Smith, Michael:

$2,500 · Offered by William Reese Company · No longer available

A GEOGRAPHICAL VIEW, OF THE PROVINCE OF UPPER CANADA, AND PROMISCUOUS REMARKS ON THE GOVERNMENT. IN TWO PARTS, WITH AN APPENDIX: CONTAINING A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF THE NIAGARA FALLS AND REMARKS ... Rare first edition of this valuable contemporary description of the geography, population, and customs of the people of Upper Canada in the years just prior to the War of 1812. This was written by Smith as "a full and impartial account of the Province" for fellow Americans since "as of late years many have been in the habit of moving there." Included in the appendix are Smith's observations on the mood of the European settlers of Upper Canada regarding the war: "None of the people of this district bear arms....They are universally in favor of the United States, and if ever another army landed in Canada...before they could march there, nearly all the Canada militia would desert, especially if the American army were large." Michael Smith (1776 – ca. 1816) was born and raised in Pennsylvania and, after having travelled for many years, decided to settle in Upper Canada, where land could be obtained on very easy terms. Following the outbreak of the War of 1812, however, native peoples began to harass and threaten Smith and his family for being "Yankee," so Smith decided to return to the United States. When stopping for passports, Smith's manuscript for the present book was confiscated. Soon after his return, he was given financial support for publication, and quickly rewrote the book

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