A Biographical Sketch of the Hon. Louis Joseph Papineau, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Lower Canada: Difference between revisions

[[Image:George-ramsey-9th-earl-of-dalhousie.jpg|thumb|left|George Ramsey, 9th Earl of Dalhousie, Governor of both Canadas]][[Image:William-hull.jpg|thumb|William Hull, American General during the Siege of Detroit]]It was whilst serving in this capacity, that the American prisoners, after the disgraceful surrender of Gen. [[Wikipedia:William Hull|Hull]] at [[Wikipedia:Siege of Detroit|Detroit]], were marched into Montreal .... of all rules of courtesy, and to the .... of those brave men's feelings, they ... to enter the latter city to the tune of [[Wikipedia:Yankee Doodle|Yankee Doodle]] - an air originally gotten up in the time of the revolution by an English officer in derision of the then unskilled, but afterwards successful militia of our country, and which was played on the occasion above referred to, to render the prisoners objects of similar ridicule and obloquy. Mr. Papineau held a captain's commission on this occasion, and had command of a company who preceded the prisoners. So indignant was he the insult thus offered, that he wheeled out of the line and refused with a number of his men to proceed, declaring that neither himself nor his men would commingle with troops who could be guilty of conduct so reprehensible and disgusting; that his duty to his country, though at war with another power, could never require him to treat the captured soldiers of that power inhospitably or uncourteously.

1n 1822, however, this tranquility was disturbed by a proposal entertained by the imperial parliament, to unite the provinces. This measure was extremely unpopular in Lower Canada, and excited warm debates in the assembly. Throughout the country, too, the people were much excited; "constitutional committees" were formed for deprecating the intended union. [[Petitions]] were circulated and numerously signed, and deputies were appointed to proceed to England to remonstrate against the measure. The subject of our memoir was one of these deputies. His opposition to the views of the official party having, in the meantime, shewn that he could not be bought, he was dismissed, previous to his departure for England, from the executive council. The projected union was successfully opposed, and Mr. Papineau and his colleague Mr. [[Wikipedia:John Neilson|John Neilson]], on their return in 1824 were enabled to communicate to the assembly, "that the measure of an union was dropped, and that in case if its revival ( and this was a most important point gained) the subject would be communicated to the colony, and time would be allowed to enable colonists to be heard in parliament."