ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



III. 



When the war of independence was over Canada was only a sparsely- 

 settled country in which the French Canadians were very largely in the 

 majority. In Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island 

 there was a small English population, chiefly composed of United 

 Empire Loyalists.^ A considei-able number of the same class came over 

 from the United States and settled in the eastern townships of French 

 or Lower Canada — now Quebec — and in the province of Upper or 

 "Western Canada, now Ontario. Few facts of modern times have had a 

 greater influence on the destinies of a country than this immigration 

 of sturdy, resolute and intelligent men, united by high principles and the 

 most unselfish motives. The}^ laid the foundations of the provinces 

 now known as New Brunswick and Ontario, and settled a considerable 

 portion of Nova Scotia. From the day of their settlement on the banks 

 of the St. John, Niagara and St. Lawrence rivers, and in the vicinity of 

 Lakes Ontario and Erie, they have exercised by themselves and their 

 descendants a powerful influence on the institutions of Canada, not 

 unlike that exercised by the descendants of the New England pioneers 

 throughout the American Union; and it is to them we owe much of that 

 spirit and devotion to England which has always distinguished the 

 Canadian people and aided to keep them, even in critical periods of their 

 history, within the empire. 



During the war of independence the leading French Canadians 

 resisted all attempts that were made to induce them to unite their for- 

 tunes with the revolted colonists. The British Government and Parlia- 

 ment had seen the necessity of conciliating the conquered people, and 

 had passed in 1174 what is known as the Quebec Act,'^ which gave 

 additional guarantees to that nationality for the security of their prop- 

 erty and the preservation of their language, religion and institutions. 

 Owing in a great measui-e to this conciliatory polic3^ and to the eflbrts of 

 the priests, who have always been firm friends of British rule, the French 

 people of Lower Canada were kept faithful to the King of England, 

 and the history of those times records the death of General Montgomery 

 and the defeat of his troops, who invaded Canada and besieged Quebec 

 under the delusion that the province would be an easy conquest as soon 

 as the invaders set foot within its limits. 



With the settlement of Upper Canada by the Loyalists and the 

 English population that subsequentl}^ flowed into the country, it was 



1 III 17Si there were in Canada 10,000 United Empire Loyalists ; in Nova Scotia 

 and New Brunswick upwards of 30,000 In 1790 the population of old Canada was 

 161,311, of whom 120,000 were French. 



- Imperial Statute, 14 George III., c. 83. 



