The Last Laird of MacNab: An Episode in the Settlement of MacNab Township, Upper Canada
History
The Last Laird of MacNab: An Episode in the Settlement of MacNab Township, Upper Canada
MacNab, Archibald, 1778?-1860
they known that McNab would thus use the power vested in him by the
bond, they would have cancelled all the obligations it imposed, and made
the settlers a present of the consideration. The McIntyres were brought
to Perth. Peter McIntyre's wife's friends in Beckwith went security for
the amount, and he was speedily liberated. Donald McIntyre, sr., was
also arrested, but his sons paid the amount, and demanded the patent.
Old Mr. McIntyre remained in the debtors' prison in Perth. He would
allow no one to go security, or pay the amount. His feelings had been
cruelly outraged. He, who had so gallantly fought for his country, was
now imprisoned for no offence, but for the sake of his own philanthropy.
He had assisted Miller, and thus provoked the sleepless enmity of the
Laird. When pressed to take bail the noble old man rose immovable as a
statue, his white locks hanging over his shoulders in profuse masses
like a patriarch of old, and exclaimed, "I will have no one suffer for
me. My earthly pilgrimage will soon be over; and if I end my life here,
no one will be the worse. I will not undertake to do what I cannot
perform. It was a weary day for me when I left Scotland. I have suffered
trials and hardships ever since."
The old man remained imprisoned for three months, receiving the
allowance of five shillings per week. One morning it was fortunately
forgotten, and Mr. McIntyre was released. He went to a desolate home,
and were it not for exertions of his two sons, John and Daniel, Mr.
McIntyre would have perished from sheer inanition. He never got over it;
he lingered for three years, and then died broken-hearted. The Chief had
taken everything he possessed, and left him without a cow, or even a
solitary hen. A burst of indignation went through the whole township
against the Chief; and even his most intimate friends and subservient
toadies could not defend him. Instead of this transaction being a
warning to others, it proved the contrary. It called forth an universal
feeling of sympathy for the poor sufferers, and a determination of the
settlers to resist further encroachments. The report of the Buchanans,
that McNab was only an agent, about this time spread through the
township like wildfire, and it was generally believed that whatever the
Chief might do with those who had signed the bond in Scotland, he could
not pretend to harass those who came out at their own expense. The old
settlers, with these four or five exceptions, endeavored to pay their
rent regularly, although the majority determined to use every legal
means to get rid of it. Some even offered to pay up the passage-money,
with interest; but it was refused, the time for doing so having expired.
Serfs they were, and serfs they must remain. The Laird became aware,
through his spies and tale-bearers (in whom he took great delight), of
this general feeling of dissatisfaction. He resolved to punish the whole
township. Accordingly, in March, he and Mr. Richey, a brother-magistrate
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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