The Arrest of Etienne Parent - Part V

The news of Etienne Parent and Jean - Baptiste's arrest travelled quickly and soon there was a small entourage of friends accompanying them to the Quebec Citadelle. It is stated who those friends but I would say that among them were Napoleon Aubin, the owner and editor or the journal, Le Fantasque, Stanislas Drapeau, journalist, printer, and publisher, who at the time of this event was a typographer for Le Fantasque, among others. Etienne Parent was well known and widely admired not only throughout lower Canada but throughout all of North America including the United States. 

When the group arrived at the Citadelle the chief of police informed them that he had received orders from his superiors in Montreal to prevent all visitors from seeing Etienne Parent and Jean - Baptiste Frechette unless they members of their direct family. It would be an understatement to say that the arrest of Etienne Parent and Jean - Baptiste Frechette caused a significant stir in the lower Canada. Not the least that they were the driving force behind Le Canadien, the most important political journal in lower Canada that represented the French - Canadian point of view. The pro- British journals were extremely critical of Le Canadien and were constantly attacking Le Canadien through their editorials. The pro-British journals were allowed to write whatever they like but Etienne Parent and Jean - Baptiste Frechette were arrested for publishing their opinion and criticism of John Colborne and the Special Council.

 Three days after the arrest of Etienne Parent and Jean - Baptiste Fréchette, The Quebec Mercury printed an article on December 29, 1838. The tone of the article in The Quebec Mercury differs significantly from the previous article in Le Canadien. the article starts out by stating that Le Canadien appeared on schedule the day before on December 28, 1838 and announced that arrangements had been made to keep publishing Le Canadien during the internment of Etienne Parent and Jean - Baptiste Frechette. 

The editorial points out that 'the new direction' will take a more 'temperate' approach in how the journal is published. The Quebec Mercury stated that the reason for being more temperate was that 'the new direction' wanted to avoid getting into the same situation as Etienne Parent and Jean - Baptiste Fréchette, that is languishing in prison. What is interesting is the backhanded compliment of Etienne Parent's editorial of September 24, 1838. On the one hand it gives Etienne Parent credit for 'giving good advice to the Government, and pointing out the steps to be taken for re-establishing peace and order in the country', then Etienne Parent was rebuked for using language that caused him and his publisher Jean - Baptiste Frechette to be arrested and imprisoned.

The last part of the article in The Quebec Mercury truly shows the enmity between the two journals. The Mercury took the point view that there was nothing wrong, nothing out of the ordinary with the arrest and seizure. As far as they were concerned 'it does not appear that any unnecessary violence wa used'. And with regard to the all of the papers, manuscripts and other materials used in the day to day operation of running a journal being confiscated by the police and their homes being searched from top to bottom, The Mercury felt this was quite normal and acceptable,'we believe it is customary in such cases to make a clear sweep'. The article ends with that statement that Etienne Parent and Jean - Baptiste Frechette should 'feel grateful' that they were still allowed to publish Le Canadien 'as the appearance of the number, of yesterday, sufficiently proves'.

The tone of the article is a demonstration of the relationship between The Quebec Mercury and Le Canadien. The Quebec Mercury was a weekly English - language newspaper published  in Quebec City from 1805 to 1903, almost one hundred years. To put it simply, The Quebec Mercury had a political philosophy that was diametrically opposite to Le Canadien. It supported the Chateau Clique which was the British business elite in Quebec. The Quebec Mercury was against all and any reform that would have benefited French Canada politically, especially the Legislative Assembly which was dominated by French Canadian politicians or French Canadians in general. The Quebec Mercury promoted reducing the influence of French Canada, politically, socially, and economically while increasing the influence of Great Britain in Canada. The Quebec Mercury agreed completely with Lord Durham's report that French Canada should be absorbed into the 'mainstream' British culture of Canada even though French Canadians were the single largest group in the Canadian colony.

 For the greater part of its existence, The Quebec Mercury was owned by the Cary family. From its inception in 1806, The Quebec Mercury and Le Canadien were critical of their respective political philosophies for most of the nineteenth century. Thomas Cary Junior was more moderate in his attitude towards Le Canadien than his father was. This moderation in attitude may have been attributed to the fact that George - Pachal Desbarats, a French Canadian printer and businessman from Quebec City was the co-owner of The Quebec Mercury from 1828 - 1848. 



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