France and England in North America, Part V: Count Frontenac, New France, Louis XIVParkman, Francis
History
France and England in North America, Part V: Count Frontenac, New France, Louis XIV
Parkman, Francis
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Frontenac, Louis de Buade, comte de, 1620-1698
In spite of Father Goyer, greatness must be denied him; but a more
remarkable figure, in its bold and salient individuality and sharply
marked light and shadow, is nowhere seen in American history. [8]
[8] There is no need to exaggerate the services of Frontenac. Nothing
could be more fallacious than the assertion, often repeated, that in his
time Canada withstood the united force of all the British colonies. Most
of these colonies took no part whatever in the war. Only two of them took
an aggressive part, New York and Massachusetts. New York attacked Canada
twice, with the two inconsiderable war-parties of John Schuyler in 1690
and of Peter Schuyler in the next year. The feeble expedition under
Winthrop did not get beyond Lake George. Massachusetts, or rather her
seaboard towns, attacked Canada once. Quebec, it is true, was kept in
alarm during several years by rumors of another attack from the same
quarter; but no such danger existed, as Massachusetts was exhausted by
her first effort. The real scourge of Canada was the Iroquois, supplied
with arms and ammunition from Albany.
CHAPTER XXI.
1699-1701.
Conclusion.
The New Governor • Attitude of the Iroquois • Negotiations • Embassy to
Onondaga • Peace • The Iroquois and the Allies • Difficulties • Death of
the Great Huron • Funeral Rites • The Grand Council • The Work of
Frontenac finished • Results.
It did not need the presence of Frontenac to cause snappings and sparks
in the highly electrical atmosphere of New France. Callières took his
place as governor ad interim, and in due time received a formal
appointment to the office. Apart from the wretched state of his health,
undermined by gout and dropsy, he was in most respects well fitted for
it; but his deportment at once gave umbrage to the excitable Champigny,
who declared that he had never seen such hauteur since he came to the
colony. Another official was still more offended. "Monsieur de
Frontenac," he says, "was no sooner dead than trouble began. Monsieur de
Callières, puffed up by his new authority, claims honors due only to a
marshal of France. It would be a different matter if he, like his
predecessor, were regarded as the father of the country, and the love and
delight of the Indian allies. At the review at Montreal, he sat in his
carriage, and received the incense offered him with as much composure and
coolness as if he had been some divinity of this New World." In spite of
these complaints, the court sustained Callières, and authorized him to
enjoy the honors that he had assumed. [1]
[1] Champigny au Ministre, 26 Mai, 1699; La Potherie au Ministre, 2 Juin,
1699; Vaudreuil et La Potherie au Ministre, même date.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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