[RIDDELL] CANADIAN STATE TRIALS 325 
Debonne, Justices of the King’s Bench at Quebec, and St. Ours, 
Finlay, Baby, de Longueil, Panet, McGill, Lees, Duchesnay and 
Young, Members of the Executive Council. 
The precept (10) was signed by Chief Justice Osgoode and 
Dunn, Williams and Debonne, Justices of the King’s Bench May 
26th, returnable June 12th; making fifteen days exclusive between 
teste and return. 
On Monday, June 12th., the special commission was opened at 
the Court House in the city of Quebec with eight commissioners 
present: (the Chief Justice) Osgoode, Dunn and Debonne two of the 
Justices of the King’s Bench) and (five executive councillors)— 
Finlay, Baby, de Longueil, Duchesnay and Young. A grand’ jury 
was called, twenty-one gentlemen, ten with English, eleven with 
French names. The Chief Justice charged the grand jury at great 
length and with great learning, and the Court then adjourned till the 
14th. On that day, the grand jury presented a Bill of Indictment 
against the prisoner for High Treason. The prisoner was set to the 
Bar and informed of the bill. The Chief Justice then told him that 
the Attorney General would serve him with a copy of the bill and of 
the jury panel, and a list of the proposed witnesses. (11). The 
Court added that he was entitled to Counsel if he wished for such 
assistance, and at his request assigned Mr. Pyke and Mr. Francklin 
(sometimes spelled ‘‘Franklin’’) to be his Counsel. 
The trial was set for June 30th. The prisoner was, June 17th, 
served with a copy of the Indictment, jury panel and list of witnesses. 
On June 30th the Court again sat, there being present the Chief 
Justices, Osgoode and Monk, and Mr. Justice Dunn, with others not 
named. The Indictment was read. It was of enormous length, a 
copy taking up eighteen pages of octavo size in print. The prisoner 
pleaded Not Guilty, and put himself for his trial on God and The 
Country. A venire facias was issued to the Sheriff returnable July 
7th at seven a.m., to which time the Court adjourned. 
On Friday July 7th were present Chief Justices Osgoode and 
Monk, Mr. Justice Dunn, and Messrs. Finlay, Baby Duchesnay and 
Young of the Executive Council. The Court opened at seven a.m. 
precisely, the prisoner was set to the Bar, the jurors called, eleven 
challenged by the Crown and twenty-four by the prisoner, anda jury 
of twelve sworn (none with a French name). 
The Crown was represented by. Attorney General Jonathan 
Sewell (13) and Mr. Caron, the defenee by Mr. Pyke and Mr. 
Francklin. Caron ‘“‘opened”’ (14) to the jury charging fourteen overt 
acts against the prisoner; the Attorney General followed with a state- 
ment of the law and of the facts which he intended to prove. He 
