the canadian dominion-第12节
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This inequality proved a constant source of friction。 The crying necessity of cooperation for the improvement of the St。 Lawrence waterway gave further ground for the contention that only by a reunion of the two provinces could efficiency be secured。 In Upper Canada the Reformers were in favor of this plan； but the Compact； fearful of any disturbance of their vested interests； tended to oppose it。 In Lower Canada the chief support came from the English element。 The governing clique； as the older established body； had no doubt that they could bring the western section under their sway in case of union。 But the main reason for their advocacy was the desire to swamp the French Canadians by an English majority。 Sewell； the chief supporter of the project； frankly took this ground。 The Governor； Lord Dalhousie； and the Colonial Office adopted his view； and in 1822 an attempt was made to rush a Union Bill through the British Parliament without any notice to those most concerned。 It was blocked for the moment by the opposition of a Whig group led by Burdett and Mackintosh； and then Papineau and Neilson sailed to London and succeeded in inducing the Ministry to stay its hand。 The danger was averted； but Papineau had become convinced that if his people were to retain the rights given them by their 〃Sacred Charter〃 they would have to fight for them。 If they were to save their power； they must increase it。
How could this be done？ Baldwin's bold and revolutionary policy of making the Executive responsible to the Assembly did not seem within the range of practical politics。 It meant in practice the abandonment of British control； and this the Colonial Office was not willing to grant。 Antoine Panet and other Assembly leaders had suggested in 1815 that it would be well； 〃if it were possible； to grant a number of places as Councillors or other posts of honour and of profit to those who have most influence over the majority in the Assembly； to hold so long as they maintained this influence；〃 and James Stuart urged the same tentative suggestion a year later。 But even before this the Colonial Office had made clear its position。 〃His Majesty's Government；〃 declared the Colonial Secretary； Lord Bathurst； in 1814； 〃never can admit so novel & inconvenient a Principle as that of allowing the Governor of a Colony to be divested of his responsibility ＇to the Colonial Office＇ for the acts done during his administration or permit him to shield himself under the advice of any Persons； however respectable； either from their character or their Office。〃
Two other courses had the sanction of precedent； one of English； the other of American example。 The English House of Commons had secured its dominant place in the government of the country by its control of the purse。 Why should not the Assembly do likewise？ One obvious difficulty lay in the fact that the Assembly was not the sole authority in raising revenue。 The British Parliament had retained the power to levy certain duties as part of its system of commercial control； and other casual and territorial dues lay in the right of the Crown。 From 1820； therefore； the Assembly's main aim was twofoldto obtain control of these remaining sources of revenue； and by means of this power to bludgeon the Legislative Council and the Governor into compliance with its wishes。 The Colonial Office made concessions； offering to resign all its taxing powers in return for a permanent civil list； that is； an assurance that the salaries of the chief officials would not be questioned annually。 The offer was reasonable in itself but； as it would have hampered the full use of the revenue bludgeon； it was scornfully declined。
The other aim of the Patriotes； as the Opposition styled themselves； was to conquer the Legislative Council by making it elective。 Papineau； in spite of his early prejudices； was drawn more and more into sympathy with the form of democracy worked out in the United States。 In fact； he not only looked to it as a model but； as the thirties wore on； he came to hope that moral； if not physical； support might be found there for his campaign against the English Government。 After 1830 the demand for an elective Legislative Council became more and more insistent。
The struggle soon reached a deadlock。 Governor followed Governor： Lord Dalhousie； Sir James Kempt； Lord Aylmer； all in turn failed to allay the storm。 The Assembly raised its claims each session and fulminated against all the opposing powers in windy
resolutions。 Papineau； embittered by continued opposition； carried away by his own eloquence； and steadied by no responsibility of office； became more implacable in his demands。 Many of his moderate supportersNeilson； Andrew Stuart； Quesnel； Cuvillierfell away； only to be overwhelmed in the first election at a wave of the great tribune's hand。 Business was blocked； supplies were not voted； and civil servants made shift without salary as best they could。
The British Government awoke； or half awoke； to the seriousness of the situation。 In 1835 a Royal Commission of three； with the new Governor General； Lord Gosford； as chairman； was appointed to make inquiries and to recommend a policy。 Gosford； a genial Irishman； showed himself most conciliatory in both private intercourse and public discourse。 Unfortunately the rash act of the new Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada； Sir Francis Bond Head； in publishing the instructions of the Colonial Office； showed that the policy of Downing Street was the futile one of conciliation without concession。 The Assembly once more refused to grant supplies without redress of grievances。 The Commissioners made their report opposing any substantial change。 In March； 1837； Lord John Russell； Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Melbourne Ministry； opposed only by a handful of Radical and Irish members； carried through the British Parliament a series of resolutions authorizing the Governor to take from the Treasury without the consent of the Assembly the funds needed for civil administration； offering control of all revenues in return for a permanent civil list； and rejecting absolutely the demands alike for a responsible Executive and for an elective Council。
British statesmanship was bankrupt。 Its final answer to the demands for redress was to stand pat。 Papineau； without seeing what the end would be； held to his course。 Younger men； carried away by the passions he had aroused； pushed on still more recklessly。 If reform could not be obtained within the British Empire； it must be sought by setting up an independent republic on the St。 Lawrence or by annexation to the United States。
In Upper Canada； at the same time； matters had come to the verge of rebellion。 Sir John Colborne had； just before retiring as Lieutenant Governor in 1836； added fuel to the flames by creating and endowing some forty…four rectories； thus strengthening the grip of the Anglican Church on the province。 His successor； Sir Francis Bond Head； was a man of such rash and unbalanced judgment as to lend support to the tradition that he was appointed by mistake for his cousin； Edmund Head； who was made Governor of United Canada twenty years later。 He appointed to his Executive Council three Reformers； Baldwin； Rolph； and Dunn； only to make clear by his refusal to consult them his inability to understand their demand for responsible government。 All the members of the Executive Council thereupon resigned； and the Assembly refused supplies。 Head dissolved the House and appealed to the people。
The weight of executive patronage； the insistence of the Governor that British connection was at stake； the alarms caused by some injudicious statements of Mackenzie and his Radical ally in England； Joseph Hume； and the defection of the Methodists； whose leader； Egerton Ryerson； had quarreled with Mackenzie； resulted in the overwhelming defeat of the Reformers。 The sting of defeat； the failure of the Family Compact to carry out their eleventh hour promises of reform； and the passing of Lord John Russell's reactionary resolutions convinced a section of the Reform party； in Upper Canada as well as in Lower Canada； that an appeal to force was the only way out。
Toward the end of 1837 armed rebellion broke out in both the Canadas。 In both it was merely a flash in the pan。 In Lower Canada there had been latterly much use of the phrases of revolution and some drilling； but rebellion was neither definitely planned nor carefully organized。 The more extreme leaders of the Patriotes simply drifted into it； and the actual outbreak was a haphazard affair。 Alarmed by the sudden and seemingly concerted departure of Papineau and some of his lieutenants； Nelson； Brown； and O'Callaghan； from Montreal； the Government gave orders for their arrest。 The petty skirmish that followed on November 16； 1837； was the signal for the rallying of armed habitants around impromptu leaders at various points。 The rising was local and spasmodic。 The vast body of the habitants stood aloof。 The Catholic Church； which earlier had sympathized with Papineau； had parted from him when he developed radical and republican views。 Now the strong exhortations of the clergy to the faithful counted for much in keeping peace； and in one view justified the policy of the Br
