"Either this is envy in you, folly, or mistaking; thevery stream of his life, and the business he hathhelmed, must upon a warranted need give him a betterproclamation. Let him be but testimonied in his ownbringings forth, and he shall appear a statesman and asoldier. Therefore you speak unskilfully; or if yourknowledge be more, it is much darkened in your malice."
MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR T. CADELL, STRAND;
AND
T. EGERTON, WHITEHALL.
1823.
J. M'Creery, Printer,
Tooks Court, Chancery Lane.
The character and conduct of individuals in high and responsiblesituations, will naturally and necessarily be the subject of free and opendiscussion. The conduct of a soldier is more particularly exposed to thisscrutiny. His success or his failure is a matter of such powerful interestto his country, that he generally receives even more than his full measureof approbation or of blame. Notwithstanding all the difficulties of forminga correct judgment on the merits of military operations, there is perhapsno subject upon which public opinion expresses itself so quickly and sodecidedly. Disappointed in the sanguine hopes which they had entertained,and mortified by the consciousness of defeat, the public too frequentlyimagine cause for censure, and without a competent knowledge of the factsnecessary to enable them to form a sound and satisfactory judgment,[Pg 2]unhesitatingly condemn those who have perhaps passed in their service along life of anxiety and labour. But while, in the moment of irritation,they are thus disposed to impugn the conduct of their military servants,they are no less ready, on more deliberate inquiry, and a fullerunderstanding of the facts, to grant them a candid and generous acquittal.These observations are peculiarly applicable to the case of the lateLieutenant-General Sir George Prevost, who, after having devoted to hiscountry thirty-five of the best years of his life; after havingdistinguished himself in many gallant actions; and after having preservedto the crown of Great Britain some of its most valuable foreignpossessions, was called upon, at the close of his honourable career, toanswer charges which vitally affected his reputation, and which he wasprevented by death from fully and clearly refuting.
Painful as it was to the friends of Sir George Prevost to allow a singlestain to rest upon the memory of so brave and distinguished a soldier, moreespecially when they possessed the means of removing every doubt as to hisconduct, they yet considered an appeal to the candour and justice of hiscountry as unnecessary. The violent prejudices which at one period existedagainst the late Commander of the Forces in the Canadas were gradually[Pg 3]wearing away; his memory had been honored by a just tribute of hisSovereign's regret and approbation; and the scenes in which he had been soconspicuous an actor, had ceased to be a matter of general interest. Underthese circumstances, the relatives of Sir George Prevost would confidentlyhave entrusted his reputation to the unprejudiced judg