The Sun.
London, England, 1837-09-05 00:00:00

LOWER CANADA NTF‘i-ps.

(PROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
It is the interest of the Mother Country, as well as
of the Colonies, that colonists should live contentedly,
and desire to continue their connection with Great Bri-
tain as beneficial ; but, to insure that, a wise and libe-
ral policy must be followed by the Governors, as re-
presentatives of the Queen in such Colony. It is
essential to produce to the satisfaction of the colonists
that the Governors should respect the rights of the
Colonies as established by treaty or Constitution ; and
it is the duty of the IVlinisters of the Crown to take
care that justice is administered in all cases in the Co-
lonies. NV'e stated a few days ago the extraordinary
excitement which has taken place in Lower Canada,
111 consequence of the resolutions of the House of
Commons last Session, refusing to the Canadians a
representative Council, which they petitioned for,
and taking from the House of Assembly the ap-
propriation of the revenues collected in the pro-
vince, as the Constitution of 1791 secured to them.
Numerous meetings of the Canadians, in counties and
towns had taken place, and resolutions passed condem-
natory of the resolutions of Lord J.Russell, and of the
majority of the House of Commons which had sup-
ported these resolutions. We gave copies, on Satur-
day last, of some of these resolutions, as indicating
the feelings of the people at those meetings, and as
well deserving of the serious consideration of the Re-
presentatives to the new Parliament. Although the
Government of Lord Dalhousie and Lord Aylmer had
been strongly condemned, and the Governors removed
1,11 consequence, yet the overnment of Lord Gosford
has been, at these meetingG s, declared to be worse than
any preceding Administration, and his acts more
tyrannical and unconstitutional.
As the loud complaints against the system of op-
pression so long and so grievously inflicted on the
People of Ireland, under the Orange domination, and
So fruitful of discontent and misrule, were attempted
to be silenced by gagging bills, by proclamations, and
every means that arbitrary and capricious power
Could devise—but all in vain t--so, in Canada,
every act of oppression, more unconstitutional and un-
just than the preceding acts, proved unsuccessful
In Putting down the dissatisfaction which existed, or in
stifling the complaints or preventing the just demands
of the people. Instead of yielding those just demands of
the People of Canada, intimated by three several Houses
of Assembly, and by eight-tenths of the represen-
tatives of the people, the Reforming Ministers have
Passed coercive resolutions by large majorities of the
Commons,
and by the House of Lords with only one
dissentient voice—that of Lord Brougham ; they have
sent within the last month the 83d Regiment and two
81°48 of war to Quebec, further to threaten the Ca-
nadians, and, it is to be feared, to re-act the same tra-
gedy as was performed at Boston in 1774 ; and yet the
People of England, who are taxed to support that mili-
tary and naval force, remain ignorant of, or indifferent
te°, what is going on under the sanction of our Reform
Ministers. It might have been expected that Lord
t;osford, who had so often witnessed the unjust pro-
clamations of the Orange Tory Administration in Ire-
and against the people for meeting and complaining
of their grievances, would have recollected that all
3116 proceedings only tended more and more to irritate
the People, and to increase their discontent. But we have
In the conduct of his Lordship one of those melancholy
elamples of men in power, acting in utter fcrgetfulness
°f the lessons taught them by experience. The language
used by the speakers at the public meetings in Lower
"triada was too strongly, though justly, condemnatory
of the acts of his Lordship's Government, and of the
conduct of the Colonial Minister and Government in
England, to be agreeable to his Lordship and his hack
advisers ; and they, following the example of the Irish
Government in times past, issued a Proclamation
against these public meetings. The O'Connell of
LOWer Canada, Mr. Papineau, was not, however, to be
Prevented by such means from meeting his countrymen ;
and the following is the resolution the meeting of the
,i?unty of L'Acadie came to respecting Lord Gosford's
t.:roclamation—hurling, as O'Connell so often did,
defiance at the authors of that insult, which they bad
added to the injustice they have so long inflicted on
at people :
, Resolved-1. That it is an incontestable right of British
‘llfle efs to meet at all times that they may think proper,
t. freely to pronounce their opinions upon the state of
he It public affairs, and in general on whatever may interest
item ; and whatever tends to prevent the free and inde-
Pendent expression of that opinion, is an infraction of, and
an outrage upon, the just rights of the people.
Resolved-2. That it is with astonishment that we have
seen the head of the Executive of this province issuing a
proclamation, characterising as seditious and perverse, men
who have defended the neglected rights of their oppressed
country, and who have had the noble courage to raise their
voices against the oppression and tyranny of the British
Ministry against this colony.
Not content with issuing Proclamation, with the
'view of preventing the free expression of public
Opinion on the conduct of the Governor and of the
13ritish Government, Lord Gosford directed officers
commanding the militia to read the Proclamation at
the head of every regiment--thus using the military
establishments to give publicity to the civil orders of
the Government—a very questionable course of pro-
ceeding, and which would not, we think, be allowed
in Great Britain. And because Lieutenant-Colonel
Itaizene, of the 3d battalion of the Militia of the
'County of the Two Mountains, refused to comply
With that unconstitutional order of the Governor, the
Governor, by a General Order, deprived him of his
commission ; and thus, by threats and coercion, has
been endeavouring to stifle public opinion. The fol-
-1
°wing proceedings of the Permanent Central Corn-
72,zittee of Montreal will show the feeling and the spirit
that has been roused in that province by such con-
duct
PERMANENT AND CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF
THE COUNTY OF MONTREAL.
, The Committee held their usual sleekly sittings yester-
Slay, at the Nelson and Hotel. The room was crowded to
overflowing. Mr. Monarque was called to the Chair.
The Committee proceeded to take into consideration the
ier of Militia dated Quebec, July 3d, 1837, depriving J.
Raizene, Esq., of his Commission as Lieutenant-Colonel of
lli
3d Battalion of Militia of the County of Two leioun-
ains, and the same having been read, it was
Resolved—That the Governor of this Province, by at-
rnPting to force the officers of Militia to read a Proclania-
'''n issued with the view to prevent the free expression of
6liv opinion on the Coercion Resolutions of the British
Parliament has been guilty of an act rendering his adminis-
tration more odious ; that. Colonel Raizene by his refusal to
Cause the said Proclamation to be read, has afforded an
additional proof of his firmness and undoubted patriotism ;
thin his dismissal from his rank as Lieutenant Colonel
(Is
Liv "hes him with an additional claim to the esteem of
fellow-citizens, and in consequence, this Committee
"der him him unanimously their thanks.
tt, —That the Secretaries of this Committee
tßnsesolvedrnit to Colonel Raizene, a copy of the foregoing Re-
uslution.
Sorn
,atr, e new members were added to the Committee. Ar-
evteements were also made to multiply the Sub-Com-
adiZus of Vigilance through the country, and the Committee
adjourned to Thursday next.
VC
be ai, k , are all these extraordinary proceedings to
I°Wed to go on by a Reformed British Parliament?
et, re 'the people of England quietly to sanction such
eel" • • •
eit 3 injustice ; and allow the oppressed Canadians
ee‘i her to be borne down by such arbitrary acts, or
eliesld to resistance ? 'The Canadian people have, in
t,ti most constitutional mode, through their represen-
ves
Parliament assembled, represented year after
dear hay tO the King and to Parliament the injustice they
e
-esej „8° long suffered, and they have been obliged to
dee4s as the British Government have refused to re-
'neir Complaints, to attempt to enforce attention
te stoPP ing
. ei all supplies until their prayers be attended
yu ;her. - are many who think the stopping the
tut it by the House of Commons a strong measure ;
°tiler resource
the only constitutional means when every
Justice
fails ; and they are called upon, in
to, ado 1.0 their constituents, and in justice to England,
4 dres,,PL, that, as the only remaining means of obtaining
is, 411(1 oefore they have resource to resistance, which
iii:Zinst ;31130t to be, the last attempt by a people
1-'°werlecir Government. The House of Assembly
exe,anada have for two years refused the sup-
ert,„ Ballet under certain conditions, which the Go-
loitig
resioTt thought proper to accept ; and the fol-
eeteig, lutions, agreed to at the same county
titreshad aY be taken as a proof that the representa-
ee4i acted in perfect accordance with the wishes
ocisPelitv'_i°,ns of their constituents :
eu, g 1 rhatwe approve highly of the conduct

of the Nousf of As,ierobly in the two last Stssious :
it has justly defended the rights of the people, threataoed
with destruction, in whose name it made demands required
by the great majority of the inhabitants of the country, par-
ticularly that of an Elective Council, which we will never
abandon at any risk, and without the realization of which
we foresee neither happiness nor tranquility for this colony.
Resolved, 9—That in consequence of the treatment
which we have lately received, both from his Majesty's Mi-
nisters and from the other authorities, we no longer expect
justice from them, and that we firmly hope that the Re-
presentatives of this country will feel the insult which has
been offered to them, and that they will never again peti-
tion or solicit a power never disposed to entertain favour-
ably the complaints of an oppressed people, who, not many
years ago, shed their blood in defence of that same autho-
rity which to-day oppresses them, whose loyalty was never
surpassed by any other people connected with the British
Empire.
It behoves her Majesty's 'Ministers to consider well
the feeling expressed in the last resolution—" Never
again to petition the British Government, which has
rejected all their petitions." What must be the re-
sult ? Nothing remains but an appeal to force to com-
pel tl►e people of Canada, on the first favourable op-
portunity, to shake off the yoke of England, and to
assert their independence, as their brethren in the
United States did before them. We feel confident
that her Majesty is not aware of the desperate state of
affairs in Lower Canada, and we trust Lord Mel-
bourne will see the responsibility he is incurring by
supporting such a system of oppression as these docu-
ments point out. The following extract from the latest
Papers will show that the determination, with respect
to the non-consumption of English articles, is gene-
rally acted upon :
" LowER CANADA.—PubIic meetings continue to be
held in the Lower Province. At all of them they resolve
to use no more dutiable articles. They are taking ejfi'ctual
measures to stop the supplies, and it will go hard with
them if they do not soon be even with their oppressors. The
upstart merchants of Quebec and Montreal, who affected
to despise the Canadians, and openly sided with their ene-
mies, begin already to feel the loss of their trade. The
number of vessels arrived this year to the 6th instant, is
less by one hundred and sixty-two than to the 6th of June,
1836

_s time, we should think, to open our eyes to the
state of Lower Canada.

HAYMARKET THEATRE.

Mr. W. Farren took his benefit at this theatre last night.
The play chosen on the occasion was the School for Scandal.
The cast was very strong. Farren was Sir Peter Teazle
and played with his usual excellence. Sir Oliver Surface
was intrusted to Dewton, who did most ample justice to
the part. Buckstone appeared as Sir Benjamin Backbite,
and did what he had to do indifferently well ; it is not a part
adapted to his peculiar humour. Mr. Charles Mathews
may be said to have attempted Charles Surface ; it cannot
be said he performed the part. The character is neither
suited to him nor is he suited to the character. He ap-
peared in a continual fidget, and could not remain half a
minute in one position or in one place. Many things are
allowable on a benefit night which are allowable on no
other night, and it is to be hoped this effort is one of
them. Joseph Surface in the hands of Elton was as much
too dull as Charles Surface was too volatile in the hands of
the gentleman we have just named. Of the remainder of
the male characters it will be suffieient to say nothing.
Madame Vestris was the Lady Teazle. This is a part in
which Madame never was and never will be successful ; it
is one of the last characters in which she is seen to advan-
tage ; whatever she plays she plays with talent, but the ta-
lent which she possesses is not adapted to embody the Lady
Teazle of Sheridan. Mrs. Waylett's " Kate Kearney"
was one of the attractions of the bill. Everybody has
heard this song, but everybody is glad to hear her sing it as
often as possible. The farce of the Loan of a Lover suc-
ceeded the play. In the Nervous Man and the Man qf
Nerve, which concluded the amusements of the evening,
Farren and Power kept the house in a continual laugh.
The theatre was perfectly crammed, not a seat or place to
see or hear could be obtained by a crowd of anxious vi-
sitors, who for some hours most patiently paraded the lobbies
and saloon.