THE MAKING OF CANADA. 11 



country constituted just the stable portion of the population, that is, the habitants. It is 

 false to say that Canada was at that time (1629) abandoned. That primary germ of Canadian 

 families deserves neither the indifference nor the oblivion of historians. For it was they 

 who refused to despair of their adopted country, and their development was proof against 

 every attempt to arrest it. A hundred and fifty years later the Canadians were in the same 

 situation, and then too they had the courage to remain Canadians. Such is our history. 

 "We have become anchored in the soil in spite of the ebb and flow of European influences. 

 In 1629, of less than a hundred persons then in the colony, more than a third was composed 

 0Î habitants, and they remained faithful to their post, undeterred by ill fortune." 



But after the Cession, an immigration from Grreat Britain at once set in. In five years 

 a newspaper (the Quebec Gazette) had been established at Quebec, the first number of 

 which contained the advertisements of English merchants. In twenty-five years there was 

 a considerable British population, and, in the following year, the sentiment of loyalty had 

 become strong enough among the whole population to present a united front against 

 the wiles and encroachments of the American Congress. In the defence of Qu.ebec 

 against Eichard Montgomery in December, 1*7*75, the French and British were as one man. 



In 1763, when Canada was formally ceded to England, the rule of martial law, 

 inaugurated in 1'759, was changed for a modified military government, with the promise of 

 popular representation, as soon as circumstances would permit. In 17*74 was passed the 

 Quebec Act, which greatly enlarged the limits of the province, assured religious liberty, 

 with the privileges indicated in the terms of capitulation, recognized the ancient French 

 civil law, but insisted on the adoption of the criminal law of Great Britain. In 1784, 

 the province of New Brunswick was created and the town of St. John settled with U. E. 

 Loyalists. In 1791, the province of Quebec was divided into Upper and Lower Canada, 

 with British law in its entirety for the former. It signified the inauguration of constitu- 

 tional, but without responsible, government, a boon which was not enjoyed, till, after the 

 rising of 1837, the severed provinces were again united under a common government. The 

 next political change was the most important of all, being that which was effected by the 

 British North America Act, constituting the Dominion of Canada. By successive annexations, 

 in accordance with its provisions, the whole region from the Atlantic to the Pacific has been 

 made one federal power, under a single central authority. 



United Empire Loyalists. 



The American revolution having been successful, most of those who had sided with 

 the mother-land in the quarrel were expatriated and had their property confiscated. An 

 appeal having been consequently made to Great Britain, an act was (in 1783) passed in 

 their favour, and the following March fixed as the ultimate date on which claims for 

 redress should be received. The number of those dispossessed on account of their un- 

 broken allegiance was from 25,000 to 30,000, the great majority of whom took up their 

 abodes in the Canadas, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. We have ample means of judging 

 of the character of this addition to our population. The loyalists were moral, intelligent and 

 enterprising, and formed a timely and valuable accession to the young communities of 

 Upper Canada and the maritime provinces, where many of them rose rapidly to distinction, 



