The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-18 00:00:00

tion:—

"Resolved, that in the opinion of this meeting
a Confederation of all the provinces of British
North America would tend to extinguish French
Canadian nationality, and impose upon it a system
of direct taxation which it could not well meet ;
and that this meeting formally expresses its disc
approbation of all Ministerial schemes of constia
tational changes,which schemes,if they were carried
into effect without being first submitted to the
direct approval or disapproval of the people of this
Province by means of general elections, held ex-
clusively to judge and appreciate them, and without
the application of the principle of the double
majority, would be the greatest blow which has
ever been levelled against the immunities and the
rights of the people of the Province."
About 1000 French Canadians attended the meet-
ing in question.
In proposing the above resolution, Mr Lanctot
gave a, resume of the history of the country from its
settlement to the passing of the Act of Union, which,
he maintained, was forced upon the French resi-
dents. He contended that the treaty effected in
1760 guaranteed the civil and religious institutions
of the French Canadians, and that no alteration
could possibly take place without their consent.
Even the Act of Union, he averred, contained a
proviso tending to perpetuate their rights, that of
equal representatio❑ ; and as the enemies of the race
were aware of this, they passed an act for making
the Legislative Council elective for the purpose of
sending home the Constitution for alteration. The
only remaining guarantee was therefore gone, as
Lord Durham had foreseen, when he drafted the
Union Act. They were now drifting into the abyss
of Confederation, the only escape from which was
to be found in national unity. The speaker also
denounced Mr Cartier and other public men who
now favour the new political change, but who in
1858 characterised the ceheme as absurd and highly
prejudicial to the best interests of the country.
Placards, emanating from the Rouge party, are
freely circulated about the city, calling for another
public meeting to oppose the contemplated political
°leafage. The announcement which they contain
ends with the significant words—" Viva la cause
Nationale !"
The conference of Ministerial delegates from the
five provinces will meet inQuebec on this day week.
The Russell House, Palace-street, is engaged for
the occasion. The Canadian Government have their
programme already prepared, and on such a basis
that some members of the Administration are
sanguine that it will be favourably entertained by
some, if not all, the representatives of the maritime
provinces.

Incendiary fires are very common just now
throughout the Province. The warehouses belong•
ing to the Hon. John Young, of Montreal, have
been consumed, and the Mayor offers a large reward
for the discovery of the miscreants. Other buildings
have likewise been set on fire, it is supposed, by a
gang of scoundrels who have combined for this
nefarious purpose.
Only a few days since an extensive fire, also pre-
sumed to be the work of incendiaries, occurred at
Woodstock, C.W. The loss is estimated at nearly
100,000 dols. A great many stores have been de-
destroyed. It is estimated that the loss will fall on
the insurance offices t 3 the extent of 20,000. The
following offices will have to bear the heaviest
burdens :—The London and Liverpool, the North
British, the Royal, the Western, the Queen, and
the Etna.
The officers who were in pursuit of the Lake
pirates have returned, withc tit of cling the capture
of any prisoners.
A detachment of the Royal Canadian Rifles have
lately left Kingston for service on the Detroit river,
where they will aid in suppressing any offensive
demonstration against the American froutier.
The Grand Trunk Rail way has distributed several
thousand pounds amongst the families of the killed
and maimed at the late Belceil accident. It has
also munificently given 2,000 dols. to the Montreal
General Hospital, and has become a regular sub
scriber of 400 dole. annually to the funds of the
institution in acknowledgment of the care and
attention bestowed upon the unfortunate sufferers
thrown by the accident upon the charity of the
hospital.
The school question is exciting a good deal of
bitterness in Lower Canada amongst religionists.
Several meetings of Protestants have been held, at
which resolutions were passed denunciatory of the
present condition of the law with regard to the
regulation of public schools.
It has been alleged that the policy of the Governs
vernment has been to foster Roman Catholic schools
and colleges to the detriment of Protestant educa-
tional institutions. Protestant landholders complain
that they are obliged to pay taxes for the support
of Raman Catholic schools in places where Protes-
tant schools exist, in case such landlords are non-

residents.
The Provincial Exhibition which was held this
year at Hamilton has just closed, It is considered
the best show which the Agricultural Association
has yet held. During the fcur days the exhibition
lasted 27,000 quarter-dollar tickets were sold, in
addition to 1,000 members' tickets at one dollar.
At the termination of the exhibition the Presi.
dent (Colonel James Johnson), in accordance with
the customary usage, delivered an address. Al-
luding to the soil of Canada, he remarked :
" We have an extensive country compared with
many lands. No portion of it is yet densely popu-
lated, touch yet is very thinly settled, and over vast
portions of it the primeval forest yet remains undis-
turb:d. This, then, is the natural channel into which
the chief current of our industry must for many
years continue to flow ; and if it be true, as one of
philosophic mind has remarked, that the man who
makes two blades of grass grow where only one had
grown before deserves well of his fellow-man, what
scope is there here for honourable repute in bring-
ing still more extensive regions of the wilderness
into subjection for the wants of civilised man, and
in introducing a superior system of agriculture.
Long may we confine our warfare to the subju-
gation of the forest, the reclaiming of morasses, and
the conquering of the millions of acres which lie
before us."

DEMOLITION BY GUNPOWDER OF THE GREAT
EXHIBITION BUlLDlNG.—Yesterday a considerable
number of persons visited the neighbourhood of tho
Great Exhibition Building, it having been announced that
it was intended to blow down the two towers that supported
the great dome, adjacent to the Horticultural Gardens, in
the Exhibition-road, but the operation was postponed for a
day or two to enable Sir John Burgoyne and other officers
of the Royal Engineers from Chatham to be present at the
operation. The public, however, had the opportunity of
witnessing the corps of Sappers and Miners, under Captain
Knocker, at work upon tne basement of the towers, where
they were engaged during the day in boring at intervals in
the brickwork the requisite chambers for the displosion.
THE COUNTY CUP AT LEICESTER.—The following is
the decision of Lord Bateman, one of the stewards in this
race, which has been in abeyance since the Bth of Septem-
ber, the day on which it was run : —" An objection having
been raised on the part of the second horse against Land of
the West (who came in first for this race), on the ground
of his being incorrectly nominated, both as to name and age,
it appears, on investigation, that not only was no age men•
tioned in the original nomination (as laid down in Rule 14),
but further, that the horse was improperly described both
in the _Racing Caloiclar and on the cards of the day, as
Lord of the West, 4 yrs old,' in lieu of ' Land of the West
3 yrs old,' thereby tending to mislead, and to invite the
objection. In accordance with Rule 14, the•objection must
be considered valid, and I therefore award the race, to
Cervus, who was second. Captain Christie, my colleague,
concurs in this decision.— (signed) BATEMAN, Steward.—
Oct. 17, 1864."

TAXES IN THE CITY OF LONDON..--L'id year
the land tax in the City of London produced £46,651, the
flamed taxed Z 3,254, aLa tho taz Z 04,071.