less the unjust and uncalled for interference betwixt the Government and myself of the representative of Nicolet.

I rejoice that our correspondence is brought to light though it had been more straight forward and regular, if useful, that it should be so that the Government had taken the lead in the matter. If there are conflicting views between them and me, they have ample means to expose their views without the uncalled for aid of any one beside themselves.

The error in their letter of 25th August 1848, is to alledge that a mistake in a matter of account, could so be misinterpreted as to destroy the debt which a subject may have against the Government, by the mere assertion when he has been paid only a portion of his claim, that it has been by «an amicable arrangement on the part of the Government and the Parliament». Defending my rights against such a pretension, I defend the rights of all who are or my become creditors of the Government.

There was neither in the Government nor in the Parliament, nor with me, any bargaining for an «Amicable arrangement» I did not then as I do not now, and as I hope I shall never do, ask a favour from any man or set of men for anything done by me in public life.

By the form of my claim in 1846, by the letter and spirit of the message which followed, by the terms of the unanimous vote of this House it is plain that there was in none of those parties, the most distant idea of an amicable arrangement as to the amount of a debt, «that is due in point of law for which if the House concurs in this opinion, the Government accedes to Mr. Papineau's application». There is on the contrary an honest and solemn acknowledgment that the claim was to be settled as between debtor and creditor. Therefore the accidental error cannot be invoked as exonerating the Government when it is subsequently discovered, from its [ ] to make good the mistake of its one of agents on the one hand, can ignorance at the time that a mistake had taken place be invoked against me when it is subsequently found out.

The Government was most evidently under an erroneous impression that an amicable arrangement had taken place when they wrote thus «from these considerations you will perceive that the deduction proposed by you in your letter cannot take place, and that the ballance in your hands will have to be paid to the public treasury».

On any insistence on the part of Government to receive the sum I have in hand so much smaller than the one which they owe me; I have been and am ready to pay it. But when I knew that they had in hand a large unsettled ballance due to me, and when their letter proved so clearly that they had not attentively looked to the subject, that on reconsideration they could easily find out the error and that when found out they could not with justice refrain from acknowledging it and repairing it, I could not doubt but that they would write to me, before bringing any claim, charge, complaint against me. The moment they had done it, I had answered Mr. La Fontaine by his proper attention to the public accounts was the first who from his seat in the House gave warning, that a ballance was due to me, let us then look to those accounts in order to strike correctly that ballance, so that you shall pay it if I am the creditor, or I pay it if you are the creditor. That was the plain and just course to be adopted by any impartial Government.

What was not then my surprise to see the interference of one who could not learn by regular and honorable means of information, that there had been any communication between the Government and myself. Speaking of this topic to him, and not to me, had been an indiscretion, a breach of confidence on the subject of the deliberations of the Executive Council, which I dare not impute to any of its members, yet it cannot have leaked out of their minutes or their rooms but by censurable means. I think that the Government had better consulted their rights and duties had shewn more of self respect, if they had stated, to any prying individual at all times when any difference of opinion may exist between us and a debtor or a creditor of Government, to determine it is for us.

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[1] Plus précisément le 27 mars 1838, date effective de la suspension de la constitution de 1791. CP.

[2] Voir cette lettre à Papineau par le secrétaire R.B. Sullivan, au nom du gouvernement, datée du 25 août 1848. ANQQ (copie).

[3] Le Dr Thomas Fortier (1796-1876), élu député de Nicolet en 1848. Réformiste. DPQ.

[4] Voir la lettre du 25 août 1848 de R.B. Sullivan à Papineau....