North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-06-26
EDITED BY CANADIANS & A MERlcANs

De NohNlHe was weak, lmhecile man
who was made a tool OF and although he
knew the wlckedness Of those hatterers
who were constantly around him, he never
had the courage 10 put a stop to their ma
chlnatlons. Marquis De VaudreuiI was
one of those nobIemen who by an honora-
bic and profitable peace of long duration, is
placed among the great benefactors oil the
colony. But one on whose head the exc
Grafton Of the whole people has been accu-
INFLATED with justice, is the last French
Governor Marquis De VaudrcuI De Ca
vaginal. His pusilIanmous conduct when
the brave De MontcaIm lost his lie on She
balIIe-f field, his knavery in surrendering the
city Of Montreal, his vile subserviencv TO
the Catholic Clergy as may be seen by the
articles Of the Capitulation be sent 10 the
English General while this latter was pre-
pairing to besege Montreal his whole con-
duct, ensured him the just reproaches Of the
people over which he was sent TO rule.
When we say that this Governor was The
vile and subservent tool of the clergy,
we beg leave to refer to the articles of the
Capilulalion Of Montreal where a fifth
part is occupied in stipuIating for the lem
pora and spiritual advantages Of that
body.
Before we proceed any further, let US
examine the question whether the Cana
dams were unfortunate in losing the pro-
tec'ion Of the French government and in
passing under the flag Of Great Britain.
We are not imbued with any prejudice
whatever, we belong 10 Canada, it is the
place Of our birth 10 which Of course we
are much attached. We unhesitalingly
say that the Canadas would not be what
they are to day, If they bad remained un-
der the French dominion. The views of
the French ministry as to their Col
onies, were never elevated. IF we except
the minister Colbert, al! the leading men
in France who had il in their power TO
influence the desinies of Canada were
constantly actuated by views OF self-aggran-
dizement or by prejudiced bigorry as the
Cardinal De Rchelieu. Canada was a
" booty" almost totally abandoned to the
Catholic clergy and TO bankrupts who
could not meet the just demands of their
creditors and also to young nobemen ca
de's who could sec no other way TO make
fortune or cut great figure & display lie
grand parsonage but in migrating 10 Cana
da with some pompous noble names & ac-
quire riches in what they then called les
Pays den Hdut." When we say that
Canada was almost totally abandoned to
The rapacity of the Catholic priests. we
are ready to prove it. The order of Jesuiis,
at the conquest, possessed in norman
about one million Of acres Of land; The
other clerical bodies had an aggregate Of
an equal extent, while The share Of the
Iay-subjects was about six millions. making
The total Of The lands granted by The King
Of France eight millions OF acres. Thus
one fourth Of The whole lands OF the Pro-
vince Of Quebec, was in the hands Of The
Catholic clergy who by means Of such
temporal boon, acquired vast influence
over the people Of whom they were also the
spiritual leaders. The exclusion OF prot
estants from The province was one of those
peculiar traits Of i!Iiberalty and intolerance
which suited those dark ages but which
fortunately is now diScountenanced by all
enlig htened nations. The colonization OF
Canada had for its immediate object the es-
Enlistment ofthe tenets Of the church of
Rome in North America. We are preiu
diced against no form of religion whatever
provided it has for its object the true prin-
ciples Of equal justice TO every one, and
that admirable maxim OF the greatest phi
losopher of the whole world "Do unto
others as you wish to be done unto you"
All acquainted with the naughty, iyranni-
cal and intriguing conduct of the different
religious orders OF the Catholic Church
who reigned in Canada till the time Of the