136 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



a copy of the Act of Congress declaring war, and stating that a form of 

 proclamation had been approved by the House of Representatives, 

 advising the Canadians to remain neutral and promising them protection 

 in the rights and privileges they already enjoyed.* 



Next day nearly two hundred of the inhabitants of Pointe Claire 

 who had been concerned in the recent disturbances came in to acknowl- 

 edge their guilt and ask for pardon. Only two of them could be 

 identified as having taken an active part. They were placed in con- 

 finement and the remainder were permitted to return home after they 

 had voluntarily declared their readiness to report for military duty 

 when ever required, f 



The town militia of Quebec and Montreal, numbering about 3,000 

 men at each place, were organized and promptly volunteered to per- 

 form garrison duty to relieve the regular troops required for the occu- 

 pation of the frontier posts and first line of defence. The Champ de 

 Mars at Montreal was thronged every morning at five o'clock, and every 

 evening after six, with small squads of militiamen of all classes diligently 

 engaged in drill. Instead of showing any degree of alarm or depression, 

 it was remarked that the whole population seemed inclined to put 

 aside their private business and devote their time to preparations for 

 defence. X 



A proclamation for the declaration of martial law was drafted and 

 laid before the Executive CouncU for approval with a recommendation 

 that all aliens should be required to take an oath of allegiance or leave 

 the province at once. 



The want of money had become so urgent that Sir John Sherbrooke 

 was instructed to collect all the specie that could be obtained in exchange 

 for Government Bills at Halifax and foi-ward at least ten thousand 

 pounds to Quebec* The supply of hard cash in Canada was evidently 

 insufficient to carry on the public business and it would be absolutely 

 necessary to resort to a paper substitute. This fact alone made it ex- 

 pedient to convene the Legislature at an early date.^ 



A letter from the commandant at Kingston announced that 

 hostilities had begun in that quarter. On June 26 a party of New York 

 militia had landed on Carleton Island and captured the lookout party 

 stationed there, composed of a corporal and two men of the Royal 

 Veteran Battalion who had not yet been informed of the declaration 

 of war." On learning this he had despatched sixty men of the Frontenac 



*K. B. Hrcnton to the Chief Justice, July 4, 1812. 



tBrcnton to the Chief Justice, July 4; Baynes to lirock, July 4. 



^Letters of Veritas, pp. 8 and 26. 



* Prévost to Sherbrooke, June 25, 1812. 



* Brenton to the Chief Justice, July 4. 



* Prévost to Liverpool, July 5. 



