The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation. Volume 1Roger, Charles
History
The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation. Volume 1
Roger, Charles
Canada -- History
Indian trading post, and beyond which it was expected civilisation
could not be extended for ages, was divided into two sections, the
western and the eastern. Sir Guy Carleton, afterwards Lord Dorchester,
had divided all west of the monument of St. Regis into four districts,
after the manner of ancient Gaul, which he termed Lunenburg,
Mecklenburg, Nassau, and Hesse; and the Seminary of Quebec had cut up
the eastern section into parishes, distinguished by cross roads. In the
lower section of the province, the _bonnets rouges_ and _bonnets bleus_
were on the increase, but the increase was like that of the frogs: it
was multiplying in the same puddle, with the same unchanging and
unchangeable habits. The peaweeting, the whistling, the purring, and
the whizzing, were only the louder, as the inhabitants became more
numerous. There was no idea of change of any kind. Language, manners,
and knowledge were the same as they ever had been: only the pomp of the
church had succeeded to the pomp and circumstance of war. There was no
more industry, no more energy, no more scientific cravings, and no
earnest pursuit of wealth. All was contentment. Even by the
authorities, no desire to awaken the Franco-Canadian from his slumber,
was entertained. On the contrary, the restless United Empire loyalists
were to be separated from them. The isolation of Lower Canada from the
rest of the world was to be as complete as possible.
Not very long after the declaration of American Independence, Canada
was divided, by Act of the Imperial Parliament, into two distinct
provinces, called Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Mr. Adam Lymburner, a
merchant of Quebec, not being particularly anxious for isolation,
appeared at the bar of the House of Commons on behalf of himself and
others. He was against the separation. The united province was not even
in a condition to maintain a good system of government. Oppressed by
the tyranny of officials, industry and improvement had been neglected,
and a state of languor and depression prevailed. The public buildings
were even falling into a state of ruin and decay. There was not a Court
House in the province, nor a sufficient prison nor house of correction.
Nor was there a school house between Tadousac and Niagara. The country
upon the Great Lakes was a wilderness. Lymburner did not, however,
prevail. The British government desired to put the United Empire
loyalists upon the same footing with regard to constitutional
government as they had previously enjoyed before the independence of
the United States in that country, a condition about which a certain
class of merchants in Quebec have always been indifferent. Lord
Dorchester was appointed Governor-in-Chief in Canada, and administrator
in Lower Canada, while General Simcoe was named Lieutenant Governor of
Upper Canada. General Simcoe selected for his capital Niagara,[10] and
resided there at Navy Hall. On the site of Toronto, in 1793, there was
a solitary wigwam.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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