LOUIS P. TURCOTTE

Note A.

M. de Mazères dans son volume Additional Fapers concern ng the Province of Québec, raconte ainsi les difficultés de M. La Corne avec ses censitaires :

" Mr, La Corne, a young man of about twenty-two years of âge, and nephew to Mr. -La Corne de Saint- Luc, was sent by General Carleton to raise the inhabitants of Terrebonne, a village of which he (the younger Mr. de La Corne) is Seignior. He adressed them in a very high tone, mentioning the above right, which he had, by the tenure of their lands, to command their military service. They answered, " that they were now become subjects of Bngland, and did not look on themselves as Frenchmen in any respect whatever. " Mr. La Corne was imprudent enough to strike some of those who spoke loudest. This provoked the people to such a degree, that Mr. La Corne found it necessary to get away from them, and go back iramediately to Montréal, but threaten'd to return speedily amongst them with a party of two hundred soldiers, who would make them dearly pay for their refusai to obey him. The people, hearing this, forthwith armed themselves, some with guns, other with clubs ; and they ail resolved to die rather than submit to be commanded by their seignior. General Carleton, hearing of the disturbance that Mr. LaCorne's behavior had occasioned, instead of complying with his désire of sending troops to enforce obédience to his authority, thought it adviseable, to send with hira an English offîcer of merit, Capt. Hamilton, to pacify the people. Capt. Hamilton asked them, what they meant by assembling in that riotous, disorderly manner ?

They ansM'ered, that their intentions were to défend themselves from the soldiers, with whom tbey were threatened by Mr. La Corne, their seignior. " If gênerai " Carloton, said they, requires our services, let him give " us Englishmen to command us : such a man as you, *' for instance we would fellow tothe world's end. " But, re'plied Mr. Hamilton, English military gentlemen are not to be found in sufficient numbers, in the province, to take the command of you. " Then, said they, give us common soldiers to lead us rather than those people.

For we will not be commande^ by ce petit gars" At

least, upon Capt. Hamilton's promise, that their soignior should corne no more among theni, they dispersed. "

Note B.

Lettre adressée aux habitants de la Province de Québec, cidevant le Canada, de la part du Congrès Général de V Amérique Septentrionale, tenu à Philadelphie.