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Transcriber’s note:
Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
A carat character is used to denote superscription. A
single character following the carat is superscripted
(example: Benj^n).
MONTREAL 1535-1914
Under British Rule 1760-1914
by
WILLIAM HENRY ATHERTON, Ph. D.
_Qui manet in patria et patriam cognoscere temnit
Is mihi non civis, sed peregrinus erit_
VOLUME II
[Illustration]
Illustrated
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
Montreal Vancouver Chicago
1914
PREFACE
The history of “Montreal Under British Rule” is the “Tale of Two
Cities”, of a dual civilization with two main racial origins, two
mentalities, two main languages, and two main religions. It is
the story of two dominant races growing up side by side under the
same flag, jealously preserving their identities, at some times
mistrusting one another, but on the whole living in marvelous
harmony though not always in unison, except on certain well
defined common grounds of devotion to Canada and the Empire, and
of the desire of maintaining the noble traditions and the steady
progress of their city.
Montreal of today is a cosmopolitan city, but it is
preponderatingly French-Canadian in its population. This fact
makes it necessary to give especial attention to the history of
two-thirds of the people. There has, therefore, been an effort in
these pages, while recognizing this, to respect the rights of the
minority, and open-handed justice has been observed.
The position of a dispassionate onlooker has been taken as far
as possible in the narration of the domestic struggles in the
upbuilding of the city through the crucial turnstiles of Canadian
history under British rule--the Interregnum, the establishment
of civil government, the Quebec act, the Constitutional act,
the Union, and the Confederation. This attitude of equipoise,
while disappointing to partisans, has been justified if it helps
to present an unbiased account of different periods of history
and serves to maintain the city’s motto of “Concordia Salus”--a
doctrine which has been upheld throughout this work. _Tout savoir
c’est tout pardonner._
Charles Dickens in his visit to Montreal in 1842 observed that
it was a “heart-burning town.” There is no need to renew the
occasion for such a title in the city of today.
It only remains to express thankful indebtedness to those, too
numerous to mention, who have assisted in the compilation of
certain information otherwise difficult of access, and also to
thank a number of friends, prominent citizens of Montreal, who
in connection with the movement for city improvement and the
inculcation of civic pride have encouraged the author to embark
on the laborious but pleasant task of preparing this second
volume of the history of “Montreal Under British Rule,” as a
sequel to the first volume of “Montreal Under the French Régime.”
WILLIAM HENRY ATHERTON.
December, 1914.
NOTE TO THE READER
In presenting the second volume to the reader the writer would
observe that its first part deals mainly with the story of city
progress under the various changes of the political and civic
constitution, with certain chapters of supplementary annals and
sidelights of general progress. The second part treats in detail,
for the sake of students and as a reference book, the special
advancement of the city through its various eras in religion,
education, culture, population, public service, hospital,
charitable, commercial, financial, transportation and city
improvement growth, and in so doing the author has desired to
present the histories of the chief associations that have in the
past or in the present been mainly responsible for the upbuilding
of a no mean city.
W.H.A.
CONTENTS
PART I
CONSTITUTIONAL AND CIVIC PROGRESS
CHAPTER I
THE EXODUS FROM MONTREAL
1760
“THE OLD ORDER CHANGETH, GIVING PLACE TO NEW”
AMHERST’S LETTER REVIEWING EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE
CAPITULATION--THE SURRENDER OF ARMS--THE REVIEW OF BRITISH
TROOPS--THE DEPARTURE OF THE FRENCH TROOPS--END OF THE
PECULATORS--VAUDREUIL’S CAPITULATION CENSURED--DEPARTURE OF
THE PROVINCIAL TROOPS--ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
COLONY--DEPARTURE OF AMHERST--THE TWO RACES LEFT BEHIND. NOTES:
(1) THE EXODUS AND THE REMNANT.--(2) THE POPULATION OF CANADA
AT THE FALL 3