North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-09-09
SEPTEMBER 9

era were lsvo,ab,e 10 responsible govern
neat."
Lord Gosfofd also opposed the un'on
,e..u,,. a. !, VISA founded 90 misfepre-
,eu.stioa, likely to be attended with great
,sasfee. ard n prove an indelible blot "a
The Legislature Of his country" Cos
ford uay quiet his fesfs--she national hon
y, N his county has become hye-word.
10 the mouths Of children. There is no
,nrssure TO foul, no mrans too debssing
"a se-te her purposes. She has violated
her faith, robbed her Canadian subjects of
their money, and Of their Constitution
nsd she would now rob them of the last
vesiige Of those political rights TO which
they ate entitled by naiure add by solemn
,reaty. Such proceedings would disgrace
aav government but that Of Great Britain;
and we hazard the opinion, that no people
would have borne il with such patience ga
have the Canadians. But the forbearance
Of this injured people must forever end,
when they come 10 realize the effects OF
this last &C, OF degradation.
According to the Kingston Herald, the
leading object OF the Union Bill is" To
bring Lower Canada under q constitu-
:" tional form Of government, with British
=" majority 10 the representation, so that
the Province may be rendered British 10
" character, as well as in name" Upon
this the Quebec Gazette very Justly re-
marks" The clauses OF the Bill, and the
debates in the Imperial Parliament, fully
support this view OF the measure"
I" II is. indeed, form Of constitutions
Government, where majority OF the rep
resentation rs given 10 a minority OF the
votes: Tor, unqueslionably, not only the
gTea. malority of the population and wealth
Is, in The Lower Province, nearly fwo TO
one, but also OF the qualified voters in a
larger proportions: ye, in order to obtain the
contemplated majority, both Provinces are
allowed the same number OF representa-
lives.
"The descendants Of the first settlers ia
Canada, those who recovered il from a state
of nature, who long and braveiy defended
it against every hostile attack, who be-
came /" British subjects" in virtue of the
most solemn acts, which, according TO the
law Of nature and Of nations, no legisa-
tive act can violate, and who still consii-
tute the majority of the qualified voters in
the two Provinces, according to the act it,
sell, are prescribed placed In the degra-
ded caste, 10 the land Of their birth, and OF
the graves of their ancestors for many
generations; and although British born
subjects Of the ero,sB, and British, accord
ing 10 law, as much as the natives of the
Three Kingdoms, are pronounced as moi
British, as requiring an act of Parliament
TO make them British in character, as well
as in name"
And what is il that makes them not
British in character Why, that they
still habiually speak the language which
they learned from their mothers, like the
Welsh, the Scotch Highlanders, the Irish,
and the inhabitants of the Channel Isles
and, il may be said, one-half oi the rura
population of England itself that they
follow their local customs, adhere to their
ancient manners, and the laws and usages
which have been established amongst
them, and guaranteed by acts Of the Brit.
ISL Parliament, confirmstory of the capitu.
laiions and the treaty Of cession, by which
Canada became British Province.
Is il then to change the laws and The
language, the manners and usages %
more than half OF the population Of the
two Canadas, that this bill has been pas
sed 10 violence oil the piigh,ed faith Of tn,
British nation, and 10 pretended punish
ment of a partial rebellion thereby con
founding the inocent and the guilty, afte
the latter had suffered TO an extent which
aroused the pity, even OF the most obdu
rate and virulent of their opponents.
To make them British in character
as well as in namel" Truly, il Britist
character and name resembled in any thing
the authors OF this act, all mankind mus
pray that the Inhabitants Of Canada IN ay
never be British in character, as well a:
an name"
But the iniauity of the measure is sur
passed by its absurdity. If the opinion:
u the descendants OF The French settler:
sh Canada are not strong in favour o
their language, laws, customs and manners,
they would gradually disappear, il let a.
some; and in which case there was no oc'