[boueinot] CANADA DURING THE VICTORIAN ERA 11 



office while supported by a majority of the representatives in the people's 

 House. In Upper Canada the Eadical section of the Liberal party was 

 led by Mr. W. Lyon Mackenzie, who fought vigorously against wbat 

 was generally known as the " Family Compact", which occupied all the 

 public offices and controlled the government. 



In the two provinces these two men at last precipitated a rebellion, 

 in which blood was shed and much property was destroyed, but which 

 never reached any very extensive proportions. In the maritime prov- 

 inces, however, where the public grievances were of less magnitude, the 

 people showed no sympathy with the rebellious elements of the upjier 

 provinces. The agitation for responsible government in those colonies 

 was led by Mr. Joseph Howe, who in the course of his public life was 

 always animated by truly loyal British feelings, and was never influenced 

 by passion to step bej'ond the limits of legitimate constitutional agitation. 



IV. 



Such was the political situation in Canada when (^ueen Victoria 

 ascended the throne on June 20, 1837. If we survey the general condi- 

 tion of things in those troublovis times, the prospect was not encouraging. 

 The total population of the provinces did not exceed 1,350,000 souls, 

 of whom nearly one-half were French Canadians. Trade and commerce 

 were quite paralyzed by the political discontent which had existed for 

 years, and had already broken out into rebellion. The value of the 

 whole trade of British North America — that is of the imports and 

 exports in the aggregate — was about $25,000,000. The principal trade 

 was in fish and lumber for the export of which a considerable number of 

 vessels were yearly built in the maritime provinces. Not more than four 

 or five banks existed, and none of them had a large capital except the 

 oltl bank of Montreal, which has always been the most important mone- 

 tary institution of this continent. 



The total revenue at this time did not exceed $7,000,000, and in more 

 than one province the revenue was insufficient to meet the legitimate 

 ex[(enses required for public works and other necessary improvements. 

 In Upper Canada the situation was extremely serious. In consequence 

 of the consti'uction of public works, commenced in the infancy of the 

 colony, a debt of $5,000,000 had been accumulated when the whole 

 revenue did not reach $300,000, and was inadequate to pay the interest. 

 A financial crisis in the United States had led the banks to suspend specie 

 payments, and aggravated the difficulties of the commercial situation in 

 Canada. The banks of Lower Canada found it necessary to follow the 

 example of similar institutions in the American republic; though those 

 in the upper province, to their credit, successfully tided over the crisis,. 



