CHAPTER LVIII.
Contents—Simcoe—His arrival in Canada—Up the St. Lawrence—An old house—“Old Breeches’ River”—Simcoe’s attendants—The old veterans—“Good old cause”—“Content”—Toasting—Old officers—Executive Council of Upper Canada—First entry—Simcoe inducted to office—Religious ceremony—“The proceedings”—Those present—Oath of office—Organization of Legislative Council—Assembly—Issuing writs for elections—Members of Council—Simcoe’s difficulty—At Kingston—Division of Province—The Governor’s officers—Rochfoucault upon Simcoe—Simcoe’s surroundings—His wife—Opening Parliament in 1795—Those present—Retinue—Dress—The nineteen counties—Simcoe’s designs—Visit of the Queen’s father—At Kingston—Niagara—A war dance.
ORGANIZATION OF THE UPPER CANADA GOVERNMENT BY SIMCOE, 1792.
Colonel John Graves Simcoe, the pioneer Governor of Upper Canada, and the Lieutenant-Governor under Lord Dorchester, entered upon the duties of his office, July 8, 1792.
His arrival in Canada was signalled by much rejoicing, as he passed along in a fleet of bark canoes from Lower Canada, by the St. Lawrence. A writer, in 1846, relates some interesting facts respecting this passage. He speaks of one house then remaining in Johnstown, which remained in all its original proportions. “It is built in the Dutch style, with sharp-pointed roof, and curious gables.” This house was framed of oak of the finest growth; and, considering that it has been drawn from lot to lot, until it has traveled almost the entire extent of the bay, (at Johnston) within the last half century, it certainly is a remarkable edifice. It is now a hostelrié, as it has always been, and no sign of repentance can be yet seen in its huge sign-board, exhibited at the top of a taper pine, on which some cunning disciple of Michael Angelo, hath depicted a tolerably sized square, and a pair of exquisitely expansive compass, striding classically, in imitation of the Collosus of Rhodes, with the staring capitals of “Live and let live—St. John’s Hall—Peace and plenty to all mankind”—thrown in as a sort of relief to the compass, and as a sweet inducement to the weary and dust-begrimmed traveler to walk in, and make himself as comfortable as the little peculiarities of the lazy-eyed landlord, and the singular temperament of the land-lady, will allow.
“This house is Governor Simcoe’s house. In it John Graves Simcoe, the first Governor of the U. E. Loyalists, himself a hearty, brave old colonel, who fought in the cause of these men, held his levee, on his first arrival in Upper Canada. Time hallows all. Young Canada has her antiquities—although she may be more prone to look forward to the future with hope, than back on the past with regret. Yet the house in which John Graves Simcoe reposed himself, and cast his martial eye over the gracefully curving bay, the sparkling river, and the dilapidated fortifications of the old French fort, built during the French ascendancy; on the point and islands below, may still be an object of interest to more than those who reside in the vicinity, in a Province, which owes so much of its present prosperity to the good commencement made by one possessed of his historic heroism, humanity, and noble self-denial in the cause of an exiled race. The house stood on a point of land formed by the bay, and a small stream which passes from the north westward, called formerly by the French, “Riviere de la Vielle Culotte,” which being translated, probably means “Old Breeches’ River.” Governor Simcoe had, but a short half-hour previously, taken his departure for Niagara, in one of the large bark canoes with which the passage on the St. Lawrence, and along the shore of the lakes, was then generally made. A brigade of smaller canoes and boats followed him, conveying his suite, and a few soldiers; and never since the year 1756, when Montcalm led his army upward to the attack of Oswego, had the swelling bosom of the wild forest river borne so glad a sight as on that sparkling morning.
“The old piece of ordnance, obtained from the island fort below, had ceased to belch forth its thunders from the clay bank; whereon, fort want of trunnions it had been deposited. The gentry of the surrounding country, collected together for the occasion, and looking spruce, though weather-beaten, in their low-tasselled boots, their queer old broad-skirted military coats, and looped chapeaux, with faded feathers fluttering in the wind, had retired to the inn, and were toasting in parting goblets, the “good old cause for ever,” previously to betaking themselves to their woodland path homeward, or embarking in their canoes to reach their destinations by water, above or below.
“Now I am content—content, I say, and can go home to reflect on this proud day. Our Governor—the man of all others—has come at last—mine eye hath seen it—drink to him gentlemen—he will do the rest for us,”—cried Colonel Tom Fraser, his face flushed and fiery, and his stout frame drawn up to its full height at the head of the table.
“We do—we do!” vociferated young Kingsmill, emptying his glass, and stamping to express joy. “Bonhomme” Tom Fraser then got on his legs, and shouted a brawny young soldier’s echo to the toast of his relative.
The mild, placid countenance of Dr. Solomon Jones, was lighted up by the occasion, and he arose also, and responded to the toast, recounting some of the services performed by the newly appointed Lieutenant-Governor in the late war.
Captain Elijah Bottum, a large portly person, having at his side a formidable basket-hilted claymore, then addressed them in brief military phrase, and gave one of the old war slogans. Major Jessup followed in the same strain, and proposed a sentiment which was received with vociferous cheers by the younger portion of the company. Captain Dulmage, Captain Campbell, Pay-master Jones, Commissary Jones, Captain Gid. Adams, Lieutenant Samuel Adams, Ephraim Webster, Captain Markle, Captain Grant, and numerous other captains and officers, managed to make themselves heard on the joyful occasion, until finally the meeting broke up, and the company separated not to meet again until the next fourth day of June, in the following year.
The first entry in the journals of the Executive Council of Upper Canada, gives an account of the induction of Colonel Simcoe into the gubernatorial office at Kingston. The event was made one of solemnity and religious observance, the proceedings taking place on a Sunday, in the old church of wood, which stood opposite the market-place. We quote an extract from the proceedings of the Executive Council.
Kingston, July 8, 1792.
“His Excellency John Graves Simcoe, Esq., Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of Upper Canada, colonel, commanding the forces in the said Province, &c., &c., having appointed the Protestant church, as a suitable place for the reading and publishing of his Majesty’s commissions, he accordingly repaired thither, attended by the Hon. William Osgoode, Chief Justice; the Hon. James Baby, the Hon. Peter Russell, together with the Magistrates and principal inhabitants, when the said commission appointing his Excellency (Grey) Lord Dorchester, Captain-General and Governor-in-chief, &c., &c., of Upper and Lower Canada, and also the commission appointing the said John Graves Simcoe, Governor of the Province of Upper Canada, were solemnly read and published.”
The oaths of office were then administered to his Excellency. According to the Royal instructions to Governor Simcoe, he was to have five individuals to form the first Executive Council. The five named were William Osgoode, William Robertson, James Baby, Alexander Grant, and Peter Russell, Esqs. The next day, Monday, Osgoode, Baby, and Russell were sworn into office, as Executive Councillors. Robertson was not then in the Province; Grant was sworn in a few days after.
Upon the 17th of July, a meeting of the council was held at the Government House, at Kingston, when the first steps were taken to organize a Legislative Council, and assembly writs were issued, summoning the gentlemen who were to form the first Legislative Council. These were, in addition to those forming the Executive Council, Richard Duncan, Robert Hamilton, Richard Cartwright, Junr., John Munro, and we believe, Thomas Fraser. These constituted the Legislative Council.
Two of the nine, it would seem, never took upon themselves the duties of the high place thus allotted them. One was Richard Duncan, who lived at Mariatown, County of Dundas. He was a captain, and had, in 1788, been appointed Judge of the Lunenburgh district. When Upper Canada became a separate province, Judge Duncan, as well as Cartwright, Judge of Mecklenburgh, were appointed Legislative Councillors. Duncan was a man of extensive business, and highly respected; but “some transactions in connection with banking business, were so imprudent,” that “he left the country somewhat abruptly for the United States,” and “never dared to return,” (Croil). This unfortunate affair, whatever its nature may have been, probably occurred about the time of the above mentioned appointment, as he shortly after removed to Schenectady, New York, where he continued to live until his death. The other was Mr. Robertson, a resident of Sandwich, where he had become a successful merchant. He never took his seat in the council, the reason of which does not appear.
It is stated that, according to the despatches of Simcoe to the Imperial Government, he found no little difficulty in obtaining suitable persons to fill the offices of the Executive and Legislative Council, who would absent themselves from home for the purpose.
The Executive Council continued to hold meetings at Kingston up to the 21st July, when Simcoe proceeded westward, and determined to make the village at the mouth of Niagara River, his capital.
Upon the same day that the Governor and Council issued summonses to the gentlemen of the Legislative Council, the 16th July, a proclamation was likewise issued, forming the Province into Counties, and specifying the number of representatives to be elected by the people to constitute the Legislative Assembly. And these proclamations were speedily conveyed and posted in every settlement.
The following were the officers connected with the Governor while at Newark. “Military Sec. Major Littlehales; Provincial Aide-de-Camp, Thomas Talbot; Solicitor General, Mr. Gray; Clerk of Executive Council, Mr. Small; Civil Secretary, William Jarvis; Receiver General, Peter Russell; Surveyor General, D. W. Smith; Assistant Surveyor General, Thomas Ridout and William Chewitt.” The Council Chamber was a building near to Butler’s barracks on the hill, where the Episcopal and Catholic Churches assembled occasionally, and alternately. The first meeting of the Executive at Newark, was held on the 29th September. Ten days after this was the opening of Parliament. Peter Clark was appointed Clerk of the Legislative Council; John G. Law, Usher of the Black Rod. The superintendent of the Indian department, was Colonel John Butler, of Butler’s Rangers of the Revolutionary war.
John White, the first Attorney-General of Upper Canada, came to the country, accompanied by Thomas Ward, in 1792.
The Duke de la Rochefoucault, Linancourt, a French nobleman, traveling in America, in 1795, visited Governor Simcoe, and remarks in his writings that “Upper Canada is a new country, or rather a country yet to be formed. It was probably for this reason General Simcoe accepted the government of it. He was fully aware of the advantages which his native land might derive from such a colony, if it attained perfection; and imagined that means might be found adequate to this purpose. This hope was the only incitement which could impel a man of independent fortune, to leave the large and beautiful estates he possesses in England, and to bury himself in a wilderness, among bears and savages. Ambition, at least, appears not to have been his motive; as a man, in Gen. Simcoe’s situation, is furnished with abundant means of distinguishing himself by useful activity, without removing to a great distance from his native country. But, whatever have been his motives, his design has been attended with consequences highly beneficial. The plan conceived by General Simcoe for peopling and improving Upper Canada, seems, as far as he has communicated to us, extremely wise and well arranged.” The same writer says, that Simcoe had a hearty hatred against the United States, that he had been a zealous promoter of the war, in which he took a very active part. “In his private life Governor Simcoe is simple, plain, and obliging. He inhabits a small miserable wooden house, which formerly was occupied by the Commissaries. His guard consists of four soldiers, who every morning come from the fort, and return thither in the evening. He lives in a noble and hospitable manner, without pride. Mrs. Simcoe is a lady of thirty-six years of age. She is bashful, and speaks little, but she is a woman of sense, handsome and amiable, and fulfils all the duties of a mother and wife with the most scrupulous exactness. The performance of the latter she carries so far as to act the part of Secretary to her husband. Her talents for drawing, the practice of which she confines to maps and plans, to enable her to be extremely useful to the Governor.” “The Governor is colonel of a regiment of Queen’s Rangers, stationed in the Province. His servants are privates of this regiment which is stationed elsewhere.”
“During our residence at Navy Hall, the Session of the Legislature of Upper Canada was opened. (This was 1795). The Governor had deferred it till that time, on account of the expected arrival of a Chief Justice from England, and from a hope that he should be able to acquaint the members with the particulars of the treaty with the United States. But the harvest has now begun, which in a higher degree than elsewhere engages, in Canada, the public attention. Two members of the Legislative Council were present instead of seven; no Chief Justice appeared who was to act as Speaker; instead of sixteen members of the Assembly only five attended. The law requires a greater number of members for each House, to discuss and determine upon any business, but within two days a year will have expired since the last Session. The Governor has therefore thought it right to open the Session. The whole retinue of the Governor consisted in a guard of fifty men of the garrison of the fort. Dressed in silk, he entered the Hall with his hat on his head, attended by the Adjutant and two Secretaries. The two members of the Legislative Council gave, by their Speaker, notice of it to the Assembly. Five members of the latter having appeared at the bar, the Governor delivered a speech,” &c.
When Simcoe undertook the administration of the newly established Province, a proclamation was issued which divided the Province into nineteen counties. In the creation of this division, Simcoe had a view to military organization. Rochefaucault says, “The maxims of government professed by Gen. Simcoe are very liberal and fair; he detests all arbitrary and military government, without the walls of the fort; and desires liberty in its utmost latitude, so far as is consistent with the constitution and law of the land. He is, therefore, by no means ambitious of investing all power and authority in his own hands; but consents to the Lieutenants, whom he nominates for each county the right of appointing the Justices of the Peace, and Officers of the Militia.”
“A Justice of the Peace could assign, in the King’s name, 200 acres of land to every settler, whom he knew to be worthy, and the surveyor of the district was to point out to the settler the land allotted him.”—(Rogers). Simcoe desired to populate the Province as speedily as possible, no doubt he felt anxious the United States should not get too far ahead. The schemes conceived by him for the settlement, government, and defence of the Province, have received the approval of most men capable of judging. But he remained not to carry out the plan intended. In 1796, shortly after the close of the first session of the second Parliament, he was instructed by the Imperial authorities to repair to St. Domingo, to assume the same duties; and the Hon. Peter Russell, President of the Council, was delegated to discharge the duties belonging to the office of Governor, and he enjoyed all the emoluments and perquisites arising therefrom.
During the occupancy of Simcoe, an event came to pass which may be here appropriately referred to. It was a visit to Upper Canada of the Duke of Kent, father of our much loved Queen. Prince Edward was stationed at Quebec with his regiment, having arrived a short time before the division of the Province of Quebec, and consequently before Simcoe came. Desiring to see the Upper Province, he set out in a calash, drawn by a French pony, accompanied by his suite. At Montreal he took a batteau, manned with Frenchmen, for Kingston. At Oswegotchie, “the royal party was met by a pleasure barge from Kingston, manned by seamen and military, accompanied by Peter Clark, of the Naval Department at Kingston.” From thence they were speedily rowed to Kingston, where the King’s schooner, the ‘Mohawk,’ Commodore Bouchette, commander, was in waiting to receive him. The Prince went on board, and after a tedious passage, safely reached Newark, where he was received by the firing of guns. As soon as horses and saddles could be mustered, the royal party wended their way by a narrow river road on the high banks of the Niagara river to the Falls. The only tavern, or place of accommodation, was a log hut for travelers to refresh themselves. There, the party alighted, and, after partaking of such refreshments as the house afforded, followed an Indian path through the woods to the Table Rock. There was a rude Indian ladder by which to descend to the rocks below, 160 feet. This consisted of a long pine tree with the branches cut off, leaving length enough at the trunk to place the foot upon, and hold on by the hands, in ascending or descending. (This Indian ladder continued in use several years later, when it was superseded by a ladder furnished from money, given by a lady from Boston to the guide). Our illustrious traveler availed himself of this rude mode of descent. The Prince and party lunched at the Hon. Mr. Hamilton’s on their way back. In the evening, the Prince was amused by a war dance by the Mohawks, headed by Brant himself. The next day, the Prince re-embarked, and proceeded to Quebec. There is a tradition in Marysburgh that he stopped on his way down in Smith’s Bay, to admire the beauty of that place.