Volume II Part 28 (2/2)
(p. 291). The very discussion which took place on the election of Speaker turned chiefly on the point whether a Speaker should be elected who could speak one or both languages. Mr. P.L. Panet, brother to Mr.
J.A. Panet, who was elected Speaker, in reply to some of his own countrymen who advocated the exclusive use of the French language, while he advocated the ultimate use of the English language alone in the Legislature and in the courts of law, commenced and concluded his speech in the following words: ”I will explain my mind on the necessity that the Speaker we are about to choose _should possess and speak equally well the two languages_.”--”I think it is but decent that the Speaker on whom we may fix our choice be one who can express himself in English when he addresses himself to the representative of our Sovereign.”
(Christie's History of Canada, Vol. I., Chap. iv., pp. 127, 128, in a note.) Mr. Christie, after stating in the text about ”J.A. Panet, Esq., an old and eminent advocate of the Quebec bar, returned a member for the Upper Town of Quebec, was chosen by the a.s.sembly for its Speaker,”
remarks, in a note, before giving the speech of Mr. P.L. Panet quoted above, that ”this excellent man and good citizen (J.A. Panet) served, as we shall see in proceeding, many years as Speaker, and without other remuneration or reward than the approbation of his fellow-citizens and subjects.” (Tuttle's History of the Dominion of Canada, Chap. lxvii., p.
127.)]
[Footnote 159: The transmission of this letter occupied _ten weeks_, it being dated the 9th of February, and reaching Quebec the 25th of April.
In the _Quebec Gazette_ of the 10th of November, 1792, it is stated that the latest news from Philadelphia and New York was to the 8th of October, giving accounts of a battle on the Wabash and Arguille rivers, between an expedition of American forces under General Wilkinson and a body of Indians, in which the latter were routed. In a notice from the ”General Post Office, Quebec, 17th of November, 1791,” information is given that ”a mail for England will be closed at this office on Monday, the 5th of December next, at four o'clock p.m., to be forwarded by way of New York, in H.M. packet-boat which will sail from thence in January.” (Christie's History of Canada, Vol. I., Chap. iv., p. 142.)]
[Footnote 160: ”Thus ended the first session of the first Parliament of Lower Canada, and as a whole we may say that the session was a satisfactory one. The demons of party spirit and of national prejudice had indeed shown themselves; but only enough to show that they were in existence, and would become potent agents of discord as the heat of political contest warmed them into life. The war of races, which had been going on between the French and English on this continent for over a century and a half, was not ended by the capitulation and cession of Canada; only the scene of action was changed from the battle field to the council chamber, and words and ballots took the place of swords and bullets. The French Canadians showed at the very commencement of const.i.tutional government that they considered the French language, the French people, the French laws, and the French religion, the language, people, laws, and religion of Canada, and that the English were only interlopers who had no business there, and with whom they were to affiliate as little as possible.” (Tuttle's History of the Dominion of Canada, Chap. lxviii., p. 332.)
With the exception of the first sentence, we have no sympathy with the spirit or sentiment of the above quoted pa.s.sage. The addresses to the Governor and the King show that the French did not regard the British as intruders, but as the legitimate rulers of the country, to whom they expressed all possible respect and loyalty. All that they asked on the question of language was, that in legislative and judicial proceedings the French language might be equally used with the English language; and was this unreasonable on the part of those who then comprised nine-tenths of the population, and whose laws and exercise of wors.h.i.+p had been guaranteed by the articles of capitulation and the Quebec Act of 1774?]
[Footnote 161: ”The Provincial Parliament met again at Quebec on the 11th of November, 1793, and was opened by Lord Dorchester, who had arrived at Quebec from England on the 24th of September, and re-a.s.sumed the government; his Excellency Major-General Clarke returning to England, bearing with him the best wishes of those whose Const.i.tution he had fairly started, and put in operation to their satisfaction. His government had been popular, and he received several flattering addresses at departing.
”Lord Dorchester's return was cordially welcomed, a general illumination taking place at Quebec the evening of his arrival.” (Christie's History of Canada, Chap. v., p. 145.)
”The great French revolution, causing France such awful scenes of distress and bloodshed as the world had never seen before, was in progress. It made the Canadians feel that their transfer to the Crown of England now saved them from innumerable evils which would have been their lot had Canada been again restored to France.
”Lord Dorchester's popularity and personal influence were made useful in preventing the people of the provinces from being misled by seditious persons who came from France on purpose to tamper with them.” (Miles'
School History of Canada, Part Third, Chap. i., p. 190.)
”All Europe was engaged in war, and the emissaries of the French republic were busily at work trying to gain sympathy in the United States, and stir up that country to war with England--an effort which would probably have succeeded had it not been for the firmness of Was.h.i.+ngton. The consul for France in the United States was also endeavouring to spread republican ideas in Canada, to incite the people to revolt against British authority, and to declare themselves in favour of the republic. It was no wonder then that the great bulk of the law-abiding and peace-loving citizens of Canada welcomed Lord Dorchester with delight--one who had for so many years been a.s.sociated in their recollections with peace and prosperity, and who had successfully resisted the attack of the only foe who had a.s.sailed Quebec during his many administrations.” (Tuttle, Chap. lxviii., p. 333.)]
[Footnote 162: It appears by a proclamation of Lord Dorchester, dated the 26th of November, a fortnight after the commencement of the session of the Legislature, that there were emissaries of France and others in the province, who were busy in propagating among the inhabitants the revolutionary principles of the infidel and b.l.o.o.d.y rulers of France. He says: ”Whereas divers evil-disposed persons had lately manifested seditious and wicked attempts to alienate the affections of his Majesty's loyal subjects by false representations of the cause and conduct of the persons at present exercising supreme authority in France, and particularly certain foreigners, being alien enemies, who are lurking and lie concealed in various parts of this province, _acting in concert with persons in foreign dominions_ (evidently alluding to parties in the United States), with a view to forward the criminal purposes of such persons, enemies of the peace and happiness of the inhabitants of this province, and of all religion, government, and order.” His Excellency therefore called upon all magistrates, captains of militia, peace-officers, and others of his Majesty's good subjects throughout the province, to be vigilant, and to do their utmost to discover and secure all and every person who might hold seditious discourses, or utter treasonable words, spread false news, publish or distribute libellous papers, written or printed, tending to excite discontent or lessen the affections of his Majesty's subjects, or in any manner to disturb the peace and happiness under his Majesty's government in this colony, etc.]
[Footnote 163: ”The prince, shortly after this, receiving notice of his promotion to the rank of major-general, and appointment to a command in the West Indies, was presented, previous to his departure from Quebec, with several congratulatory letters of a most gratifying character. The Legislative Council, the Roman Catholic clergy, the citizens of Quebec, and the burgesses of William Henry paid his Royal Highness spontaneous respects in this manner, to whom he responded feelingly and affectionately, for the spontaneous proofs of esteem which in parting they gave him; and which in truth were not the effusions of adulation, but an homage of a grateful people to the intrinsic virtues and the social and manly character of a son of, as he was truly called, 'the best of sovereigns.'” (Christie's History of Canada, Vol I., Chap. v., p. 140.)]
[Footnote 164: The account transmitted was under six heads:
1. ”The casual and territorial revenue established prior to the conquest, which his Majesty has been most graciously pleased to order to be applied towards defraying the civil expenses of the province.”
2. ”The duties payable to his Majesty under the Act of the 14th of his reign, chap. 88 (the 'Quebec Act'), on articles imported into the province of Quebec, and on licenses to persons for retailing spirituous liquors.”
3. ”The duties imposed by the Provincial Legislature, with the appropriation and balance.”
4. ”Amount of cash received from fines and forfeitures imposed by the courts of justice.”
5. ”The naval officers' returns inwards since the division of the province, which were originally intended as a check on the customs, but seem not to answer the end imposed.”
6. ”A statement of the monies taken out of the pocket of the subject on this account; its progress and diminution before it lodges in the public coffers, with the after diminution on account of the collection, that every circ.u.mstance of this important business may be constantly before their eyes; that in the outset of the Const.i.tution, and its progress, they may guard this important branch from those corruptions and abuses which have brought so many miseries on other nations.”]
[Footnote 165: Christie's History of Canada, Vol. I., Chap. v., where the accounts referred to are given in detail.]
[Footnote 166: This return contained all the accounts transmitted the year before, under the six heads mentioned in a previous note, page 298, (Footnote 164: above) and other accounts under fourteen additional heads, the eighth of which is as follows:
”No. 8. Estimate of such part of the civil expenditure for the ensuing year as may enable the House of a.s.sembly to calculate the ways and means for the most necessary supplies; all the pensions, amounting to 1,782 6s. 6d. sterling, though chiefly granted for services rendered in Canada, are deducted, these services being considered as rendered to the empire at large; it is from thence, therefore, their rewards, with other acts of benevolence, may be expected to flow. The salaries of sundry officers, to the amount of 782 10s., appearing to belong to the military rather than the civil expenditure, are also deducted.”]
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