§ Mr. Humebegged to ask whether any answer had been received as to an inquiry into the conduct of Colonel Prince, who was reported to have shot some prisoners in Canada?
§ Mr. Labouchereregretted he had not been previously apprised of the question. As the question was one of the greatest public importance, and which had caused a great degree of excitement in Canada and the United States, and as great exaggeration and misrepresentation existed, he trusted the House would allow him to state exactly what the facts were. The House would recollect that in the month of December last, the province of Upper Canada was invaded by 400 armed men from America, who committed the greatest excesses within the colony. They began by shooting and setting fire to the houses of the peaceable inhabitants. They committed barbarities and atrocities which would have disgraced, not only Christians, but the most savage race. The persons whom they killed they mangled in the most cruel and shocking manner. Such was the conduct of that body of men which the militia of Upper Canada, under the orders of Colonel Prince, turned out to oppose. After a short time the invaders were defeated and the outrages suppressed. After describing the events of the action, Colonel Prince said, in his letter to the Governor, that four prisoners were brought in and shot by his orders. Besides this statement, a representation was made and signed by a considerable number of the inhabitants, adding that they were put to death with many circumstances of great inhumanity. The consequence was, that the Lieutenant-Governor referred the whole subject to a court of inquiry, presided over by officers of the regular army. The result of that inquiry was, that all the circumstances of aggravation and inhumanity had been disproved; and it was further proved, that these imputations were not only false, but founded upon personal towards Colonel Prince. The fact, however, remained undisputed, that Colonel Prince did, after the engagement, order four persons to be summarily put to death. He would not enter into the question which had been raised, whether it was strictly legal that persons who had committed such atrocious acts, who had invaded a friendly territory, were or were not beyond the pale of the laws which regulate the wars of civil nations. But this he was prepared to say, having stated these circumstances of palliation, which might be justly urged, that not one word of defence or justification of such conduct should ever pass his lips. He deeply regretted that such an event should have happened, and he 1024 trusted that the House would be satisfied with a pledge, on the part of the Government, that no means should be left untried to prevent the possibility of such an outrage being committed again.
§ Mr. Humemerely asked whether the papers detailing this transaction would be laid before the House, as it was a transaction not only affecting the honour of the army, but which had produced an intense sensation throughout the United States.
§ Mr. Laboucherewas not prepared to lay those papers before the House.