The Story of the Upper Canadian Rebellion, Volume 1Dent, John Charles
History
The Story of the Upper Canadian Rebellion, Volume 1
Dent, John Charles
Canada -- History -- Rebellion, 1837-1838; Ontario -- Politics and government
It was deemed advisable that Mr. Gourlay's case should be a perpetual
warning to any and every person who might thereafter dare to tread in
his venturesome footsteps. Accordingly, as has been seen, he had to
drink the cup of mortification to the very dregs. And, by way of
deterring public writers from aiding and abetting any such pestilent
innovators for the future, it was determined that a notable example
should be made of the editor of the Niagara _Spectator_, who had dared
to side with the oppressed against the oppressor, and had published some
of Mr. Gourlay's attacks upon the abuses of the time. His name was
Bartemus Ferguson, and he had on several occasions manifested his
sympathy with projects of reform. The discipline inflicted upon him was
swift and severe. He was seized while in bed, in the middle of the
night, a hundred and fifty miles from home, conveyed to jail at Niagara,
and thence to York, where he was detained in prison for some days out of
the reach of friends to bail him. He was tried for sedition at the
Niagara assizes a day or two before Mr. Gourlay. In order that public
journalists of the present day may note in what comparatively pleasant
places their lines have fallen, I transcribe the sentence of the court,
which was as follows:--"Therefore it is considered by the said court
here that the said Bartemus Ferguson do pay a fine to our said lord the
King of fifty pounds of lawful money of Upper Canada: That he, the said
Bartemus Ferguson, be imprisoned in the common jail of the District of
Niagara for the space of eighteen calendar months, to be computed from
the eighth day of November, in the sixtieth year of the reign of our
said lord the King: that in the course of the first month of the said
eighteen months he do stand in the public pillory one hour, between the
hours of ten o'clock in the forenoon and two o'clock in the afternoon:
and that at the expiration of the said imprisonment he do give security
for his good behaviour for the term of seven years: he the said Bartemus
Ferguson in the sum of five hundred pounds, and two sureties in the sum
of two hundred and fifty pounds each; and further, that he, the said
Bartemus Ferguson, do remain imprisoned in the said jail until the
aforesaid fine be paid and security given."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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