" 1 



60 FRONTENAC AND DUCHESNE AU. [1675-82. 



noyances which the intendant tries to put upon 

 me every day, and which, as you advise me, I 

 scorn or disregard. It would require a virtue 

 like yours to turn them to all the good use of 

 which they are capable ; yet, great as the virtue 

 is which has enabled you to possess your soul in 

 tranquillity amid all the troubles of the court, I 

 doubt if you could preserve such complete equa 

 nimity among the miserable tumults of Canada. 



Having given the principal charges of Duches- 

 neau against Frontenac, it is time to give those of 

 Frontenac against Duchesneau. The governor says 

 that all the coureurs de hois would be brought to 

 submission but for the intendant and his allies, 

 who protect them, and carry on trade by their 

 means ; that the seigniorial house of Duchesneau's 

 partner, La Chesnaye, is the constant resort of 

 these outlaws ; and that he and his associates have 

 large storehouses at Montreal, Isle St. Paul, and 

 Riviere du Loup, whence they send goods into 

 the Indian country, in contempt of the king's 

 orders. 2 . Frontenac also complains of numberless 

 provocations from the intendant. "It is no- fault 

 of mine that I am not on good terms with M. 

 Duchesneau ; for I have done every thing I could 

 to that end, being too submissive to your Majesty's 

 commands not to suppress my sharpest indignation 

 the moment your will is known to me. But, Sire, 

 it is not so with him ; and his desire to excite new 

 disputes, in the hope of making me appear their 



1 Frontenac an Mare'chal de Bellefonds, 14 Nov., 1680. 

 - Me'moire et Preaves du De'sordre des Coureurs de Bois. 



