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After having settled his
affairs, the Chaplain embarked for America and arrived at York, U.C., on
the 1st of November, 1804.
And now it is as a
Canadian, a British-Canadian always, that we have to do with him, who,
though long since dead, still lives, and ever will continue to dwell in
the hearts of his countrymen of Scottish descent.
The Chevalier Macdonell
has been good enough to extend to me in the most kind manner the
privilege of using such facts as are in his "Reminiscences of the late
Honourable and Right Reverend Alexander Macdonell" as would be of
service to me in a short sketch of the. Bishop's life and works in
Canada. Mr. Macdonell reviews his career principally as a Churchman, but
it will be my endeavour chiefly to show how it was not only the
spiritual welfare, but the worldly prosperity of his people as well he
had always in view, and how, though the chief bulwark of the Catholic
Church in this Province, indeed one may almost say its founder, he was
none the less a true subject of the British Crown, second to no man in
his unswerving loyalty to the person and throne of his Sovereign, and
how, owing to his extraordinary energy, his ability, the intimate
knowledge of the country he acquired during his visits to its different
parts, from Quebec to Sarnia, and the great bold he possessed over the
Scotch Catholics, who up to and including the war of 1812 were by far
the greater portion of his flock, he was able to render that Sovereign
service of the highest order when the Americans declared war against
Great Britain in 1812, and Canada became the battle ground, as well as
on other occasions. But even those of another faith to that to which he
clung will not take it amiss, I. am sure, if, incidentally, I refer from
time to time to his connection with it His sentiments regarding those
who differed with him in religious matters I am enabled to give in his
own words. It would be well if throughout the Province there were more
of such tolerance and charity for each other's conscientious views in
regard to forms of religions now, though in this county we can boast
that the Bishop's words still bold good.
In an address written by
him in 1836, he stated:-
"I address my Protestant
as well as my Catholic friends because I feel assured that during the
long period of four-and-forty years that my intercourse with some of
you. and two-and-thirty years with others, has subsisted, no man will
say that in promoting your temporal interest I ever made any difference
between Catholic and Protestant; and indeed it would he both unjust and
ungrateful in me if I did, for I have found Protestants upon all
occasions as ready to meet my wishes and second my efforts to promote
the public good as the Catholics themselves: and it is with no small
gratification that I here acknowledge having received from Orangemen
unequivocal and substantial proofs of disinterested friendship and
generosity of heart.
"When a Prime Minister of
England (Lord Sidmouth) in 1802 expressed to me his reluctance to permit
Scots Highlanders to emigrate to the Canadas from his apprehension that
the hold the parent state had of the Canadas was too slender to be
permanent, I took the liberty of assuring him that the most effectual
way to render that hold strong and permanent was to encourage and
facilitate the emigration of Scots Highlanders and Irish Catholics into
these colonies.
"To the credit and honour
of Scots Highlanders be it told that the difference of religion was
never known to weaken the bond of friendship; and Catholic and
Protestant have always stood shoulder to shoulder nobly supporting one
another during the fiercest tug of battle.
"The loyal and martial
character of Highlanders is proverbial. The splendid achievements of
your ancestors under a Montrose and a Dundee in support of a fallen
Family proved their unshaken adherence to honour and principle, acquired
for them the admiration of their opponents, and secured for you, their
posterity, the confidence of a liberal and discerning government. You
have indeed reason to be proud of such ancestors, and your friends have
reason to be proud of your conduct since the first of you crossed the
Atlantic." |
