324 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
Black. Frichette first represented himself to Black as having oak 
timber for sale, but at length asked him if he were not the Mr. Black 
who had been imprisoned in 1794, and, being assured that he was, 
said: ‘There is a French General within a quarter of a league from this 
place who wishes to concert measures with you for taking the garrison 
at Quebec, and you must come immediately with me to see him.” 
Black agreed. They crossed the Plains of Abraham, went down by 
Wolfe’s Cove and up Mr. Mabane’s (7) hill about two hundred yards 
into a wood, where they found McLane “‘in a very long beard.” 
Black had never seen McLane before, but the stranger plunged in 
medias res at once: “My plan is that of humanity. I am sorry to 
see a great people labouring under the tyranny of England; I propose 
to push the British Government from the Continent of America;” — 
and the plan was that eight or ten men of influence, of whom Black 
might be one, should raise under plausible pretenses as many men as 
possible. At the time appointed they would be joined by many from 
the States, armed with pikes eight feet long, headed with iron and 
hardened in the fire, longer than the British musket and bayonet. 
Laudanum would be given the garrison, a sudden attack made, and the 
citadel fall—it was to be hoped without loss of life, “but at the same 
time, for the sake of posterity, all who resist must fall.” He said 
that he had fifteen thousand men at the Lines ready at a nod to furnish 
men to garrison Quebec and perhaps attack Halifax; he was the General 
chosen by France, young as he was, and that Adet (whom he had 
left on April 7th) had gone to France to bring a force to co-operate 
with the fifteen thousand from the States. 
Black left McLane and Frichette in the wood. Frichette was 
to conduct McLane to Black’s house in the suburbs as soon as it was 
dark. Black went at once and told the Honourable John Young, 
Member of the Executive Council; an information was sworn to, a 
warrant issued, and McLane arrested in bed at Black’s house. A bag 
containing one hundred and forty dollars was found on him, most of 
it in silver quarter dollars. He was given a receipt in the name of 
“Jacob Felt,’”’ which he protested was his name and by which he had 
on their way to Quebec requested Frichette to address him. 
A fortnight thereafter, May 24th, 1797, a special Commission 
of Oyer and Terminer was issued under the Great Seal of Lower 
Canada, impowering the Justices (8) thereby assigned or any three 
of them to enquire, hear and determine all High Treasons and Mis- 
prisions of High Treasons committed within the District of Quebec; 
the Chief Justice of the Province, William Osgoode (9) and the Chief 
Justice of the King’s Bench of Montreal, James Monk, being of the 
Quorum. The remainder of the list consisted of Dunn, Williams and 
