332 PEIEST AND PURITAN. [1645-5L 



real. Under these circumstances, one cannot won- 

 der that the colony was but indifferently defended 

 against the Iroquois, and that the King had to 

 send soldiers to save it from destruction. In the 

 next year, at the instance of Maisonneuve, another 

 change was made. A specified sum was set apart 

 for purposes of defence, and the salaries of the 

 Governors were proportionably reduced. The 

 Governor-General, Montmagny, though he seems 

 to have done better than could reasonably have 

 been expected, was removed ; and, as Maisonneuve 

 declined the office, d'Ailleboust, another Montre- 

 alist, was appointed to it. This movement, indeed, 

 had been accomplished by the interest of the Mont- 

 real party ; for aheady there was no slight jealousy 

 between Quebec and her rival. 



The Council was reorganized, and now consisted 

 of the Governor, the Superior of the Jesuits, and 

 three of the principal inhabitants.^ These last 

 were to be chosen every three years by the Council 

 itself, in conjunction with the Syndics of Quebec, 

 Montreal, and Three Eivers. The Syndic was an 

 officer elected by the inhabitants of the community 

 to which he belonged, to manage its afi'airs. Hence 

 a slight ingredient of liberty was introduced into 

 the new organization. 



The colony, since the transfer of the fur-trade, 

 had become a resident corporation of merchants, 

 with the Governor and Council at its head. They 

 were at once the directors of a trading company, 



1 The Governors of Montreal and Three Rivers, when present, had 

 also seats m the Council. 



