User:Mathieugp/Drafts/Address of the inhabitants of the three suburbs of the town of Montreal to Richard Montgomery, Brigadier General of the Continental Forces
To Mr. Richard Montgomery, Brigadier General of the Continental Forces. The inhabitants of the three suburbs of the town of Montreal
Sir,
The darkness in which we were buried is finally dissipated. The light of day shines on us, our chains are broken, a happy freedom returns us to ourselves. A freedom for a long time wished for, and of which we use today to show our brothers of the colonies represented by you, Sir, the real satisfaction which we feel of our union.
Though the citizens of the town of Montreal scorned us, and still scorn us, every day, we declare that we hold in horror their conduct towards our brothers and our friends. We say that the capitulation by them offered is a treaty between two enemies and not a social pact and a fraternal union.
These same citizens have always looked at us and still look at us as rebels. We did not take offense of this denomination, since we have it in common with our brothers of the colonies; but in spite of them, and according to our inclination, we accept the union, as we have accepted it in our hearts as of the moment the addresses of October 26, 1774 reached us, which we would have answered if we had dared. You are not unaware, Sir, that since this date silence even has been suspicious, and the reward of the one who dared to think and say what he thought was prison, the irons, and at the very least the contempt and indignation of the citizens.
Today we consider these same citizens as a conquered people and not as a united people; they treat us as ignoramuses, it is true that we passed as such. Despotism was absorbing us, we are ignorant they say, but how could they know us and decide what we are? since the true merit of the man of talent does not even come near the anteroom. It is useless we believe, Sir, to give your Excellence the details on the oppressions and an enumeration of their authors, a more favorable time will come.
However ignorant and rebellious we are told to be, we declare (and pray your Excellence to communicate our declaration to the Congress of the Colonies.) We declare, say we, that our hearts have always wished the union, that we regarded and received the troops of the union as our own, in two words, that we accept the society to us offered by our brothers of the colonies, that we never thought of being allowed in a society, to benefit from the advantages of this same society, without contributing to the bid. If we are ignoramuses, we are reasonable; same laws, same prerogatives, contribution by proportion, sincere union, permanent society; here is our resolution conformably to the address of our brothers;