The Olden Time Series Volume II Part 2

A brief account of Montreal in the "Boston Gazette," March 30, 1761.

NEW-YORK, March 23.

Extract of a Letter from Montreal.

----"The Case of the poor Canadians is really deplorable, occasioned by the bankruptcy of the crown of France. Many of them who had, with great danger and labour, acquired estates worth 20,000 l. sterl. by the fur-trade, or otherwise, can now scarce procure a dinner. All their remittances from their mother country, consisted in bills on the French King, which are not now worth one farthing, as no body whatever will accept of them in payment. It is computed there is above the value of 3,000,000 l. sterling of these useless paper sc.r.a.ps, circulated through the colony, which, as a reward to the wretched inhabitants for all their hards.h.i.+ps and fatigues, must now supply the place of affluence and independence. Most, if not all of them, are perfectly reconciled to the British government, as they can now with security enjoy any little property they have; whereas formerly, Governor Vaudreuil made no ceremony of seizing the produce of their lands, their merchandize and manufactures of every kind, and after conveying them to the King's store houses, paid to the proprietors any price he pleased. If the owners thereafter had occasion for any of their own commodities, they could not procure them under twenty times the price they had received.

"Montreal in general is a well built town, but incapable of any defence. The churches are elegant, and the houses of some of their princ.i.p.al men are really magnificent; though few in number. The Hotel Dieu is by far the finest hospital I ever saw, every thing in it is extremely neat and convenient.

"The people here are extravagantly fond of dress; a stranger would take Montreal to be a city inhabited by none but the rich and idle: they are all finely powdered, walk with their hats under their arms, and wear long coats, adorned with tinsel lace, and b.u.t.toned down to the extremity. Since I came here, I have not seen one man dressed like a tradesman.

The ladies in general are handsome, extremely gay, and well bred."

In 1767 the best soap and "dipt" and "mould" candles were sold at the post-office in Boston, according to an advertis.e.m.e.nt in the "Gazette" of October 26. The candles were made of tallow, and gave but little light, requiring almost constant snuffing. Other kinds of candles were not in general use in New England in the last century. Sperm oil and sperm or wax candles could be used only by the wealthy. Many families, for economy, made their own candles. This practice was common in New England down to within fifty years.

It will be recollected that Dr. Franklin's father was a tallow-chandler in Boston, and that the Doctor himself worked at the business when a boy. Elizabeth Franklin, whose name appears in the following advertis.e.m.e.nt, was probably a relative of the family.

SOLD BY _Elizabeth Franklin,_ At the Post-Office,

THE best true Crown Soap, Alicant best hard Soap, by the Doz. or single Pound, dipt and mould Candles at the lowest Price.

Every week the burials and baptisms in Boston were thus inserted in the papers. The following is from the "Gazette" of Nov. 23, 1767:--

Buried in the Town of Boston since our last, Five Whites.

Three Blacks. Baptiz'd in the several Churches, Four.

This custom was continued many years. We take the following from the "Ma.s.sachusetts Centinel," April 2, 1788:--

BURIED _in town last week_ 11--BAPTISED 14.

Published by BENJAMIN RUSSELL, near the State-House, Boston.

General Wolfe's Manifesto from the "Boston Gazette," Dec. 10, 1759.

_As the Manifesto lately published was only a Translation from a French Ma.n.u.script, we are requested to publish the following, which is_

_General_ WOLFE's Manifesto, _as written by Himself._

THE formidable Sea and Land Armament which the People of _Canada_ now behold in the Heart of their Country is intended by the King my Master to check the insolence of _France_;--To revenge the Insults offered to the _British_ Colonies, and totally deprive the _French_ of their most valuable Settlements in _North-America_.

For these Purposes only is the Formidable Army under my Command intended.

The King of _Great-Britain_ wages no War with the Industrious Peasant, the sacred Orders of Religion, or the defenceless Women and Children: To these in their distressful Circ.u.mstances His Royal Clemency offers Protection. The People may remain unmolested on their Lands, inhabit their Houses, and enjoy their Religion in Security.

For these inestimable Blessings, I expect the _Canadians_ will take no Part in the Great Contest between the two Crowns; But if by a vain Obstinacy, and misguided Valour, they presume to appear in Arms, they must expect the most fatal Consequences; their Habitations destroyed, their sacred Temples exposed to the Fury of an exasperated Soldiery; their Harvest utterly ruined, and the only Pa.s.sage of Relief stopped up by a most formidable Fleet.--In this unhappy Situation, and closely attacked by another great Army, what can the wretched Natives expect from Opposition!

THE unparelelled Barbarities exerted by the _French_ against our Settlements in _America_, might justify the bitterest Revenge in the Army under my Command; but _Britons_ breathe higher Sentiments of Humanity, and listen to the merciful Dictates of the Christian Religion. Yet should you suffer yourselves to be deluded by an imaginary Prospect of our want of Success; should you refuse those Terms, and persist in Opposition; Then surely will the Law of Nations justify the Waste of War, so necessary to crush an ungenerous Enemy: and Then, the miserable _Canadians_ must in the Winter have the Mortification of seeing those very Families, they have been exerting a fruitless and indiscreet Bravery for, perish by the most dismal Want and Famine.

In this great Dilemma let the Wisdom of the People of _Canada_ shew itself!

_BRITAIN_ stretches out a powerful, yet a merciful Hand, Faithful to her Engagements, and ready to secure them in their most valuable Rights and Possessions.

_FRANCE_, unable to support _Canada_, deserts her Cause at this important Crisis, and during the whole War has a.s.sisted her with Troops, who have been maintained _only_ by making the Natives feel all the Weight of grievous and lawless Oppression.

JAMES WOLFE.

Boston, _November 2, 1761_.

_Last Evening, just at Eight o'Clock, this Town was alarmed with the Shock of an_ EARTHQUAKE.

_Gazette._

On the 15th of August, 1763, the "Boston Post-Boy" gives the following account of the celebration of a royal birthday:--

_BOSTON, August 15._

On Friday being the Birth-Day of the _Prince of Wales_, and the Anniversary of the Accession of the House of _Hanover_, and also of the Surrender of the _Havanna_, which was the immediate Means of bringing about the Peace; at One o'Clock the Guns at the Castle and Town Batteries were Fired; and in the Evening his Excellency the Governor gave a Ball at Concert Hall. There were present about 240 Gentlemen and Ladies; the Ball was opened by General _s.h.i.+rley_ and the Governor's Lady about 8 o'Clock; the Country Dances began about nine, and about ten a Supper Room was opened, where was a very handsome Collation. The Ladies made a brilliant Appearance, and the Company expressed the highest Pleasure and Satisfaction on the Occasion, and broke up about two in the Morning. The whole was conducted with the greatest Order, Elegance and Decorum.

The great military "occasion" of those days was the annual parade of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company. In June, 1763, that Company celebrated its one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary. In the "Boston Post-Boy" of June 13 we have this account:--

Monday last, agreeable to ancient Custom, the Artillery Company of the Province, appeared under Arms, being the Anniversary of the Election of Officers for the Company: A Sermon was preached by the Rev'd Mr. _Balch_ of _Dedham_, at the Old Brick Meeting-House, where his Excellency the Governor, the Members of his Majesty's Council and House of Representatives, with a Number of other Gentlemen, attended; after which they proceeded to Faneuil-Hall, where an elegant Dinner was provided; and in the Afternoon the following Gentlemen were chosen for the ensuing Year, viz.

_Thomas Marshall_, Esq; Captain, Mr. _Josiah Waters_, Lieutenant, Mr. _Jeremiah Belknap_, Ensign.

In the Evening a plentiful Repast was given by the Officers newly elected, at Faneuil-Hall; where many loyal Healths were drank.

After the great fire in Boston in March, 1760, this item appeared in the "Gazette" of May 19:--

We hear that _Charles Ward Apthorp_, Esq; of _N.-York_, Merchant, upon hearing of the Calamity which had befallen this Town by the late dreadful Fire, generously ordered his Agent here to pay to the Gentlemen appointed to receive the Donations of charitable dispos'd Persons the Sum of _One Hundred_ Pounds, L.M. for the Relief of the Sufferers.

Mr. Apthorp, of New York, made this generous donation--a large sum for that time--for the relief of the sufferers of his native place.