Oldal 142 [142]
CANADIAN LANDSCAPES/ PAYSAGES CANADIENS
mêmes principes, la position du journal posait une contradiction que l’auteur
tente de résoudre en examinant les idées du rédacteur en chef Charles Bennett
Ray.
Mots-clés: The Colored American, abolitionnisme, Noirs, les rébellions du
Haut et du Bas-Canada
As the fourth American periodical published by African Americans, The Colored
American of New York City had a notable, albeit brief history. During its exis¬
tence between 1837 and 1841, it attempted to fulfill its stated motto of “Speak¬
ing in THUNDER TONES” by covering the issues of the day for its readership
(Ripley 216). The subjects of articles ranged widely, from the treatment of the
Cherokee nation, to the campaign for abolition, to the practice of judicial
review. Its operation coincided with the late 1830s’ rebellions in Upper and
Lower Canada by those opposing British, imperial rule. Despite the Black
community’s affection for the principles of the Declaration of Independence,
the principles of which the Canadian rebels appropriated for their own revolt,
the newspaper’s writers rejected both the insurrection and, more broadly,
Canadian republicanism. By presenting compelling arguments, they hoped to
persuade their readership to do so, as well. Supporting British rule to ensure
a haven for escaped slaves, though crucial, was only one of their rationales.
Several secondary rationales reminded free Blacks that their core interests in
stability and progress in the United States could be jeopardized by the over¬
throw of the established regime across their northern border.
The colonial rebellions against the British Crown began in 1837 in two dif¬
ferent parts of British North America, one English speaking, in what is now
Ontario, and the other, French-speaking Quebec. Key differences existed be¬
tween the uprisings. For example, Quebec’s conflict was characterized by
greater violence than Ontario’s and resentment against ruling elites there
intertwined with the linguistic divide. Yet, the rebels in both shared an an¬
tipathy to the heavy-handed rule of their royal government and the absence of
democratic representation. The Constitutional Act of 1791 had earlier divided
what had been a single colony into two — Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower
Canada (Quebec). Both had a governor, an appointed Executive Council, an
appointed legislative council and a locally elected assembly. The assemblies
were empowered to make laws over local matters. During the first decades of
the 19" century, locals elected to the assemblies met infrequently and lacked
expertise that might have enabled them to challenge the Executive Council.
As the colonies evolved from ‘pioneer conditions’ into more complex socie¬
ties, passivity towards executive control was replaced by resentment (Bell 49).
Advances in communications and transportation meant that average citizens
could look beyond their own situations to the larger forces influencing their
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