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Congress once more appealed to the inhabitants of Canada to assist in casting off the tyrant's yoke. Fearing that they would make but little headway with arms they sent a commission into Canada for the purpose of rousing the Canadians. One of this celebrated commission was Benjamin Franklin, but, as the French Canadians were aware of the active part he had taken fifteen years before in influencing England to make a determined attack on their country, he was looked upon with distrust and his diplomacy made but little headway. While Franklin was endeavoring to rouse the lay-men, Father Carrol, an ex-Jesuit, made efforts to gain the sympathy of the clergy; but he, too, totally failed. The Quebec Act had given them the liberty of worship they desired and they felt that they could trust England. On the other hand they had no faith in the American leaders. They remembered that on October 21, 1774, Congress had addressed the British people and had "demanded the proscription of the religion, laws, and other cherished institutions of the Canadians-in fact had called for their total abasement." The Catholics of Canada were, therefore, prepared to resist invasion.

Governor Carleton, had he wished, might have sallied forth from the Gates of Quebec and driven Arnold's force from before the walls, but he remembered what had happened to Montcalm when he ventured forth and how narrowly the English had escaped defeat in the second battle of Quebec; and so, with plenty of provisions for the winter, he determined to keep his troops, behind the safe shelter of the strong walls of the city, until reinforcements could arrive in the spring. On April 1, General Wooster took the chief command of the army before Quebec, and erecting new batteries, continued the siege, but at the beginning of May, General John Thomas took over the command. He found that the American force numbered nearly 2000 men, but as small-pox was prevalent among the troops the effectives did not amount to probably over 1500. The hardships of the winter and disease had done much to exhaust the American troops, and General Thomas began to think seriously of retreating from before the city. He however,

determined to make one last effort to storm the walls.

The ice had now left the river and considerable shipping was huddled in the shadow of the mighty rock. He prepared a fire-ship, and with the ebb of

the tide sent it down the river in the hope of causing a conflagration among the English vessels, and further hoped that during the confusion which would arise his men might storm the walls.

The fire-ship was a failure and burned itself out before reaching the vessels. While it was still burning, however, from the heights of Quebec, British vessels were seen sailing up the St. Lawrence. They came laden with supplies and reinforcements. On their arrival Governor Carleton with 1000 men and six field pieces sallied forth from Quebec, but the Americans were already in flight towards Montreal, and in their haste they left behind the whole of their artillery, stores and baggage, and over two hundred of their sick and wounded. Their flight up the St. Lawrence was without order, and when they reached Sorel, the majority of them were found to have cast aside even their arms. General Thomas died at this place of small-pox and General John Sullivan took over the command. For a time Carleton kept up the pursuit in person and then returned to Quebec. The Americans saw that they were hopelessly beaten and Arnold, the bravest of their soldiers, at that time wrote to General Sullivan in the following words: "The junction of the Canadas with the colonies is now at an end. Let us quit them and secure our own country before it is too late." Two days after these words were written Montreal was once more in the possession of the Canadians.

The Americans driven from Canada, Carleton endeavored to carry the war into their own country and for that purpose had a number of vessels launched on Lake Champlain. Captain Pringle had command of the fleet. He at first made little headway against the American vessels on the Lake which were in charge of Arnold, who in the end suffered so great a loss that he was compelled to retreat. By the foresight of Carleton the English thus gained control of Lake Champlain.

In the following year General Burgoyne was appointed to the supreme military command and arrived in Quebec in May. Governor Carleton felt hurt by this appointment and wrote to Lord Germaine, defending his military conduct and shortly after resigned his office and left Canada. The British authorities never made a greater mistake than when they took away the military command from Carleton. The disgrace of Saratoga was but a

punishment for their ignorance. In the following year General Haldimand was appointed Governor. He was a very different man from Carletonsevere, tyrannical, despotic. He soon gained the hatred of the Canadians, who could not but contrast his barsh rule with the mild measures adopted by his predecessor.

Carleton's services were recognized by the king and on his return to England he was knighted. The war in America continued to drag wearily on but General Carleton was to take no active interest in it until its close. In the year 1782 he was appointed to succeed Clinton as Commander-in-chief of the Northern British Army in America. At length the end came and New York was evacuated by the British troops. At this tragic moment in his country's history he was able to do valiant service for Canada. It was due to Sir Guy Carleton that so many of the Loyalists sought refuge in Canada, and he did all in his power to have them properly provided for in their new home. At the close of the war he was created Baron Dorchester for his services with the army in America.

Governor Haldimand remained in Canada until 1785 when he was recalled; and in the following year, much to the delight of the Canadians, Lord Dorchester was sent to Canada as Governor. He at once entered sympathetically into the strained situation which had been created by the despotic rule of Haldimand and did much to restore confidence among the French in the British. In 1787 he appointed a committee to enquire into the unsatisfactory state of education in the Province of Quebec, and in this way did not a little to disseminate learning in that province. Due to the influx of U. E. Loyalists Upper Canada required his attention, and in 1788 he divided the province into four judicial districts, Lunenburg, from the Ottawa River to Gananoque; Mecklenburg, from Gananoque to Trent; Nassau, from Trent to Long Point; and Hesse, from Long Point to Lake St. Clair; in each of these districts he appointed a judge and a sheriff to administer justic.

But dissatisfaction continued. The British colonists were thoroughly discontented with the Quebec Act and were urgent in their demands for the Habeas Corpus, Trial by Jury, and an elective legislative assembly. As a

result of this discontent the Constitutional Act was passed by the British parliament. Lord Dorchester had not a little to do with the framing of this act and with having it successfully pass the Lords and Commons. He had gone to England in 1791, leaving Major-General Clarke to adminster the government, but in 1793 he returned to Canada.

It was now a critical time in Canadian affairs. The French Revolution was stirring Europe to its depths, and the revolutionary spirit found a place in many hearts in Canada. He had ever been a friend to the French; kind, generous and sympathetic, and his presence was like oil on the troubled waters. However, the British inhabitants of Canada were dissatisfied with his attitude, believing him too kindly disposed to the conquered race.

For three years longer Lord Dorchester remained in Canada devoted to the interests of the provinces and doing all in his power to unite into one people the French and English living under the British flag in America, and to make the French loyal to that flag. That the Province of Quebec has been, on the whole, loyal to England during the past hundred years is largely due to Lord Dorchester's mild and considerate rule. When he left Canada it must have been with considerable regret. For nearly forty years his life had been intimately connected with the Province of Quebec, and he had resided in the country for over twenty. He saw the possibilities of the new province he had done so much to permanently base. But for him it would have been lost to England in 1776; and his attitude to the inhabitants did much to shape the course of such men as Lord Durham and Lord Elgin. Until his death in 1808 he continued to watch the growth of British North America with the belief that a great and United people, a worthy rival of the young Republic to the south, would yet be established along the St Lawrence and by the great lakes

CHAPTER IX.

JOHN GRAVES SIMCOE.

Simcoe's Father Killed at the Great Siege of Quebec-His Son's Early Education-Begins His Military Career when Nineteen Years Old-Sails for America-Reaches Boston on Day of Battle of Bunker Hill-At the Battle of Brandywine-Appointed Major of the Queen's Rangers-An Efficient Officer-Promoted to the Rank of Lieutenant-Colonel-The Character of the Man Shown in His Orders to the Rangers-A Narrow Escape from Death -A Prisoner-The Death of Major André-Appreciated by the Loyalists in America— Through Ill-Health Forced to Return to England-Elected to Parliament-Takes Part in the Discussion on the Constitutional Act-Appointed Governor of Upper Canada-Reaches Quebec on the Ship "Triton"-Proceeds to Seat of Government for Upper Canada, Newark -Sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor at Kingston-Selects His Executive Council-Summons His Parliament to Meet at Newark-In His Opening Address Governor Simcoe Eulogizes the Country-Important Measures Introduced by the Legislature-Governor Simcoe Takes a Paternal Interest in the Province-Holds Joseph Brant in High Esteem-Journeys through the Western Peninsula-Investigates the Site of Toronto for Future Capital of Province-The Second Session of the Legislature-Governor Simcoe Fears American Invasion-First Meting of the Executive Council at York-The Building of Yonge Street—Builds Castle Frank-“One Whose Door is Always Open ”—Difficulties Between the Americans and the Indians-Simcoe's Diplomatic Attitude-Raised to the Rank of Major-General-His Efforts to Create a Royal Navy on the Lakes-Appointed Governor of St. Domingo-A Difficult Task-Returns to England-Command of Plymouth Entrusted to Simcoe-The Death of Lieutenant-General Simcoe.

TH

HE life of John Graves Simcoe, the first Governor of Upper Canada, was intimately associated with the American continent from his earliest days. He was but seven years old when General Wolfe won Quebec from the French. In that great siege his father, John Graves Simcoe, commander of the "Pembroke,' "Pembroke," was killed. Shortly before the siege Commander Simcoe had been captured by the French and taken prisoner to Quebec. While on his way to the city and when a prisoner, he had been careful to note the fortifications and the peculiarities of the river, and when Wolfe's fleet faced the difficulties of the navigation of the river approaching Quebec, he was able to make a chart that was of the greatest service to his leader in bringing his fleet to its destination.

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