Bigot, Cadet, and
the rest of the harpies that preyed on Canada looked to Vaudreuil
for support, and found it. It was but three or four weeks since he
had written to the Court in high eulogy of Bigot and effusive praise
of Cadet, coupled with the request that a patent of nobility should
be given to that notorious public thief.[810] The corruptions which
disgraced his government were rife, not only in the civil
administration, but also among the officers of the colony troops,
over whom he had complete control. They did not, as has been seen
already, extend to the officers of the line, who were outside the circle
of peculation. It was these who were the habitual associates
of Montcalm; and when Vaudreuil charges him with "attaching
to himself the most disreputable persons, and using means
to corrupt the most virtuous," the true interpretation of his
words is that the former were disreputable because they disliked
him (the Governor), and the latter virtuous because they were his
partisans.
[Footnote 810: See _Supra_, p. 374.]
Vaudreuil continues thus: "I am in despair, Monseigneur,
to be under the necessity of painting you such a portrait after
death of Monsieur the Marquis of Montcalm. Though it contains
the exact truth, I would have deferred it if his personal
hatred to me were alone to be considered; but I feel too
deeply the loss of the colony to hide from you the cause of
it. I can assure you that if I had been the sole master, Quebec
would still belong to the King, and that nothing is so disadvantageous
in a colony as a division of authority and the mingling of troops
of the line with marine _[colony]_ troops.
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