John Neilson (Lower Canada politician)

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repetitious, fourteen very abusive, four false and seditious, and five good or indifferent. Neilson's main point of disagreement was Papineau's insistence on an elected Legislative Council, which Neilson considered to be contrary to the spirit of the 1791 constitution. In the debates on the Resolutions, Neilson was one of the leading opponents, and moved three amendments, which were defeated. For his rejection of the Resolutions and break with Papineau, he was called a "

1601: 1637: 899:, Canada West, Neilson was one of the leaders of the French-Canadian group in opposition to the union. Neilson brought a motion condemning the union. After a lengthy debate, it was defeated, 50 to 25, the first major vote in the session. Neilson was one of nineteen members from Canada East who voted against the union, along with six Ultra-Reformers from Canada West. During the rest of the first session, he was a consistent opponent of Governor General 1649: 700:, to present the party's demands for reform of the provincial government, particularly that the Assembly needed to have greater control over the provincial finances. They presented a petition with 80,000 signatures supporting the demand for greater local control. The British government offered significant concessions on the points raised by the Lower Canada delegation, leading to Papineau writing a letter of thanks to Neilson on his return. 507:. John Neilson formally inherited the business in 1793 when his brother Samuel died. Because he himself was underage, Neilson was under the tutelage of a Presbyterian minister, Alexander Spark, until reaching the age of majority and being able to acquire full control of the business. In one burst of youthful exuberance, he went to New York without permission, but duly apologised to Spark on his return. 1625: 742:, which Neilson considered to be too radical and republican. He had always appealed for moderation, toleration, respect for ethnic and religious differences, and working within the constitutional framework. He began to see Papineau as a radical who detested the constitution and favoured anticlericalism and nationalism. He feared the economic consequences of the increasing radicalism of the 568:. He was a trustee for the Royal Institute for the Advancement of Learning, and took an interest in developing schools in the province, particularly in the rural areas. On one trip to London, he spoke to the Foreign Schools Society about the difficulties that the Legislative Assembly was having in developing a school system, which he envisaged would be done through the churches. 774:, as delegates from the constitutional associations of Quebec and Montreal. They lobbied members of the British government for changes to the provincial government and constitution, asking them to carry through with the British parliamentary committee's recommendations in 1828. Neilson sought, unsuccessfully, to avert the possibility of rebellion in Lower Canada. 520:, the French law in force in Lower Canada. He explained in a letter to his mother that he wished to show that he had permanently established himself in Lower Canada, and provide an example that Canadians and British immigrants could live together. The couple had ten children, with their sons raised Presbyterians, and their daughters raised Catholic. 560:

A large part of his business was publishing government proclamations, forms, and records. He also imported and published books of a general nature, theological texts, hymnals, school books, and books on political philosophy and history, and texts on law and medicine. He offered texts in both English

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to argue against a proposal to merge Lower Canada with Upper Canada. In 1828, he was part of another delegation to London, to make submissions criticizing the financial controls of the governors. Although an ally of some of the leading French-Canadian politicians, such as Papineau, he gradually split

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did not take radical positions. He had a strong admiration for the British constitution, and also sympathies for the political concerns of French Canadians, such as increased popular control over the provincial government and the abolition of the seigneurial system. He was also strongly committed to

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and specifically targeted Neilson, his former colleague. Worried by the trend in politics, Neilson then helped set up "constitutional associations" in the province, to argue in favour of solutions through constitutional means, and potentially to be the base for a new political party. In 1835, he

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introduced by Papineau in the Assembly, a rewrite of the 1828 demands for reform with a radical, republican tone. In his private journal, he summarised his view of the resolutions: eleven were true, six were mixed with falsehood, sixteen were false, seventeen doubtful, twelve ridiculous, seven

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in English and French. It was the largest circulation newspaper in the two Canadas, and expanded when he imported special types and presses for his business. He showed strong abilities in business, particularly in keeping detailed track of his finances and accounting. He would go to court if

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and French, from the United Kingdom, the United States, and, after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, from France. He was a well-read man, and fluent in both English and French. He developed a large clientele in the professional classes, from both French Canadians and British Canadians.

910:, leading to the resignation of most of the ministry. In a vote in the Assembly, Neilson voted in support of the Governor General, and against the former ministry. He understood the system of working with a governor, and was suspicious of the new concept of responsible government. 557:

necessary to ensure payments of his accounts, but preferred to rely on personal relations and private arbitrations in financial disputes. According to his rival James Brown of Montreal, Neilson's publishing house was "the largest consumer of paper in this country".

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in 1848 and was buried in the Presbyterian church cemetery in Valcartier. Twenty years after his death, his estate was assessed as more than £30,000 in assets, including real estate holdings, and only £25 in liabilities.

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First report. The Select Committee Appointed to Investigate and Report on the Outrages Alleged to Have Been Committed at the General Election in the Counties of Terrebonne, Montreal, Vaudreuil, Beauharnois, Chambly and

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Neilson was also interested in banking, as a shareholder and client of the Bank of Quebec. He engaged in money-lending, offering loans on generally easy terms, but with fixed repayment schedules.

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Letter from L.J. Papineau and J. Neilson, Esqs., Addressed to His Majesty's Under Secretary of State on the Subject of the Proposed Union of the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, May 10, 1823

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should receive title to their plots at no cost. He was also concerned that the seigneurial system was itself making it difficult for farmers to obtain arable land, with conflicts between the

1714: 514:, Bishop of Quebec. The marriage ceremony was conducted by an Anglican priest in the presence of a Roman Catholic priest. The couple signed a notarial marriage contract, governed by the 778: 436: 579:

As his publishing business prospered, Neilson expanded into land-holdings, with interests in agriculture and encouraging immigration. Around 1816, Neilson and two lawyers from Quebec,

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However, in 1843, there was a notable break in his voting pattern. In that session, there was a ministerial crisis between the primarily Reform ministry and Governor General

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to lobby against the union project in the name of the majority of the MPs in the Legislative Assembly. The British government did not proceed with the proposal at that time.

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to govern the province, chaired by the governor. Neilson was a member of the Special Council from April to June 1838, and again from November 1838 until the creation of the

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As a natural outgrowth of his business, Neilson was also interested in literary matters in the province, being a member of various literary societies, and the owner of the

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Marion Winnifred Hagerman, "John Neilson : His Political Activities in Lower Canada, 1818-1834", MA Thesis, University of Saskatchewan, 1937, 159–164.

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Neilson steadily developed the printing and book-selling business until he was the leading printer and bookseller in Lower Canada, with major links to

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In the general election of 1834, Neilson was badly defeated in his seat in Quebec County. Papineau had established a strong party apparatus for the

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a trick. Neilson's efforts paid off: out of the forty-two seats in Canada East, twenty or so were won by French Canadians opposed to the union.

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Report of the Special Committee of the House of Assembly of Lower-Canada, on the Petitions Against the Road Laws and the Office of Grand-Voyer

850: 472: 227: 917:, representing Lafontaine's new Reform group. Shortly afterwards, the Governor General appointed Neilson to the Legislative Council, the 503:, to work for his older brother, Samuel Neilson, who was operating the newspaper and publishing company of their deceased maternal uncle, 900: 884:, and the more radical element they represented, although Papineau was in exile in France. Neilson initially aligned with the younger 789:. He refused the appointment to the Executive Council, but accepted the appointment to the Legislative Council. Later that year, the 994:

Report of the Commissioners Appointed under the Lower Canada Act, 4th William IV. cap. 10, to Visit the United States' Penitentiaries

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stating that it was now the radicals in the Assembly who were betraying the constitution. Papineau responded with public insults.

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In 1823, the British government began to consider reunifying Lower Canada with Upper Canada. Neilson accompanied Papineau to

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in 1818, representing Quebec County, the rural areas surrounding Quebec City. He was re-elected in four subsequent elections.

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Rapport du Comité spécial de la Chambre d'assemblée sur le Département du bureau de la poste dans la province du Bas-Canada

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Neilson has been termed a moderate reformer or moderate liberal. Unlike some of the other Lower Canada newspapers, the

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Neilson stood for re-election in the general election of 1844, but was defeated by a more reform-minded candidate,

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the same year, the British government decided to merge the two provinces into a single province, as recommended by

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Neilson opposed the Union after its enactment. In 1841, he stood for election to the Legislative Assembly of the

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appointed by the British government. He argued for greater control of the provincial government by the elected

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Government of Canada, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations: "Neilson, John (National Historic Person).

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As a member of the British merchant class, Neilson brought some support from British Canadians to the

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The result of the rebellion was that the two provinces were merged into a single province, the

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Cartigraphic.info.ca: Street map of Rue John-Neilson in Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Quebec.

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broke out. The British government suspended the constitution of Lower Canada and created a

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with them as they became increasingly more radical during the 1830s. He opposed the

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of the Parliament. He held that position for the remaining four years of his life.

536: 1337:(Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1962; reprinted in paperback 2015), pp. 3–4. 693: 591:, for settlement by Scots and Irish immigrants, as well as British veterans of the 370: 1653: 1641: 634:

Louis-Joseph Papineau, Neilson's onetime ally in the Assembly, later bitter rival

416:), selling books in both French and English. He was the editor of the newspaper 595:. By 1832 Neilson had close to fifty properties in the areas of Valcartier and 1629: 655: 528: 516: 431: 302: 111: 82: 1705:

Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from Canada East

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Les Réformistes: Une génération canadienne-française au milieu du XIX siècle

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Les Réformistes: Une génération canadienne-française au milieu du XIX siècle

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Once well-established financially, Neilson entered politics. Elected to the

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Political Appointments and Elections in the Province of Canada, 1841 to 1860

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Political Appointments and Elections in the Province of Canada, 1841 to 1860

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Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, meeting in the Bishop's Chapel, Quebec

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Sonia Chassé, Rita Girard-Wallot, and Jean-Pierre Wallot, "Neilson, John",

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There is a street named after him in Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Quebec.

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Neilson is one of the major characters in a trilogy of historical novels,

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In 1828, he was again part of a delegation sent to London, this time with

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The Union of the Canadas — The Growth of Canadian Institutions, 1841–1857

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The Union of the Canadas — The Growth of Canadian Institutions, 1841–1857

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The Union of the Canadas — The Growth of Canadian Institutions, 1841–1857

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The Union of the Canadas — The Growth of Canadian Institutions, 1841–1857

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The Union of the Canadas — The Growth of Canadian Institutions, 1841–1857

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Aux electeurs du comté de Quebec/To the Electors of the County of Quebec

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During Neilson's time in the Assembly, he was a strong advocate for the

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the existing constitutional structure of Lower Canada, set out in the

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and Louis Moquin, acquired land north of Quebec in the valley of the

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Mémoires de la société Royale du Canada. Troisième Série; Vol. XXII

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of the Parliament. He held that position for the rest of his life.

1542: 1014:(Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, Kingston, 1843). 413: 686: 448: 401: 649:. He was gradually attracted to politics, at first supporting 1081:

Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours

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Members of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada

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Journalist; newspaper publisher; book printer and bookseller

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Quebec City, 1827, where Neilson lived and had his business

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Newspaper editor, publisher and politician in Lower Canada

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Following the rebellion in Lower Canada, and the similar

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Business career: publishing, bookselling, landholdings

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