The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-10 00:00:00

-1?:(1; IV ING E il'lo N

In e. Robert Nelson issued, two of the objects of the insur- some means of learning the truth from the other. In Lower
reetion were stated to be the abolition of feudal tenures, Canada, however, where the French and English papers
lend the establishment of registry offices. When I ob- represent adverse opinions, and where no large portion of
serve these inconsistencies of conduct among the opponents the community can read bosh languages with ease, those
.i
and supporters of these reforms ; when I consider that who receive the misreprssentstion arc rarely able to a, Al
their attainment was prevented by means of the censitaires, themselves of the means of correction. It i 3 ditlicul to
the very persons most interested in their success, and that conceive the perversity with which misrepresentation
are
they were not more eagerly demanded by the wealthier of habitually made, and the gross delusions which find
the English, than by the artisans and labourers of that race currency among the people : they thus live in a world of
whose individual interests would hardly have derived much misconceptions, in which each party is set against the
direct benefit from their success, I cannot but think that other, not only by diversity of feelings and opinions, but
many, both of the supporters and of the opponents, cared by an actual belief in an utterly different set
.of facts. .
le's for the measures themselves, than for the handle " The differences thus early occasioned .by education
which the agitation of them gave to their national hos- and language are in no-wise softened by the intercourse of
do not brine the
, tility ; that the Assembly resisted these changes chiefly after-life ; their business and occupations
r because the English desired them; and that the eagerness two races into friendly contact andco-operation ' but
other in occasional
with which many of the English urged them was stima- only present them to each.
lated by finding them opposed by the French. rivalry. A laudable emulation has of late induced
" Nor did I find the spirit which animated each party the French to enter on the field previously occu-
at all more coincident with the representations current in pied by the English, and to attempt to compete with
this country, than their objects appeared, when tried by them in commerce ; but it is much to be lamented
English, or rather European ideas of reforming legislation. that this did ot commencebe unti the national animosities
An utterly uneducated and singularly inert population, im. had arrived almost at
.t
d•
i highestsuch ; • tom.
plicitly obeying leaders who ruled them by the influence of petition has been came on n a manner as to widen
a blind confidence, and narrow national prejudices, accorded the pre-existing differences. The establishment of the
very little with the resemblance which had been discovered ' Banque du Peuple' by French capitalists, is an event
to that high.spirited democracy which effected the Ame- which may be regarded as a satisfactory indication of an
rican Revolution. Still less could I discover in the Eng. awakening commercial energy among the French, and it is
glish population those slavish tools of a narrow official clique therefore very much to be regretted that the success of the
or a few purse-proud merchants, which their opponents had new enterprise was uniformly promoted by direct and illi-
described them as being. I have found the main body of the beral appeals to the national feelings of the race. Some of
English population, consisting of hardy farmers and humble the French have lately established steam-boats to compete
' mechanics, composing a very independent, not very ma- with the monopoly which a combination of English capital-
nageable, and sometimes a rather turbulent, democracy. ists had forsome time enjoyed on the St. Lawrence, and small
Though constantly professing a somewhat extravagant and somewhat uncomfortable as theywere,theywere regarded
loyalty and high prerogative doctrines, I found them very with favour on account of their superiority in the essential
determined on maintaining in their own persons a great qualities of certainty and celerity. But this was not consi-
respect for popular rights, and singularly ready to enforce dered sufficient to ensure their success; an appeal was con-
their wishes by the strongest means of Constitutional pre'. stantly made to the national feelings of the French for an
sure on the Government. Between them and the Cana- exclusive preference of the ' French' line, and I have
dians I found the strongest hostility; and that hostility known a French newspaper announce with satisfaction the
was, as might be expected, most strongly developed among fact, that on the'previous day the French steamers to Quo-
the humblest and rudest of the body. Between them and bec and La Prairie had arrived at Montreal with a great
the small knot of officials, whose influence has been many passengers, and the English with very few. The
represented as so formidable, I found no sympathy English on the other hand, appealed to exactly the same
a hatever ; and it must be said, in justice to this body of kind of feelings, and used to apply to the French steam-
officials, who have been so much assailed as the ems. boats the epithets of ' Radical," Rebel,' and' Disloyal.'
mien of the Canadian people, that however little I can The introduction of this kind of national preference into
excuse the injurious influence of that system of adminis- this department of business, produced a particularly mis-
teatime which they were called upon to carry into execution, chievous effect, inasmuch as it separated the two races on
the members of the oldest and most powerful official some of the few occasions on which they had been pre-
families were, of all the English in the country, those in viously thrown into each other's society. They rarely meet
whom I generally found most sympathy with and kindly at the inns in the cities; the principal hotels are almost
feelings towards the French population. I could not exclusively filled with English, and with foreign travellers;
therefore believe that this animosity was only that sub- and the French are, for the most part, received at each
listing between an official oligarchy and a people; and other's houses, or in boarding houses, in which they meet
again I was brought to a conviction, that the contest, with few English.
which had been represented as a contest of classes, was, " Nor do their amusements bring them more in contact.
in fact, a contest of races." Social intercourse never existed between the two races in
" I cannot pass over this subject without calling particular any but the higher classes, and it is now almost destroyed.
attention to a peculiarity in the social condition of this I heard of but one house in Quebec in which both races
people, of which the important bearing on the troubles of met on pretty equal and amicable terms, and this was
Lower Canada has never, in my opinion, been properly mentioned as a singular instance of good sense on the part
estimated. The circumstances of a new and unsettled of the gentleman to whom it belongs. At the commence.
country, the operation of the French laws of inheritance, ment of Lord Avlmer's administration, an entertainment was
and the absence of any means of accumulation by corn- given to his Lordship by Mr. Papineau, the Speaker of the
merce or manufactures, have produced a remarkable House of Assembly. It was generally understood to be in-
equality of properties and conditions. A few seignorial tended as a mark of confidence and good-will towrds the Go-
families possess large, though not often very valuable pro- vernor, and of a conciliatory disposition. It was given on
parties ; the class entirely dependent on wages is very a very largo scale ; a very great number of persons were
small ; the bulk of the population is composed of present ; and of that number I was informed by a gentle-
the hard-working yeomanry of the country districts, man who was present, that he and one other were the only
commonly called habitans, and their connections en- English, except the Governor and his suite. Indeed, the
gaged in other occupations. It is impossible to exagge- difference of manners in the two races renders a general
rate the want of education among the habitans; no social intercourse almost impossible.
means of instruction have ever been provided for them, " A singular instance of national incompatibility was
and they are almost universally destitute of the qualifies- brought before my notice, in an attempt which I made to
Liens even of reading and writing. It came to my know. promote an undertaking, in which the French were said to
ledge, that out of a great number of boys and girls assem- take a great deal of interest. I accepted the office of Pre-
bled at the school-house door of St. Thomas, all but three sident of the Agricultural Association of the District of
admitted on inquiry, that they could not read. Yet the Quebec, and attended the show previous to the distribution
children of this large parish attend school regularly, and of the prizes. I then found that the French farmers would
actually make use of books. They hold the Catechism. not compete even on this neutral ground with the English.
book in their hand as if they were reading, while they Distinct prizes were given, in almost every department, to
only repeat its contents, which they know by rote. The the two races; and the national ploughing matches were
common assertion, however, that all classes of the Ca- carried on in separate and distant fields.
nadians are equally ignorant, is perfectly erroneous ; for I " While such is their social intercourse, it is not to be ex-
know of no people among whom a larger provision exists pected that the animostties of the two races can frequently
for the higher kinds of elementary education,or among whom be softened by the formation of domestic connexions. Dur-
such education is really extended to a larger proportion of ing the first period of the possession of the colony by the
the population. The piety and benevolence of the early English, intermarriages of the two races were by no means
possessors of the country founded, in the seminaries that uncommon. But they are now very rare, and where such
exist in different parts of the province, institutions, of unions occur, they are generally formed with members of
which the funds and activi y have long been directed to the French families, which I have described as politically,
the promotion of education. Seminaries and colleges have and almost nationally, separated from the bulk of their own
been, by these bodies, established in the cities and in other race.
central points. The education given in these establish- " I could mention various slight features in the state of
ments greatly resembles the kind given in the English society which show the all-pervading and marked division
public schools, though it is rather more varied. It is en- of the races, but nothing (though it will sound paradox'.
tirely in the hands of the Catholic clergy. The number of cal) really proves their entire separation so much as the
pupils in these establishments is estimated altogether at rarity, nay, almost total absence, of personal encounters
about a thousand ; and they turn out every year, as far as between the two races. Disputes of this kind are almost
I could ascertain, between two and three hundred young confined to the ruder order of people, and seldom proceed
men thus educated. Almost all of these are members of the to acts of violence. As respects the other classes, social
family,u of some habit ins, whom the possession of greater intercourse between the two races is so limited, that the
esinak.ene,s_ ts_ than his brothers has induced the father of the more prominent or excitable antagonists never meet in the
ur
f iseparish to select and send to the seminary. These same room. It came to my knowledge that a gentleman
young°ung
men, possessing a degree of information immeasur- who was fot some years a most active and determined
ably
superior to that of their families, are naturally averse leader amongst the English population, had never once
to what they regard as descending to the humble oceupa_ been under a private roof with French Canadians of
tions of their parents. A few become priests ; but as the his own rank in life, until, he met some at table on
\
military and naval professions arc closed against the cobra- the invitation of persons attached to my mission, who
ni,t, the greater part can only find a position suited to were in the habit of associating indifferently with
their notions of their own qualifications in the learned pro- French and English. There are therefore no political
feesions of advocate, notary, and surgeon. As from this personal controversies. The ordinary occasions of colli-
cause these professions are greatly overstocked,we find every sion never occur, and men must quarrel so publicly or so
village in Lower Canada filled with notaries and surgeons, deliberately, that prudence restrains them from corn-
with little practice to occupy their attention, and living rnencing, individually, what would probably end in a gene-
among their own families, or at any rate among exactly the ral and bloody conflict of numbers. Their mutual fears
same also Thus the persons of most education in every restrain personal disputes and riots, even among the lower
village belong to the same families, and the same original orders; the French know and dread the superior physical
station in life, as the illiterate habitans whom I have de_ strength of the English in the cities; and the English in
scribed. They are connected with them by all the asse. f those places refrain from exhibiting their power, from fear
ciations of early youth, and the tics of blood. The most lof the revenge that might be taken on their countrymen, '
perfect quality always marks their intercourse; aed the who arc scattered over the rural parishes.
superior in education is separated by no barrier of " This feeling of mutual forbearance extends so far as to
manners, or pride, or distinct interests, from the produce an apparent calm with respect to public matters,
singularly
ignorant peasantry by which he is surrounded. which is calculated to perplex a stranger who has heard
He combines, therefore, the influences of superior knowlege I much of the animosities of the Province. No trace of them
and social equality, and wields a power over the mass, which I 1 appears in public meetings ; and these take place in every
do not believe that the educated class of any other portion of direction, in the most excited periods, and go off without
the
world
Bute the possess,
To this singular state of things I awl- disturbance, and almost without dissent. The fact is, that
extraordinary influence of the Canadian dema- both parties have come to a tacit understanding, not in any
gogues. The most ueinstructedopulation an where way to interfere with each other on these occasions; each
p
trusted with political power, is thus
placed in the hands of party knowing that it would always be in the power of the
asm dl body of instructed persons, in whom it reposes the other to prevent its meetings. The British party conse-
confidence which nothing but such domestic connexion and quently have their meetings ; the French theirs ; and
; uch community of interest could generate. Over the class neither disturb the other. The complimentary
..addresses
of persons by whom the peasantry are thus led, the Go.. which I received on various ccca,ions, marked the same
vernment has not acquired, or even laboured to acquire, in- entire separation, even in a matter in which it might be
fluence ; its members have been thrown into opposition by supposed that party feeling would not be felt, or would
the system of exclusion long prevalent in the colony ; and from mere prudence and propriety he concealed. I had
it is by their agency that the leaders of the Assembly have from the same places French and English addresses, and
been enabled hitherto to move as one mass, in whatever I never found the two races uniting, except in a few cases,
direction they thought proper, the simple and ductile po- where I met with the names of two or three isolated Mem-
pulation of the country. The entire neglect of education bers of one origin, who happened to dwell in a community
by the Government !'a3 thus, more than any other cause, almost entirely composed of the other. The two parties
contributed to render this people ungovernable, and to combine for no public object ; they cannot -harmonise even
invest the agitator with the power which he wields in associations of charity. The only public occasion on
against the laws and the public tranquillity. which they ever meet is in the Jury-box ; and they meet
" The two races, thus distinct, have been brought into there only to the utter obstruction of justice.
the same community under circumstances which rendered " The treasonable attempt of the French party to carry
their contact inevitably productive of collision. The dif- its political objects into effect by an appeal to arms, brought
lerence of language from the first kept them asunder. It these hostile races into general and armed collision. I will
is not anywhere a virtue of the English race to look with not dwell on the melancholy scenes exhibited in the pro-
complacency on any manners, customs, or laws which ap- great of the contest, or the fierce passions which held an
pear strange to them; accustomed to form a high estimate unchecked sway during the insurrection, or immediately
of their own superiority, they take no pains to conceal from after its suppression. It is not difficult to conceive how
others their contempt and intolerance of their usages greatly the evils which I have described as previously ex-
Thy found the French Canadians filled with an equal isting, have been aggravated by the war; how terror and
amount of national pride; a sensitive, but inactive
pride, revenge nourished, in each portion of the population, a
which
disposes that people not to resent insult, but
rather bitter and irreconciliable hatred to each other and to the
to keep aloof from those who would keep them under. The institutions of the country. The French population, who
French could not but feel the superiority of English en- had for some time exercised a great and increasing power
terprise; they could not shut their eyes to their success in through the medium of the House of Assembly, found
every undertaking in which. they came into contact, and to the constant su • riti which they were acquiring. tsliioeniir
force
oes unexpectedly prostrated in the dust. The pliy.
which they had vaunted was called into action,
They looked upon I:herelior rivals with with alarm,
b with jealousy, and proved to be utterly inefficient. The hope of recover-
and -finally with hatred.
i a scorn, which soon also assumed thng
lis repaid them with ing their previous ascendancy under a
.Constitution similar
same form of hatred.
.to that suspended, almost ceased to exist. Removed from
The French complained of the arrogance and injustice of all actual share in the Government of their country,
the English ; the English accused the French of the vices they brood in silence over the memory of their fallen
of a weak and conquered people, and charged them with countrymen, of their burnt villages, of their ruined pro-
meanness and perfidy. The entire mistrust which the two perty, of their extinguished ascendancy, and of their
races have thus learned to conceive of each other's inten- humbled nationality. To the Government and the En-
tions, induces them to put the worst construction on the glish they ascribe these wrongs, and nourish against
mostinnocent conduct; to judge every word, every act, both an indiscriminating and eternal animosity. Nor
1
and every intention unfairly ; to attribute the most odious have the English inhabitants forgotten in their triumph the
designs, and reject every overture of kindness or fairness, terror whith which they suddenly saw themselves sur-
es covering secret designs of treachery and malignity. rounded by an insurgent majority, and the incidents which
" Religion formed no bond of intercourse and union. It alone appeared to save them from the unchecked domina-
!
is, indeed, an admirable feature of Canadian society, that tion of their antagonists. They find themselves stilt a
it is entirely devoid of any religious dissensions. Sectarian minority in the midst of a hostile and organized people :
intolerance is not merely not avowed, but it hardly seems apprehensions of secret conspiracies and sanguinary de-
to influence reen's fee'ings. But though the prudence and signs haunt them unceasingly, and their only hope of
1 ' liberality of both parties has prevented this fruitful source safety is supposed to rest on systematically terrifying and
of animosity from embittering their quarrels, the difference disabling the French, and in preventing a majority of that
of relig.on has in fact tended to keep them asunder. Their race from ever again being predominant in any portion of
priests have been distinct; they have not even met in the the Legislature of the Province. I describe in strong
same church. terms the feelings which appear to me to animate each
'i No common education has served to remove and soften portion of the population ; and the picture which I draw
the differences of origin and language. The associations represents a state of things so little familiar to the per-
of youth, the sports of child:. ood, and the studies by which sonal experience of the people of_ this country, that many
the character of manhood is modified, are distinct and to- will probably regard it as the work of mere imagination;
tally different. In Montreal and Quebec there are Eng- but I feel confident that the accuracy and moderation of
fish schools and French schools; the children in these are my description will be acknowledged by all who have seen
accustomed to fight nation against nation, and the quarrels the state of society in Lower Canada during the last year.
that arise among boys in the streets usually exhibit a di- Nor do I exaggerate the inevitable constancy any more
Vision into English on one side and French on the other. than the intensity of this animosity. Never again will the
"As they are taught apart, so are their studies different. present generation of French Canadians yield a loyal sub-
The literature with which each is most conversant is that mission to a British Government; never again will the
of the peculiar language of each ; and all the ideas which English population tolerate the authority of a House of
men derive from books, come to each of them from per- Assembly in which the French shall possess or even ap-
fectly different sources. The difference of language in proximate to a majority.
this respect produces effects quite apart from those which " Nor is it simply the working of representative go-
it has on the mere intercourse of the two races. Those vernment which is placed out of question by the present
who have reflected on the powerful influence of language disposition of the two races; every institution which re-
on thought, will perceive in how different a manner peo- quires for its efficiency a confidence in the mass of the
plc who speak in different languages are apt to think ; people, or co-operation between its classes, is practically
and those who are familiar with the literature of France, in abeyance in Lower Canada. The Militia, on which
know that the same opinion will be expressed by an Eng. the main defence of the province against external enemies
fish and French writer of the present day, not merely in and the discharge of many functions of internal police
different words, but in a style so different as to mark ut- have hitherto depended, is completely disorganized. A
tetly different habits of thought. This difference is very muster of that force would, in some districts, be the occa-
striking in Lower Canada ; it exists not merely in the sion for quarrels between the races, and in the greater
books of most influence and repute, which are of course part of the country the attempting to arm or employ it
those of the great writers of France and England, and by would be merely arming the enemies of the Government.
Which the minds of the respective races are formed, but it The course of justice is entirely obstructed by the same
Is observable in the writings which now issue from the cause: a just decision in any political case is not to be re-
Colenial Press. The articles in the newspapers of each lied upon ; even the judicial bench is, in the opinion of
r!.cetsrewritten in a style as widely different as those of both races, divided into two hostile sections of French and
France, and England at present ; and the arguments which English, from neither of whom is justice expected by the
convince the enr., are calculated to appear utterly unintel- mass of the hostile party. The partiality of grand and
ligibte to t miser. petty juries is a matter of certainty ; each race relies on
" The difference of language produces misconceptions the
.vote of its countrymen to. save it harmless from the
yet more fatal even
i
respect to opinions
; it aggravates which
by representing all the events ofetsh
lights. The political misrepresentation
the incidents of a free press in it
tehe national animosities, I lion of the hostile party
resentatday in utterly different i
ever nof facts is one of II andmakea sure of, and the nt English
I consequent acquittal. g
litical
the French offender may
hope for a favourable jury,
Thise
offences,
eezf
i s things,disdistinctly
catnlyd thee d.
nations in which all speak the y free
I
receive a misepresentation from one aide h
country; but in I consequent impunity,o,f p • •
same language, those who i misted by both sides.
e are generally I His Lordship next points out the mistaken policy of the
.-.