POSTSCRIPT
SATURDAY NIGHT.
The packet-ships Louis Philippe and Sheridan bring intelligence from New York to the 28th September, three days later than that brought by the Great Western. It is of a most unpleasant complexion. The excitement on account of the M`Leod affair had increased : the enrolment of volunteers and the pillage of arsenals are mentioned in several places. At length an overt act of aggression on the British territory was committed : it is thus described by a correspondent of the _New York American ; whose communication is dated "Niagara Falls, September 21 "— " Last week they [people from the American side] made an attempt to blow zap two of her Majesty's steam-boats, lying at anchor in the Niagara river, at Chippewa. Lett bad laid this nefarious plot, and since his arrest is said to have boasted to Governor Seward, [of New York,] at Auburn, that he had been recently in Canada, and would have been successful if he had not been captured ! ' He also acknowledged being the actor at the destruction of Brock's monument, and of a recent blowing-up of one of the locks on the Welland Canal.
" The machine consisted of two casks, containing 150 pounds of powder. They were each placed on a frame of 100 yards apart, but connected by a rope, with a leaden pipe and fuse therein inserted, and thus towed from Grand Island, and sent drifting towards the vessels. One only of the casks exploded, but most fortunately prematurely, being 300 yards short of the mark, other- wise every soul on board, with the vessels, must have been destroyed. It was about three p. m. Those on board at first supposed the report was that of a cannon. The men were speedily mustered, and the machine was seen floating. A boat with six men was lowered ; and whilst proceeding to secure it fired at from Grand Island, but without injury. And these things have disturbed the public mind; and the canal and frontier are now patrolled night and day by British troops. It is my firm conviction, that unless there is a strong detach- ment of United States troops forthwith sent to Buffalo, and strong enough and sufficient to show these gentry that the Government Of the United States is determined to preserve peace, acts of this character will be done, which must have the effect of breaking up the peace existing between both countries." So President Tyler seemed to think, and he issued the following proclamation ; which is remarkable, not only for its friendly disposition to the British, but for the string of admissions which it comprises of a widely-spread anti-Anglican feeling and hostile intentions among the citizens of the Union-
" BY THE PRESIDENT OP THE UNITED STATES OP AMERICA. A PROCLAMATION. " Whereas it has come to the knowledge of the Government of the United States, that sundry secret lodges, clubs, or associations, exist on the Northern
frontier; that the members of these lodges are bound together by secret oaths ; that they have collected fire-arms and other military materials, and secreted them in sundry places; and that it is their purpose to violate the laws of their country, by making military and lawless incursions, when opportunity shall offer, in the territory of a power with which the United States are at peace ; and whereas it is known that travelling agitators, from both sides the line, visit these lodges, and harangue the members in secret meeting, stimulating them to illegal acts ; and whereas the same persons are known to levy contributions on the ignorant and credulous for their own benefit, thus supporting and enriching themselves by the basest means ; and whereas the unlawful intentions of the members of these lodges have already been manifested in an attempt to destroy the lives and property of the inhabitants of Chippewa, in Canada, and the public property of the British Government there being : Now therefore I John Tyler, President of the United States, do issue this my proclamation, admonish- ing all such evil-minded persons of the condign punishment which is certain to overtake them ; assuring them that the laws of the United States will be rigo- rously executed against their illegal acts ; and that, if in any lawless incursions into Canada they fall into the hands of the British authorities, they will not be reclaimed a. American citizens, nor any interference made by this Govern- ment in their behalf.
"And I exhort all well-meaning but deluded persons who may have joined these lodges, immediately to abandon them, and to have nothing more to do with their secret meetings or unlawful oaths, as they would avoid serious consequences to themselves ; and I expect the intelligent and well-disposed members of the community to frown on all these unlawful combinations and illegal proceedings, and to assist the Government in maintaining the peace of the country, against the mischievous consequences oflhe acts of these violators of the law.
"Given under my hand, at the city of Washington, the 25th day of Sep- tember A.D. 1841, and of the Independence of the United States the 66th. "JOHN TYLER.
" By the President, DANIEL WEBSTER, " Secretary of State."
Unfortunately, aggressions had not been confined to citizens of the United States, but there had also been an overt act of counter- aggression. The most temperate and true-seeming account of this new affair which we find among the many given in the American papers, is subjoined : it is by the correspondent of the New York Daily Eaprees, and is dated " Franklin County, September 22"— " A transaction took place in Alburgh on the night of the 19th, or morning of the 20th, which has produced an excitement on this frontier without a parallel. The circumstances, as far as I am able to collect, are as follow. On Saturday, one James Grogan, who formerly resided in Canada, but a natural-born citizen of the United States, returned from Michigan to Alburgh. When his return was known across the lines, Captain Jones, of her Majesty's service, ordered the Dragoons on Sunday. to go to Alburgh and capture him. Grogan that night slept at his brother-in-law's, William Brown, who is a farmer of the most respectable standing. At about two o'clock on Monday morning, Brown's house was surrounded by a detachment of British soldiers, his house forced, and himself and family forbidden to make an alarm under penalty of death. They proceeded to the bed-room where Grogan slept ; who, awakened by the poise, defended himself till severely wounded in the legs and thighs by bayonets : his face was literally flayed, and his shirt was entirely torn off; when he was overpowered, wrapped in a buffalo robe, thrown into the bottom of a waggon, and carried across the line, some two and a half or three miles distant, and thence to Clarrensville. On Monday he was carried east to Missisguoi Bay, heavily ironed, and sent to Montreal. "Last evening the news arrived at St. Alban's. A public meeting was held,. organized, and a committee appointed to examine into the transaction, and report this evening, to which time the meeting is adjourned."
Some of the accounts call this Grogan " Colonel." The Burlington Sentinel gives a glimpse of his history- " Colonel Grogan is an American ; but for a few years preceding the out-
break of 1837 he resided on Caldwell's Manor, some two or three miles from Alburgh, on the Canada side. An enthusiastic Republican, he early in the contest became an object of suspicion and hatred to the Loyalist cut-throats of Canada. In the winter of 1838, the British soldiery surrounded his house, drove his helpless wife and children to this side of the lines on foot, through the inclemency of a Canadian winter, burned his house, and plundered and laid waste his property to the amount of upwards of 6,000 dollars. They will now complete their villany by murdering him, on the testimony of some per- jured scoundrels, such as British gold never fails to procure."
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