134 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Thomas Clark, their agent at Queenston, U.C., to whom it was de- 

 livered on the 25th. The messenger was arrested at Canandaigua 

 on his way back and made an incriminating statement in consequence 

 of which McTavish and others were summoned to appear before the 

 Recorder of Albany. On examination, McTavish declared that so 

 far as he knew the letters from New York which he had forwarded 

 contained information solely of a commercial character and he was 

 in consequence released on bail. 



In the beginning of June the officers employed in the enforce- 

 ment of the new militia act met with some resistance at Berthier, 

 and in the parish of St. Benoit near St. Eustache. At Berthier several 

 persons were promptly arrested and immediately professed regret, 

 stating that their disorderly conduct was due to ignorance of the law 

 and their belief in a report that they would be compelled to join the 

 regular army. Others for whose apprehension warrants were issued, 

 soon surrendered and were released on bail. At St. Benoit the situ- 

 ation seemed so serious that Lieut. Colonel Dumont i-eported rather 

 hastily that the inhabitants were in a state of rebellion, and it would 

 be necessary to detail a body of regulars to arrest the ringleaders. 

 However the high constable who was sent to take three of them, re- 

 turned with one prisoner, and reported that the two others had taken 

 refuge in the woods with a number of their friends, who were well 

 armed and they had declared that they would not be taken alive. 

 Justice Panet and the Solicitor General both gave written opinions 

 that it was essential for the preservation of order and support of the 

 law that these men and those aiding them should b? arrested and 

 brought to trial. Two bailiffs were despatched from Montreal, who 

 succeeded in capturing the offenders and all resistance to the draft 

 in that quarter ceased.* 



A similar and much more alarming demonstration of discontent 

 occurred on the island of Montreal. On the last day of June, Major 

 Phillippe Leprohon with a detachment of twenty-two men marched 

 from Lachine to the parish of Pointe Claire to apprehend a number 

 of men from the local division of militia, who had either refused to 

 join or had deserted from the battalion into which they had been 

 drafted. Four of these delinquents were discovered and arrested, 

 but a large body of sympathizers immediately assembled and rescued 

 one of them, threatening at the same time to march upon Lachine 

 and bring off all the men from that division who had already reported 

 there. Next day a body of three or four hundred men, of whom about 

 eighty carried some kind of firearms and the remainder were armed 



♦Justice P. L. Panel to E. B. Brenton; 9 June, 1812; Samuel Sewell to Brenton. 

 Sand 11 June, 1812. 



