20 FRONTENAC AT QUEBEC. [1672. 



tal of a mighty empire ; and lie farther ordained 

 that the people should hold a meeting every six 

 months to discuss questions involving the welfare 

 of the colony. The boldness of these measures 

 will scarcely be appreciated at the present day. 

 The intendant Talon declined, on pretence of a 

 slight illness, to be present at the meeting of the 

 estates. He knew too well the temper of the king, 

 whose constant policy it was to destroy or para- 

 lyze every institution or custom that stood in the 

 way of his autocracy. The despatches in which 

 Frontenac announced to his masters what he had 

 clone received in due time their answer. The 

 minister Colbert wrote : " Your assembling of the 

 inhabitants to take the oath of fidelity, and your 

 division of them into three estates, may have had 

 a good effect for the moment ; but it is well for 

 you to observe that you are always to follow, in 

 the government of Canada, the forms in use here ; 

 and since our kings have long regarded it as good 

 for their service not to convoke the states-general 

 of the kingdom, in order, perhaps, to abolish in- 

 sensibly this ancient usage, you, on your part, 

 should very rarely, or, to speak more correctly, 

 never, give a corporate form to the inhabitants of 

 Canada. You should even, as the colony strength- 

 ens, suppress gradually the office of the syndic, 

 who presents petitions in the name of the inhabi- 

 tants ; for it is well that each should speak for 

 himself, and no one for all." ' 



I Frontenac au Roi, 2 Nov., 1672; Ibid., 13 Nov., 1673 ; Harangue du 

 Comte de Frontenac en I' Assembled a Quebec; Prestations de Serment, 23 Oct., 

 1672 ; Rtglement de Police fait par Monsieur le Comte de Frontenac; Colbert 

 a Frontenac, 13 Juin, 1673. 



