The Arrest of Etienne Parent - Part VI

I have been focusing on the arrest of Etienne Parent and Jean - Baptiste Fréchette. They were not the only journalists, printers, or men of letters to be arrested in connection with the rebellion of 1837 - 1838. In an article by Yvan Lamonde, "Canadian Print and the Emergence of Public culture in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries", he names eleven Quebec men of letters who were arrested for criticizing or opposing the British colonial government. He names but does not elaborate on each individual. I decided to dig a bit and find out more about these individuals. Another source names about twenty - five literary men who were arrested for supporting reform in Lower Canada. I will elaborate on only ten.

Napoléon Aubin

Napoléon Aubin was a journalist, publisher, playwright, and scientist. Aubin was born on November 9, 1812 in Chêne, Bougeris, Switzerland. After living in the United States for a short period of time Aubin moved to Canada in 1835. He wrote an article that he sent to La Minerve to demonstrate his support for the Patriotes. Based on that article Aubin was asked to write for La Minerve. As the editor of Le Fantasque Aubin wrote satirical articles criticizing the government and people in positions of authority. When Aubin published a poem by Joseph - Guillaume Barthe about the political prisoners exiled to Bermuda the government took action and arrested Aubin on January 2, 1839. He was imprisoned for 53 days. 

Adolphe Jacquies

In addition to being a newspaperman and printer, Jacquies was a shopkeeper and trade unionist. Jacquies was born in Bordeaux, France. He arrived in Canada in 1826. His first job was as a typographer where he met Napoléon Aubin. From 1837 Jacquies was the printer for Le Fantasque. When Napoléon Aubin was arrested on January 2, 1839 Adolphe Jacquies was also arrested, his presses, his papers and type were seized. Because habeas corpus had been suspended by John Colborne, Jacquies could be held in jail without being charged. After developing severe medical issues, Jacquies was released from jail on February 22, 1839. Hi experience with arrest and imprisonment had a lasting effect on his health that lasted for the rest of his life. When his presses were finally returned to him, there was damage that compromised his ability to work as a printer.

Edouard Raymond Fabre

Edouard Raymond Fabre was born on September 15, 1799 in Montreal. He was a bookshop owner and political activist. Martin Bossange was Fabre's brother-in-law, a famous Parisian bookstore owner. Fabre apprenticed at Bossange's bookstore in Paris.When he returned to Canada Edouard Raymond Fabre established a bookstore with his other brother-in-law, Louis Perrault. Shortly after returning to Canada and establishing his bookstore Fabre became active in the Patriote movement. Fabre was a friend of Louis - Joseph Papineau and allowed Patriotes to hold political meetings in his bookstore. On December 12, 1838, Edouard Raymond was arrested but he was later released. 

Louis Perrault

Louis Perrault was born in Montréal in 1807. His father was a supporter of the Patriotes, he invited the leaders of the movement into his home for political discussions. As mentioned above, Louis Perrault was a bookseller, but he was also a a publisher and a printer after he left his partnership with his brother-in-law Edouard Raymond Fabre. After 1835 Perrault focused on printing and publishing newspapers; the Vindicator and Canadian Advertiser. Members of the Doric Club destroyed Perrault's office and work rooms. Because of his involvement with the Patriotes Perrault fled to the United States and stayed there for eighteen months.

Edmond Bailey O'Callaghan

Born in Mallow, County Cork, Ireland, O'Callaghan later studied medicine in Paris. He emigrated to Canada in 1823 and soon joined the Patriote movement. In 1827 O'Callaghan registered as a doctor in Lower Canada. When Daniel Tracy, the owner of the Montreal Vindicator, died in 1832, O'Callaghan became the editor of the Vindicator. In 1834 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Yamaska.  Members of the Doric Club destroyed O'Callaghan's newspaper office in 1835. On November 29, 1837, a warrant was issued for O'Callaghan's arrest. O'Callaghan fled to the United States with Louis Joseph Papineau.

Ludger Duvernay

Ludger Duvernay was born in Verchères, Quebec. he was the publisher and printer of the Gazette des Trois - Rivières and La Minerve. He was a supporter of the Patriotes. Duvernay was arrested and imprisoned in 1832 for criticizing the non-elected legislative council that supported the Château Clique. Duvernay and and Daniel Tracey, the editor of the Vindicator, were arrested for libel and imprisoned for forty days. On November 16, 1837, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Duvernay. He fled to Burlington, Vermont.

François Lemaitre

François Lemaitre was a member of the Frères Chasseurs. He founded the journal, La Quotidienne that ran from November 30, 1837 to November 30, 1838. During the time that he published his newspaper, Lemaitre was harassed and intimidated by the tory newspapers such as Le Populaire and L'Ami du Peuple. On January 8, 1838 Lemaitre was arrested by a retinue of forty soldiers. He was brutalized by the soldiers and his material and presses were confiscated. He was finally freed on April 12, 1838.

Silas Horton Dickerson

Silas Horton Dickerson was a printer, journalist, publisher, office holder, and politician. Dickerson was born in New Jersey on May 12, 1799. he apprenticed in Kingston as a printer, then moved to Montréal where he became a typographer for the Canadian Courant and the Montréal Advertiser. By 1823, Dickerson was the publisher for the British Colonist and the Saint Francis Gazette. he was arrested in 1823 for publishing an article that criticized a judge, John Fletcher. He was released after three months for a bail of 200 pounds. Dickerson sued the judge for illegal proceedings that was tied up in the courts for two years. During those two years between 1826 and 1828 Dickerson was arrested four more times; found guilty of contempt three times and imprisoned. Altogether he paid fines amounting to 600 pounds. Dickerson asked the crown to have the judge removed from his post. He was never successful but his peers held him up as a martyr for freedom of the press. Dickerson's paper supported the Reform movement. In 1834 he supported and printed the 92 resolutions. Taking advantage of his poor financial situation, Dickerson's opponents managed to shut down his paper and sell his printing press. In 1837 Dickerson fled to the US to avoid arrest and imprisonment.

Hiram Francis Blanchard

Hiram Francis Blanchard was the publisher of the Canadian Patriot. He was supposed to lead an attack during the rebellion with Doctor McKeech but there was a raid. Blanchard, along with Taylor Wadleigh and Patrick Barry were jailed in Montréal.

Robert Shore Milnes Bouchette

Robert Shore Milnes Bouchette was a lawyer, cartographer, civil servant and Patriote. He was born on March 12, 1805 at Quebec. In 1837, Bouchette founded the bilingual newspaper, Le Libéral/ The Liberal. He was arrested under the warrant for the Chairmen of the Patriote committee but later released on bail.During the rebellion Bouchette lead a militia group at Moore's Corner. He was wounded, captured, and imprisoned. on June 28, 1838, Robert Shore Milnes Bouchette was condemned and exiled to Bermuda. He was not allowed to return to Canada until 1845.

There were other journalists, publisher's, printers etc. who were arbitrarily jailed; Jocelyn Waller (Canadian Spectator), Daniel Tracey (Vindicator), Robert Parsons (Newfoundland Patriot), Joseph Howe (Nova Scotian), James Douglas Hazard (The Prince Edward Island Register), Denis Benjamin Viger (Montreal Herald), and Francois Cinq-Mars (Factum). This is not an exhaustive list.

Almost to a man, these men of letters were supporters of Louis-Joseph Papineau which means that they supported an armed rebellion led by Papineau. The one exception was Napoléon Aubin who, like Etienne Parent, believed that a moderate approach through legal means was the correct way to achieve political reform in Lower Canada.