PERS-04 | The Report and Despatches of The Earl of Durham

 

Tools

Print
Postcard
Send
PERS-04 | The Report and Despatches of The Earl of Durham | Book (page) |
The most recent version of the Flash plugin must be installed
Get Flash Player
Create a new pair
Pairs created by visitors : 0
Book (page)
The Report and Despatches of The Earl of Durham
1839, 19th century
Ink on paper
PERS-04
© McCord Museum
Description
Keywords:  Book (26)
Select Image (Your image selection is empty)

Visitors' comments

Add a comment

Keys to History

After the first rebellion in 1837, normal civil rights were suspended by the application of martial law and Lord Durham was named Governor of all British North America. His report in 1839 differentiated between the rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada. Durham was particularly harsh on French Canadian culture, civil law and Roman Catholicism. "They are a people," he wrote, "with no history and no literature." His two most important proposals were to unite Upper and Lower Canada, and to let the united colony conduct its affairs through the application of "responsible government," by means of which the executive (or cabinet) would have to have the support of the majority in the Assembly.

Source : The Aftermath of the Rebellions [Web tour], by Brian J. Young, McGill University (see Links)

  • What

    Durham's Report was intended to provide solutions to the grievances that had led to the rebellions of 1837-1838 in Upper and Lower Canada. This Report lives on as a symbol of British arrogance toward French Canadian traditions, history and culture. Even today people in Quebec often refer to Durham and his Report.

  • Where

    Written by Lord Durham and the civil servants who accompanied him, this document, only a few lines of which are presented here, was first published in London, England, in the British Parliamentary Papers.

  • When

    The public first saw the contents of the Report in excerpts published in the London Times and then, in 1839, in Canadian newspapers. The complete text was reprinted in 1912 and abbreviated versions followed.

  • Who

    A British lord, Durham came to Canada to report on the rebellions after serving as British ambassador to Russia. Durham wrote his Report on the Affairs of British North America subsequent to his visit to Canada in May 1838. He died in 1840, soon after returning to England.

Exhibition Label