Note 10 — Chapter XXX
Reading edition
On reference to Sir F. B. Head's "Emigrant," pp. 376-8, the reader will find the following letters:—
"1.
From the Hon. Sir. A. N. MacNab.
"
Legislative Assembly,
"Montreal, 28th March, 1846.
"My dear Sir Francis,
"I have no hesitation in putting on paper the conversation which took place between Lord Durham and myself, on the subject of the Union. He asked me if I was in favour of the Union; I said, 'No;' he replied, 'If you are a friend to your country, oppose it to the death.'
"I am, &c.,
"(Signed) Allan N. MacNab.
"Sir F. B. Head, Bart."
"2.
From W. E. Jervis, Esq.
"Toronto, March 12th, 1846.
"Dear Sir Allan,
"In answer to the inquiry contained in your letter of the 2nd inst., I beg leave to state, that, in the year 1838, I was in Quebec, and had a long conversation with the Earl of Durham upon the subject of an Union of the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada—a measure which I had understood his Lordship intended to propose.
"I was much gratified by his Lordship then, in the most unqualified terms, declaring his strong disapprobation of such a measure, as tending, in his opinion, to the injury of this Province; and he advised me, as a friend to Upper Canada, to use all the influence I might possess in opposition to it.
"His Lordship declared that, in his opinion, no statesman could propose so injurious a project, and authorized me to assure my friends in Upper Canada, that he was decidedly averse to the measure.
"I have a perfect recollection of having had a similar enquiry made of me, by the private secretary of Sir George Arthur, and that I made a written reply to the communication. I have no copy of the letter which I sent upon that occasion, but the substance must have been similar to that I now send you.
"I remain, &c.,
"(Signed) W. E. Jervis.
"Sir Allan MacNab."
"3.
From the Hon. Justice Hagerman.
"
13 St. James's Street
,
"London, 12th July, 1846.
"My dear Sir Francis,
"It is well known to many persons that the late Lord Durham, up to the time of his departure from Canada, expressed himself strongly opposed to the Union of the then two Provinces. I accompanied Sir George Arthur on a visit to Lord Durham, late in the autumn, and a very few days only before he threw up his Government and embarked for this country. In a conversation I had with him, he spoke of the Union as the selfish scheme of a few merchants of Montreal—that no statesman would advise the measure—and that it was absurd to suppose that Upper and Lower Canada could ever exist in harmony as one Province.
"In returning to Toronto with Sir George Arthur, he told me that Lord Durham had expressed to him similar opinions, and had at considerable length detailed to him reasons and arguments which existed against a measure which he considered would be destructive of the legitimate authority of the British Government, and in which opinion Sir George declared he fully coincided.
"I am, Sir,
"(Signed) C. A. Hagerman.
"Sir F. B. Head, Bart."
"4.
From the Earl of Durham.
"Quebec, Oct. 2nd, 1838.
"Dear Sir,
"I thank you kindly for your account of the meeting [in Montreal], which was the first I received. I fully expected the 'outbreak' about the Union of the two Provinces:—It is a pet Montreal project, beginning and ending in Montreal selfishness.
"Yours, truly,
"(Signed) Durham."