Address to the people of Canada: Difference between revisions

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[ Below is a translation of the ''Adresse au peuple du Canada'' by Lower Canada patriot Robert Nelson. Read the original French language text [[Adresse au peuple du Canada|here]]. ]
{{Title|Address to the people of Canada|[[Robert Nelson]]|February 28, 1838}}


----
[[Image:R-nelson.jpg|thumbnail|Drawing of Robert Nelson]]People of Canada!
[[Image:R-nelson.jpg|thumbnail|Illustration de Robert Nelson]]People of Canada,


We were oppressed by the hand of a transatlantic power, and we were punished by the unjust and criminal rod of a restless disorder, during a long series of years; so long that the measure of tyranny is currently filled up and it overflows. We tried unceasingly, but in vain, to bridle a bad government, to rescind bad laws, to create laws such that they could make take our institutions our of the mud of an old vasselage and raise them to the level of those which characterize the governments of the nineteenth century.  
We have been oppressed by the hand of a transatlantic power, and unjustly and cruelly castigated with the rod of unrelenting misrule for a long series of years so long, that the measure of tyranny has filled to overflowing. We unceasingly, but in vain, have attempted to bridle a bad government, recind bad laws, enact such as would cause our institution to emerge from the mire of ancient [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vassalage vassallage] and rise to the level of those which characterize the recent governments of the 19th century. We are now compelled, by the force of tyranny and contrary to our sentiments, to appeal to the force of arms in order that we may acquire and secure to us such rights as are due to a deserving and free people, nor shall we lay those arms down, until we shall have secured to our country the blessings of a patriotic and sympathising government.  


We are now constrained, by the violence of tyranny and contrary to our feelings, to resort to the force of arms, to experience and ensure us the rights which are due to a deserving and just people. We will not drop these arms, until we have ensured our fatherland the benefits of a patriotic and sympathizing government.  
To all such persons as aid us, in our patriotic exertions, WE extend the hand of fraternity and fellowship. And to such as shall persist in the blind, head-long, plundering, sanguinary, and incendiary course, that has, to our sorrow, and to the sufferings of our aged people, our women and our children, so disgracefully stamped the headless career of Sir [[w:John Colborne|John Colborne]], the commander of the British forces, and that of his adherents, we shall in self defence and in common justice to our people and our cause inflict the [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Retaliation retaliation] which their own terrific example has set before us; but, as there are many persons who now repent their conduct, and of the vandalism of their associates, a course which has driven us to war, and as our sense of humanity, of justice and of honour, is cast in a different mould from that of our oppressors, we cannot reconcile with our principle, or the morals that elsewhere than in the English government in Canada, distinguish the age we live in, to exercise their savage example towards them.  


We lend our hand with fraternity and compatriotism to all the people who will help us in our patriotic efforts. For those who will persist in the blind, stubborn, plundering, sanguinary and incendiary path which, to our great sorrow and to the sufferings of our elderly, our wives and our children, mark so ungracefully the horrible career of Sir John Colborne, commander-in-chief of the forces, and that of his followers, we must, for our personal defence and for the common justice towards our people and our cause, to inflict retaliation to who placed before us the terrible example. But as there exists currently lot of people who repent their conduct and the vandalism of their associates, acts which forced us to raise the flag of war, and as our sense of humanity, justice and honor, is thrown in a different mould than that of our oppressions, we can reconcile with our principles or with the morality of our actions all others than those who, in the English government of Canada, cannot distinguish the age in which we live to exert their cruel passions.  
We, therefore, solemnly promise to afford Security and PROTECTION, both in PERSON and PROPERTY, to ALL SUCH AS SHALL LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS, AND OTHERWISE CEASE TO OPPRESS US - a promise, which our Character, and the known Moral and Peaceable habits of our native people, sufficiently guarantees. Nor shall we lay down our arms until we shall have effected and secured the object of our first Proclamation.  


Consequently, we promise to offer safety and protection of the people and their properties to all those who will put down the arms and will cease to oppress us, a promise that our character and the well known moral and peaceful habits of our people sufficiently guarantees.  
By order of the Provisional Government of the State of Lower Canada.


We will not put down the arms, until we have carried out and ensured the object of our first proclamation.
ROBERT NELSON,<br />
''Commander in Chief of the Patriot Army''


By order of the provisional government of the State of Lower Canada,


Robert Nelson, <br />
{{PD-old}}
Commander-in-chief <br />
[Frebruary 28, 1838]


== Notes and comments ==
== Notes ==
 
This English version was taken from ''Amédée Papineau. Journal d'un fils de la liberté. 1838-1855'', pp. 148-149 ...
The text was written in French by Robert Nelson while in exile in the United-States. The original French language text translated here is from the ''Proclamation de Robert Nelson'', in ''L'Ami du peuple'', February 20, 1839, as reproduced in George Aubin, ''Robert Nelson. Déclaration d'indépendance et autres écrits'', Montréal, Comeau & Nadeau, 1998, 90 pages ISBN 2-922494-00-4


== See also ==
== See also ==
* The 1838 [[Declaration of Independence of Lower Canada]] by Robert Nelson
* The 1776 [[w:United States Declaration of Independence|United States Declaration of Independence]]
* The 1789 [[w:Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen|Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen]]
* The 1919 [[w:Declaration of Independence (Ireland)|Irish Declaration of Independence]]


* The 1838 [[Declaration of Independence of Lower Canada]] by Robert Nelson
[[Category:Addresses]]
* The 1776 [[Wikipedia:United States Declaration of Independence|United States Declaration of Independence]]
[[Category:Translations]]
* The 1789 [[Wikipedia:Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen|Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen]]
[[Category:19th century]]
* The 1919 [[Wikipedia:Declaration of Independence (Ireland)|Irish Declaration of Independence]]
[[Category:1838]]

Latest revision as of 02:27, 29 January 2011


Address to the people of Canada
February 28, 1838



Drawing of Robert Nelson

People of Canada!

We have been oppressed by the hand of a transatlantic power, and unjustly and cruelly castigated with the rod of unrelenting misrule for a long series of years so long, that the measure of tyranny has filled to overflowing. We unceasingly, but in vain, have attempted to bridle a bad government, recind bad laws, enact such as would cause our institution to emerge from the mire of ancient vassallage and rise to the level of those which characterize the recent governments of the 19th century. We are now compelled, by the force of tyranny and contrary to our sentiments, to appeal to the force of arms in order that we may acquire and secure to us such rights as are due to a deserving and free people, nor shall we lay those arms down, until we shall have secured to our country the blessings of a patriotic and sympathising government.

To all such persons as aid us, in our patriotic exertions, WE extend the hand of fraternity and fellowship. And to such as shall persist in the blind, head-long, plundering, sanguinary, and incendiary course, that has, to our sorrow, and to the sufferings of our aged people, our women and our children, so disgracefully stamped the headless career of Sir John Colborne, the commander of the British forces, and that of his adherents, we shall in self defence and in common justice to our people and our cause inflict the retaliation which their own terrific example has set before us; but, as there are many persons who now repent their conduct, and of the vandalism of their associates, a course which has driven us to war, and as our sense of humanity, of justice and of honour, is cast in a different mould from that of our oppressors, we cannot reconcile with our principle, or the morals that elsewhere than in the English government in Canada, distinguish the age we live in, to exercise their savage example towards them.

We, therefore, solemnly promise to afford Security and PROTECTION, both in PERSON and PROPERTY, to ALL SUCH AS SHALL LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS, AND OTHERWISE CEASE TO OPPRESS US - a promise, which our Character, and the known Moral and Peaceable habits of our native people, sufficiently guarantees. Nor shall we lay down our arms until we shall have effected and secured the object of our first Proclamation.

By order of the Provisional Government of the State of Lower Canada.

ROBERT NELSON,
Commander in Chief of the Patriot Army


This text is in the public domain worldwide either because its author died at least 100 years ago or because it was published by a public body. Translations published later may still be copyrighted.

Notes

This English version was taken from Amédée Papineau. Journal d'un fils de la liberté. 1838-1855, pp. 148-149 ...

See also

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