Details Concerning the Courtmartial of JOSEPH DOUQET

    During the period from 1837 until 1838, a two-year revolt was raging in Quebec between the French Canadians and the British bureaucrats who ran the province. This was a very dismal period indeed, and the details concerning the actual events that took place during the revolt can be found in nearly every book about Canadian history. This paper is not about the war, but about a selected group of its victim within this mass of confusion.

    Many people were killing and being killed. And, as is true in all wars, the participants were labeled either -patriots or terrorists, depending upon which side they were on and who was doing the labeling. Many of these men were killed in battle, while others were banished to the all too familiar island of exile - Australia, and the Bermudas as well.

    The final category concerns those men who were executed by the decision of a Court Martial by the British Troops. Twelve Canadians were tried, convicted, and condemned to death by hanging. Two were executed on December 21, 1838; five on January 18, 1839; and lastly, five others on February 15, 1839. But the date that interests us the most is the first, where one of the two men who were executed was our little cousin, JOSEPH DUQUET.

    Joseph Duquet was about twenty years old during the start of this rebellion. He was born in Châteauguay in 1817. Later he began his formal education in The College Of Montreal. After graduating, he went to The College Of Chambly to continue his education. Unfortunately, his father died, leaving both he and his family without any financial support. So Joseph quit school and took on the burden of supporting his rather and sisters.

    His mother was moved by his sacrifice and realized how gallant and hard such a decision is to make. She contacted her brother to convince him to take on her son, Joseph, as an apprentice to him so that Joseph may learn the vocation of being a Solicitor - a person who advises clients on legal matters and pleads their cases in the lower courts of law. Being as intelligent as Joseph was, he soon completed his apprenticeship with his Uncle Demeray and stayed on with him as his assistant (his uncle was also a representative of their township.)

    His first clients were Joseph Cardinal and Francois Chevalier of Lorimier. During the period of the revolution, which had not yet started, these two men were active leaders. This probably accounts for the fate of Joseph Duquet.

    One day, while he was working late at the office, Demeray was arrested by the authorities at the same time as Dr. Davignon. Before that event, the political feelings of Joseph were not strong or impressive. But the arresting of his uncle, for what Joseph could see as no apparent reason, was the impetus that caused him to join in the feelings of the dissenters. He was easily swayed to join the rebellion and became an active participant in their movements

    He followed his uncle and Dr. Davignon to Etats-Unis and had a hand in the Battle Of Moore's Corner on December 6. Then He left to return to Etats-Unis to pursue the defeated who were fleeing to the safety of that city. After defeating the enemy, Joseph swore total allegiance to the Cause and vowed to fight to the death, if need be.

    All about him, the rebellion was raging and circumstance caused him to be forefront in the attacks. He did all that he could to see that the major attack, that which was planned to put an end to the war by the end of 1838, succeed. However, the counterstroke that was not foreseen took place on November the 3rd.

    Duquet worked very hard in the rebellion and he, along with Cardinal and Francois Maurice Lepailleur, were the chiefs in the rebellion. These three men met with forty others to prepare for a mission. They were planning to invade Châteauguay, take over the town, take the bureaucrats as prisoners, and disarm the town. They proceeded to put their plan into effect, and they got as far as taking the bureaucrats as prisoners. However, the townspeople refused to hand over their weapons and captured the rebels. The rebels were brought to the Montreal Prison where, in five days, Cardinal, Duquet, and Lepailleur would be condemned to death.

    Lepailleur escaped the hangman's noose and was exiled to Australia for a minimum period of five years. The other two, Duquet and Joseph-Narcisse Cardinal, were condemned by the decision of the Court-martial to climb the scaffold on December 21, 1838. Their deaths represented the pain of most French-Canadians during that time. The circumstance was very moving. Duquet left his elderly mother and two sisters without support for their well-being. Cardinal left behind a wife and five young children that he was the sole supported of. His first born walked beside Cardinal as he marched to the noose and bid his father farewell.

    Duquet's mother pleaded with the Governor General, Sir John Colborne, but to no avail. Even throwing herself at his feet did not move him. She begged for a pardon for her son, a paper to release him, but the Governor General of Canada refused. Joseph climbed the scaffold at the young age of slightly less than 21 years old on December 21, 1838. He made his sad and tearful good-bye's to his loved ones and prepared himself in a Christian manner for the sacrifice of his life that he saw as an honor so that Quebec would rally and be free.

    "That the sacrifice of Duquet excited to such a degree of sympathy through the spirit of all the French-Canadians, we agree with L. 0. David, during one study about the patriots of 1837. They perhaps themselves were able to recognize the love that lived long and deep. They may have experienced this sacrifice as a nourishment to the souls of all who had the honor of being led by the blood of Joseph Duquet, this young martyr of freedom."

    On November 14, 1858, a monument was erected in honor of these young patriots who died. The monument was placed in the cemetery called "Cote Des Neiges" (Snow Hill) just inside and to the left of the entrance. Upon the face there are names of the patriots who fell upon the filed of battle, those who were exiled, and finally, those who were court-martialed and later executed.

Facsimile of Joseph Duquet's Signature

JOSEPH DOUQET: Patriote Exécuté en 1838

(Les Figures de L'histoire de Chez Nous par Yvon Julien)

L'histoire a retenu les noms de ses Patriotes qui furent injustement pendus ou déportés en 1838 pour avoir, énergiquement et avec conviction, défendu les droits des Québecois. Après plus de 125 ans, leur mémoire et leur sang planent encore sur nous et sont toujours bien présents dans l'espirit de tous.

Cette page d'histoire, que l'empire britannique voudrait sûrement voir effacée, revient constamment à la surface. Je ne veux pas relater ici l'histoire des Patriotes de chez nous, l'espace manque, mais Filteau vient de faire paraître, tout récemment aux Editions de l'Aurore: ''L'Histoire des Patriotes``. Plus récent encore, cette plaquette de Marcelle Reeves-Morache intitulée: ''Joseph Duquette, patriote et martyr''. Dans cette brochure, on analyse la situation de l'époque en ces termes: ''1837-1838 est avant tout l'expression d'une volonté d'en finir avec le despotisme britannique, c'est-à-dire de réaliser une révolution nationale (populaire). En ce sens, et compte-tenu de l'époque, l'alliance entre les paysans, les ouvriers et la petite-bourgeoisie professionnelle nous apparaît comme une étape importante de notre histoire''.

Joseph Duquette, figure de l'histoire de chez nous, était né à Châteauguay, le 18 septembre 1815, du mariage de Joseph Duquette, aubergiste de Châteauguay, et de Marie-Louise Dandurand. Il commença ses études au collège de Montréal pour les poursuivre au collège de Chambly. Avant le fin de ses études, son père décéda, laissant son fils, seul soutien de sa mère et de ses trois sœurs.

Madame Duquette dit d'éenormes sacrifices pour conduire son fils jusquàu notariat. Joseph Duquette fit un stage aux études du notaire Cardinal à Châteauguay et du Chevalier de Lorimier à Montréal.

Cardinal fut le compagnon d`échafaud de Duquette. Quant à de Lorimier, il fut pendu le 15 fevrier 1839 avec quatre autres Patriotes. Cinq furent également exécutés le 18 janvier 1839.

Duquette était à la bonne école pour éveiller en lui son espirit patriotique.

A Montréal, il s'engagea dans le mouvement des Fils de la Liberté. Cette association fut fondée le 5 septembre 1837 lors d'une réunion tenue à l'hôtel Nelson de Montréal.

Puis, il compléta sa cléricature chez son oncle, le notaire Demaray à Saint-Jean, en 1837. Ce dernier fut arrêtte lors des troubles et fut amené à la prison de Montréal. A la suite de cette échauffourée, Duquette revint à Châteauguay auprès de sa mère. On forma alors l'association secrète des Frères Chasseurs. Duquette s'affilia à ce nouveau mouvement et s'accocia au notaire Cardinal en novembre 1838, afin de s'emparer des armes à Caughnawaga. Ils furent trahis et échouèrent à cet endroit ce qui entraîna leur arrestation. Duquette et ses compagnons furent amenés au Palais de Justice de Montréal le 28 novembre 1838. A la suite dùn procés tenu uniquement en anglais le 8 décembre, Duquette fut condamné à monter sur l'échafaud pour payer son crime, dont la culpabilité n'a pas encore été établie. La mère de Duquette et quelques personnages influents firent des pressions auprès de Colborne afin d'éviter la mort à Duquette. Toutes ces démarches furent vaines et le 21 décembre, Duquette et Cardinal s'acheminaient vers l'échafaud érigé au Pied-de-Courant à Montréal. Duquette connut une mort atroce. Quand la trappe s'ouvrit, la corde autour de cou glissa et déchira les lèvres du condamné et son corps frappa à quelques reprises les bords en fer de l'échafaud. Il était tout meurtri et ensanglanté. On l'enleva de cette position précaire et son corps inanimé resta vingt minutes en attendant qu'on reçoive une autre corde afin de recommencer l'opération, ce qui a fait dire que Duquette avait été pendu deux fois pour sa patrie.

A cette époque, les exécutions étaient publiques. Parmi la nombreuse assistance, on reconnaissait la mère de Duquette et ses trois sœurs ainsi que Mgr Bourget, évêque de Montréal, agenouillé dans la neige, récitant les prières des agonisants.

On rapporte qu'en cette matinée de décembre, le froid était glacial et la neige tourbillonnait sous la rafale du vent. Un grand silence régnait lors de l'exécution, même parmi les Bureaucrates.

Joseph Duquette était mort pour son patriotisme fervent, à l'âge de 23 ans. Il était célibataire. Il fut inhumé dans la même fosse que son ami Cardinal. Quelques années plus tard, on exhuma leurs restes pour les transférer au cimetière de la Côte-des-Neiges où une colonne rappelle leur mémoire à ca dernier endroit.

Madame Duquette, réduite presque à la mendicité, car on avait brûlé sa résidence à Châteauguay, devint gouvernante pour le curé Louis-David Charland à Saint-André d'Argenteuil en 1839. On sait que ce curé fut, par la suite, curé de Beauharnois de 1845 à 1881.

Le voile a maintenant couvert cette période de notre histoire mais à l'heure actuelle, au moment où le Québec retrouve son identité réelle, nous devons plus que jamais nous rappeler ces figures de l'histoire de chez nous, qui ont versé leur sang pour la survie de notre peuple, en attendant que Châteauguay grave leurs noms dans le granit, à leur mémoire. Puisse ce dernier désir devenir bientôt une réalité!

Facsimile de la signature de Joseph Duquet