sieur de Montcalm's arrival in this
colony, down to that of his death, he did not cease to sacrifice everything
to his boundless ambition. He sowed dissension among the troops, tolerated
the most indecent talk against the government, attached to himself
the most disreputable persons, used means to corrupt the
most virtuous, and, when he could not succeed, became their
cruel enemy. He wanted to be Governor-General. He privately
flattered with favors and promises of patronage every officer of the
colony troops who adopted his ideas. He spared no pains to gain over
the people of whatever calling, and persuade them of his attachment;
while, either by himself or by means of the troops of the line, he
made them bear the most frightful yoke _(le joug le plus affreux)._
He defamed honest people, encouraged insubordination, and closed his
eyes to the rapine of his soldiers."

[Footnote 808: See _Supra_, p. 462.]

This letter was written to Vaudreuil's official superior and
confidant, the Minister of the Marine and Colonies. In another
letter, written about the same time to the Minister of War, who held
similar relations to his rival, he declares that he "greatly regretted
Monsieur de Montcalm."[809]

[Footnote 809: _Vaudreuil au Ministre de la Guerre, 1 Nov_. 1759.]

His charges are strange ones from a man who was by turns
the patron, advocate, and tool of the official villains who
cheated the King and plundered the people. 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