North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-08-26

lnis and a; the same time profitable ne.
ecssI,y, would readily submit, 10 Il ana
have their children edsested in the Eng
Iish language Bot ihe minority members
O the first Provincial House were net o!
| the opinions we Just now expressed and IN
consulting the records of that time, we find
that in the month of January 1898, Mr..
Richardson the member for the West Ward
If Montreal; did al he could in his espa-
city Of preventative, 10 have the English
language DECLARED the only language 10 be
used in His Msjesty's Courts. But for
lunaiely this project was crushed immedi
diately. Mr.. Lees The member for the
Burrough OF Three Rivers, not discouraged
at Mr.. Richardson's failure, brought a
motion TO declare that the English Ian
guaee should be the orIy language in
which the laws Of the country could he
enacted. But this insane project met the
fate Of the first one, and both Of them afe
only recorded in the books Of the House Of
Assembly Of Lower Canada 10 show the
madness Of their originators and their deep
hatred of the language OF the natives Of
the country. They might as wen have
the House oil Assembly declare perempto-
rily that the French Canadians were not
TO enjoy any of the benefits of the Consti
tutional act Of 1871 and were to be depriv-
ed OF their rights Of British subjects, as to
have their insane projects carried into eff
feet. Had they proposed to the Legsla-
ture to take into consideration the most
proper means for giving to the children of
the French Canadians an English CLASH
cal education so as 10 extnguish in the
course of time the French language which
made Of the natives Of Lower Canada a
separate & distinct people, holding no in
tercourse with their neighbours, but
through the slow process of translation
they would have shown their high sense
Of the responsibilities which bore on them,
and would have evinced the character or
able statesmen devoted 10 their adopted
country's good and not to party or nation
al prejudices. As the constitutional
act was very explicit upon the federation
Of the French language as may be seen in
several sections, the French members of the
House Of Assembly who were very will
ing 10 evince 10 their fellow-members who
spoke the English language, that ibcraIi-
ty of feelings which distinguishes the high
minded man and the enlightened legislator,
accepted without a murmur Mr.. Philips
who had been appointed by the Lieutenant
Governor as clerk of the Assembly. But
as this gentleman neither spoke nor wrote
the French language, and as the great
majority OF the members understood only
their vernacular language, they presented
an address TO His Exeellency so as to have
Mr.. Jos. Frs. PerrauIt named jointly with
Mr.. Philips. This nomination would
have remedied the inconvenience under
which the French Canadian members la
bored, but this address met with polite
refusal under the specious pretence that
the Executive having exercised its prero-
gative in Mr.. Philips favor, it could not
with propriety name Mr.. Perrauli.
The Legislative Council which from IFS
vicious constitution, was necessarily des-
tined 10 be an impeachment to the welfare
IF the Province, began with the first SEES
'ion Of this Parliament, its encroschments
upon the privileges Of the House OF Assem-
bly,. Under the pretext Of providing
Bill for the appointment of Returning Off
'ers, they passed Bill imposing fines,
which was direcr violation of the Eng
ish Constitution and fragrant encroach-
nent upon the exclusive privilege Of the
popular branch from whom alone such
ILLS can emauate, as il is a principle well
understood that the House Of Assembly {.
which represents che people, has alone
he right Of imposing and of disposing of
be taxes which proceed from the people :.
9hom they represent This encroach-