mplicated. If asked how far the distance from this
place to that was; a French-Canadian peasant would reply:--"it is one
or two pipes of tobacco off," or "you cannot reach it between sunrise
and sunset." But the better classes, in close contact with the upper
classes among the English, were rapidly improving, and began to
entertain the idea that they had political rights. They even started
a newspaper called "_Le Canadien_" and began most vigorously to
abuse "les Anglais" and the government. The "_Canadien_" published
entirely in French, first appeared in November 1806. Had it been less
anti-British, possibly, it would have been less disagreeable; but
the idea had strongly taken possession of its supporters that
French-Canadians were looked upon, by the government and its
satellites, as mere serfs, and they agitated accordingly. Not only
that. They began to exhibit some sparks of independence. Their
watchword became:--"_Nos institutions_, _notre langue_, _et nos lois_."
They branded the British immigrants and the British population as
"_etrangers et intrus_." Mr. Crapaud's temper was fairly up. There was
cause. The worm will bite when trodden upon. Unless there had been
substantial grievances, the _Canadien_ could not by any possibility
have become so popular as to have given not only umbrage, but
uneasiness to the government. Yet it did cause such uneasiness and
was peremptorily checked. It was impossible then for a native-born
Canadian, whether of English or French extraction, to look a
home-appointed government official in the face. "_Tempora mutantur et
nos mutamur in illis._"

[11] See Duke de la Rochefoucault's Liancourt's travels through
North America.

On the 21st January, 1807, Mr. President Dunn again met the Legislature
of Lower Canada. That invaluable constitution enjoining on the ruler to
meet his parliament once a year, rendered it imperative upon him to
summon the Council and Assembly for the despatch of business. He
recommended to the assembled wisdom before him the propriety of
continuing several temporary acts then in force; congratulated them on
the brilliant success of His Majesty's arms; alluded with pride to the
conquest of the Cape of Good Hope; and touched upon the repeated
victories obtained by Sir John Stuart in Calabria. The Assembly replied
in terms most flattering to the President personally, promising to do
as he required. On proceeding to business, the first subject which
en