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[septembre 1848]

My application for arrears of Salary due me was as follows:

[Ici, Papineau transcrit sa lettre du 4 mars 1846 à Dominick Daly]

When I made this demand I knew not what was the sum due to me, referring it to Government to establish by a correct examination of public accounts what it might be. If through mistake they have named a less sum, that unintentional error impairs in no manner my just claim.

On leaving my demand in writing to the provincial Secretary, and on his asking me what was the amount that I claimed I told him that I knew not exactly what it was; that as far as memory could serve, I was informed on the part of Lord Gosford, that he had signed warrants in my favour to the amount I thought of four thousand five hundred pounds. I did not explain whether it was Sterling or Currency, nor what period it covered.

On the 11th April following, the Administrator of Government recommends the subject in a message concluding in the following terms: «The Administrator of the Government is [ ] that this debt is due in point of law, and if the House concurs in this opinion, and shall be pleased to make provision for the payment of it, the Administrator of the Government is authorised in such case to signify his willingness on behalf of her Majesty's Government, to accede to Mr. Papineau's application».

The unanimous vote of the Legislative Assembly on the day of [ ] following was in these words:

«Resolved that there is now due to the Honorable L.J. Papineau, late Speaker of the House of Assembly of Lower Canada, the sum of 4 500 £ cy, four thousand five hundred pounds currency, and that for the payment of the said sum, there be granted to Her Majesty out of the consolidated revenue the said sum of 4 500 £ cy.»

This was all true, but was not the whole truth as more than that sum was due. When it was voted, the honorable Mr. La Fontaine correctly observed, that since Government was to pay Mr. Papineau, they ought to do it in full, and that he thought the sum due him larger than the one proposed to be voted. It was thus that I learnt that there had likely been an error in the amount, and that I was led to ask to my brother, if there was time yet to correct it to which he answered that is was so late, and that business so crowded in at the close of a session, that there remained no time to search and find it out, now was it of much moment as if there was an error, it would be readily corrected in another session.

Even when I wrote to the Governor General on 27th July 1848, I had not taken the trouble to ascertain what was the amount which might be due to me, nor to search from what cause it had likely arisen that the Government had fallen into an error in stating it. In the confusion subsequent to the troubles breaking out in 1837, in the change of the form of Government, and the removal of its seat from Quebec to Montreal, must be found circumstances through which the warrants signed by Lord Gosford have been mislaid. They have been searched for in 1846 and not being found my conversation above related with the provincial secretary seem to have guided him in stating that I made the demand of the definite sum mentioned. From my conversation the provincial Secretary had naturally enough inferred that the sum due was 4 500 £ currency, while by a closer examination of the public accounts; they had readily ascertained that at the period they had been kept in sterling money, and that though the warrants had in fact been signed as from memory only I had stated, for four thousand five hundred pounds these were sterling, instead of Provincial currency, leaving a ballance of five hundred pounds currency due me beyond what was asked, for a period when no troubles had broken out, and which had been as readily and unanimously voted by the Assembly if asked then to do it, as it has readily and unanimously voted another sum.

At the time I wrote to the Governor General, on 27th July 1848, I thought that the observations previously made by the honorable Mr. La Fontaine in the House, that the whole of what was due to me was not asked for by the Government, related mainly to what might have remained due and accrued after September 1837 and therefore did I allude to this in observing as I did in that letter, have the infortunate events of 1837 rendered in a matter of difficulty to determine that amount, etc.

Party spirit has heaped through the press, against me and other public men many extra legal incriminations, much of abuse and slander, for the part which they or I may have taken in our intestine dissentions. The proceedings neither of the Government or of this House ought not in the least to be influenced by such statements.

I left the country after a large sum had been promised for my apprehension. I might have returned to it much sooner than I have done, the Government having cancelled the proceedures begun against me. But besides and before that step, many respectable friends and gentlemen, in this country and abroad, influent[ ] near the home Government, had kindly offered to make interest near it, to facilitate my earlier return to my native country. I had declined their obliging offers. I have come to it when it suited me from my own free determination after [ ] loudly proclaimed that I repented not, of any act of my public life.

It is neither the right, the duty nor the inclination of this House to investigate for praise or for censure, for remuneration of [ ] into the acts of public men in 1837. In establishing what is the [ ] of my claim, it will be guided by the consideration of what was the desire of the province of Lower Canada, as expressed by the acts of its Legislature and the votes of its Representatives, as to what were to be the salaries attached to the high and honorable station of the Speakers of its Houses of Parliament. Referring to public accounts, it will be found that the Speaker of the Legislative Council has been paid five hundred pounds currency for the six months salary ending out to 31st March 18381234[L.J. Papineau]

. If this payment has been correctly made, there is presumptive evidence that the same ought to be made to the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

The consideration of more or less of money to be paid to me, is one which I regard with indifference and unconcern; but not so the errors contained, in the letter addressed to me on behalf of the Government in their letter of 25th August 1848; for...