It is said that on this occasion Papineau, fearing the excitement
prevalent, counseled moderation, but Wolfred Nelson rejoined:
“Well, I differ from Mr. Papineau. I think the time has come to
melt our spoons and make balls of them.” A wooden pillar with a
cap of liberty was erected with an inscription in French that
was dedicated to Papineau by his grateful brother patriots of
1837. Lengthy resolutions were passed of no uncertain seditionary
tendency. The British soldiers were encouraged to desert and
assistance was promised. On the same day a great meeting of
constitutionalists was held in Montreal with Peter McGill in the
chair; 7,000 persons were said to be present. The note struck
was the need of organization in anticipation of crimes now
threatening civil life. On this occasion the Irish, abhorring
attempts to connect them with the rebellious party, declared
their readiness to repel by force, if necessary, the enemies of
the constitution.
Next day, October 24th, Monseigneur Lartigue, who had become the
first Catholic bishop of Montreal on September 8, 1835, issued a
mandement taking the view that revolt to constituted authorities
was against the doctrine of the Catholic church. It condemned the
proceedings of the revolutionary leaders at public meetings. He
bade the faithful not to be seduced, and called upon the country
to reflect on the horrors of civil war. On November 6th what Sir
John Colborne had feared, took place. The Doric Club, a kind
of secret society recently founded and joined by a number of
the British and Irish young men, met the “Fils de Liberté.” It
had been reported that the “Fils de Liberté” were to proceed in
procession and to hold a demonstration in the Place d’Armes and
there plant a tree of liberty. A proclamation was issued calling
upon all to refrain from the procession. About 2 o’clock the
“Fils de Liberté” began to muster at Bonacina’s Tavern at the
corner of St. James and McGill streets, opposite the American
church which then stood there. A party of “loyalists” watching
the proceedings provoked the “Fils de Liberté” to chase them
up St. James street, breaking the windows of the loyalists’
houses, among them being that of Doctor Robertson. The members
of the Doric Club now came to the rescue, changing the face of
affairs and driving the opponents “pell mell” down St. Lawrence
Main Street in confusion until they were dispersed. In the early
course of the fracas “Gen.” Thomas Storrow Brown, a leader, or at
least a sympathizer of the “Fils de Liberté,” received an injury
which resulted in the loss of an eye.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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