Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763-1914: depth studies - Learning from past mistakes: Canada and the Durham Report, 1837–40

Question 1

Upper Canada

Answer 1

• Here there were far more British settlers. This number increased after and influx of loyalists.
• As immigration to the province grew in the 1820’s, the administration struggling for money changed the system of land grants to one of sale by auction.
• The province was governed by a lieutenant governor Appointed by London but dependent on the tax raising powers of a locally elected legislative assembly.
• He ran the province with the aid of the executive council whose members took the role of ministers. They were responsible to London
  Members of the executive council could be removed or remain for life.
• A number of Notable families know as the ‘Family Compact’ maintained control of the council
• There was a legislative assembly of no fewer than 16 representatives elected by a fairly wide franchise of landowning males, and an appointed legislative council, based on the House of Lords.
• Family compact were bonded by loyalist tradition, adherence to the Anglican church and their reluctance to change the constitution for fear of losing power

Question 2

Lower Canada

Answer 2

• Tenants were protected by contracts and the relationship between tenant and seigneur was overseen by the state.
• 75-80% of the rural population lived in seigneurial land until the mid 19th century. The British continued with the system after gaining New France.
• It was mainly French speaking but the official language of the legislative assembly was English.
• Most land was held by the crown and judged to be free to grant to settlers. Treaties were signed with natives to increase Crown lands. One seventh of all land here was designated at clergy reserves.
• They had the same political structure as the other province, Governors tended to select the executive council members from loyalists.
• Not much of the population were Anglican, many were Methodist or Baptist. This was not accounted for in Clergy reserves.
• Land was granted to a seigneur, who would then grant the land to tenants to subsistence farm in exchange for rents. This was essentially a feudal system of land tenure.
• These members tended to be businessmen, creating an english speaking Oligarchy known as the Chateau Clique

Question 2

How does Lord Durham get involved? (Background)

Answer 2

Whig inner circle – son in law to Earl Grey
Arrived on a white charger dressed in regalia of Knight of the Order of Bath
‘a man might jog along very comfortably on £40,000 per annum’
Last of the Whig grandees – aristocrats that had changed the social order and given middle classes more power
‘Radical Jack’ – whatever means necessary to pass the Reform Act
Wanted household suffrage (opposed by Lord Melbourne)
Asked to take on Canadian question when Gosford flounders, by the queen!

Question 2

What were Durham’s achievements?

Answer 2

Stabilized the political situation temporarily
Consulting widely and speedily with the populations and publically discounting the views of those who previously held executive power in a tight grip
Effective high commissioner in the way that the previous incumbent Gosford, not endowed with the same sweeping powers, was unable to be.
No danger of British power being unseated

Question 3

What were Durham’s actions in Canada?

Answer 3

Met with Canadians, including the moderate reformers from Upper Canada, compiling evidence for his report.
Remove the old executive council and their temporary replacement with his own staff.
Ordered that all the depositions of the rebels be submitted to him for review
Friendly contact with the government of the USA – ISSUED PATROLS OF THE BORDER
Issued a proclamation promising to work with all those who sought peaceful reform and asking for their cooperation
Established Canada’s first police force
Aimed to improve the system of land tenure in lower Canada
End the land giving to immigrants – resolve tension
Pardoned and banished rebels to Bermuda

Question 4

What was the significance of Durham’s resignation?

Answer 4

Not prepared to submit to censure from London over his sending political prisoners to Bermuda
Annoyed with Melbourne’s (British PM) criticisms of his advisers
Strong sense of betrayal
Melbourne couldn’t defend Durham’s actions and risk the fall of his ministry
Left the provinces stronger than they had been before, secure from rebellion
Many Canadians willing to wait for his report rather than rebel

Question 5

Role of Charles Buller

Answer 5

Durham was ill for much of his time in Canada, so a great deal of the credit for the success of his mission belongs to his advisers, Wakefield and Charles Buller.
The Durham Report was written cooperatively by the three men, Durham, Buller and Wakefield.

Question 6

Role of Edward Gibbon Wakefield

Answer 6

When Durham was appointed, he was only prepared to accept the task if Wakefield accompanied him as Commissioner of Crown Lands.

They both knew that Wakefield would be completely unacceptable to the British government because of his views on colonies.

Durham planned to announce the appointment only after he had reached Canada.

Wakefield sailed secretly for Canada in 1838, but before they arrived word had leaked out, and the appointment was forbidden by London.

Despite this, Durham retained him as an unofficial representative, advisor and negotiator, giving him effectively the same powers he would have had if he been appointed.

Eventually this report, and its conclusions, became a blueprint for development of British Colonial policy.