the canadian dominion-第11节
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n part disappointment at the failure of the Assembly that accounted for the defeat of the Reformers in 1830； though four years later this verdict was again reversed。 Clearly the form of government itself should be changed。 But in what way？ Here a divergence in the ranks of the Reformers became marked。 One party； looking upon the United States as the utmost achievement in democracy； proposed to follow its example in making the upper house elective and thus to give the people control of both branches of the Legislature。 Another group； of whom Robert Baldwin was the chief； saw that this change would not suffice。 In the States the Executive was also elected by the people。 Here； where the Governor would doubtless continue to be appointed。 by the Crown； some other means must be found to give the people full control。 Baldwin found it in the British Cabinet system； which gave real power to ministers having the confidence of a majority in Parliament。 The Governor would remain； but he would be only a figurehead； a constitutional monarch acting； like the King； only on the advice of his constitutional advisers。 Responsible government was Baldwin's one and absorbing idea； and his persistence led to its ultimate adoption； along with a proposal for an elective Council； in the Reform party's programme in 1834。 Delay in affecting this reform； Baldwin told the Governor a year later； was 〃the great and all absorbing grievance before which all others sank into insignificance。〃 The remedy could be applied 〃without in the least entrenching upon the just and necessary prerogatives of the Crown； which I consider； when administered by the Lieutenant。 Governor through the medium of a provincial ministry responsible to the provincial parliament； to be an essential part of the constitution of the province。〃 In brief； Baldwin insisted that Simcoe's rhetorical outburst in 1791； when he declared that Upper Canada was 〃a perfect Image and Transcript of the British Government and Constitution；〃 should be made effective in practice。
The course of the conflict between the Compact and the Reformers cannot be followed in detail。 It had elements of tragedy； as when Gourlay was hounded into prison； where he was broken in health and shattered in mind； and then exiled from the province for criticism of the Government which was certainly no more severe than now appears every day in Opposition newspapers。 The conflict had elements of the ludicrous； too； as when Captain Matthews was ordered by his military superiors to return to England because in the unrestrained festivities of New Year's Eve he had called on a strolling troupe to play Yankee Doodle and had shouted to the company； 〃Hats off〃； or when Governor Maitland overturned fourteen feet of the Brock Monument to remove a copy of Mackenzie's journal； the 〃Colonial Advocate〃； which had inadvertently been included in the corner stone。
The weapons of the Reformers were the platform； the press； and investigations and reports by parliamentary committees。 The Compact hit back in its own way。 Every critic was denounced as a traitor。 Offending editors were put in the pillory。 Mackenzie was five times expelled from the House； only to be returned five times by his stubborn supporters。 Matters were at a deadlock； and it became clear either that the British Parliament； which alone could amend the Constitution； must intervene or else that the Reformers would be driven to desperate paths。 But before matters came to this pass； an acute crisis had arisen in Lower Canada which had its effect on all the provinces。
In Lower Canada； the conflict which had been smoldering before the war had since then burst into flame。 The issues of this conflict were more clearcut than in any of the other provinces。 A coherent opposition had formed earlier； and from beginning to end it dominated the Assembly。 The governing forces were outwardly much the same as in Upper Canadaa Lieutenant Governor responsible to the Colonial Office； an Executive Council appointed by the Crown but coming to have the independent power of a well…entrenched bureaucracy； and a Legislative Council nominated by the Crown and； until nearly the end of the period； composed chiefly of the same men who served in the Executive。 The little clique in control had much less popular backing than the Family Compact of Upper Canada and were of lower caliber。 Robert Christie； an English…speaking member of the Assembly； who may be counted an unprejudiced witness since he was four times expelled by the majority in that house； refers to the real rulers of the province as 〃a few rapacious； overbearing； and irresponsible officials； without stake or other connexion in the country than their interests。〃 At their head stood Jonathan Sewell； a Massachusetts Loyalist who had come to Lower Canada by way of New Brunswick in 1789； and who for over forty years as Attorney General； Chief Justice； or member of Executive and Legislative Councils； was the power behind the throne。
The opposition to the bureaucrats at first included both English and French elements； but the English minority were pulled in contrary ways。 Their antecedents were not such as to lead them to accept meekly either the political or the social pretensions of the 〃Chateau Clique〃； the American settlers in the Eastern Townships； and the Scotch and American merchants who were building up Quebec and Montreal； had called for self…government； not government from above。 Yet their racial and religious prejudices were strong and made them unwilling to accept in place of the bureaucrats the dominance of an unprogressive habitant majority。 The first leader of the opposition which developed in the Assembly after the War of 1812 was James Stuart； the son of the leading Anglican clergyman of his day； but he soon fell away and became a mainstay of the bureaucracy。 His brother Andrew； however； kept up for many years longer a more disinterested fight。 Another Scot； John Neilson； editor of the Quebec 〃Gazette〃； was until 1833 foremost among the assailants of the bureaucracy。 But steadily； as the extreme nationalist claims of the French…speaking majority provoked reprisals and as the conviction grew upon the minority that they would never be anything but a minority；* most of them accepted clique rule as a lesser evil than 〃rule by priest and demagogue。〃
* The natural increase of the French…Canadian race under British rule is one of the most extraordinary phenomena in social history。 The following figures illustrate the rate of that increase： the number was 16；417 in 1706； 69；810 in 1765； 479；288 in 1825； 697；084 in 1844。 The population of Canada East or Lower Canada in 1844 was made up as follows： French Canadians； 524；244； English Canadians。 85；660； English； 11；895； Irish； 43；982； Scotch； 13；393； Americans； 11；946； born in other countries； 1329； place of birth not specified； 4635。
In the reform movement in Upper Canada there were a multiplicity of leaders and a constant shifting of groups。 In Lower Canada； after the defection of James Stuart in 1817； there was only one leader； Louis Joseph Papineau。 For twenty years Papineau was the uncrowned king of the province。 His commanding figure； his powers of oratory； outstanding in a race of orators； his fascinating manners； gave him an easy mastery over his people。 Prudence did not hamper his flights； compromise was a word not found in his vocabulary。 Few men have been better equipped for the agitator's task。
His father； Joseph Papineau； though of humble birth； had risen high in the life of the province。 He had won distinction in his profession as a notary； as a speaker in the Assembly； and as a soldier in the defense of Quebec against the American invaders of 1775。 In 1804 he had purchased the seigneury of La Petite Nation； far up the Ottawa。 Louis Joseph Papineau followed in his father's footsteps。 Born in 1786； he served loyally and bravely in the War of 1812。 In the same year he entered the Assembly and made his place at a single stroke。 Barely three years after his election； he was chosen Speaker； and with a brief break he held that post for over twenty years。
Papineau did not soon or lightly begin his crusade against the Government。 For the first five years of his Speakership； he confined himself to the routine duties of his office。 As late as 1820 he pronounced a glowing eulogy on the Constitution which Great Britain had granted the province。 In that year he tested the extent of the privileges so granted by joining in the attempt of the Assembly to assert its full control of the purse； but it was not until the project of uniting the two Canadas had made clear beyond dispute the hostility of the governing powers that he began his unrelenting warfare against them。
There was much to be said for a reunion of the two Canadas。 The St。 Lawrence bound them together； though Acts of Parliament had severed them。 Upper Canada； as an inland province； restricted in its trade with its neighbor to the south； was dependent upon Lower Canada for access to the outer world。 Its share of the duties collected at the Lower Canada ports until 1817 had been only one…eighth； afterwards increased to one…fifth。 This inequality proved a constant source of friction。 The crying necessity of cooperation for the im
