and very illiterate; and as they are now debarred from supplies of ecclesiastics from France, that order of men will become more and more contemptible, provided they are not exposed to persecution. * "Disorders and divisions, from the nature of things, could not be avoided in attempting to establish the civil government in Canada, agreeable to my instructions, while the same troops, who conquered and governed the country for four years, remained in it. They were commanded by an officer, who, by the civil establishment, had been deprived of the government of half the province, and who remained, in every respect, independent of that establishment. Magistrates were to be made, and juries to be composed, out of 450 contemptible settlers and traders. It is easy to conceive how the narrow ideas and ignorance of such men must offend any troops, more especially those who had so long governed them, and knew the means from which they were elevated. It would be very unreasonable to suppose that such men would not be intoxicated with the unexpected power put into their hands; and that they would not be eager to show how amply they possessed it. As there were no barracks in the country, the quartering of the troops furnished perpetual opportunities of displaying their importance and rancour. The Canadian noblesse were hated, because their birth and behaviour entitled them to respect ; and * This observation is the only one objectionable, on account of truth, in this able letter. I feel no fear in hazarding the assertion, that the Catholic clergy were not at that time illiterate, nor generally of low birth: and since that period, instead of becoming contemptible, they have become, with the growing intelligence of the world, more learned and respectable. the peasants were abhorred, because they were saved from the oppression they were threatened with. The presentment of the Grand Jury at Quebec puts the truth of these remarks beyond doubt. * The silence of the king's servants to the governor's remonstrances, in consequence of their presentment, though his secretary was sent to them on purpose to expedite an explanation, contributed to encourage the disturbers of the peace. "The improper choice and numbers of the civil officers sent out from England increased the inquietude of the colony. Instead of men of genius and untainted morals, the very reverse were appointed to the most important offices; and it was impossible to communicate, through them, those impressions of the dignity of government, by which alone mankind can be held together in society. The judge fixed upon to conciliate the minds of 75,600 foreigners to the laws and government of Great Britain, was taken from a gaol, entirely ignorant of civil law, and of the language of the people. The attorney-general, with regard to the language of the people, was not better qualified. "The offices of secretary of the province, registrar, clerk of the council, commissary of stores and provisions, provost-martial, &c. were given by patent to men of interest in England, who let them out to the best bidders, and so little did they consider the capacity of their representatives, that not one of them understood the language of the natives. As no salary was annexed to these patent places, the value of them depended upon the fees, which, by my instructions, I was ordered to establish, equal to those of the richest ancient colony. This heavy tax, and the rapacity of the English lawyers, were severely felt by the poor Canadians; but they patiently submitted, and, though stimulated to dispute it by some of the licentious traders from New York, they cheerfully obeyed the Stamp Act, in hopes that their good behaviour would recommend them to the favour and protection of their sovereign. * The Protestant Grand Jury represented the Roman Catholics as a nuisance, on account of their religion. "Ils ont laissé beaucoup de successeurs, héritiers des ces sentimens," said a learned Canadian to me. "As the council-book of the province, and likewise my answer to the complaints made against my administration, have been laid before your lordships, it is needless to presume to say any thing further on that subject, than that I glory in having been accused of warmth and firmness in protecting the king's Canadian subjects, and of doing the utmost in my power to gain to my royal master the affections of that brave, hardy people, whose emigration, if ever it should happen, will be an irreparable loss to this empire; to prevent which, I declare to your lordships, I would cheerfully submit to greater calumnies and indignities, (if greater can be devised,) than hitherto I have undergone."* * " Rien de plus vrai et de plus exact que les observations du Général Murray, sur les affaires du Canada après la conquête," said a highly talented Canadian gentleman to me, on reading this letter. CHAP. VI. SIR GUY CARLETON'S ADMINISTRATION. - QUEBEC ACT OF 1774. - AMERICAN WAR. - MONTREAL SURRENDERS TO GENERAL MONTGOMERY, WHO IS AFTERWARDS KILLED AT QUEBEC. THE AMERICANS RETREAT FROM THE PROVINCE. - CONSTI TUTIONAL ACT OF 1791, AND PARTITION OF THE PROVINCE, NOT AGREEABLE TO THE ENGLISH INHABITANTS. - SIR GUY CARLETON CREATED A PEER. - GENERAL PRESCOT GOVERNOR. -SIR R. MILNES. - SIR JAMES CRAIG. LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR GUY CARLETON succeeded Governor Murray, in 1776, but the inhabitants, particularly the English, appear to have been discontented with the new form of administering the laws. Meetings were frequently held, and petitions were forwarded, in order to obtain a constitutional legislative government, which ended, not as the English inhabitants wished, but by restoring Canada nearly to its former condition under the French government. This celebrated act, 14 Geo. III., commonly called the Quebec Act, placed Canada in a situation entirely different from any other British colony. It declared all former provisions made for the province null and void. In place of a Legislative Assembly, the administration was to be confined to the governor, and a council appointed by the king. It established the French laws according to the Coutume de Paris, by which all civil matters were to be adjudicated. In criminal matters, the laws of England were still to be in force. The French language was also to be used in the courts. The Catholic Church was secured in all the immunities it enjoyed under the French king, with all its former revenues. The seignorial tenures were also to remain undisturbed. This act, which passed rather hurriedly through the Imperial Parliament, gave no satisfaction to the English inhabitants, who expected to rule over the French Canadians as a conquered people who had lost all their civil and religious rights (comme un peuple qui auroit été dehors de la civilisation). The Quebec Act, however, which was the result of an examination of the statements and petitions of the Canadians, acknowledges, at least, their laws, privileges, and religious establishments. In the mean time the Stamp Act was submitted to in Canada, which, with the Quebec Act, being considered by the people of New England as having been passed merely to favour the Catholics, and the refusal also of the Canadians to send delegates to Congress, formed the grounds on which the provincials invaded Canada. nis eli Longeuil, St. John's, and Chambly were soon after reduced by General Montgomery, an officer of high reputation. Montreal also, in which were deposited a great quantity of military stores and provisions, surrendered to him, in November, 1755. General Arnold having, by another route, reached the St. Lawrence, on the 15th December, they effected a junction of their forces, and on the 31st they attempted to storm Quebec during the night; but General Montgomery was killed, and the Americans completely repulsed. On the following year, a rein |