Oldal 24 [24]
Marred and defaced their comely forms, and quelled their giant
strength.
The end draws nigh—they yearn to die—one glorious rally more
For the dear sake of Ville-Marie, and all will soon be o’er—
Sure of the martyrs golden Crown, they shrink not from the Cross,
Life yielded for the land they love they scorn to reckon loss !
The Fort is fired—and through the flames with slippery, splashing
tread
The Redmen stumble to the camp o’er ramparts of the dead.
There with set teeth and nostril wide, Daulac, the dauntless, stood
And dealt his foes remorseless blows ’mid blinding smoke and blood,
Till, hacked and hewn, he reeled to earth, with proud unconquered
glance, .
Dead—but immortalized by death—Leonidas of France !
True to their oath, his comrade knights no quarter basely craved—
So died the peerless Twenty-two—so Canada was saved !
CHAPTER IV.
RESULTS OF THE CAPITULATION—FORMATION OF
DISTRICTS.
By the capitulation of Montreal, Canada was for¬
ever severed from France, and became an integral
part of the British Empire. Thus was laid the
foundation of the Dominion—destined at no distant
day to become a great nation, by the federation of
its scattered Provinces. Grave were the fears
entertained that the French Canadians would not
become loyal subjects; yet not a score of years
passed away before their valor was tested in
defence of the British flag, and, although promises
of political advantage were held out, they remained
steadfast in their allegiance and preferred to remain
British subjects. In consequence of the French and
Indian wars, the French Canadians had learned to
look upon the settlers of New England as their
worst enemies, and therefore refused to cast their
lot with the revolting provinces in the Revolution
of 1776.
More than one hundred and fifty years had passed
away during which France had vainly attempted to
create an empire in the New World. All that
remained of their indomitable valor, religious zeal,
and spirit of exploration, was handed over to an
ancient but honorable foe. The adopted children
were guaranteed the exercise of their religion ; their
communities preserved their constitutions, while
they were given the commercial privileges which
other British colonies enjoyed. The Abbe Rynal
said that the French rule was “succeeded by a cool,
rational, and public trial; and a tribunal, dreadful,
and accustomed to shed blood, was replaced by
humane judges, more disposed to acknowledge
innocence than to suppose criminality. The con¬
quered people have been still more delighted by
finding the liberty of their persons secured forever
|
by the famous law of Habeas Corpus. As they had
too long been victims of the arbitrary wills of those
who governed them, they have blessed the beneficent
hand that drew them from a state of slavery, to put
them under the protection of just laws.”
During the first three years after the capitulation,
the government was purely military. There was a
general uneasiness among the people as to the
constitution about to be established. In 1774, two
provided a revenue for the administration by the
imposition of duties; the other, called the Quebec
rized the appointment of a Council, which, with the
had power to make ordinances for the peace, welfare,
Act the Province was governed until 1791, when the
colony was divided into two distinct Provinces,
called Upper and Lower Canada. It was provided
that a Legislative Council and Assembly should be
established in each Province. The members of the
Council were to be appointed for life by the King,
and in Upper Canada to consist of not fewer than
seven, and in Lower Canada, not fewer than fifteen,
persons.
The division line between the two Provinces was
fixed "to commence at the cove west of Point au
Baudet, on Lake Francis; pursuing the western
limits of the Seignories of New Longueuil and
Vaudreuil, and intersecting the Ottawa River at
Point Fortune — the Ottawa thus becoming the
northern boundary till Lake Temiscaming was
reached. From the head of that lake the line ran
due north until it struck the southern boundary of
Hudson Bay.
In 1788, Lord Dorchester had divided Upper
Canada into four districts, called > Lunenburg,
Mecklenburg, Nassau, and Hesse. By an Act
passed during the first session of the Provincial
Parliament of Upper Canada, in 1792, the names
were changed to Eastern, Midland, Home, and
Western ; but the limits were not altered. Géneral
Simcoe afterwards adopted a new division into
districts, counties, and townships, creating that
with which we have especially to deal, viz.: the
District of Johnstown.
During the occupation by the French, the northern
bank of the St. Lawrence had, in a general sense,
only served as camping ground for the explorers
and fur-traders, who, after a laborious struggle in
overcoming the rapids, often rested a few days at
the site of the Village of Johnstown, and thus
planted the germ from which the future county
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