THE RIOTS IN CANADA.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 359, 25 September 1849, Page 3

THE RIOTS IN CANADA.

From Governor-General the Right Honorable the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine to Earl Grey. Government House, Montreal, April 30, 1849. My Lord, — I regret to state that rioting, ati ended with some contr qutsnres much to be regretted, though happily with no injury to life, or, except in one instance, to persoH, has taken place in the city of Montreal during the latt few days. I hasten to furnish your Lordship wiih an account of what has actually occur* red, lc'st you should be misled by exaggerated reports conveyed through the United States. 2. In consequence of the unexpected arrival of vessels with merchandise at the Port of Quebec, it became necessary for me to proceed, on a short notice, to Parliament, on Wednesday last, in order to give the Royal assent to a Customs bill which bad that day passed the Legislative Council ; and I considered that, as this necessity had arisen, it would not be expedient to keep the public mind in suspense by omitting to dispo u e, at the same time, of the other acts in which the two brandies of the local Parliament had at an early period of the session concurred, and which still awaited my decision. Among these was the Act to provide for the indemnification of parties in Lower Canada, whose property was destroyed during the rebellion in 1837 and 1838, with respect to which, as your Lordship U aware, much excitement has unhappily been stirred. 3. I herewith enclose, for your Lordship's perusal, a printed copy of the act in question, and I sbali not full by the first mail to furnish you with full information respecting its character and objects, the circumstances which led to its introduction, and the grounds on which I resolved, after much reflection, to sanction it. No money can be paid under it ns indemnity for a con - siderable period, so that Her Majesty's power of disallowance can be exercised with effect, should Her Ma> jesty be so.adrucd, notwithstanding the c mrte which I have takea. As I am writing this despatch in haste, with a view to its transmission by way of New York, I shall confine myself for the present to a statement of the proceedings by which the peace of the city has been disturbed. 4. In order, however, to render this narrative intelligible, I must premise that for some time past the House of Assembly, as at present constituted, has been the object of bitter denunciation, and not unfrequently of reckless menace, on the part of a certain portion of the press of the province, and more especially of that of Montreal. Your Lordship will probably recollect that the body in question is the product of a general election which took place about eighteen months ago, under the auspices of the political party now in opposition, and after a dissolution, to which I had recourse on their advice, for the purpose of strengthening them in their position as a Government. The result of this measure was in the last degree unfavourable to those who had recommended it ; not, however, so much in Lower Canada, where the complexion of the repiesentation was little affected by the dissolution, as in the upper province, where several constituencies, among which were some of the most populous, re* jected Conservative in favour of Liberal candidates. Oa a question of confidence raised at the commencement of the session, immediately after tup general election, the Administration was defeated by a majority of more than two to one, and a change of Government, as a matter of course, ensued. 5. This alteration in the political complexion of the Assembly, and the change of Government consequent upon it, wero therefore clearly and distinctly traceable to a revulsion of sentiment in the British constitution of Upper Canada. In Lower Cariada nothing had occurred to account for either. This circumstance has, however, failed to secure for the decisions of the popular representative body either forbearance or respect from a certain section of those who profess to be em. phatically the supporters of British interests. To denounce the Parliament as French in its composition, and the Government as subject to French influences, has been their constant object, and the wildest doctrines have been broached with respect to the right which belongs tj a British ministry of redressing by violence any indignity to which it may be subjected from such a source. I have now before me an .article that appeared itt on.c of the principal English news-

papers of Montreal at a very early period of the session, of which I transcribe the concluding paragraph? as illustrative of the temper and language in which, even at that lime, and before the public mind had been excited by the diicussion of the Rebellion Losses Bill, a portion of the press ventured to criticise the proceedings of the local parliament. The article treats of a measure affecting the townships, to which, I believe, no great objection was raised in Parliament. It terminates, however, in the words—" We arc veiy glad of it, — the sooner the cloven foot is made visible the better; the obvious intention of that majority, composed of Frenchmen, aidrd by traitorous British Canadians, is to force French institutions still further upon (lie British minority in Lower Canada. The intention, is obvious, as we said, and we are very glad that it is openly shown. We (rust that the party of the Government will succeed in eveiy one of their obnoxious measures. When French tyranny Leconi-s insupportable, wo shall find our Cromwell. Sheffield, in tho olden times, used to bo famous for its keen and welltempered whittles ; woll, I make bayonets there now, just afc sharp and jati is well tcnpcicd. We can stand tyranny no longer ; it will be seen wholher good bayonets in Saxon hands will not be more than a match for a mace and a mnjority." 6. To persons accustomed to the working of constitutional governments in well ordered communities it may seem incicdj!,lc that such language should be employed by the organs of any respectable party in reference to a body compris ng the freely-chosen representatives of a constituency formed on a most popular basis ; but the cause of the auomoly is apparent enough to all who are acquainted with the history of Canada. For a ssiies of years the popular representative body and the Executive, supported by the Legi.-lative Council, were in Jlis lower province especially, in a condition of almost constant antagonism ; to revile the one was the surest test of patriotism ; to denounce the other, of loyalty. In a society singularly democratic in its structure, where diversities of race supplied special elements of confusion, and where consequently it was most important that constituted authority uhould be respected, the moral influence of law and government was enfeebled by the existence of perpetual si life between the powers that ought to have affo r ded to each other a mutual suppoit. No state of alTaiis could be imagined less favourable to the extinction of national nnimosilien and to the firm establishment of the gentle and benignant control of those liberal institutions which it is England's pride and privilege to bestow upon her children. 7. 1 am not without hope that a steady adherence to the principles of constitutional government, and the continuance of harmony between the co-ordinata i branches of the Legislature, may lead in process of time to the correction of these evils ; meanwhile, however, I must ascribe mainly to the cause which I have assigned, the tone of arrogant defiance with which the resolutions, not of the Government only, but also of the Parliament, are treated by p irties who happen for the moment to be unable to make their views prevail with either, and the acto of violence to which this inflammatory language has in the present instance led. 8. That many persons conscientiously disapprove of the measure respecting rebellion lossss in Lower Canada which ba3 been introduced by the Government, and which the local Parliament has passsd by large majorities, and that in the minds of others it stirs national antipathies and recollections of former conflicts, which designing politicians seek to improve to their own selfish ends, cannot, I fear, be doubted. It is, therefore, emphatically a measure which should have been approached with calmness and caution, by all at least who are not directly interested in the issue. Unfortunately, however, this has been by no means the case. Not only have appsals of passion of the most reckless description proceeded from the local press, but they have received encouragement from quarters from which they had little right to look for it Passages, such as ths following, in which a London, journal of influence trea's of the British population as affected by the measure in question :— " They are tolerably able to t<vke care of themselves, and we very much misconstrue the tone adopted by the English press nnd English public in the province if they do not find some means of resisting the heavy blow and great discouragement which is aimed at them," are read with, avidity, and construed to mem that sympathy will be extended from influential quarters at homa to those who seek to annul the obnoxiom decision of the Legislature, whatever bi the moans to which they resort for the attainment of that end. 9. The scenes by which thi? city of Montreal has been lately disgraced ore the mtural fruits of an agitation of this nature, operating on a people of excitable temper, who have been taught to bolieve that a race which they .despised, and over which they have been wont to exercise dominion, has obtained, through the operation of a constitutional system, an authority which it could not oiierwtee have acquired. Hence, more especially, their vehement indignation against me personally, and the conviction, in many cases I doubt not perfectly sincere, that I hove been guilty of a serious dereliction of duty because I have not, as my predecessors have often done before me, consented to place myself in front of an agitation to counteract the policy of parliament— the nature of the constitutional doctrines which prac« tically obtain in this section of the community is curiously exemplified by the fact, that it is not the passnge of the Bill by an overwhelming majority of the representatives of the people, or the acquiescence o£ the Council, but the conent of the Governor, which furnishes the pretext for on exhibition of popular vielence. 10. When I left the House of Parliament, after giving the Royal assent to several bills, to which I bava referred, I was received with mingled cheers and hoot~ ings by a crowd by no means numerous, which sur* rounded the entrance to the building. A small knitof individuals, consisting, as it ha* since been ascertained, of persons of a respectable cla J s in society, pelted the carriage vvlili missiles, which they must have brought with them for the purpose. Within an hour after this occurrence a notice, of which I enclose a copy, issued from one of the newspaper offices, calling a meeting in. tha open air. At the meeting inflammatory speeches were made. On a sudden, whether under the effect of a momentary excitement, or in pursuance of a plan airanged beforehand, the mob proceeded to the House of. Parliament, where the members were still sitting, and breaking the windows, set fire to the building and burned it to the ground. By this wanton net, public property of considerable value, including two excellent libraries, hno been utterly destroyed. Having achieved their object, the crowd dispersed, apparently satisfied with whit they had done. The members were permitted to retire unmolested, and no resistance was; offered to the military, who appeared on the ground after a brief interval, to ustore order and aid in extinguishing the flames. During the two following; days, a good deal of excitement prevailed in the streets, and some further acts of incendiarism were perpetrated. Since then the military force has been increased, and the leaders of the disaffected party have shown a disposition to restrain thiir followers and to direct theic energies to the more constitutional object of petitioning the Queen for my recall, and the disallowance of tha obnoxious bill. The proceedings of the House of Assembly will also tend to awe the turbulent, I trus^

therefore, that tlic peace of the city will not be again disturbed. The newspaper which 1 enclose contain full, and I believe pretty accurate accounts of i>U that has occuirfd since Wednesday last. 11. The Ministry are blamed for not having made adequate provision Bgainit these disasteis; that they by no means expected that the hostility to the Rebellion Losaes Bill would have displayed itself in the outrages which have been perpetiated during the last ifew days it certain. Peihaps sufficient attention was not paid by them to the menaces of the Opposition press. It must be admitted, however, that the r position was one of considerable difficulty. The civil foi cc of Montreal, a city containing fiOjOOO inhabitants of different races, with secret societiei and other agencies of mischief in constant activity, consists of two rolicemen, under the authority of the Government, and seventy appointed by the corporation. To oppose, therefore, effectual resistance to any considerable mob, recouise must be had in all cases either to the military or to a force of civilians enrolled for the occasion. Ginve objections, however, presented themselves in the present instance to the adoption of either of these courses, until the disposition to tumult on the part of the populace unhappily manifested itself in overt acts. More especially was it of importance to avoid any measure which might have had a tendency to produce a collision between parties on a question on which their feelings were so strongly excited. The result of the course pursued is, that there has been no bloodshed, and except in the case of some of the ministers themselves, no destruction of piivate property. 12. The proceedings in the Assembly have been important. I enclose a ropy of an addieis which has been voted to me by a mijoiity of 36 to IG, expressive of abhorrence at the outrages which have taken place in the city of Montreal, of loyalty to the Queen, and approval of my just and imj artial admini>tratiou of the Government with my late as well as my present advisers. Some of the Opposition approved of the course I have taken with respect to the Rebellion Losse* Bill, as appears from the speeches of Messrs, Wilson nnd Gait, of which reports are given in the newspapers which I enclose. Mr. Wilson is an influential mem. her of the Upper Canada Conservative party, and Mr. Gait's views are the moie important, because he has been returned to Parliament, only a few days ago, by a j Lower Canadian constituency, which comprises a large British population. Generally, however, as the amendments they have moved to the address show, they dedre to avoid committing themselves on this point. The votes against the address may be thus classed — Sir A. M'Nab and his party ; my late ministera and their paity; and Mr. Papineau. The first acts with perfect consistency in voting as he has done on this question ; for he has always contended that government conducted on British principles is unsuited to Canada: The course of the second class ii less intelligible ; for, until the day on winch they resigned their offices into my hands, they uniformly expressed approval of the principles on which my conduct as'Go-vemor-General was guided ; and these, as your lordship well knows, have undergone no change with the change of administration. Mr. Papineau's vote conveys a useful lesson which will not, I trust, be lost on persons who have been induced to believe that the per. secution of which I am now the object is really attributed to my having shown undue lenity to those who were led by him into rebellion 13. I hate now furnished your Lordship with as clear a statement of these important occurrences as I can give ; and I can conclude by assuring you that the city is perfectly tranquil, and that there is no present likelihood of a lenewal of disturbances. A few days will show what echo the proceedings of the vio- j lent party awaken in Upper Canada, and to what extent they are followed by reaction. Meanwhile, it is my firm conviction, that if this dictation be submitted to, the government of this province by constitutional means will be impossible ; and that the struggle between over-bearing minorities, backed by force, and majorities resting on legality, and established forms, which has so long proved thejbane of Canada, driving capital from the province, and producing a state of chronic discontent, will be perpetuated. At the same time I think that if I am unable to recover that position of dignified neutrality between contending parties •which it has been my unremitting study to maintain, and for which I would rppear to have been for the moment driven, — not. as I firmly believe, through any fault of my own, but by the unreasonable violence of faction — it may be a question with your lordship whether it wou'd not be for the interest of her Majesty's service that I should be removed from my high office, to make way (or one who should not indeed hold views at variance with mine with respect to the duties of a constitutional Government, but who should have the advantage of being personally unobnoxious to any section of her Majesty's subjects within the piovince. I hare, &c, ELGIN AND KINCARDINE. The Ilight Hon. Earl Grey, &o.