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Later events in Canada part 2 · Canadian Scenery

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Section eleven of Canadian Scenery Volume one. This is a LibriVox recording. All
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LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
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please visit LibriVox dot org. Canadian Scenery Volume one by Nathaniel Parker Willis Later
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Events in Canada, Part two. These officers posted their troops so judiciously amid
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woods, and so skillfully concealed the smallness of their number, that the Americans,
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though they made several brisk attacks, were always repulsed, and Hampton,
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believing himself opposed by a large force, determined to retreat. Meantime, the
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larger expedition under General Wilkinson, having crossed Lake Ontario, entered the River Saint
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Lawrence. At Williamsburg. Two considerable detachments were landed in order at once to
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clear the banks and to lighten the boats while descending the rapids. On the
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eleventh of November, one of these, under Major General Boyd, encountered Lieutenant
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Colonel Morrison with an inferior British force. A very obstinate conflict ensued, in
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which both parties claimed the victory. The English seemed to have gained the chief
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honour, but their success was not so decisive as to prevent the enemy from
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continuing to descend the river towards Montreal. Near Cornwall, the commander received dispatches
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from General Hampton, intimating that he declined the expected cooperation and intended to fall
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back upon Lake Champlain. Wilkinson then conceived it necessary to give up for this
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season any attempt upon Montreal, especially as he found the population altogether hostile to
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the States and attached to the British government. He therefore placed his army in
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winter quarters near French Mills on the Salmon River, where he formed a plan
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for attacking Prescott and Kingston, but, finding himself much straitened for provisions,
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was induced to fall upon Plattsburgh. Meantime, the employment of the main army
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of the Americans in this aboard of expedition enabled their opponents to resume the offensive
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on the Niagara Frontier on the first intelligence of the disasters sustained in the West.
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General Vincent had been ordered to fall back upon Kingston, but he considered
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that circumstances now justified him in maintaining his position. The enemy's force in this
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quarter was not only reduced, but was under command. It was said of
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an officer of little spirit or enterprise. On the advance of a strong detachment
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under Colonel Murray. He first fell back upon Fort George, then abandoned that
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post previously to which he reduced the adjoining town of Newark to ashes. Murray
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was not content with driving him beyond the river. He crossed it, surprised
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and stormed Fort Niagara, taking above four hundred prisoners with a large quantity of
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arms and stores. The English afterwards surprised and plundered the villages of Lewiston,
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Black Rock and Buffalo, where they retaliated not very considerately. The outrageous of
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this officer at Fortoy. Operations were recommenced early in the spring of eighteen fourteen.
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Lieutenant Colonel Williams, with fifteen hundred British, having taken posts at La
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Colle on the river Richelieu Wilkinson, who had upwards of four thousand men at
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Plattsburgh, determined to attack them. On the thirtieth of March. He completely
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invested a large mill which the British had converted into a fortress. All his
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attempts to carry it were, however, fruitless. Major Hancock even made two
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attacks on the artillery posted in a wood without success. The American general finally
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gave up the undertaking and fell back upon Plattsburgh. In the beginning of May.
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The British gained another advantage, carrying, though with some loss, the
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Fort of Oswego, where they captured a considerable quantity of ammunition and stores.
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The main effort of the Americans during this campaign was made on the Niagara Frontier,
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where about five thousand men were placed under Major General Brown, an officer
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who had distinguished himself on several occasions. On the third of July, he
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crossed and summoned Fort Erie, which, with its garrison of one hundred seventy
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immediately surrendered. He then marched towards Chipaway and beat at Street's Creek the advanced
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guard of Major General Rial, which had endeavored to stop his progress. The
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English general was then obliged to retreat to Fort George and thence in the direction
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of Burlington Heights. Brown hereupon laid siege to the fort, but finding it
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stronger than he expected, and being disappointed of assistants from Sackett's Harbor, he
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fell back upon Chipaway. General Reel, on his part, having received some
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reinforcements, advanced, the parties came close to each other, and on the
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twenty fifth the Republicans commenced the attack. The Battle of Lundy's Lane was fought
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long, obstinately, and with various fortune, a great part of it amid
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thick darkness, which caused several strange mistakes. The American general and his second
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in command were wounded, and Rael, on the other side, was taken
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prison by a singular accident. In the midst of the conflict, Lieutenant General
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Drummond arrived with a reinforcement from York, which restored the battle. Both sides
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claim a dearly bought victory, but the real issue seems clearly indicated by the
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retreat of the Americans to Fort Erick. On the night of the fourteenth of
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August, Drummond made an attack on the place in two divisions, but his
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men in both cases were repulsed with very severe laws. Meantime, another part
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of Canada became the theater of important operations. After the successes of the Allied
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powers in Europe, the capture of Paris and the abdication of Napoleon, Britain
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was enabled to turn her whole strength against the United States, over whom a
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full triumph was then anticipated. A strong detachment from the south of France arrived
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in Canada and enabled Sir George Prevot to place himself at the head of eleven
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thousand men, with whom he undertook to carry the war into the enemy's country.
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He proceeded to the attack of Plattsburgh on Lake Shapes, defended only by
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fifteen hundred troops, the rest having been sent to the Upper Province Macomb.
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The American commander, on being pressed by his superior force, fell back on
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his main position, which he strongly fortified. Sir George on the eleventh of
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September arrived in front of it, but a flotilla under Captain Downey, destined
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to cooperate with him, was attacked by the enemy and under his very eye
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completely defeated and captured. Conceiving after this disaster that any success in storming the
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enemy's position would be fruitless as to ulterior objects than a useless sacrifice of men,
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he immediately withdrew his army. This course was not approved by all,
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and the general result, so contrary to expectation, gave rise to much discontent
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and recrimination. The Americans were still strong in Upper Canada. On the seventeenth
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General brown sallied from Fort Erie, and, though driven back, caused a
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severe loss to the British, who soon after raised the siege. Being pressed
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by a large additional force under Iszar, General Drummond retreated to the old position
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at Burlington Heights, but receiving a reinforcement consisting of a detachment of the troops
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newly arrived from Europe, he again advanced Izar, evacuated Fort Erie, and
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took up winter quarters on the opposite side of the river. During this autumn,
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the Republicans gained some advantages on Lake Erie, but were repulsed with considerable
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loss, in an attempt to recover Fort mkhilimackinac The war meantime in other parts
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of America was productive of important events. The British obtained possession of Washington,
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where they destroyed the public edifices and property, but they were defeated in their
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attacks upon Baltimore and New Orleans. Thus, while one party felt itself engaged
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in an unequal contest, the other had not reaped the expected advantages from its
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superior means. Both became inclined for peace, which was concluded at Ghent on
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the twenty fourth of December eighteen fourteen, upon terms which, after this long
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and checkered contest, brought back the two powers to exactly the same position as
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when they had commenced. Sir George Pravo was succeeded in April eighteen fifteen by
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Sir George Gordon Drummond, under whom some discontents again began to appear. These
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referred chiefly to the conduct of the judges, whom the Assembly viewed with such
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jealousy that they had impeached at one time the heads of the Court both at
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Quebec and Montreal. In eighteen sixteen, Sir John Cope Sherbrooke went out as
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Governor General, and under his administration, at once vigorous and conciliatory harmony was
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little interrupted. In eighteen eighteen he was instructed by Earl Bathurst to accept the
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offer formerly made to pay the whole civil list out of the funds of the
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province, and he applied not for a permanent settlement, but merely for the
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sum necessary to meet the current expenses. This was readily granted, and in
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order to raise it, new taxes were imposed, of which, however,
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the Assembly reserved to themselves the appropriate creation. Sir John, being obliged by
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severe illness to return to England, was succeeded in eighteen eighteen by the Duke
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of Richmond. This amiable nobleman, though personally popular, introduced an innovation which
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led to the long and serious conflict between the Crown and the Assembly. Instead
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of submitting, like his predecessors, a detailed estimate of every object of expenditure,
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he divided the whole into chapters, each comprehending a head or branch,
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the entire amount of which was alone specified. The Assembly refused to sanction such
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a change, and passed a vote according to the estimate of the former governor,
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stating each payment in detail. The Legislative Council, however, withheld their
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concurrence from this resolution, and the Duke, expressing his displeasure with the lower
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House, had recourse to the irregular measure of drawing upon the Receiver General for
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the sum which he had demanded. In September eighteen nineteen, his Grace's life
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and government were suddenly terminated by an attack of hydrophobia. After short intervals under
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the Honorable James Monk and Sir Peregrine, Maitland. The Earl of Dalhousie,
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in eighteen twenty was removed from Nova Scotia to Canada. This nobleman, possessing
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a high military reputation and an amiable disposition, had been very popular in his
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former station. Yet sharing with his advisers, it is probable those extreme monarchical
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ideas which had hitherto prevailed in the colonies, he was ill fitted to meet
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the new crisis that had arisen. Having estimated twenty two thousand pounds as the
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amount necessary for the public service in addition to the revenues vested in the crown,
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he solicited this sum as a permanent grant, but the Assembly refused to
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pass more than an annual bill of supply, in which they specified every item.
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The Council again rejected their vote, with the entire concurrence of the Governor,
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who hesitated not to draw upon the Treasurer for even a larger amount that
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had been asked from the Assembly. Earl Bathurst, on receiving notice of these
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proceedings, did not disapprove of Lord Dalhousie's conduct, but strongly recommended economy.
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He directed also that two estimates should be presented, one embracing the government expenses
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to be defrayed by funds of which the Crown claimed the entire disposal, the
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other to be employed on popular objects in regard to which the members might be
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left uncontrolled. At the same time, it was enjoined that both of these
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should be given in full detail. This arrangement was well received, the required
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sum was voted, and the session terminated amid mutual courtesies. In the year
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eighteen twenty three, the popular cause was strengthened by the insolvency of the Receiver,
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General Sir John Caldwell, an inquiry into whose accounts had been vainly demanded
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by the Assembly, and who proved to be indebted to the public nearly one
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hundred thousand pounds. When in the following year the Governor presented his estimates,
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the representatives assumed a high tone, disputing the right of the Crown to select
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the objects on which to employ its revenue, condemning the unlawful appropriation of public
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money, and materially reducing the amount of the sum demanded. These proceedings drew
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forth a strong expression of displeasure from Lord Dalhousie. In eighteen twenty five,
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the government, during his lordship's temporary absence was administered by Sir Francis Burton.
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This officer, anxious to conciliate the Lower House, yielded nearly all the points
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in dispute. He sanctioned a Bill of supply in which no distinction was made
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between the Government and the popular expenditure, an annual grant being made with considerable
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reductions, so that a virtual control over the whole revenue was thereby conceded to
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the members. Accordingly, they now openly claimed the right to appropriate all that
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was raised within the province, denying the privilege hitherto exercised by Government of the
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uncontrolled disposal of certain branches. These were the produce of duties on imports,
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imposed by Act of Parliament in seventeen seventy four, and yielding annually about thirty
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four thousand pounds, with some of the smaller amount arising from the sale of
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land, timber and other casual sources. Earl Bathurst strongly disapproved of the concessions
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made by Burton, and Lord Dalhousie, having resumed office in eighteen twenty six,
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disallowed a bill in which the above claim was incorporated. Lord Goderich,
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who in eighteen twenty seven received the seals of the Colonial Office, though he
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maintained the right of government to dispose of the disputed revenue, yet directed that
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an offer should be made of resigning it to the Assembly on their granting an
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annual civil list of thirty six thousand pounds. On the meeting of that body,
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however, Monsieur Papineaut was elected Speaker, an appointment which, on account
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of his violent opposition to the measures of administration, Lord Dalhousie refused to sanction.
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The consequence was that no session of either house was held in the winter
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of eighteen twenty seven to eighteen twenty eight. Discontent had now risen to an
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alarming height, and in the latter year a petition was presented to the King
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King, signed by eighty seven thousand inhabitants, complaining of the conduct of successive
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governors, particularly of the Earl of Dahousie, and urging a compliance with the
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demands of the Assembly. Mister Huskinson, who had become Colonial Minister, moved
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that this petition should be referred to a committee of the House of Commons,
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one was accordingly named, composed in a great degree of members attached to liberal
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Principles, who after a very elaborate investigation, gave in a report in which
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they strongly condemned the practice of appropriating large sums taken from the public revenue without
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the sanction of the representatives of the people, with regard to the main portion
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of the disputed income being that produced by the duties of seventeen seventy four.
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Its disposal appeared from the report of His Majesty's law Officers to be vested in
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the Crown. Yet the committee judged that the real interests of the province should
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be best promoted by placing the whole under the control of the Assembly. At
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the same time, they distinctly expressed their opinion that the Governor, the judges,
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and the Executive Council should be made independent of the annual votes of that
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body. They recommended that a more liberal character should be assigned in a more
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beneficial manner. Generally, admitting that the grievances complained of were more or less
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well founded, they advised a thorough and effectual redress. This report appears to
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have given very decided satisfaction in the colony, and the Assembly ordered it to
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be printed and four hundred copies distributed in a series of resolutions passed on the
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nineteenth of March eighteen thirty. They seemed to limit their demands to the complete
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fulfillment of its provisions. Sir James Kempt, who was sent out in eighteen
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twenty eight, had been furnished with instructions to carry the recommendations of the Committee
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into effect with as little delay as possible, and generally to follow a conciliatory
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system. He appears to have proceeded with zeal and efficiency in the prescribed course.
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Three new member were added to the Legislative Council, who are said to
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have been agreeable to the Popular Party. The judges, with the exception of
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the Chief Justice, whose advice on legal questions was considered desirable, were requested
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with some earnestness, to resign their places in that body. They declined compliance,
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but agreed to take no share in its deliberations and did not afterwards attend
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its sittings. New members were also added to the Executive Council, in which
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seats were even offered to Nilsen and Papineau, the leaders of the opposition.
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The act transferring to the Assembly the revenue in dispute could not be obtained immediately,
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but it was promised on the first meeting of Parliament. The Assembly,
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however, in voting the supplies of eighteen twenty nine, had proceeded on the
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supposition of having the whole at their disposal and cut off several thousand pounds from
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the governor's estimates. But as the vote did not appear to involve any absolute
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recognition of their claim, and as it seemed inexpedient to dispute a point virtually
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given up, Sergeiaz Aimes yielded his assent. This step, though not approved
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by Sir George Murray, was not, under the peculiar circumstances of the case,
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positively disallowed. The governors said to have treated the ruling party in the
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Assembly with a courtesy of manners to which they had not been accustomed, and
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on his departure in eighteen thirty addresses were presented to him by the most respectable
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inhabitants of Quebec and Montreal, which were signed by Papino and other popular leaders.
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Lord Aylmer immediately succeeded to the government. His communications with the Assembly were
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of the most friendly description, and though circumstances consequent on the death of George
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fourth had still prevented the passing of the proposed act. It was promised with
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all practicable speed. Lord Godrich, who now presided in the Colonial Office,
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directed that the items which had been again rejected in eighteen thirty and amounting now
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to seven thousand, five hundred pounds, should not be longer pressed, but
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a compensation be requested for several individuals had been thereby deprived of their income.
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On the twenty fourth of December, his Lordship sent two dispatches intimating his intention
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to bring in a bill which should empower His Majesty to place the proceeds of
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the duties in question at the disposal of the Assembly. In return, that
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body was expected to make a permanent provision for the judges as well as for
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the principal officers of government. The demand was fixed, according to a very
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moderate estimate, at nineteen thousand, one hundred pounds, which by a grant
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of five thousand pounds made in seventeen ninety five for the support of the civil
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government, would be reduced to fourteen thousand, one hundred pounds. It was
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intimated, however, that the casual and territorial revenues arising from the sale of
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land, the cutting of timber, and other sources were still to be considered
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as belonging to the King. They had mounted in the previous year to eleven
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thousand, two hundred and thirty one pounds, but were reduced by expenses of
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collection and other deductions to about seven thousand, five hundred. This sum it
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was proposed to employ chiefly in paying the stipends of the clergy of the Established
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Church, hitherto drawn not very appropriately out of the Army extraordinaries. It was
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urged that these funds belonged legally and constitutionally to His Majesty, whose employment of
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them, upon objects not of mere patronage, but closely connected with the interests
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of the province could not be reasonably objected to. Lord Aylmer was well aware
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that this last reservation would be deemed very unsatisfactory, but he considered it most
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prudent to lay before the Assembly a full and frank statement of the views of
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government. That body, after inquiring into the mode of collection and amount of
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these revenues, passed a resolution that quote, under no circumstances, and upon
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no consideration whatever, they would abandon or compromise their claim to control over the
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whole public revenue end quote. Particular objection was also intimated to the support of
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exclusive religious establishments, doubtless more strongly felt from the circumstance that the church to
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be endowed was different from that of the ruling party. They determined therefore for
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the present not to grant any permanent supply, and on the eighth of March
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eighteen thirty one, drew up, on the motion of mister Neilsen, a
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pretty long list of grievances, which was presented to the Governor. He expressed
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in return an earnest wish to know if these comprised the whole of their complaints,
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giving them to understand that silence would be considered into an admission of their
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being. So they were accordingly silent, passed a bill of annual supply,
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and showed on the whole a more favorable tone and temper. His Lordship transmitted
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the list of complaints with an admission that many of them were well founded,
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at the same time eulogizing the loyal disposition of the people of Canada. Lord
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Godrich, in a long reply dated July seventh, eighteen thirty one, declared
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that there was scarcely a point which government were not ready to concede, and
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expressed his satisfaction at the prospect, thus afforded of a termination to the long
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and harassing contest. This despatch was laid before the House, who, in
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a series of resolutions declared their gratitude for the expressions of His Majesty's paternal regard,
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the proofs of a just and liberal policy, and the feelings of kindness
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and goodwill manifested in it. The different points to which it related were referred
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to separate committees. Soon after, a dispatch from the Colonial Secretary made known
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that the Act for transferring the funds in dispute had passed the Houses of Parliament
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and received the Royal assent. Whether from extreme liberality or total inadvertence, it
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was so worded as to preclude the Imperial Treasury from ever exercising any control over
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them, thus leaving no room for negotiation with the Assembly. Lord Aylmer was
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instructed, however, to demand in return a grant of permanent salaries to the
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judges, who were, also, according to the Assembly's desire, to be
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made independent of the Crown, and a similar provision was asked for the Governor
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and a few of the Chief Executive Office, this matter being referred to the
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Assembly. They began on the twentieth of January eighteen thirty two, with the
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first particular on providing that the judges should be independent of the Crown, and
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with the exception of the Chief Justice, should not sit in the executive or
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legislative councils. It was determined that permanent salaries should be paid to them,
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but at the same time a motion of mister Neilsen was carried by a large
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majority that these should be drawn, in the first instance from the casual and
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territorial revenues which Lord Godridge had expressly reserved to the ground. Lord Aylmer considered
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it therefore necessary to send home the bill, yet within advice to accept the
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terms as the best there was any likelihood of obtaining. It was rejected,
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however, on two grounds, First that it did not render the judges really
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independent of the Assembly, but left an annual vote still necessary. We cannot
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help suspecting that there was an unhappy misconception. The terms of the bill are
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quote that the salaries shall be secured to them in a fixed and permanent manner,
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and shall be taken and paid out of the proceeds of the casual and
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territorial revenue now appropriated by acts of the Provincial Parliament for defraying the charges of
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the Administration of Justice and the support of the civil government, and out of
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any other public revenue of the province which may be or come into the hands
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of the Receiver General. It would appear that, according to the plain meaning
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of language, these terms involved a full warrant for payment. Probably Lord Godrich
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had legal advice and some technical terms usually in British acts, might be wanting,
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but a provincial legislature could scarcely be expected to be fully aware of these
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niceties. The legislative body, the Governor, and we doubt not also the
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Assembly, had considered this as a permanent settlement. The latter, had it
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been so acted on, probably would not and certainly could not reasonably have objected.
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The other ground was the encroachment upon the casual and territorial revenue, which,
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in this indirect manner was considered peculiarly offensive, though Lord Godrich had been
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fully apprised of their determination against any agreement in which this article was not included.
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The next question which came before the Assembly was the demand of a permanent
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provision for the Governor and a certain number of the leading executive officers. After
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a long debate, however, it was carried by a large majority in the
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negative. This decision placed the Assembly completely at issue with the Crown, and
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has been represented as a breach of faith on their part. They had not,
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it is true, come under any formal engagement. Yet they report of
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the Committee of eighteen twenty eight, which decidedly connected this arrangement with the session
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of the disputed revenues, had always been referred to by them as embracing almost
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every thing desired, and to this part of it they had never hinted any
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objection. On the sixth of December eighteen thirty they had passed resolutions insisting indeed
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on the control of the entire revenue, but expressing an intention where this game
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aimed to grant the permanent provision now demanded. That preliminary claim certainly embraced also
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the casual and territorial branches still withheld. Yet these were not of great amount,
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and the present bill, like that relating to the judges, might have
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been so framed as to be inoperative without these funds being embraced. By it.
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No reason was assigned, but the view of the Assembly is stated to
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have been that the Executive, not being dependent on them for a naval and
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military establishment, would in case of such a permanent settlement, have been entirely
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free from that control which they sought to exercise over it. They passed,
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however, a vote of annual supply, which Lord Godridge, though much dissatisfied
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with the tenor of their proceedings, thought it expedient to sanction. End of
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Section eleven read by Sandra near Montreal, twenty twenty three.