Papineau, LOUIS JOSEPH

Papineau, LOUIS JOSEPH, Canadian statesman, was born at Montreal in October 1789. At twenty he was elected to the Legislative Assembly, and speedily worked his way to the head of the Radical or French-Canadian party, and in 1815 was chosen speaker of the House of Assembly for Lower Canada, a post that he held until 1837. He opposed the union of Upper and Lower Canada, formulated the grievances and demands of his party in the Ninety-two Resolutions, and agitated actively against the imperial government. When the province rose in rebellion in 1837, a warrant was issued against Papineau for high-treason, though he took no active part in the fighting. He escaped to Paris; but returned to Canada, pardoned, in 1847. He died at Montebello, in Quebec, on 23d September 1871.