North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-07-03
EDITED BY CANADIANS & AMERICANS


to the Canadian people. Tconderoea
which was adioned to the State of New
York gave 10 Gen. Montgomery free
entry 10 Canada, and by the treaty OF peace
of 1888, the Americans have kept a great
portion Of the former French possessions;
which this day enjoy the blessings of po-
Iitical freedom, whilst poor unfortunate
Canada is yet under the unreen,ing rod
OF proud and tyrannica England.
Thus we see that in the short space of
three years after the British had full pos
session Of Canada, they had already COM
mitted four grea, acts Of injustice towards
their new subjects.
Let US continue. The treaty Of peace
concluded at Paris on the 10th February
l769 and the proclamation Of King George
the Third on the 7th October following
were not known in Canada till in 1904
The Canadians were sadly disappointed to
be forced to live with their new masters,
but they had to make ga virtue of necess-
ty" and so they quietly submitted.
A Mr.. Brown, a Scotchman by birth,
imported uto Canada Press and Types
from Boston and established newspaper,
which he called the "Quebec Gazette.
1t is the same paper which still exists in
the city of Quebec and is the property Of
Mr.. John Nelson.
Gen. Murray who was named Governor
Of Canada this year, according to tho
he had received from the Co
Ionia Minister, formed Legislative Conn
Gil to enact laws and regulations for the
peace and maintenance Of the colony. In
the nomination OF the members OF the Leg
isatiye Council, the new subjects were en-
tireIy excluded; strangers totally unac-
quainted with the habits and wants OF tho
Canadian people were those selected 10
draft laws for them. The same narrow
and limited policy which then actuated the
first Governor of Canada, has always been
observed in all provincial appointments,
not however so conspcuously. The first
Legislative Council Of Canada under Brit
sh Government was composed of the fol-
lowing persons: civilian Gregory, Chief
Justice; Paulus EmiIius Irving, Hector
Theophilus Cramahe, Samuel Holland,
Adam Madame, Thomas Dunn, Walter
Murray and FRANCOIS Mounier."
The first act of this body on the 18th
Sept 1854, was to confirm all the Judge
nents and decisions Of the military tribunal
which had been established since the con-
quest in the cities Of Quebec, Montreal
and Three Rivers. They also establish he'd
Courts OF Justice civil and criminalin the
hree diHerenis cities above named. They
declared the English laws TO be the laws
IF the country and ordered the Canadian
people to conform themselves 10 those
avs. The abrupt introduction Of the
English laws into Canada created discon-
ent and confusion among the Canadians
who understood nothing about this new
lode. The consequence was that great
humber Of the former respectable iawyers
If the Colony were forced TO quit
md passed to France, whilst the Province
vas at once inundated by English lawyers
# the lowest class, who seemed TO have
ome to Canada only to amass large for
unes and to devour the substance Of the
Inhabitants.
These lawyers had nothing of an eleva-
ed character about them but on the COT
rary sold justice to the highest bidder and
ven those who paid the most, were not
lways certain to gain. The Chief JUS
ice of the Province whom the government
I England had taken from one of the iails
T London, was also connected with those
lwyerS in their illegal traffic Of the law,
nd his injustice and want Of moral
Onesty were so glazing and papabIe that
enera Murray was at last forced to can
Il his commission and 10 interdict him
re right Of pleading any case whatever in
le Province.
Another subject Of discomfort for the
wv subjects was that they were declared
TO act as lawyers 10 the differ
II Courts o His Majesty, and also as