Stranica 24 [24]
OCR
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 forever 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 conquered 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 = i 7 a’ :
