msmm ^%. V" ,1 W ^^ V^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) €'0 '/ ,.v .V,#>' ^ S? fA '^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 m III 12.5 " IM III 22 2.0 1.8 14 ill 1.6 6 % <^ C»^ /. c^m >Pm' ^ 'W ^'/W ^ /^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, K.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 .3 ■^ ^\. ^\ V *-% i\ 1r ^ >^ "^"Q^ ^^'... ^^ :* c. .VH'*<'«^i>-»Ui4»>:-i.:- fafrrr, r i:;j)ijj^.i.;..:nt«<.'«. i^i.::::::Utii ,s«*^nr«irT»- *«•"»' t^wvr***m^r*'n^n'nr. '• .aB»H««»mt«««w»««w"'»" fyyo A CANADIAN POLITICAL COIN A MOT^O GRAPH. BY WILL.! AM KINGSFORD. <>0— c- OTTAWA : E. A PEl-iRY. 1 874. .■«(p»r»f»f- i'l ■MtiitMiiiiiiiiitnitfmiiiinitoik.. •^^mfrnfifrmmmrr \ iiiiiiii&iiiiiitl (ir!-5K7»«->(::'-iT-{;5t--«»»'.t!1-W»5«»»* •.Bittwaw"'"*?" A CANADIAN POLITICAL COIN A MONOGRAPH. BY WILLIAM KINGSFORD, OTTA.WA : A PERRY 1874, ^0 b6ij Kntfreil accordhm to the Act of Parliament of Canada, on the Fourteenth nf January, one thoiimnd viffht hundred and seventij-fovr, by William Kingsfobt*, hi thf office of the Afinioter of Agriciiltwe. tS^Z-' •■ !• Th.Q foUowinfjj pages appeared in the Canad'um and Antiquarian Journal of Montreal. From the hinitod amount of&paee in that periodical, the paper was divided into two parts, and as that nia^ijazine appears but once in tliree months, the interval which took place during its publication — from July to November last — went far to destroy all interest in its perusal. The writer has, conse- (piently, determined to republish it in a connected form, as a chapter of Canadian history. He considers, that although representing a past order of events, a narrative of those days will ever interest all who feel pride in the assured progress of the Dominion, and who app'-nciate the blessings of tlie constitutionrJ rule under which we live. Wilbrod Street, OttavKi^ . * January ^ith, 1S74. "«?ii 4 (Jiiaaio—My reputation. lujjo, my rcpntiition ! /afiro— Eeputiition ia an idlo and most false Imposition : oft got without iiurtt and lo*t without dosevvinfr . Othkllo, Act 11.3, Qui stultus honoros Saepe dut iiidignis, et faaiae scrvit iiteptun Qui stupet In tituU? et Imaglnlbus. Horace, Sat I. vr 15, 18. K'Ht «n<1 lost 19. A CANADIAN POLITICAL COIN. A. MONOGRAPH. Until the last few yo;irB, a coin of uncouth execution, was frequently seen in the old City of Quebe«^ ami its iieighlK)ur- hood. Elsewhere it was seldom found ; so seldom as to suggest that its appearance was fortuitous. Whereas in the former political Capital of Lower Canada, so many examples were current in the strange congeries of copper coin, which the market women accepted as genuine, that the inference may bo drawn, that it owes its origin to that city, and that it is there that it was minted. It is of copper, and of the rudest execu- tion, and there arc three varieties known of it,* At the tirst glance, nothing in a limited way is more enigmatical than the legend. On the obverse we find a profile bust left, with th ® various readings, Vexator Canadin sis, Vexator CaiiadkuHis and Vexator Cimadensii<. On the reverse, a female figure, possibly dancing, with the words, " Renunter Viscape or " Benunillm Viscape.^' Many collectors have endeavored to penetrate its origin, and to trace it home to its creators, hitherto without success. Dated 1811, it is feared that there is now little chance of doing so. Nevertheless the date and legend suggest its meaning and design. Theobver.se is easily read. "The torment — the pest of Canada." T'- .-everse equally offers a solution. Turning the two V into (^ as indeed they appear to be, and subjecting the letters to true orthographic division we have N'on illos Vis Cape re, a sort of questionable translation of '' Don't you wish you may catch them ?" ' - v - The second reverse, Non ter vis Capere, can be read as " Would yoo not like to catch them over again ?" may be the * It ie catalogued by Mr. Sandbam in hia npefol boo^ ui^der th.e heftd, "Canadii," Not 5, 6 and 7, Page 24. -—-"--■'•-- ----- '— -- .,•—-- .j.^-. -- ,-■. .--.^ 4 -;jiW«irtiteti.ttoW*^I.IMi>ifil.litH)|,j,iilti,»|,A t ■ ( I i first dosiicn incorroctly craTiod out; or it may possess some local allusion or some political signiticance now lost. The date takes us back to the (lays of Sir James Craig, who left Canada in June, 1811, and whose government was oi.e of the most stormy which Canada has experienced. The period in question may be described as the infancy of all political knowledge, and viewed from the standing point of our olear and constitutional theories of the political rights and responsibilities of each branch of the Legislature, it may be regarded, as utterly destitute of every example and every T^recetlent admitted and followed by the modern statesman. Tlie men of that day, with honest theories ol' right, and really desirous of establishing liberal institutions, seem to have been utterly ignorant'ot all the checks and safeguards, which must arise in any system of government, from its very artiticial character. There cannot be a doubt that the complications which then arose, seriously delayed the establishment of a representative, I'csponsible Executive; and that instead of that political condition being naturally and easily evolved from the existing order of things, when it did come, it was to no little extent the result of force, and of bitter dissatisfae^ion which yet leave behind some of their old difficulty. A military despotism succeeded the conquest, and the treaty of Paris in 1763. It was not a form of government dis- pleasing to the new subjects, as the French Canadians were called. For thoy had stj'omr military tastes, 1. iving lived in a chronic state of war. Moreover the British Government paid in silver dollars for every service re...ie''ed and for every article supplied, in contra-dlstir ^tion to the paper money which the French Government had long issued. There was ne^'erthe'ess a departure to Frt^nce of many men, of high birth and in pro- minert positions ; while those who remained behind seem determined to have made up their minds to make the best of it, and from that day to this, the loyalty to Great Britain of the French Canadian has been genuine -nd undoubted. There was however no little blundering on the part of the British authorities, especially in the appointment of the new officials. . •«^-.f«Bltf«+*'«:l* possess some Oi^t. James Craig, ieniment was irioncod. The i p. fancy of all ig point of our ',al rights and lire, it may be )le and every rn statesman. rht, and really 11 to have bee a is, which must very artificial complications )lishment of a instead of that 'olved from the 7as to no little isfaCcion which (^uest, and the ;overnment dis- ^anadians were iving lived in a vernment paid "or every article )ney which the 'as ne^'erthe'ess irth and in pro- i behind seem lake the best of jreat Britain of loiib^ed. There t of the British 10 new officials. The Chief Justice was one Cxrog:-? y, who was taken out of prison in order to bo sent here. The Law officers were with- out qualification, and as a rule ignorant of French. < Canada was divided into Departn\ents. Irdeed the military element was so strong, that in a country to be subjected to British institutions, the svstem could not lon<; be tolemfed without the Barrack gate of the Garrison, where discipline exacted it. The Quebec act of 1774 was accordingly passed. It was ver}^ unpopular in England, and was specially peti- tioned against by the Corporation of London. While the pre^sent United States, ripe for sepai-ation, then, as now, utterly inca- pable of understandmg the political and national sentiment of this country, declared, '* that the Dominion'-i^ of Canada is to be so extended, modelled and governed, as that by being disunited from us, (the United States) detached from our interests by civil as well as religious prejudices, that by their numbers swelling with Catholic emigrants from Europe, and by their devotion to an administration so friendly to the religion, they might become formidable to us, and on occasion be fit instru- ments in the hands of power, to reduce the ancient, free Pro- testant colonies to the same stale of slavery with themselves." The Quebec act, established a Council of not more than twenty- three or less than seventeen, to enact ordinances for good government ; but without power to make assessment for taxes other than the inhabitants themselves would impose for muni- cipal purposes. The ordinances were to be passed between the 1st of January and tho st of May. The criminal law of England was established, otherwise the ancient laws of Canada were maintained. The exercise of the Iloman Catholic relitrion was declared free, and with the exception of the Jesuits, who had been suppressed at the period of the conquest, no commu- nity was interfered with. This state of things continued +o the close of 1791. There seoms little doubt but that the Constitutional Act, at' tho Act of 1791, is called, in contra-distinction to that of 1774, which is always spoken of as the Quebec Act waa dictated by * It is a carious fact tliat the title of a Csntarj back has been re-created as the per- Dianent designution of British America. I ^1||»^^»!»l»il'" /i N> , I I \ $i \f I I I 8 the desire of conciliating tiie U. E, Loyalists. This Act divided the Province into Upper and Lower Canada. In the interval, the American Revolution had passed through its full phase of establisliing the Independence of the Kejmblic, and crowds of men devoted to England, had uhanaoned all tliey held in the now United States, in oiderto live under Bi-itish rule. So far as such as these were concerned, the feeling seems to have prevailed that the existing Government of Canada, did not extend English Law, and the civil law of France was dis- tasteful to them. Indeed there was a deep rooted distrust of any other system than that of the mother country. We believe that on the whole this Act was just and politic. In the then condition of the roads, it would have been almost im^Dossible to have bi'ought members to a common House of Assembly, except in seasons of the 3'ear, when their presence was indis- pensab e at home. In 1791 it is estimated that in the ])eriod which had elapsed since the Conquest, the population ol' Quebec had more than doubled. So far as the mercantile resources of the country went, thov were in the hands of the English speaking population. The French (lovernment had been perfectly unacquainted with the extent of trade which sprang naturally from the European population, and all its care and effort had been the developementof the traffic with the Indians. For then, as now, the struggle lay betwoen the Hudson and the Saint Lawrence, and the question really was which route the tlion produce of the west, furs, would follow. It was years after the change of government that the French Canadian turned his thoughts in that direction, and as one notes the many wealthy French Canadian firms of the present day at Montreal and Quebec, one wonders that such should have been the ca'je. The act establishingUpper and Lower Canada, had this advantage, that it limited the field of action to two communi- ties, which although kindred, were dissimilar, and as Mr. Pitt expressed himself, he trusted the division would be made in such a manner as to give each a majority in their own par- ticular part, althougl it could not be expected to draw a com- plete line of separaticn, LmimrM tiLin*^ai^t9tit***ahjt* *i iu ivatwififi f This Act ludii. In the oiigh its full iepublic, and )ned all they iinder British feeling seems >f Canada, did Einee was dis- id distrust of y. We believe In the then impossible to of Assembly, nee was indis- i in the period tion of Quebec le resources of f the English ent hud been which sprang ill its cave and Lh the Indians, e Hudson and IS which route It was years )nch Canadian one notes tho present day at :^uld have been Canada, had this two communi- md as Mr. Pitt uld be made in their own par- to draw a com- 9 Our business lies with (he next twenty years of Lower Canadian history, and it is to that province we must on this occasion turn. It has been the custom with uninfbr»nod writers, and flippant speakers, to throw discredit on tho senti- ments which actuated the leading political men of Great Britain towards this country. With the exception of one shortcoming, which took very many years to remedy, the stiulent rises from the perusal of the early history- of the Dominion with tho profound impression that no cai'e could be more fostering ; no assistance more ready and generous ; no legislation more in accordance with circumstance; no protec- tion more chivali'ous, and no atfection more untainted b\- insincerity than that which is found in the connection between the mother country and these Provinces. The one omission was the neglect of social recognition of the leading men ot the country when in London. With few excej)tions, and those by no means not the most happil}- chosen, the Canadian politician on a mission irom his Province was allowed in the imperial Capital, when his official visit terminated, to languish in unnoticed obscurity at his hotel. It was Loi'd I^ytton who changed this unwise hauteur, and wlio substituted the kindly hospitality which now distinguishes Imperial statesmen iii their interconrso with official men of the Outer Empire. With nil the teachings derived from tho revolted Provinces, whatever political lessons were conveyed, the truth that the day had come when the' Liiperialist sliould cease to lord it over the Provincial had never been generally accepted. Its non-recog- nition in no small degree, led to the American War, for the real grievances were all capable of adjustment, while the })ublic good sense could easily have been made to understand that George the Third, was in reality much more of a farmer than « tyrant, and that the project of the States, to issue to an unlimited extent paper money, would have brought ruin on their country. •■-' ^^t^^- ' '*> \>.■^H .n^-t^ H'tdi The Lower Canadian House of Assembly was to consist of iifty members. It met for tlie first time, on the 17th of December, 1792. The Legislative Council consisted of fifteen members. The Governor General was Lord Dorchester j but B ^EiMuamHa liiiMiniwMiiimnfHqipillipiPmillipHiniipiniil 4 10 in hiH absence Parliament was opened by Major-General Aliireti Clarke. Perfect unanimity prevailed. The expenses of the civil government were £20,000 and the receipts somewhat under £4,000, the deficiency being made np from the military chest. Tiiis monetary deficiency con- tinued until 1S08, when the revenue had increased to nearly £41,0^»0 currency, the expenditure amounting to something over £41,000 sterling. In the following year the revenue was little short of £18,000 currency in excess of expenditure. During the whole of this period the money, necessary to meet the Provincial disbursements, was tbund b^^ Great Britain. Lord Dorchester was succeeded by General Prescott. Con- cord prevailed ever}' where. Every one extolled the excellent and happy government under which they lived. There was no particularly uncharitable zeal about the logmas of religion, tnter-marriages of Protestants and Catholics wore not then fence J by conditions which no gentleman should accept. There was no French part}', and the offensive epithets, which appear so frequently in the pages of the Cauadien, were i)Ot then cur- rent. The Governors had not in each case nourished round them those nests of office-holders, who exercised for so many j'oars, so deplorable an influence on political life. To use the words of a m(xlern historian " the last sun of the eighteenth century that sot upon Canada left its people the happiest upon the earth, of all the sons of men it had that day shone upon." The first political difficulty which arose to change this enviable condition can be traced to the Jesuits' Estates. Shortly .iftcr the tx)nquest the order had been suppressed by a Papal Bull in 17*73, when Clement XIV. decreed the total suppression of the order. Previously to this date, however, in n(>4, they had been banished from France and their property confiscated: and it was not to be supposed that under such ciicumstances their presence woidd be tolerated in Canada. The British O'overnmerit, however, behaved with great liberality. All that was exacted was tha no new accession should bo made to tho order. The then members were allowed to die out, and it was t>ot until 1800, when the last of the body died, that tho Govern- i 1 wmufsm en oral Alureti 3 £20,000 aiul cy being to ado Icficiency fon- asetl to nearly to something e revenue was ►f expenditure. pessary to raeet it Britain. Prescott. Con- td the excellent There was no as of religion, were not then accept. There (, which appear 3 not then cur- ourished round od for so many b. To use tho tlic eighteenth happiest upon y shone upon to change this states. Shortly ed by a Piipal >tal suppression , in 1704, they rty con f seated: 1 cii cum stances The British rality. All that 1)0 made to tho out, and it wat? hat tho Govorn- i I u t. m 11 mcnt took possession of (heir Estates. General Prescott wns then in England, and the Legislature was opened by Sir I?, S. Milnes. It must be recoilectoy saying he must resist a precedent, which might lead to injurious consequences. Further, ho alluded to the omission of observances, which tend to preserve a due harmony between the House of Assembly and the other branches of the Legislature. The fact really is, that if the House of Assembly alone, without the other House, could vote that any one salary be raised, it could vote likewise the reduc- tion of any other salary, and thus an ol^cial disliked by the majority w^ou Id be at thoir mercy. The matter itself was un- doubtedly trifling but the mode taken to urge it, was so contrary to true parliamentary usage, that it coukl not be accepted, '^riio Assembly, however, seems to have had very exalted ideas of its own privileges, and it thought that the best way to vindicate them was to enter into a crusade against tho Press. The loiwiing spirit on this occasion was Mr. P. Bedard, a man of ability, and possessing much in his character to exact respect, but disqualified for 'he part he assumed as the advocate of what he called Constitutional Governmant. He seems to have been entirely ignoran of those maxims which are now recog- nized by men of all parties* His doctrine may be set forth in 4->v*t*f>HfH^}.' iHJMiii r^*t»fiii4!M'WW|MMW*fit'f*i'Mf*fwil' 13 iiltiply. What elinj^, in which nU'i'ii crlticiBm iiei'cantilc eom- ;i8latiire, wliich >licy wliich un- ion of j)hicing a community into lother incident, hich hiid aown i period. Tlie eh Translator'tt ► accede to the •y one with the / wisely. The o recognize the iiewhat that ao 18. The Lieut. 3 must resist a nces. Further^ tend to preserve and the other is, that if the use, cmdd vote wise the reduc- islikod hv the itself was un- was so contrary )t be accepted, y exalted ideas ay to vindicate Press. The ard, a man of exact respect, he advocate of seems to have are now rocog- be set forth in a phrase. The supremacy of tlie House of Asseinbiy with tl;e side issue of a jail for those who criticised it, based on the assertion of its entire independence of tlie (lovernor General and the Legislative Council. These opinions soon found occa- sion for practically showing their force, and the parties who furnished it were the publisher of the Montreal 0'az''Me, of the 7th April, 1805, and the chairman of a public dinner, Mr. Isaac Todd. The former had inserted the toasts given by the latter, and the crime consisted in proposing the health of" thosse representatives in parliament who had advocatal a constitu- tional mode of taxation for building gaols." 1 " On the motion of Pierre Bedard, Esq." the house voted this simple proceeding a false, scandalous and malicious libel, and the dcput^'-sei-geant of arms proceeded to Montreal to take the two recusants in custody. The latter could not be '>und and so the matter dropped. The second attack was on Mr. Cary, the propi'ictor of the Quebec Mercury. Until 1805 the press rarely dealt with religious or political questions, and it waa at this period the Quebec Mercury appeared as a weekly paper. It was the organ of the Government House, not of the Governor himself, but of the clique of irresponsible office hold- ers, who maruiged to lay their grasp upon power, and who fatally directed the policy of this country, in ttie first years of this century. Wo quite agree with Garneau's view of these gentry.* . , I Any change to them, was for the worse. Judging things by their present value, they wore pi\i(? 'hrcu fold what a minis- ter of the Crown or a Judge now roceivos, and the incomes of many were increased by fees. They formed a small society among themselves, interchanging social patronage, and they affected an exclusiveness with habitual iu'rogance, unredeemed by little claim to merit. Side by side with this affectation of position, ran that full blown feminine inso!cnce, so frequently . mistaken by the weak minds who inlulge in it, for high and dignif!e eomme le prouvalt leur condulte, et leur lanffap- Oe mal * • qui a contrihn6 anx ^v6nemt'nts politlqufs qui out eu lieu plus tard." Oarneau Vol. II., p. 61. [Kd. 1852] ; »n»;fi_ ,,,.,„. !! 14 \ i 1 ' I official husband — wc mnj^ add fortunately of those days — we oai make the aiiplication of the saying to those times. Certainl; in this ejKH'h of (^inadian history, no little of the politiea complication is attributable to the in tolerable impertiticncM of the wives of the men who hold office. This clement of pett_\ jealousies, of small heart burnings, and social affectations, threw its poisonous tinge over more important questions ; and it con tiJuied until the establishment of responsible government. Th( first shock against it came from Lord Durham. Ilis successor; (Strangled the Hydra. The Quebec Gazette, started with the view of sustainini; this clique, directed its efforts to create what is called a British party. Judged by his professed creed, the French Canadian Las always been purely British. His attempts have over been directed to claim his privilege as such. It is he who reminded ♦Sir James Craig, that these were not the days of the French fntendants. In all the difficult ies with which he has had to ♦struggle, ho has never boon tempted to threaten a southern connection as an extrication from them. ]\ren, however, ai'o itlways i*ea((?>/< d la reliyioH, aux admitted. The ; the lists were rho looked upon Iting to set this afllairs that Sir |d 18th October, of which he had passed in the army. He had seen service on this continent, having been jiresent in the actions of Saratoga, under the miserably incompetent, but gallant Burgoyne. He had borne a leaditjg part in ihe capture of the Cape of Good Hope ; ho had served five years in India, and subsequent!}' commanded the British Corps d'Armee in the Mediterranean in 1805. No one could have brought a more brilliant military reputation to the country, and doubtless he was selected tor this vtA ■•.II V , ;. - ,. iv^;.-rT t' Grace k toi volage beaut6 ^ 1 1 •'.'. •• i <• J ;"? k;|.-Mi *. Malgre leur pen de ressr*"^^-""" ' ' u* .•?-..*?- vl 4 *f1.. i,4 Nous voyons Iafld61it6 ^'Vi;?i>? ,.11 Qi^-m; 8ur les genoux i ri '/Jit !«■»'* ■ VIG*E. H I I iuuiiMUiii>:i«LrrffWtinttHti:>!'' ■p{|?|£H incc of race \vlii"h it ;cs(. It iis ustonish- )n j)1ju'0, and utterly joctcd itH authorfl to isly " Vapparition (h ne." To our mind il bo eountiy, but the •nment clique.^ The ;overnment, without oi'H but impcrlbctly At the same timr What was written ►llin<5 the vote of the the movement had 3d, they would iiavc nt the}' failed. The y, wore Hingularly arly to have under- ml)ly, in any parlia- tlio most ample ot d wore men in no a3's read}' to push tics is essentially a ten that of compro- thought that the ess irritation to an was to pander to in no way exists: >us national suscep- 22n(l Nov. 1808. The liisi what raw bitok, which Is In vt'ry innny nets of ki (lnt"Si< and Mr. Lt^uic, the Assis- It t« find such nn extent of ifiMO! d' esprit however, un Kiges of Grimm. Tho fol- volnmc : •-,•.( .It;;.'. ; il yigAe. tibility. Thus wo road — "Dans le dictiottuaire minlHteriel : tntiHvaifi tiiijfit anti-in'ivister'iel — democrat,, Huns-cnlotte etdamni (nic) t'anndien veulent dire la inem' choneJ^ Any wise and prudent ruler would have ended the nrisis in a different mode to Sir James Craig, lie would have shewn tho French Canadian that J'^ngland is no respecter of persons, that tho old and new subjects won^ equal in hci* eyes, llo would have snubbed tho clique of insolent toadies who wore deceiving him for their own ends ; and as Lord Durham did later, he would have treated with contempt tho insolent airs and underbred pretentiousness of the (jrovernment official women. In an evil hour for himself, this most honest and worth\' of men ai^tod otherwise. Listening to his irresponsible advisors^ he dismissed five prominent French Canadian gentlemen from the militia, on the ground of being proprietors of a seditious and libellous publication. Only that the exception can bo found in his own govurnmont, no more arbitrary stretch of power can be met in any country under Bj-itish rule. These gentlemen wore Messrs. Panet, Betlard, Taschereau, Borgia and Blanchet. VV^hen it is rocol looted that this stop was taken within eight months after Craig's arrival in Canada, we can estimate tho extent of the passion which misrepresentation had instilled into his mind. The new parliament mot in April, 1809. Tho Governor's .speech was again unfortunate, more especially as the Legisla- ture had been convoked on twenty-six days' notice only, Craig was decisive on tho point of causeless jealousies anc. un- founded suspicions. The phrase was only too suggestive of implied reproof, and the discontented turned to old subjects ot discontent, with more than the old feeling of rancour. Of the new parliament, 14 were of British origin, and 3C French Ca- nadians, a proportion generally found at this day. We presume that it is equally representative of religion, making the reduc- tion of one from the Protestants for the persecuted Lsraelite. The old bill for disqualifying Judges, and another for expelling the Jew had been introduced, and l*arliament was in the mid- dle of its deliberations, when, in the second week of May, Craig went down in state and summoned the logislatiu-e to his O ...^j,.>- .i. . '-^i ^miimm mm\iy<'*rirm\ i^ * ?ttffi*>»frjQift rtitr>w « i»T#' 4 i t I 18 prosonco and asncntod to five bills of little moment. In Hpoeeli, poi'iiapH only to bj equalled oy that ot'(/i'omweIi, Ik announcwl hiH intention of dissolving the Assembly, lie toh tbeni that in the phice of proniotinji; harmcmy, they imd waste their time in frivolous dehates, and that they had abused theii funetions ; that they had neglected matters of necessity ; tha they had beer» intemperate and had acted detrimentally to th best interests of the country, lie thanked the Le/j;islativt Council for their mianimity, zeal anc unremittin/jj attention and likewise extended his thanks to a considerable portion ol the House of Assembly, and he stated that it was his intention to call a now Provincial Parliament. So extraordinary a dis- missal could not fail but to create strong feelings, and to cause important results. The Canadian party, hitherto somewhat divided, were, by this violent proceeding, driven into the unity which has kept them together in such compact form to tliis hour, and from which however surely, in the present ix)sition of parties, they are but slowly disintegrating. The emergen- cies of modern politics are so ditteront to the sentiment that has hitherto led them to sirik minor diiferences, that they are now somewhat resolving themselves into different spheres of opinion. That they have not hitherto done so, is greatly owing to the extreme conduct of Craig at this period, which led them to recognize the necessity of an unswerving party allegiance. A new Assembly was elected more hostile than ever to the Government. It met in January, 1810. Craig was somewhat more politic than before. He expressed his readiness in Ilis Majesty's name to assent to a bill making judges ineligible for Parliament. But the Governor's unfortu- nate verbosity grated on the Assembly, and the first resolu- tion carried, declared all interference with the functions of the House a breach of privilege. The House then proceeded to take up the Civil List, advancing the right to remodel and to vote the supply, at the same time offering to meet the whole cost of expenditure. Ackn ^wledging the beneficence of the mother country, the House ol Assembly expressed its readiness to relieve her of future cost, and* as in the Imperial Parliament, to vote the estimates, and to impose the taxes necessary to defi-ay them. ! i : , , . 1 I • 19 moment. In a ot'CJromwcll, he ombly. Ho told they had wasted hud nhused theii* f nocosnity j that i-iinentally to the I the Le^iKlutivo litting attentioji ; arable portion of was hi« intention traordinary a dis- jigH, and to eau80 therto somevviiat s'en into the unity ipaet form to tlii» io present position jg. The emergen- le sentiment that ices, that they are itVcrcnt spheres of Mi so, is greatly his period, which [mswerving party nore hostile than [iry, 1810. Craig ie expressed his to a bill making i>vernor'8 unfortu- the first rosolu- functions of the en proceeded to o remodel and to leet the whole cost ce of the mother its readiness to srial parliament, xes necessary to It was in those crises that the AHscmbly showcxl its ignor- ance of constitutional form. lustoad of arro:^antly claiming U) monop<»lizo all power of action, its ettorts shouhi have boon directed towards inducing the Legislative Council to partici- pate in a joint af the Council was to be foreseen, an o])position jiossibly extending over three or tour years. But eventually the justice of the claim would have entailed its success. The Home Government never had but one thought towarcfs Canada that of establishing a pros- perous and happy community ; and, if occasion had exacted it, it would specially have sent a Governor delegated to consum- mato this policy. The impractical chanu'ter of the French Canadian politician of that day, interfered with any such line of conduct. When wo judge these men, by the light of their I'ounirymen in the present Dominion Parliament, it seems unaccountable, they ^o ill understand the reform they could constitutionally advocate. Lafoniaino and Morin of the last generation, thoroughly knew the precise policy to follow ; and men like the late Sir Ct. Cartier, or Mr. Dorion, Mr. Langevin and Mr. (^auchon of the present race of politicians, could never commit the blunders of sixty j'oars since. The address was voted and presented to the governor, re- questing him to lay it before His Majesty's Ministers for trans- mission to King, Lords and Commons. But the Governor refused to receive it, on the constitutional ground that all grants of money should, in the tirst instance, como in the form oi' a, recommendation from the Crow^n, and that although such grants originate in the Lower House, thoy were invalid with-, out the vote of the other branches of the Legislature, lie further pointed out that the course was unusual, indeed without precedent, for a single branch of the legislature to address in 4|ny form either of the Imperial Houses of Parliament ; that His Majest^-'s Ministers were not the medium of communication with the House of Commons ; and that without the Royal command, it was beyond his duty to place any such address in their hands for the purpose named. However, as a testimony of the good inteutioDfl of His Canadian oubjects, he would pti}fj»*ii##f«4«*if^t+ttmnrf iti rfiTfrpirfir-in.*»f»tt4tJ**.4» I I i)! \ \ I If i I ;i I \ . ^1 i 20 transmit the address to the King, and he would do so, to shev^ his sense of their voluntary pledge and promise to pay th< civil expenditure of the Province without repugnance, but tha the step must not be held as compliance with any unconstitu tional proceeding. But the Parliament was not to end in peace. J A Bill \va; introduced making Judges incapable of sitting in the Lowei House. Sent to the Upper House, a clause was added that i flhould take effect after the expiration of the present Parlia raent. The House of Assembly therefore declared Judg( DeBonne's seat vacant. But Sir James Craig was on his sid( in no way to be out^ijeneralled, for he at once prorogued parlia ment, and he informed the members that he had determinec again to appeal to the people. This step was taken on th< 26th February, 1810. Within twenty days another proceeding followed, so uncalled for, so arbitrary, so marked by foil}'', thai every one concerned must partake of the disgrace with whicl history has staLiped the act. This was the seizure of th< Canadien. On the warrant of Chief Justice Sewell, a party o rioldiers, with a magistrate, entered the printing office of this paper on the 17th March, and seized the whole of the type presses and paper. The printer was also apprehended, and ir two days ai'terwards three members, of the House of Assembly Messrs, Bedard, Blanchet and Tasohereau were arrested a Quebec. Messrs. Laforce, Pierre Papineau and Corbeil, under went the same treatment at Montreal. On the 21st March, the Governor issued one of his extra ordinary proclamations, a proof that the whole scheme waj pre-determinod. No one can doubt Sir J. 'Craig's honesty anc axcellence of characler ; and the only explanation possible t( this extraordinary proceeding is that the otflce-holder.s seeirii that there was r chrnce of their position being assailed, hac persauded him that really some traitorous conspiracy did exist It is not impossible the call of patriotism and duty, and filled the ranks of the iUitl«t»W«rtdi" 'liament, he had from the Govorn- een accoeded to. lized as an official f his love of sei vvs; vv{ o militia when the appeal for enrolment was made. The chance iljf war with the United States lay before the Province, but no ^0 doubted the ability or experience of Craig to meet the fli^isis. Thus in spite of his unfortunate self-assertion, the high •I -neJ them Q^^'^li^ies of a generous nature, ever on the surface, gained for on which he con- Mm an universal feeling of respect. and dissipation. rj^^^ British population, had been taught to believe that ho the magistracy to ^^^ ^j^^ champion of their nationality, and their devotion was irers against envy without limit. It is to those he failed to conciliate that we jourse of kindness m^yt look for the less enthusiastic judgment of his measures Ivice, gentlemen," and policy, and the latter will find as little favor with all lovers of a very sincere Qf good government at this advanced period of the century, as } conditi.)n of the when in the first decade they were censured by a vote of the ance with his own Assembly. No one, however, has impugned the sincerity, the n of the Province, patriotism, the conviction by which they were dictated. It has !e died in England, never been even hinted that he acted otherwise than from a sense of right. But he laboi'ed under the misfortune of having nnlcx character ativisers interested in the perpetuation of the abuses which ^mnlno- no small ^®*'^ assailed, and of being opposed by politicians in the very he true criterion ^'^^^^^'J ^^ ^'^^ knowledge of statesmanship, who, however right t and reverence, ^^^y '^t^^^'ted in their desire for change, invariably permitted ntastique ethorrd'' i^hemselves to be placed in the wrong. Craig committed great mt for the epithet '^^^^^^ "^'^^ he possessed great qualities. The prompting motive true nrincinles of ^^ ^''^ ^^^^ ^^^'^ duty. And yet it is to such a- character thai an n to-div But in ^'^curo unknown personage, on a rude, half legible coin, has or his opnon- 'PP''^^ ^^^ reproach of being " Vexatoi' CanacUensis," to be e men about him ©naembered so long as -Numismatics remain a science. The 1 that his truth >orpetrator little foresaw the immortality he was conveying, been oues- '^^ ^'^^ extent to which the challenge would be answered. For J A u^».^„+ '^^ believe, that when the history of Canada comes to be writ- rward and honest, , , , i ^ , , /. „ f] most one ®^' '^^ ^ duty has yet to be poriormed by men free from ' ., , .. reiudice and removed from the active influences which bewil- " il navmt pas an •' , t' 'ition in ^^ "'"^ pervert judgment, Craig, with all bis errors, will stand J ne to be ^^^^ "^ "^ unpleasing portrait. His will be held to be a char- t f the French ^ter which many would do well to imitate, — in his generosity, al nobly answered '^ J^oi^osty, his courage and his gentleness,— we use the word tl inks 'f 'he ^^fisedly. While they uvoid the errors, and blemishes of hie I IHBRIRWfS* 1!!ffi!!l!Siai!flWS5^SSam5gl^i»Sl^jf |uJK?f^ 24 administration, most of which sprang, not from want of prin- ciple, or from an ill balanced and weak mind, but from want of experience, want of political knowledge, and above all, from being thrown amid unprincipled, interested and irresxionsiblo advisers. •■ ■ - ■, . •'•. ,•'..■-, -"^■'^-%^i^^: -S "" '-K ~^ ,,1 '^ T i' '. ' %■ ■ , p>, ''" •»; ;•' A. S. WooDciiiN, I'rinDr, JttawH. Kf!j. ^iJk»,v^** # ^Wmmmmmm> ^mm HiitI j pv^'mn i m ' vwn nnn nHnmniimmmmm- HWIgHHWW I M I imiW