[cruikshank] administration OF SIR JAMES CRAIG 69 



possessed. A few months later lie received a letter dated at Newark, 

 X.J., and signed by J- Perreault and Finlay de Gros Pin, " Canadian 

 officers," who represent'ed that they had been authorized by the northern 

 nations of Indians and their Canadian brethren to inform him that they 

 liad determined to dig np the hatchet, so often stained by the blood of 

 the English, and seek the assistance of the Emperor of France. Tnrreau 

 returned an encouraging reply and invited his correspondents to meet 

 him at Baltimore. On the 2Tth of October, 1806, he received a second 

 letter from them dated a^t iSTew York, stating that tliey had been warned 

 by their relatives in Canada that their design had been suspected by the 

 government and instead of supplying them with money as expected, they 

 had urged them to return home witliout delay. 



" The Canadians are French," they continued. " Their ancient 

 patriotic devotion has not diminished. They are treated as a conquered 

 people. Foreign upstarts oppress them. These tyrants avoid the pun- 

 ishment of their peculations and horrible crimes by a feigned loyalty, 

 M^hach a base interest would cause them to abjure very quickly. Their 

 number is small. The mass of the people suffer and languish, hence 

 their hope and desire for a change."^ They added that they would await 

 Ids reply at ISTew York. Turreau then invited them to visit him at 

 Washingjton, but as they had given him no address he caused a search 

 to be made in 'New York, which revealed the fact that they had returned 

 to Canada five or six days, after their arrival in that city. Meanwhile, 

 on November 4th, a man named Johnson gave Turreau a letter in Eng- 

 lish, dated at Quebec sometime in October, and signed by one Samuel 

 Turner, who styled himself a captain in the Canadian militia, stating 

 that the writer and his friends deemed the time propitious for the re- 

 conquest of Canada by the French. They had all their plans laid, the 

 writer stated. They knew the strength of the garrison of Quebec and 

 the condition of its fortifications. They could furnish pilots acquainted 

 with the navigation of the St. Lawrence and were ready and able to en- 

 list a large nimiber of men for service in the French army. They had 

 already at their command a sufficient number of adherents to form a 

 garrison for Quebec until re-in forcements could arrive. There could be 

 no doubt of success. 



Turreau again signified his approval, but desired more definite and 



iL.es Canadiens sont Français; le local n'a point de&enere leur ancen 

 amour patriotique. On les traite comme un peuple conquis. Des parvenus 

 étrang-ers les tyranisent. Ces tirans n'évitent le châtiment de leurs peculats 

 et crimes horribles que par une loyauté simulée qu'un vil intérêt leur ferait 

 abjurer bien vite. Ils sont en petit nombre. La masse "u peuple souffre et 

 languit. De là les souhaits et désirs d'un changement." 



