CHAMILLY.
"Mais, n'avons-nous pas, je vous prie,
Encore de plus puissants liens?
A tout preferons la patrie:
Avant tout soyons Canadiens."
--POPULAR SONG.
Chamilly rose upon the rostrum when Grandmoulin went down. He opened
quietly, after the exciting peroration of his opponent, and in a manner
which lulled and calmed the assembly.
"People of Dormillière, I have had a cause for wonder during Mr.
Grandmoulin's discourse. I have been wondering at the perfect courage
with which he invents a fact, a reason, a principle, an emotion, in
cases where almost the whole world knows that none of these exist."
"I am accounted a person informed in the events of '37. I have studied
all the accounts and documents that are accessible, and have made a
point of conversing with the survivors of that time. I state with the
fullest knowledge, and you have long known the value of my word, that it
is a falsehood that Mr. Grandmoulin's grandfather died a martyr as he
has alleged, nor is he known to have been concerned in the rebellion in
any way."
This statement created a visible sensation over the audience.
"Zotique called out: 'The National Liar!'"
Grandmoulin remained immovable.
"His assertion that I am an Englishman," went on Chamilly, "is as
absurd as it is futile here. Friends of mine through my youth, and
children of the friends of my forefathers, whose lives arose and
declined in this place like ours, am I not bound to you by ties which
forbid that I should be named a stranger!"
(Cries of "Oui, Oui," "Nôtre frère!" and "Nôtre Chamilly!")
"Mr. Grandmoulin speaks a falsehood of perhaps not less importance in
his assertion that the English are oppressing us. Where is the
oppression of which he makes cry? The very existence of each of you in
his full liberty and speaking French ought to be a sufficient argument.
Speak, act, worship, buy, sell,--who hinders us so long as we obey the
laws? Would you like a stronger evidence of our freedom? Grandmoulin
himself presents it when he proclaims his violent incitations! Of
oppression by our good fellow-citizens, let then no more be said.--"
"The object of Mr. Grandmoulin in these bold falsifications is I think
sufficiently suspected by you, when you have it on the evidence of your
senses that they are invented. Let us leave both them and him aside and
keep ourselves free to examine that theme of far transcending
importance, _the true position of the French-Canadians_."
"What is our true position? Is it to be a people of Ishmaelites, who see
in every stranger an enemy, who, having rejected good-will, shall have
chosen to be those whose existence is an intrigue--a people accepting no
ideas, and receiving no benefits? Will they be happy in their hatred?
Will they progress? Will they be permitted to exist?"
"Or shall their ideas be different? Tell me, ye who are of them; is it
more natural or not that they shall open their generous hearts to
everyone who will be their friend, their minds to every idea, their
conceptions to the noon-day conception of the fraternity of mankind,
liberty, equality, good-will? Is it more natural or not that we should
find pride in a country and a nation which have accepted our name and
history, and are constantly seeking our citizen-like affection to make
the union with us complete? French-Canadians, the honor of this
Dominion, which promises to be one of the greatest nations of the earth,
is peculiarly yours. You are of the race which were the first to call
themselves Canadians! The interests of your children are bound up in its
being; your honor in its conduct; your glory in its success. Work for
it, think on it, pray for it; let no illusion render you untrue to it:
beware of the enemy who would demolish the foundation of one patriotism
under pretext of laying the stones of another."
"Canadians!"--He lingered on the sound with tones of striking richness
which sank into the hearts of his hearers. "Canadians!--Great title of
the future, syllable of music, who is it that shall hear it in these
plains in centuries to come, and shall forget the race who chose it, and
gave it to the hundred peoples who arrive to blend in our land? To
_your_ stock the historic part and the gesture of respect is assigned,
from the companies of the incoming stream. My brothers, let us be
benign, and accept our place of honor. Identify yourselves with a nation
vaster than your race, and cultivate your talents to put you at its
head."
He said he had no condemnation, however, for those who were rightly
proud of the deeds of the French race and its old heroes.
"I have nothing but the enthusiasm of a comrade for any true to the
noble feelings which it would be a shame to let die! I entreat that they
be cherished, and let them incite us to new assurance of our
capabilities for enterprises fitting to our age. Let the virtues of old
take new forms, and courage will still be courage, hospitality
hospitality, and patriotism patriotism! Away with dragging for
inglorious purposes the banner of the past through the dust of the
present! Let the present be made glorious, and not inglorious, in its
own kind, and the past shine on at its enchanted distance of beauty!"
* * * * *
"What shall that greatness be--that splendor of our Canada to come?" He
pictured its possibilities in grand vistas. The people were spell-bound
by noble hopes and emotions which carried them upward. Involuntarily, as
Chrysler looked at his face and bearing, he was reminded of the
prophets, and the old white church behind seemed to be rising and
throwing back its head, and withdrawing its thoughts into some proud
region of the great and supernatural. The old man forgot the crowd and
the crowd totally forgot Chrysler:
"Canadians!" Chamilly closed, his figure drawn up like a hero's and his
rich voice sounding the name again with that wonderful utterance, "the
memories of our race are compatible only with the good of the world and
our country. If you are unwilling to accept me on this basis, do not
elect me, for I will only express my convictions."