of July have been received and your arrange ments are approved by the President,” These letters have lately been obtained from the war office, and are certified to be true copies. Th is it appears, from the records of the war office, that my letter of the 13th ot July enclosing the proclamation, won received on the Ist of August; that on the same day, the Secretary wrote me a letter acknowledg i g the receipt of it, and saving that my operations were approved by the President. On the same day, the Secretary wrote me another letter, referring likewise to the one enclosing my proclamation ; in which he said,'* tlial the progress I had made, and the success which had attended it was hgh ly satisfactory to the Presidentand in an ithcr loiter, written eight days alter the receipt of tip; proc umation, lie savs, refer ring to the same subject, “ ycur arrange ments are approved by the President.” After this explanation and state of facts, which lias been proved by the records of the government. 1 co fidently submit the subject 'o y-.ur candid derision. 1 have been the more particular on this subject for two reasons which have not been mentioned. One is, although this procla mation was not an article of charge against me, as I before observed, yet it was copied from the recoroT-f the government, and sent to the court martial as evidi nee against me on my trial, and published with the oth er evidence, by Lieut. Col. Forbes, in his report of my trial. There cyuld have been no other motive, but to have created unfa vourable impressions against me. it is with reluctance, that I state the other reason, be cause it may in some measure, affect char acters, for whom I have the highest respect, a"d on whom the future hopes of our coun try are placed. By the journal of the proceedings of (he commissioners, at the treaty of Ghent, i' appears, that die commissioners on the part oi Great Britain, stated some improper ag gressmus. which our government had com mitted against (he inhabitants of Canada.- Nm having the journal before me, j cannot state precisely, and it is not necessary, what they were. Toe American commissioners asked them for the evidence. The procla mation, winch has been referred to, was offered as evidence. The American com mi'sioner> d dared that it was unauthori zed and disapproved by the government. On this subject, my fellow citizens, you have biT-ie vuu the documents and evi dence, giving me an authority to issue this proclamation, of its bdng sent to the gov ernment, and the Piesident’s approbation of it, in three letters, after it had been re ceived, —my enquiries of the Hon John Q. | Adams, on what grounds that declaration was made, and his answer, are contained in jmy second number. I I’hus, it appears, that every wheel, and '.indeed the whole machinery of the adminis (tration, was put in motion, however dis tant from the centre of operation, to exone rate itself, and place on my shoulders, all the misfortunes which took place at the !commencement of the war; a war, howe jver just were the causes ofit, was declared without any preparation ; and I can safely appeal to the public records, to prove, con trary to every opinion I bad given on the subject. In not less than three official communica tions made to the administration, I s'atei! that if war was declared, without the com mand of the lake, Uetr >it, Vlichiliinackmack and Chicago, must in the nature of things fall into the hands of die enemy. -QO© — American Navy. — V. paragraph in ? Washington paper states, that we shut have in commission, or ready for service— -7 line of b ittle ships, 10 frigates, 3 corvettes 15 sloops of war, including the ten addition atones authorized a' the last session v l Congress, wiih a corresponding proportion o' light vessels. It is -tated in the Philadelphia Gazette, tut the cargo of the ship Caledonia, just arrived there, cost 84,060. q By the ship Calhoun, Allen, arrived on L t Saturday from New-York, in the short pas sage of 72 hours, we have received papers s to the 13th inst. in which we have the in . formation of the arrival at that place, of the s ship New England, Berry, from Liverpool, . whence she sailed on the 15th March. The g papers brought by her contain no political a news of importance; we give, however, a e summary of their contents from the New „ York Mercantile Advertiser of the 13th inst. e The following will show the state of the j Liverpool market; 3 LIVERPOOL MARKET. Liverpool, March 12th. < In Saturday and Monday hist, particular ly Monday, we had a brisk demand for Cot ton, and our prices advanced during the two i, days about 1| to I 5 per lb.—butfro.m Tues p day till Friday evening, we were very liati [and lost about one half the advance men-1 p tinned. The sales of the week (the bulk of’j .j which were inadeduring the first three days,} e amounted to 17,600 balM, which included the following American descriptions : 9,200 bales Upland, at 13J to 15d ; 550 Orleans, fd4 to I6d; 420 Teuuessees, to 14d, gland 260 S. Islands ut 20d to 2s 7d. On e Saturday, a belter demand sprung up again 1 —The safes on that day amounted to about . 4000 bags, at an advance on that day of Ijd on Friday’s prices.—We are still in the I hands of the speculators, who can raise or depress us at theii pleasure. Ashes liave j been gradually on the decline. Sales last ..'week, 630 bis. Mont. Pots, 35 a 37s 6d ; y-1200 bis. Pearls 44s 6to 40s 6. No sales of ,|U. S. Ashes, except 40 bis. stained Pots, at 38 to SB> 6d. 1085 bis. Turpentine, of . prime quality, brought the advanced price yof 13s. 6. 222 ts. Cloverseed sold it 62s to . 70. Sales of Flaxseed, 54hhds. Baltimore, 8 at 60s; 400 old New York at 70s and 100 >jdu. new, at 80s. The business done in II Tobacco has been very trifling. j! The speculate demand last noticed for . almost eve y description of W produce, ! nearly sub-ided du* ing the week. j “P. S March 14 th, evening. —There was a moderate inquiry for Cotton this even . ing, which increased towards the close of die business. The total sales of the day are estim ted at 10,000 bags—7ooo of which f are Egyptian a 13j a I3'£d. The remainder' (.were chieflv A erican, and of which there! [were 1300 Uplands at 13d. Prices remain si without alteration.” 1 London, March 12. A general gloom pervaded die money t market this morning. Consols 93|. ft is | believed the speculators are attempting to ) depress the stocks, for the purpose of uiak i ing purchases. Every thing in (he Colonial market was 3 flat. There was a sale of foreign coffee, a the result of which was a decline in the price of from 2s to 3s per cwt. There was \\ nothing doing in sugars or spices. Our accounts from Batavia are to the Bfh .of November. The spirit of English specu lation would soon be felt in that colony, two r fist sailing vessels having been dispatched some time ago with orders to purchase up ie coffee, and all the other productions of I Batavia. t The idea of a loan to Jamaica is abandon ed, the measure not being approved of by - government. Jntima'um has just been received from go t verninent that in future all quarantine re t gt fictions and charges are to be done away in s the case of vessels arriving from the Medi . 'erranean with clean bills of health. Thus 3 the valuable productions of Italy, especially raw silks may no v be received in London in . about the same time as they have hitherto been detained in quarantine. i The deputation of West India Merchants - and Planters waited yesterday on the Chan -3 cellor of tiie Exchequer with their memorial - prayi: g a reduction ofdutyon Rum, proper I tionally with that on British spirits. They . were favorably received, and left the Chan cellor with a confident anticipation us a sue ii cessful result to their application. II The indemnity act is yet under conside ration in the French Parliament. I It is stated that the Turks will make a - more powerful attempt than ever to subdue! -'the Greeks the ensuing campaign. -| The town of Santa Maura, (in the lonian! ,ll Islands,) and several villages in the island e of Leucadia, were destroyed on the 19th of - January at noon, by an Earthquake; about d 60 persons were buried in the ruins, and a v much greater number were wounded. London, March 8. e In consequence of the death of Colonel Francis Manners Sutton, the Speaker’s - brother, the House of Commons did not meet; d this day. Colonel Sutton died on the sth i- inst. at Tenby, after a lingering illness, k aged 43. i. New-York, April 11, LATEST THOM FRANCE. a We have perused Paris papers to the 3d II and Havre to the 4th ult. inclusive, received -by the packet ship Cadmus, Capt. Van Dyke, s, They do not contain a word of political 1- news, but the commercial intelligence is of I a very interesting character, as w ill be ob n served by the following accounts of sales during the first three days in March : SALES AT HAVRE, it March 1. —1388 bales Alabama Cotton, 37 a3b s.; 4U7 do-Georgia, 27 to 281,; 352 do Louisiana, 32} to 53 ; 2600 bags St. Dor. mingo Coffee, 15$ 9. short price. March 2.—235 casks Rice, 35f. to 35f. 62} ; 35 bbls. brown Sugar, 74f. 50; 903 bags St. Domingo Cofi'ee, 20s to 24J- sols, long price. March 3.—1246 bales Alabama 29 s.; 274 do Tennessee, 30a 32; 150 Mobile, 30; 728 Georgia, 28} a 30 ; 327 Louisiana, 32 a 35} ; 1115 bags St. Domingo Coffee, 24f a 25, lung price. New-York, April 11. GREAT FIRE AT BOSTON. We have received from our Boston corres pondent, Mr. Topliff, the following dis tressing particulars of a lire in that city: JV. Y. Gaz. ! Boston, April 8. Fire, —Last night about half past lets o’- clock, an alarm of fire was given which was soon ascertained to be in a wooden building in Doane-st. in the rear of State-st. said to have taken place in a counting room, occu i pietl by some truckmen. The fire spread with great rapidity, and in a short time the buildings contiguous vyere enveloped in 'Haines. The wind was high from N. E. jand the flames spread with terrific fury in all directions, so that stores in State, Broad, Kilby, and Central-streets, were on fire a the same time. The skill and persevering efforts of o firemen, seemed to be exerted in vain, at : although we were reinforced with engi os and assistance from the neighboring towns, the fire continued to rage till after 4 o’c this morning. The confusion necess I? produced by the removal of goods, tr ss, carts and other vehicles crowding through the streets, and each one intent upon the rescue of his own property, together with the appaiing appearance of the devouring element, presented such a scene as I never before witnessed. The fire spread with such rapidity, that a great part of the goods in the buildings were destroyed. A number of stores west of Kilby-street were emptied, or yearly so, of their con tents, and piled up in promiscuous heaps ia the streets, such was the apprehension that the fire would not be stopped short of Con gress-street. Every .thing in the Post-Of fice, in this building, was packed up and ready for removal, and I was also prepared to rpiit, as at one time it appeared that no effort of man could prevent the fire from extending to it: but by the great exertion of our firemen it was arrested on the east I side of Kilby-street. Several of our inde pendent companies volunteered their servi ces last night, and remained underarms till daylight, guarding the property saved—ma ny of them are still oil that duty, as the streets are almost 'blocked up with every specie of goods. The lire, took place in (he very centre of business, and probably there is not a sec tion of it where a greater amount of proper ty was at risk. It is impossible to calcu late the loss. Most of the stores were oc cupied by dry good dealers, having just re ceived their spring stock. I have been round this forenotin and viewed the ruins* and have ascertained the following particu lars relative to the number of buildings des troyed, occupants, See, Broad-street. —Pour stores occupied by S. 11. Norris, dry goods dealer; Daniel Ap pleton. do.; (i. &T. Searle, do.; bewail, Williams & Co. d 0,.; L. P. Grosvenor, dry goods broker ; Mitchell Sc Freeman, crock ery, wear dealers. Central-street. —Twenty stores, occupied by J. Leeds & Co. dry good dealers ; Sam’l Sumner, crockery ware dealer; William Wl'i'ney, dry goods dealer; Nathaniel M. Heywood, do ; j. Snelling, jr. commission merchant; Edward Clark Sc, Co. dry goods dealers ;G. N. Fisher, do.; Richard Ward, do.; Dexter & Almny.do. ; Ward & Snel ling, do.; Phineas Foster, do.; Bean & I Blake, do.; 8. R- Miller Sc Co. do.; G. &T. Searle, do ; Daniel Appleton, do.; John Rogers, do. ; Josiah Dow, dry goods broker; Win. H. Ward, dry goods dealer ; Brigham & Waldo, do. ; Hubbard Greenough & Co. do. L. Tiffany Sc Co. do. ; Fessenden Clarke, do. ; G & W. Bangs St Co. do. ; B. B. Grant, do.; S. H. Babcock & Co. do ;Wm Hurd, do. ; VViu- T. Martin, do.; Dwight F. Faulkner, do.; John Fairfield, auctioneer. Stale-street —Four stores, occupied by Hastings & Marsh, drugs and paints; S. Thaxter & Son, mathematical instruments, j&c.; Gedney King, do.; Johnson & Sew ! all, dry goods dealers; Francis Whitney, W ost India goods dealer. •j Kilby-street. —Four stores occupied bv' Thomas Donnie, jr. dry goods dealer ; Skin i ner Sc Dunn, do. Samuel A. VV'alker, do. ; Nathan Bridge, merchant; Stephen Thay er, hardware ; C. & C. F. Adams, dry I goods dealers; William Lang, junr. do.; i! Benj. Adams Sc Co. do ; Fox Sc Bixby, do.; : | Daniel Stone, do.; Isaac Samuel do.; Scud : der & Park, hardware dealers. ,j Liberty Square. —Six stores, occupied by Michael Roulstone, plumber and glazier ; Joshua Bannister, tinman ; Eph. Locke, auctioneer; S. L. Cunningham, do.; Jer. Smalledge, painter; John Evans, grocer ; I—, oyster shop. 1 /)jane-street —Six stores improved ami . occupied by T. K. Jones & Co. auctioneers ; Ij Henry Parkett, inspector of pickled fish ; f Little Sc Edes inspectors of beef and pork, - and cooper*; Wells Sc Basset, do. ;S. s Train Sc Co. leather and hide dealers;!. Groce, carpenter; S. Bowker, Blacksmith; P. Perrin, agent for Dover nail factory ; , Hastings & Marsh, paints and drug deal ! era; Maconsber, Howard, Sc Sawin, U. S-