Histoire du Canada (Garneau)/Tome III/Livre XII/Appendice A
Page 474. — Extract of a letter from the Right Honorable Lord Sidney, one of His Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State, to His Excellency Governor Haldimand, dated Whitehall, the 8th April 1784.
“ I have every possible reason to agree with the late Secretary of State, in the propriety with which you have conducted yourself respecting the two Priests whom Monsr. Montgolfier attempted to introduce from France into the Seminary of St.-Sulpice at Montreal. Monsr. de Montgolfier as well as Monsr. Brassier, seem to have acted very imprudently thro’ the course of the transaction, and they must be told that a repetition of such behaviour will induce His Majesty to withold that countenance from the Seminary, which, by their observing a different line of conduct, he might be inclined to bestow.
“ Messrs. Adhémar and Delisle have, since their first arrival in England, paid a visit to the continent, and on their return have made application for the admission of three young Eclesiasticks, whom they proposed to take out with them from the Seminary of St.-Sulpice at Paris, but the same reasons which operated with you, have produced a negative to that requisition. These gentlemen have met with very little countenance here, and his Majesty, from your representation of their character, as well as some other reports which have come to my knowledge of their sentiments, has chosen, rather to receive the Petition they were charged with thro’ my hands, than it should be presented to him by them.
“ It is proper that it should be known that liberty has been given to Messrs. Adhémar and Delisle, to engage any number of Eclesiasticks that were necessary for supplying the vacant Parishes in Canada, and such other persons as they might judge proper for the tuition of their children, from any country unconnected with the House of Bourbon, as it is more than probable, that reports of a différent
tendency will be propagated by them on their return to Quebec, I am persuaded that the most effectual way of securing the attachment of the Canadians, is that of preventing by all possible means, every communication or connection with France, or persons who are influenced in favor of that country, and therefore it behoves the King’s servants to be watchful of their conduct upon every occasion, and to act with great firmness whenever any discovery should be made of even an attempt inconsistent with their entire separation.
“ I am in daily expectation that the four Priests who were applied for sometime ago, from Savoy, will arrive here, and not a moment’s time shall be lost in sending them to Canada. I have been particularly strenuous in my application, that in the choice of these gentlemen, great care may be taken that their characters are fair and that they may possess the advantages of good education and talents, and I trust, that I shall not be disappointed in my expectations respecting them.
“ Mr. Powell, according to your expectation has arrived in England with a Petition from the Province of Quebec praying a repeal of the Quebec Act ; the establishment of a House of Assembly ; the full exercise of the Habeas-Corpus ; the decision of Trials by optional Juries, and securing the Independance of the Judges, with sundry other requisitions of less importance. No measures, however, have yet been taken in consequence of this Petition, nor do I think it probable that the subjects of it will be hastily decided upon by the King’s servants. The passing of the Ordinance you propose for the introduction of the Habeas-Corpus Act, or some other mode for personal security, I believe will be very proper ; but I am satisfied in my own mind that any further relaxation from the powers of government in the present State of the Province, would be extremely detrimental to its true interests, and that these propositions have been brought forward by designing men, whose attachment to this country appears to me very doubtfull. ”