Paris, Ontario, United Provinces of Canada
1813
"What do you think of Paris, eh?" The Man in the Black Hat asked of his companion.
"From what I can see?" The Man with the Brown Coat replied and looked around the tavern. It was late, but it had to be something special about the tavern itself that made the whole place seem even darker and dingier then it should have been.
"From what you have seen!" Black Hat grinned and tipped his glass of red wine to his lips, "Perhaps even what you have tasted or smelled!"
"This red wine is the best I can think of Paris at the moment, my friend. Still, I am surprised that this place would have this good Bordeaux Red. I am surprised even more how much I have come to like drinking it over the years." Brown Coat took the time to pour himself another glass.
"Hahaha. Well, I can tell you that there is more to Paris then meets the eye. It is a nice sized town and the people are quite nice. It is too bad that it will never reach the size and importance of those on the lakes. Ah, well." Black Hat shrugged at the futility of it.
"True, but come now old man. I know you, and you are getting at something that you don't wish to show me...until it is right before my eyes at least."
"Ah, so true and so hurtful. Have I really become predictable in my old age? Ah, well. Tell me, young man, for the eyes of this geezer have become blind and useless, what do you notice on that beam there?" Black Hat pointed to one of the central wooden supports that help up the room.
"Hmmm..." Brown Coat hummed as he squinted, "I see a simple framed painting...no...a framed poster. It says 'Première Partie Canadienne'? Canadian First Party? What is this now?" Brown Coat leveled an inquisitive gaze at his associate.
"Ah, well it's something of a little mess. A mess that would have similarly been left when Pandora opened her little box or if one swept several cats around in a bag and then let them out..." Black Hat smiled wryly as he pulled out from his coat a pamphlet. He slowly and carefully brought a pair of worn glasses to his face as he began to read in a dramatic, mocking tone.
"Canadiens! Proud Sons and Daughters of Gallic Blood! Stand Up! Stand Against Anglo Oppression! Stand Against Indian Savages! Stand Against..."
"Alright, alright." Brown Coat waved his hand and took another drink from his glass, a much deeper one then he had before. "I don't need to hear the rest of that."
"Aha!" Black Hat raised a finger as a matter of point, "You don't need to, but you likely will. At least around here. These 'First Canadiens' are planning on holding a rally in Paris and even are talking of sending someone off to the National Assembly come elections."
"Humph. Don't tell me you actually expect these vile..."
"No, from what I have gathered the Firsters are already quite unpopular with their slogans in these parts...but as you can see. This presents...something of an issue..." Black Hat let his words trail off.
"It would seem that parties...gangs...clubs...are starting to form. After all, it's not as if the 'Founding Fathers' will remain on the political scene forever to keep people from following their natural instincts to gang up on one another. Which was something I wanted to avoid..." Rene Canada, now Former Governor of Illinois, rolled his eyes and gave a exaggerated shrug, "If you had just waited a few more years and set up a few political dynasties..."
"Bah! Dynasties! What are we aristocrats? No, no. While I was worried about something such as this..." Guy Richard, former Governor of Ontario, paused for dramatic effect, "I feel it is better that we are both alive to confront such tensions within the United Provinces. Look at those Americans and their President Wheely!"
"I'd rather not. The man is lucky as sin that God gave mankind the ability to see another across vast distances or technology has progressed to make that possible through a looking glass." Rene blanched and sipped his wine.
"The point being." Guy interrupted Rene's dramatic gagging, "Canada will be going through some...growing pains as it tried to grow and find itself. The War with Napoleon is by no means over. Imagine if one of these groups managed to gain enough influence to abandon our alliance with the British?"
"Nothing, good. Though you say groups. The political background is divided ten times over! We are going to see national parties, regional parties, and provincial parties. Too much division and nothing will get done." Rene leaned forward toward his old friend. He knew that now Guy would reveal the whole reason for their political conversation. It was an often enough used tactic by Guy to get him loose enough so that they could think into each other's mind sets.
"Too true, nothing would get done. No agreements, no funding, no anything but plenty of nothing! No, what I propose is that we brings many of these groups together! A large enough boat so that these people like the Firsters will be drowned out by a multitude of opinions. I suggest we build some coalitions..."