The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-28 00:00:00

EMIGRATION TO CANADA.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SIR,—My attention has this morning been called
to an article under the above heading in the columns
of one of your contemporaries, complaining that the
Emigration Department in Cinada is thwarting
the efforts now being made by societies here to for-
ward a desirable class of migrants from London ;
imputing to the French Canadian priesthood iu
Lower Canada a hostility to Englishmen and Pro-
testants, and charging the Government of Canada
with indifference, if not with positive opposition, to
emigration.

The immediate cause for these remarks is the alleged
withdrawal of the grant formerly made by Canada
to assist emigrants in reaching their destination
in the interior, and the statements, if unexplained,
cannot but have a most injurious effect on Canada
itself, while they are also calculated to discourage
the labours of a committee in London, whose well-
directed benevolence I most readily acknowledge.
It is true that the grant which had been voted for
some years to assist us in forwarding emigrants to
their destination was this year reduced, not with-
drawn. It was found that the grant, instead of
being required to aid persons coming to settle in
Canada, had been in practice almost wholly applied
to forwarding emigrants from the continent of
Europe, who did not intend to settle in Canada
at all, but whose destination was Illinois, Wis-
consin, and the other Western States pf Ame-
rica. The timber ships coming from the conti-
nental ports landed their cargoes of immigrants
at Quebec. Many of the passengers represented
themselves as wholly destitute, and as a matter of
charity they were aided in their 700 miles of transit
through Canada out of the grant in question. of
:e7,000 emgrants who landed at Quebec in 1866 but
4,000 remained in the Province. It was frequently
found that many of this class who were forwarded
through the country at the public expense had
actually money orders on their persons to consider-
able amounts. The facilities thus given to make
the transit through Canada gratuitous seem this
year to have stimulated parties interested in con-
veying German and Norwegian emigrants to the
Wes' ern States to land unusual numbers
at Quebec, many of them ' possibly desti-
tute, and the recent department order, to which
reference has been male by your contem-
porary, was doubtless prompted by these in-
creased arrivals of persons who were merely journey-
ing through to a foreign country. Its intention,
which was solely to check what will be acknow-
ledged as an abuse, appears to Lave been wholly
misunderstood in certain quarters. Canada desires
to stimulate a healthy system of emigration. The
grant for this purpose this year (I speak from
memory) is about $60,000 ; and there are pail
Government agents in Quebec and in almost every
city and town in the various provinces of Canada
whose sole duty is to afford assistance and iud
formation to and procure employment for intending
settlers.

The subject of emigration is one which under the
new Constitution devolves jointly on the Govern-
ments of the Dominion and of the several Pro-
vinces, and negotiations have been going on be-
tween the two, for the purpose of instituting 3
sound and liberal system of attracting settlers to
to the country in such numbers as can be properly
provided for.
It is perhaps unnecessary to notice the charge
made against the French Canadian priesthood
" that they are openly hostile to any accession to
the British population and to any introduction of
the Protestant element ;" but the testimony of a
Protestant and an Englishman who has lived
among them for more than 30 years may perhaps
be of some value. I believe that there is no c9ua-

•ry in the world where there is less religious
bigotry and prejudice, or more liberal views and
good feeling both as respects race and religion

than in Lower Canada. The English Protestants
there aro iu a minority of one to five, ana
whether as regards their respective Churches/

their educational institutions, their manage-
ment of charities, their political arrangements/
or other kindred subjects, where antagonism might
be looked for, the most perfect good feeling Pre-
vails. Instances, indeed, are not unfrequent where
French constituencies have returned English and
Protestant members to Parliament in opposition to
French and Catholic candidates. In years when
there is unusual sickness and destitution among the
emigrants the foremost in acts of benevolence are
the French Sisters of Charity, who, regardless of
contagion, minister as nurses with untiring dove-
tion to Catholic and Protestant alike.
We have many obstacles to contend with, but
from religious and national prejudices we have Pre-
videntiAly thus far been spared.
I believe it is true that difficulties of the nature
referred to by your contemporary have occurred.
Whether they are attributable to a misconception
of the recent action of the Government or the
treme precaution of the shipowners to guard thou.- k
selves against possible loss I cannot say ; but it 13
on every account desirable that a repetition of these,
difficulties should be prevented, and that concert of
action should exist between the authorities in CO'
nada and any societies here whose efforts may be as
t
philanthropic and well directed as those of the
London Committee.—Your obedient servant,
JOHN Rosg.
Clarges-street, July 27.