CANADA HISTORY - DOCUMENTS COLONIAL

1838 Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Lower Canada

Analysis of the Document - (The Document follows below the Analysis)

The Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Lower Canada, issued in 1838 during the height of the Lower Canada Rebellion, stands as one of the most dramatic expressions of political defiance in Canadian history. Penned by Dr. Robert Nelson, a leader of the Patriote movement, the declaration marked a bold but short-lived attempt to sever the ties between Lower Canada (modern-day Quebec) and the British Empire, establishing an independent, republican government. Emerging from a context of deep political and economic grievances, the declaration was a reaction to decades of frustration with British colonial rule, particularly in relation to the unequal distribution of power between the French-speaking majority and the English-speaking elite. While the declaration itself was quickly quashed, and the rebellion ultimately failed, the implications of the document reverberated throughout Canadian history. It signaled the emergence of a more radical vision for Quebec's future, one that would influence subsequent movements for French-Canadian rights and lay the groundwork for later struggles over autonomy, identity, and political power in Canada.

To fully appreciate the significance of the Declaration of Independence, it is essential to understand the political landscape of Lower Canada in the early 19th century. The Constitutional Act of 1791 had divided the colony of Quebec into two parts—Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec)—each with its own legislature. In theory, this system was designed to grant the French-speaking population of Lower Canada a measure of self-governance. However, in practice, the colonial government was dominated by the Château Clique, a small, English-speaking elite that controlled the executive branch and made decisions largely to the benefit of British interests. The French-speaking majority, represented in the elected Legislative Assembly, found itself consistently thwarted in its attempts to push through reforms that would allow greater political representation and economic equality. Over time, this growing frustration led to the rise of the Parti Patriote, led by figures such as Louis-Joseph Papineau, who sought to reform the political system and assert the rights of the French-speaking population.

The failure of peaceful reform efforts in the 1820s and 1830s, combined with economic hardship and rising tensions between the British authorities and the Patriotes, ultimately led to the outbreak of armed rebellion in 1837. The rebellion, though inspired by democratic ideals, was also deeply rooted in the cultural and economic grievances of the French-Canadian population, which saw its rights and opportunities increasingly eroded by British rule. The early stages of the rebellion were characterized by skirmishes between the Patriote forces and British troops, with the most notable engagement being the Battle of Saint-Denis in November 1837, where the Patriotes achieved a brief but symbolic victory. However, the rebellion was quickly crushed by British forces, and its leaders, including Papineau, fled into exile in the United States.

It was during this period of exile, in February 1838, that Dr. Robert Nelson and other Patriote leaders issued the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Lower Canada from the border town of Napierville, New York. The document declared that Lower Canada was free from British control and called for the establishment of a republic based on principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity, echoing the rhetoric of the American and French revolutions. The declaration outlined a vision for a new political order, one in which all citizens—regardless of language, religion, or background—would be granted equal rights. It also promised to abolish feudal laws, redistribute land, and create a more just and equitable society. The ideals espoused in the declaration were a direct challenge to the entrenched colonial power structure and represented a radical departure from the moderate reformist goals of earlier Patriote leaders like Papineau.

In many ways, the Declaration of Independence was a product of its time, influenced by the wave of republican and revolutionary movements sweeping across Europe and the Americas. The American Revolution had demonstrated that it was possible for a colony to successfully break away from British rule, and the French Revolution had introduced a new set of political ideals centered around democracy, equality, and secularism. Nelson and his fellow revolutionaries sought to apply these ideals to the unique context of Lower Canada, where the French-speaking population had long been marginalized and excluded from meaningful political power. The declaration was thus not only a call for independence from Britain but also an assertion of the right of the French-Canadian people to govern themselves, free from the domination of the English-speaking elite.

Despite its lofty ideals, the Declaration of Independence was issued under desperate circumstances. The rebellion had already been largely suppressed by British forces, and the Patriote movement was in disarray, with many of its leaders in exile or imprisoned. Nelson’s declaration was an attempt to reignite the rebellion and rally support for the cause of independence. However, the timing was unfavorable, and the Patriote forces were ill-equipped to mount a sustained challenge to British rule. The second phase of the rebellion, which followed the issuance of the declaration, was short-lived and poorly organized. By the end of 1838, the British had once again crushed the rebellion, and many of its leaders were arrested, tried, and executed, while others, including Nelson, remained in exile.

While the rebellion failed to achieve its immediate goals, the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Lower Canada had long-lasting implications for Canadian history. In the short term, the rebellion and the declaration prompted the British government to reevaluate its approach to governing the colonies. The most significant result of this reassessment was the Durham Report of 1839, authored by Lord Durham, who had been sent to investigate the causes of the rebellions in both Upper and Lower Canada. Durham’s report famously described the situation in Lower Canada as a conflict between "two nations warring in the bosom of a single state" and recommended the unification of Upper and Lower Canada into a single colony as a means of assimilating the French-speaking population into the English-speaking majority. The Act of Union of 1840, which followed Durham’s recommendations, created the Province of Canada, combining the two colonies under a single government. However, rather than solving the tensions between English and French Canadians, the Act of Union exacerbated them, as French-Canadians found themselves outnumbered in the new legislature.

In the longer term, the Declaration of Independence served as a powerful symbol of resistance and self-determination for French Canadians. Although the republican vision laid out by Nelson and his fellow revolutionaries was not realized, the ideals of equality, political representation, and cultural autonomy continued to resonate. The rebellion and the declaration became part of the larger narrative of French-Canadian identity, which was increasingly defined by the struggle to preserve the French language, religion, and culture within a British-dominated political system. In the decades that followed, this sense of cultural distinctiveness would shape French-Canadian political movements, including the push for responsible government in the 1840s and 1850s, the eventual creation of the province of Quebec within the Canadian Confederation in 1867, and later, the rise of Quebec nationalism in the 20th century.

Moreover, the Declaration of Independence had a broader influence on the development of political thought in Canada. The ideals of republicanism and democracy espoused by Nelson and the Patriotes contributed to the growing demand for political reform across British North America. While the immediate goal of independence was not achieved, the rebellion and the declaration helped to accelerate the process of democratization in Canada. The rebellions of 1837-38, in both Upper and Lower Canada, highlighted the need for a more responsive and representative system of government, ultimately leading to the establishment of responsible government in the 1840s. This shift marked a significant step toward greater political autonomy for the Canadian colonies and laid the foundation for the creation of a federal, democratic Canada in 1867.

In conclusion, the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Lower Canada of 1838, though short-lived and ultimately unsuccessful, was a defining moment in Canadian history. It represented the culmination of years of political and cultural frustration among the French-speaking population of Lower Canada and offered a radical vision for a new political order based on equality, democracy, and independence. While the declaration did not achieve its immediate aims, its influence can be seen in the subsequent development of French-Canadian nationalism, the struggle for cultural and political autonomy, and the broader movement toward democratic reform in Canada. The document remains a powerful symbol of resistance and self-determination, and its legacy continues to shape debates about identity, sovereignty, and political power in Canada to this day.

Caldwell's Manor (NOYAN), le 28 février 1838

Attendu que le solennel contrat fait avec le peuple Bas-Canada et enregistré dans le livre des Statuts du Royaume de la Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande, comme le ch. 31 de 1'Acte passé dans la 3 le année du règne du roi George III, a été continuellement violé par le gouvernement britannique, et nos droits usurpé ; et attendu que nos humbles pétitions, adresses, protêts, remontrances contre cette conduite préjudiciable et inconstitutionnelle, ont été faits en vain; - que le gouvernement britannique ait disposé de notre revenu sans le consentement constitutionnel le notre législature locale, qu'il a pillé notre trésor, qu'il a arrêté et emprisonné grand nombre de nos concitoyens, qu'il a répandu par tout le pays une armée mercenaire dont la présence est accompagnée par la consternation et l'alarme, dont la trace est rougie du sang de notre peuple, qui a réduit nos villages en cendres, profané des temples, et semé par tout le pays la terreur et la désolation; t attendu que nous ne pouvons plus longtemps souffrir les violations répétées de nos droits les plus chers et supporter patiemment ; - Outrages et les cruautés multiples du gouvernement du Bas-Canada, Nous, au nom du peuple du Bas-Canada, reconnaissant décrets de la divine Providence qui nous permet de renverser le gouvernement qui a violé l'objet et l'intention de sa création de faire choix de cette forme de gouvernement qui rétablira l'emploi de la justice, assurera la tranquillité domestique, pourvoira à la défense commune, augmentera le bien général, et garantira à nous et à notre postérité les avantages de la liberté civile et religieuse;

Déclarons solennellement:

Que de ce jour et à l'avenir, le peuple du Bas-Canada libre de toute allégeance à la Grande-Bretagne, et que le politique entre ce pouvoir et le Bas-Canada, est maintenant rompu

Qu'une forme républicaine de gouvernement est celle convient le mieux au Bas-Canada, qui est ce jour déclaré être une république.

Que sous le gouvernement libre du Bas-Canada, tous les individus jouiront des mêmes droits : les sauvages ne seront plus soumis à aucune disqualification civile, mais jouiront des mêmes droits que tous les autres citoyens du Bas-Canada.

Que toute union entre l'Église et l'État est par la présente déclarée être dissoute, et toute personne aura le droit d'exercer librement telle religion ou croyance qui lui sera dictée par sa conscience.

La tenure féodale ou seigneuriale des terres est par la présente abolie, aussi complètement que si telle tenure n'eàt jamais existé au Canada.

Que toute personne qui prendra les armes ou qui donnera autrement de l'aide au Canada, dans sa lutte pour l'émancipation, sera et est déchargée de toutes dettes ou obligations réelles ou supposées résultant d'arrérages des droits seigneuriaux ci-devant en existence.

Que le douaire coutumier est. pour l'avenir, aboli et prohibé.

Que l'emprisonnement pour dettes n'existera pas davantage excepté dans certains cas de fraude qui seront spécifiés, dans un acte à être plus tard passé à cette fin par la Législature du Bas- Canada.

Que la condamnation à mort ne sera plus prononcée ni exécutée, excepté dans les cas de meurtre.

Que toutes les hypothèques sur les terres seront spéciales et pour être valides seront enregistrées dans des bureaux à être établis pour cette fin par un acte de la Législature du Bas-Canada.

Que la liberté et l'indépendance de la presse existera dans toutes les matières et affaires publiques.

Que le procès par jury est assuré au peuple du Bas-Canada dans son sens le plus étendu et le plus libéral, dans tous les procès criminels, et aussi dans les procès civils au-dessus d'une somme à être fixée par la législature de l'État du Bas-Canada.

Que comme une éducation générale et publique est ¸nécessaire et est due au peuple par le gouvernement, un acte y pourvoyant sera passé aussit tôt que les circonstances le permettront.

Que pour assurer la franchise électorale, toutes les élections se feront au scrutin secret.

Que dans le plus court délai possible, le peuple choisisse des délégués, suivant la présente division du pays en comtés, villes et bourgs, lesquels formeront une convention ou corps législatif pour formuler une constitution suivant les besoins du pays, conforme aux dispositions de cette déclaration, sujette à être modifiée suivant la volonté du peuple.

Que chaque individu du sexe masculin, de l'âge de vingt et un ans et plus, aura le droit de voter comme il est pourvu par la présente, et pour l'élection des susdits délégués.

Que toutes les terres de la Couronne, et aussi celles qui sont appelées Réserves du Clergé, et aussi celles qui sont nominalement la possession d'une certain compagnie de propriétaires en Angleterre appellée "La Compagnie des Terres de l'Amérique britannique du Nord" sont de droit la propriété de l'État du Bas-Canada, et excepté telles parties des dites terres qui peuvent être en possession de personnes qui les détiennent de bonne foi, et auxquelles des titres seront assurés et accordés en vertu d'une loi qui sera passée pour légaliser la dite possession et donner un titre pour tels lots de terre dans les townships qui n'en ont pas, et qui sont en culture ou améliorés.

Que les langues française et anglaise seront en usage dans toutes les affaires publiques.

Et pour l'accomplissement de cette déclaration, et pour 1e soutien de la cause patriotique dans laquelle nous sommes maintenant engagés avec une ferme confiance dans la protection du Tout-Puissant et la justice de notre conduite, - nous, par ces présentes, nous engageons solennellement les uns envers les autres, nos vies et nos fortunes et notre honneur le plus sacré.

Par ordre du gouvernement provisoire.

ROBERT NELSON, Président.