Guy Carleton

Guy Carleton is a soldier and colonial administrator British and the first baron Dorchester.

It was born in Strabane, in Ireland, the September 3rd 1724, wire of Christopher Carleton, landowner, and of Catherine Ball. It is deceased in Stubbings House, close to Maidenhead, in England, the November 10th 1808.

In May 1772, it marries Maria Howard in Fulham (London).

He was the second governor of the “Province off Quebec”, succeeding James Murray, and the first general governor of British North America.

Political career and soldier

Governor of Quebec

It engages in the British army the May 21st 1742. It climbs there the levels and in 1752, it is recommended by James Wolfe like military tutor of the young person Charles Lennox, duke of Richmond. With Wolfe, it takes part in the head office of Quebec where it is wounded during the Bataille of the plains of Abraham. It takes part then in other campaigns of the Guerre Seven Year old, in Belle-Île-en-Mer and Havana, where it is again wounded in 1762.

It will then take several important positions in the British colony of Quebec. It is named lieutenant-governor and administrator in April 1766 (station which it only occupies as from September). As James Murray is always governor in title, it is only in October 1768 which Carleton is officially named general captain and governor as a chief.

Contrary to Murray, Carleton enjoys solid political supports in Great Britain. It reconciles also the support of the British merchants by making some decisions in their favor. However the fact that crushing it majority of the population is always French pleasing Carleton to support the “natural” chiefs of the former inhabitants, is the lords and the clergy. It in general helps also the population while acting, inter alia, in favor of industry, of the trade of the furs and fishing. It reforms also the legal system by establishing the “Court of the common plaids”.

Wanting to plead for a reform of the constitution of 1763, Carleton leaves the administration of the colony with Hector Cramahé and embarks for London in August 1770. He wants in particular a return to the laws and French habits in the civil field, but he is reticent vis-a-vis the creation of a representative assembly. Its efforts bear fruit since the Acte of Quebec is adopted in 1774. Carleton turns over to Quebec in September 1774, but faced the dissatisfaction of various groups.

In front of the approach of the War of independence of the United States, it in vain tries to raise troops Canadian-Frenchwomen. It must push back the American invasion of 1775 and attacks it against Quebec. This action is victorious, but its lack of energy in the continuation of the invaders is worth criticisms to him, and it gives its resignation in June 1777. It remains however posts some until the arrival of its successor Haldimand in June 1778. Meanwhile, it had received the title of knight (to sir) the July 6th 1776.

Commander-in-chief

Carleton is named in March 1782 commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America, succeeding to sir Henry Clinton. However, the war of independence of the United States is practically already lost, and Carleton is in charge of a mission of conciliation near the American leaders, but this mission fails. The principal concern for Carleton is then to make evacuate 30.000 soldiers and 27.000 refugees (from of which many slaves escaped) and to install the latter on other grounds of the empire, in particular in Nova Scotia and in Canada. It remains in station until November 1783.

Baron Dorchester and general governor

Carleton spends the three following years to England. In April 1786 it is named general governor for the whole of the British colonies of North America. Those included/understood the province of Quebec, the Nova Scotia and the New Brunswick. Each one of these provinces also had a lieutenant-governor who was in load of the administration in the absence of the general governor. Carleton was also commander-in-chief of his provinces and Newfoundland.

The title of baron Dorchester was created for him on August 21st, 1786. As from this moment, according to the British tradition, it is called “Dorchester” rather than “Carleton” in all the official documents or histories.

In its new mandate, Dorchester was shown less favorable to Canadian-French than it had been it before. In particular, it took measures to rather support the installation of the Loyal supporters by introducing the ground concession in frank tenure than according to the system seigneurial in the south-west of Montreal, in the future High-Canada. On the other hand, it continued to assist the Catholic church, for example by authorizing a certain number of priests emigrated in France to return to Canada. It did not take a firm position between the partisans of the French and English legal systems, leaving a legal blur which was cause of dissatisfaction with all the parts.

Dorchester contributed little to the development by London of a new constitution for Canada, that is to say the constitutional Acte of 1791. There remained governor-general, but passed by again in Great Britain in August 1791, little before the coming into effect of the new constitution. The lieutenant-governor Alured Clarke was in load of the colony during the absence of Dorchester, which lasted two years.

In February 1794, five months after its return in America, Dorchester made an imprudent statement with a group of Amerindians concerning a possible war with the United States. Following the American protests, the British minister Henry Dundas recommended to his governor more moderation. This one took the thing badly, and offered its resignation in September. It occurred however still two years before its successor is named and takes his station. Dorchester left Canada definitively on July 9th 1796.

End of a career

Of return in England, Dorchester continued its career of general, but it generally resided in one of its three residences at the countryside. He died at the 84 years age.

The biographers seem to have had difficulty of having an precise idea of the personality of Dorchester. It indeed rather secret and was reserved (it made destroy all its personal papers after its death). It just was said cold, severe and distant, but also honest, and incorruptible. By its mistrust towards the institution of a representative Government, it showed a strong tendency to autocracy. Its most durable heritage is undoubtedly its government under the mode of the Acte of Quebec, which by its acceptance of the habits and French institutions, allowed the survival and even the blooming of the Canadians of French origin. It thus created a model which was included in other colonies of the British Empire where had to be reconciled foreign populations.

In addition, it would have maintained many contacts with freemasonry. Several cabins are named in its honor.

Sources

The majority of information of this article come from the biographical Dictionnaire of Canada (bond Ci-low).

See too

List of the governors of Canada before the Confederation

External bonds

Biography on line with the biographical Dictionary of Canada

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