1816]

LE SPECTATEUR.

47

The suppression of Le Canadien in 1810 by Craig* had left the type unemployed, and the French Canadian party without an organ. With this plant Le Spectateur Canadien entered upon its existence in Montreal; a contemporary writer de-. scribes it as formed on the ruin of Le Canadien.+ The first number was published the 1st of June, 1813. Prevost had then been nearly two years in the country, and no question had arisen within this period to awaken French Canadian susceptibility. Moreover, the struggle for life during the war took possession of the thoughts of men, with some rare exceptions, to remove them from the domain of active politics. But with peace came the revival of former asperities; prominent among them was the impeachment of the chief-justices. By the majority of those who had sustained the attempt, the rejection of the charges by the British government was regarded as a personal wrong, independently of its being held as a lèse législature.§

Le Spectateur was at the disposal of writers who entertained this view, and soon gave evidence of the fact. I have mentioned that in the hope of quieting public feeling a pamphlet had been circulated, which contained much of the correspondence between chief-justice Sewell when in London with lord Bathurst and the proceedings taken with regard to the orders in council. It was not the practice to insert the names appended to such a report; but, as it was conceived the publication of them might satisfy opinion in Canada, they were given in full. ||

The first pamphlet issued by chief-justice Sewell was fol

Ante, Vol. VIII., p. 56.

+ Le Spectateur, p. 11.

He arrived in Quebec on the 12th of September, 1811.

§ This expression may appear hazardée, but in my humble judgment I have sufficient authority for its use.

!! I cannot learn that a copy of this pamphlet remains. What is known of it is given by Christie, Vol. II., pp. 256, 259. The copy of its travesty is remembered only by the legal proceedings taken with regard to Sherwood. Several lengthy extracts from Le Spectateur, with letters from Sherwood, are given in [Can. Arch., Q. 136,] notably No. 47, Lundi, le 15 Avril, 1816. The writers

lowed by a publication in which the correspondence was travestied and ridiculed. Christie, then in his 28th year and living in Quebec, favoured by the majority, who had expressed the determination to appoint him as law clerk, describes the production as most perfect burlesque than which nothing could be more risible, and adds that the attorney-general desired to leave it unnoticed. Admitting all that it may be in this respect, Drummond conceived that the spirit shewn by it should, in the condition of public feeling, be restrained. Whether this decision was wise or unwise can only be imperfectly judged. If, however, Mr. Sherwood's known contributions to Le Spectateur are to be taken as examples of his style, it may be assumed that every attempt had been made to bring the imperial and colonial governments into contempt, and to weaken their authority.

Owing to the excitement caused by its appearance Drummond resolved that the pamphlet should not be allowed to pass without notice, and the attorney-general was instructed to prosecute the author, could he be discovered; for it had been published anonymously. The holder of the position was Uniacke. He had been represented by Craig to the home government as incompetent, with the recommendation that his place should be supplied by an abler man.* Uniacke had proceeded to England, and his influence had been sufficient to overcome the complaint. Nothing is heard of him in the five years of Prevost's government, and his conduct on this occasion suggests his subserviency to the majority in the assembly. There was, however, no difficulty in affiliating the authorship to Sherwood, and he was indicted at the court of oyer and terminer at Montreal.

When the matter came before the court, Mr. Stuart assisted in the defence of Sherwood, and it is said that through his influence the adverse witnesses were induced not to appear. On

had been excited by some idiotic person in London having said that all the the women in Canada had the goître. A communication from the Montreal Herald is also preserved, certainly not complimentary to Sherwood.

* Ante, Vol. VIII., p. 76.

1816]

THE POST-OFFICE.

49

his side the attorney-general was so lukewarm in the prosecution that it entirely failed, and the defendant was discharged. So lax was the conduct of Mr. Uniacke in the discharge of his duty, that the four judges felt themselves called upon to represent to the administration the necessity of a crown officer of superior abilities being resident in Montreal to perform duties of this character. Consequent upon the proceeding Sherwood sent some lengthy contributions to Le Spectateur; and the fact was pointed out by the Herald that while he assailed every public functionary, as far as prudence permitted, no disrespectful word was ever uttered against the attorney-general.

One point which claimed Drummond's attention was the tardy and insecure operations of the general post. During the war, in order to insure the greater rapidity of transit, a military express had been maintained, but owing to the expense it had been discontinued when peace was proclaimed. The postmaster at this date was Mr. George Heriot, who had been nominated to the position in October, 1799. Holding the office as an imperial appointment, he claimed that he could act only according to the instructions received from the postmaster-general in London. The authorities at the head office were governed by the principle of having the work performed as cheaply as possible, without regard to the efficiency of the service, or to any Canadian requirement. Heriot was peculiarly constituted to act upon this principle. Drummond intervened to obtain a better system; but, "as no amelioration was to be expected from the exertions" of the postmaster, brought the matter finally to the notice of the colonial secretary. The arrangement for the mail between Montreal and western Canada, which then contained a population approximately of from 95,000 to 100,000 souls, was scandalously incomplete. Except in winter a weekly mail left Kingston and Montreal on the Monday. It was carried by a single saddle horse through a series of mounted couriers. From Kingston it arrived at Brockville on Tuesday evening, at Cornwall on Wednesday, and reached

E

Montreal on the Thursday. There was a similar weekly mail between Kingston and York, Toronto, and an irregular mail once a week to Niagara and Amherstburg. Heriot explained that his instructions enforced economy, and he could not increase the expense.

Drummond directed the civil secretary, Loring, to point out to Heriot that a more frequent transmission of the mail would lead to greater receipts. From the very slovenly and uncertain mode in which the letters were carried, the inhabitants did not look upon the conveyance as secure, and consequently preferred to send their letters by private agency. He also expressed great dissatisfaction with the uncertain mode of the communication with Amherstburg. Whatever the economy enjoined by the imperial post-office, Drummond could not believe that there was a desire to act upon it in a manner injurious to the province of Upper Canada.

Heriot replied that in 1812 he had pointed out the insufficiency of the service, and the necessity of improvement, but his suggestions on the subject had received no attention. In December Loring reverted to the subject, and asked Heriot for definite information about the service between York and

Niagara and Amherstburg. Heriot replied that he was governed by acts of parliament and written instructions. received from time to time from the head offices in London, and he could only report to the lords of that department and receive orders from their secretary. Drummond accordingly addressed Bathurst on the subject, and requested the removal of the postmaster on account of his incapacity. He added that he had called upon Heriot to send him a copy of his instructions. Two letters had been written without a reply having been received. To the third application, after a fortnight's delay, the instructions asked for had been sent. They warranted no such pretension as Heriot had assumed. Drummond drew the attention to the fact that the arrangements for sending letters from Halifax were so bad that when letters from that place had been sent simultaneously to

1816]

THE INDIAN DEPARTMENT.

51

England and to Quebec, the former had first reached their destination.

I have given this incident with some detail from the light it throws on the conduct of those who called themselves imperial servants. The post-office remained under the control of the home office until the 6th of April, 1851, a quarter of a century after this date. It would be unjust to deny that in the last period it was conducted more satisfactorily; but the paralyzing influence of the officials in London was felt to the last and exercised a restraint on those in charge, who best understood the wants and requirements of Canada.*

A matter of minor importance caused some mortification to Drummond. When he was administrator of Upper Canada and Prevost was governor-general, the Indian department was considered to be under the direction of the commander of the forces, and had been so controlled. With this impression, Drummond had appointed as superintendent of Indian affairs lieutenant-colonel McKay, a competent and experienced officer. Gore, then lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada, informed him that McKay could not hold the appointment, and submitted in "friendly terms" the despatches by which this branch of the public service had been placed under the civil control of the lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada. Drummond could not but acquiesce in this view. Consequently, he cancelled the appointment; but, in so doing, strongly urged that the control of the Indian department should be placed with the military service.

The last weeks of Drummond's stay in Canada were made unpleasant by the course taken by major-general Wilson,

The consequence was the removal of Heriot from his position. The date of his last letter on record in the archives is the 31st May, 1816. [Can. Arch., C. p. 284.] The first letter of Mr. Sutherland, appointed his successor, is that of the 8th October. [Ib., p. 209, 211.] I cannot find the date when he assumed office. Mr. Sutherland held the position until he was succeeded by Mr. T. A. Stayner, appointed 6th April, 1828, who with much energy and ability and to the satisfaction of the community, so far as was possible as the office was then constituted, filled the position until the transfer of the post-office to the provincial authorities.