Читать книгу Documents Relating to the Constitutional History of Canada 1759-1791, Part I - Adam Shortt - Страница 139

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The Canadians may be ranked under four different classes

1^st The Gentry or what they call Nobility

2^d The Clergy

3^d The Merchants or trading part

4^th The Peasantry or what is here stilled, Habitant.

1^st The Gentry. These are descended from the Military and Civil officers, who have settled in the Country at different times and were usually provided for in the Colony Troops; These consisted formerly of 28 afterwards 30 and had been lately augmented to 40 Companys. They are in general poor except such as have had commands in distant posts where they usually made a fortune in three or four Years. The Croix de S^t Louis quite completed their happiness. They are extremely vain and have an utter contempt for the trading part of the Colony, tho' they made no scruple to engage in it, pretty deeply too, whenever a convenient opportunity served; They were great Tyrants to their Vassals who seldom met with redress, let their grievances be ever so just.

This class will not relish the British Government from which they can neither expect the same employments or the same douceurs, they enjoyed under the French.

2^d The Clergy. Most of the dignified among them are French, the rest Canadians, and are in general of the lower class of People, the former no doubt will have great difficulty to reconcile themselves to us, but must drop off by degrees. Few of the latter are very clever, however the Ecclesiastical state was once composed entirely of natives, they would soon become easy and satisfied, their influence over the people was and is still very great, but tho' we have been so short a time in the Country, a difference is to be perceived, they do not submit so tamely to the Yoke, and under sanction of the capitulation they every day take an opportunity to dispute the tythes with their Curés.

These were moved from their respective parishes at the Bishops pleasure, who thereby always kept them in awe, it may not be perhaps improper to adopt the same Method, in case His Majesty should think right, for the sake of keeping them in proper subjection, to nominate them himself or by those who act under his authority.

It is not improbable that the Jesuites warned by their late disgraces in the dominions of these Potentates who seemed to favor them the most, and apprehending the like or worse treatment from those they stiled Heretics will chuse to dispose of their Estates and retire, as they may possibly find some difficulties to get purchasers the Government might buy their Lands at an easy rate and dispose of the same to many good purposes.

3^d The Traders of this Colony under the French were either dealers in gross or retailers, the former were mostly French and the latter in general natives of this Country all of whom are deeply concerned in the letters of Exchange many are already gone to solicit payment and few of those who have any fund of any consequence in France will remain here.

4^th....The 4^th Order is that of the Peasantry, these are a strong healthy race, plain in their dress, virtuous in their morals and temperate in their living: They are in general extremely ignorant, for the former government would never suffer a printing press in the Country, few can read or write, and all receive implicitly for truth the many arrant falsehoods and atrocious lies, industriously handed among them by those who were in power.

They took particular pains to persuade them, the English were worse than brutes, and that if they prevailed, the Canadians would be ruled with a rod of Iron, and be exposed to every outrage, this most certainly did not a little contribute, to make them so obstinate in their defence, However ever since the Conquest, I can with the greatest truth assert, that the Troops have lived with the Inhabitants in a harmony unexampled even at home, I must here, in justice to those under my command in this Government, observe to Your Lordship, that in the Winter which immediately followed the reduction of this Province, when from the Calamities of War, and a bad harvest, the inhabitants of these lower parts were exposed to all the horrors of a famine, the Officers of every rank, even in the lowest generously contributed towards alleviating the distresses of the unfortunate Canadians by a large subscription, the British Merchants and Traders readily and cheerfully assisted in this good work, even the poor Soldiers threw in their mite, and gave a days provisions, or a days pay in the month, towards the fund, by this means a quantity of provisions was purchased and distributed with great care and assiduity to numbers of poor Families, who, without this charitable support, must have inevitably perished; such an instance of uncommon generosity towards the conquered did the highest honor to their conquerors and convinced these poor deluded people, how grosly they had been imposed upon; the daily instances of lenity, the impartial justice which has been administer'd, so far beyond what they had formerly experienced, have so alter'd their opinion with regard to us, I may safely venture to affirm for this most useful Order of the state, that far from having the least design to emigrate from their present habitations into any other of the French Colonies, their greatest dread is lest they should meet with the fate of the Accadians and be torn from their native Country.

Convinced that this is not to be their case and that the free exercise of their religion will be continued to them once Canada is irrecoverably ceded by a Peace the people will soon become faithful and good subjects to His Majesty, and the Country they inhabit within a short time prove a rich and most useful Colony to Great Britain.

Before this report is closed it will not be improper to observe to Your Lordship how impossible it is to ascertain exactly what part of North America, the French stiled Canada, no Chart or Map whatever having fallen into our hands or public record of any kind to shew what they understood by it.

However it is to be hoped, the limits on this side at least will need no canvassing nor admit of any dispute

Should I be able to procure farther lights relative either to those limits or the several other matters contained in this Report worthy of notice, You may be assured they shall be forthwith transmitted to Your Lordships, happy if my labors can any way conduce to His Majesty's Service, or the good of my Country.

I have the Honor to be with great truth and regard

My Lord, — Your Lordships, most obedient

and most faithful humble Servant

JA: MURRAY

Quebec 6^th June 1762.