Canada by Sir John George Bourinot (e ink ebook reader TXT) 📖

I DEDICATE THIS STORY OF CANADA

BY PERMISSION

TO

HER EXCELLENCY THE COUNTESS OF ABERDEEN

WHO HAS WON THE ESTEEM AND AFFECTION OF ALL CLASSES
OF THE CANADIAN PEOPLE BY THE EARNESTNESS WITH
WHICH SHE HAS IDENTIFIED HERSELF WITH
EVERY MOVEMENT AFFECTING THE SOCIAL
AND INTELLECTUAL PROGRESS OF
THE NEW DOMINION

PREFATORY NOTE

In writing this story of Canada I have not been able to do more, within the limited space at my command, than briefly review those events which have exercised the most influence on the national development of the Dominion of Canada from the memorable days bold French adventurers made their first attempts at settlement on the banks of the beautiful basin of the Annapolis, and on the picturesque heights of Quebec, down to the establishment of a Confederation which extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Whilst the narrative of the French regime, with its many dramatic episodes, necessarily occupies a large part of this story, I have not allowed myself to forget the importance that must be attached to the development of institutions of government and their effect on the social, intellectual, and material conditions of the people since the beginning of the English regime. Though this story, strictly speaking, ends with the successful accomplishment of the federal union of all the provinces in 1873, when Prince Edward Island became one of its members, I have deemed it necessary to refer briefly to those events which have {vi} happened since that time--the second half-breed rebellion of 1885, for instance--and have had much effect on the national spirit of the people. I endeavour to interest my reader in the public acts of those eminent men whose names stand out most prominently on the pages of history, and have made the deepest impress on the fortunes and institutions of the Dominion. In the performance of this task I have always consulted original authorities, but have not attempted to go into any historical details except those which are absolutely necessary to the intelligent understanding of the great events and men of Canadian annals. I have not entered into the intrigues and conflicts which have been so bitter and frequent during the operation of parliamentary government in a country where politicians are so numerous, and statesmanship is so often hampered and government injuriously affected by the selfish interests of party, but have simply given the conspicuous and dominant results of political action since the concession of representative institutions to the provinces of British North America. A chapter is devoted, at the close of the historical narrative, to a very brief review of the intellectual and material development of the country, and of the nature of its institutions of government. A survey is also given of the customs and conditions of the French Canadian people, so that the reader outside of the Dominion may have some conception of their institutions and of their influence on the political, social, and intellectual life of a Dominion, of whose population they form so important and influential an element. {vii} The illustrations are numerous, and have been carefully selected from various sources, not accessible to the majority of students, with the object, not simply of pleasing the general reader, but rather of elucidating the historical narrative. A bibliographical note has also been added of those authorities which the author has consulted in writing this story, and to which the reader, who wishes to pursue the subject further, may most advantageously refer.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, OTTAWA,
Dominion Day, 1896.


PUBLISHER'S NOTE.


Owing to the passing of Sir John Bourinot, the revisions necessary to bring this work up to date had to be entrusted to another hand. Accordingly, Mr. William H. Ingram has kindly undertaken the task, and has contributed the very judiciously selected information now embodied in Chapter XXX. on the recent development of Canada. Chapter XXVIII. by Mr. Edward Porritt, author of _Sixty Years of Protection in Canada_, has also been included, as being indicative of the history of the time he describes. Mr. Ingram has also made other revisions of considerable value.

1, ADELPHI TERRACE.
March, 1922.


CONTENTS


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

I.

INTRODUCTION--THE CANADIAN DOMINION FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN

II.

THE DAWN OF DISCOVERY IN CANADA (1497-1525)

III.

A BRETON SAILOR DISCOVERS CANADA AND ITS GREAT RIVER

IV.

FROM CARTIER TO DE MONTS (1540-1603)

V.

THE FRENCH OCCUPATION OF ACADIA AND THE FOUNDATION OF PORT ROYAL (1604-1614)

VI.

SAMUEL CHAMPLAIN IN THE VALLEY OF THE ST. LAWRENCE

VII.

GENTLEMEN-ADVENTURERS IN ACADIA (1614-1677)

VIII.

THE CANADIAN INDIANS AND THE IROQUOIS: THEIR ORGANISATION, CHARACTER, AND CUSTOMS

IX.

CONVENTS AND HOSPITALS--VILLE-MARIE--MARTYRED MISSIONARIES--VICTORIOUS IROQUOIS--HAPLESS HURONS

X.

YEARS OF GLOOM--THE KING COMES TO THE RESCUE OF CANADA--THE IROQUOIS HUMBLED (1652-1667)

XI.

CANADA AS A ROYAL PROVINCE--CHURCH AND STATE (1663-1759)

XII.

THE PERIOD OF EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY--PRIESTS, FUR-TRADERS, AND _Coureurs de Bois_ IN THE WEST (1634-1687)

XIII.

THE PERIOD OF EXPLORATION AND DISCOVERY--FRANCE IN THE VALLEY OF THE MISSISSIPPI (1672-1687)

XIV.

CANADA AND ACADIA--FROM FRONTENAC TO THE TREATY OF UTRECHT (1672-1713)

XV.

ACADIA AND ILE ROYALE--FROM THE TREATY OF UTRECHT TO THE TREATY OF AIX-LA-CHAPELLE (1713-1748)

XVI.

THE STRUGGLE FOR DOMINION IN THE GREAT VALLEYS OF NORTH AMERICA--PRELUDE (1748-1756)

XVII.

THE STRUGGLE FOR DOMINION IN THE GREAT VALLEYS OF NORTH AMERICA--ENGLISH REVERSES AND FRENCH VICTORIES--FALL OF LOUISBOURG AND FORT DUQUESNE (1756-1758)

XVIII.

THE STRUGGLE FOR DOMINION IN THE VALLEY OF THE ST. LAWRENCE--CANADA IS WON BY WOLFE ON THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM (1759-1763)

XIX.

A PERIOD OF TRANSITION--PONTIAC'S WAR--THE QUEBEC ACT (1760-1774)

XX.

THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION--INVASION OF CANADA--DEATH OF MONTGOMERY--PEACE (1774-1783)

XXI.

COMING OF THE LOYALISTS (1783-1791)

XXII.

FOUNDATION OF NEW PROVINCES--ESTABLISHMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE INSTITUTIONS (1792-1812)

XXIII.

THE WAR OF 1812-1815--PATRIOTISM OF THE CANADIANS

XXIV.

POLITICAL STRIFE AND REBELLION (1815-1840)

XXV.

RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT AND ITS RESULTS--FEDERAL UNION--RELATIONS BETWEEN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES (1839-1867)

XXVI.

END OF THE RULE OF FUR TRADERS--ACQUISITION OF THE NORTHWEST--FORMATION OF MANITOBA--RIEL'S REBELLIONS--THE INDIANS (1670-1885)

XXVII.

BRITISH COLUMBIA AND PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND ENTER THE UNION--NATIONAL EVENTS SINCE 1867--MAKERS OF THE DOMINION (1867-1891)

XXVIII.

CANADA AS A NATION--MATERIAL AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT--POLITICAL RIGHTS

XXIX.

FRENCH CANADA

XXX.

RECENT DEVELOPMENT OF CANADA



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE


Jacques Cartier's _Voyages_, in English, by Joseph Pope (Ottawa, 1889), and H. B. Stephens (Montreal, 1891); in French, by N. E. Dionne (Quebec, 1891); Toilon de Longrais (Rennes, France), H. Michelant and E. Rame (Paris, 1867). L'Escarbot's _New France_, in French, Tross's ed. (Paris, 1866), which contains an account also of Cartier's first voyage. Sagard's _History of Canada_, in French, Tross's ed. (Paris, 1866). Champlain's works, in French, Laverdiere's ed. (Quebec, 1870); Prince Society's English ed. (Boston, 1878-80). Lafitau's _Customs of the Savages_, in French (Paris, 1724). Charlevoix's _History of New France_, in French (Paris, 1744); Shea's English version (New York, 1866). _Jesuit Relations_, in French (Quebec ed., 1858). Ferland's _Course of Canadian History_, in French (Quebec, 1861-1865). Garneau's _History of Canada_, in French (Montreal, 1882). Sulte's _French Canadians_, in French (Montreal, 1882-84). F. Parkman's series of histories of French Regime, viz.; _Pioneers of France in the New World; The Jesuits in North America; The old Regime; Frontenac; The Discovery of the Great West; A Half Century of Conflict; Montcalm and Wolfe; Conspiracy of Pontiac_ (Boston, 1865-1884). Justin Winsor's _From Cartier to Frontenac_ (Boston, 1894). Hannay's _Acadia_ (St. John, N. B., 1870). W. Kingsford's _History of Canada_, 8 vols. so far (Toronto and London, 1887-1896), the eighth volume on the war of 1812 being especially valuable. Bourinot's "Cape Breton and its Memorials of the French Regime," _Trans. Roy. Soc. Can._, vol. ix, and separate ed. (Montreal, 1891). Casgrain's _Montcalm and Levis_, in French (Quebec, 1891). Haliburton's _Nova Scotia_ (Halifax, 1829). Murdoch's _Nova Scotia_ (Halifax, 1865-67). Campbell's _Nova Scotia_ (Halifax, 1873). Campbell's _Prince Edward Island_ (Charlottetown, 1875). Lord Durham's _Report_, 1839. Christie's _History of Lower Canada_ (Quebec, 1848-1855). Dent's _Story of the Upper Canadian Rebellion_ (Toronto, 1855). Lindsey's _W. Lyon Mackenzie_ (Toronto, 1873). Dent's _Canada Since the Union of 1841_ (Toronto, 1880-81). Turcotte's _Canada under the Union_, in French (Quebec, 1871). Bourinot's _Manual of Constitutional History_ (Montreal, 1888), "Federal Government in Canada" (_Johns Hopkins University Studies_, {xx} Baltimore, 1889), and _How Canada is Governed_ (Toronto, 1895). Withrow's _Popular History of Canada_ (Toronto, 1888). MacMullen's _History of Canada_ (Brockville, 1892). Begg's _History of the Northwest_ (Toronto, 1804). Canniff's _History of Ontario_ (Toronto, 1872). Egerton Ryerson's _Loyalists of America_ (Toronto, 1880). Mrs. Edgar's _Ten Years of Upper Canada in Peace and War_ (Toronto, 1890). Porritt's _Sixty Years of Protection in Canada_ (London, 1907). H. E. Egerton and W. L. Grant's _Canadian Constitutional Development_ (London, 1907). G. R. Parkin's _Sir John A. Macdonald_ (London, 1909). B. Home's _Canada_ (London, 1911). W. Maxwell's _Canada of To-Day_ (London, 1911). C. L. Thomson's _Short History of Canada_ (London, 1911). W. L. Griffith's _The Dominion of Canada_ (London, 1911). A. G. Bradley's _Canada_ (London, 1912). Arthur G. Doughty's _History of Canada_ (_Year Book_) (Ottawa, 1913). J. A. T. Lloyd's _The Real Canadian_ (London, 1913). E. L. Marsh's _The Story of Canada_ (London, 1913). J. Munro's _Canada 1535 to Present Day_ (London, 1913). A. Shortland and A. G. Doughty's _Canada and its Provinces_ (Toronto, 1913). W. L. Grant's _High School History of Canada_ (Toronto, 1914). G. Bryce's _Short History of the Canadian People_ (London, 1914). D. W. Oates's _Canada To-day and Yesterday_ (London, 1914). F. Fairfield's _Canada_ (London, 1914). Sir C. Tupper's _Political Reminiscences_ (London, 1914). Morang's _Makers of Canada_ (Toronto, 1917). Sir Thomas White's _The Story of Canada's War Finance_ (Montreal, 1921). Prof. Skelton's _Life of Sir Wilfrid Laurier_ (Toronto, 1922). And _Review of Historical Publications Relating to Canada_ by the University of Toronto.

For a full bibliography of archives, maps, essays, and books relating to the periods covered by the Story of Canada, and used by the writer, see appendix to his "Cape Breton and its Memorials," in which all authorities bearing on the Norse, Cabot, and other early voyages are cited. Also, appendix to same author's "Parliamentary Government in Canada" (_Trans. Roy. Soc. Can._, vol. xi., and American Hist. Ass. Report, Washington, 1891). Also his "Canada's Intellectual Strength and Weakness" (_Trans. Roy. Soc. Can._, vol. xi, and separate volume, Montreal, 1891). Also, Winsor's _Narrative_ and _Critical History of America_ (Boston, 1886-89).



THE STORY OF CANADA.

I.


INTRODUCTION.

THE CANADIAN DOMINION FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN.

The view from the spacious terrace on the verge of the cliffs of Quebec, the ancient capital of Canada, cannot fail to impress the imagination of the statesman or student versed in the history of the American continent, as well as delight the eye of the lover of the picturesque. Below the heights, to whose rocks and buildings cling so many memories of the past, flows the St. Lawrence, the great river of Canada, bearing to the Atlantic the waters of the numerous lakes and streams of the valley which was first discovered and explored by France, and in which her statesmen saw