North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1841-03-03

NJ the members 81 the HOUSE Of Assembly
diI mol. paficu!sfiy 10 IN: Iwn first sessions
show that independence Of spirit, that man.
lines and decision Of character, WHO h
slways ought tn distinguish frermrn.
Tacilstion. timidiiy and occasional pusiI =.
lsnimiiy ~ mind, sremrd 10 Influence the
nuciusiing spirit o( those men who, nn the
hustings had so soirmnly promised la pro.
,ect the peoples cause. Sill we owe il Il,
jssIicc and truth Ia say, that in the third
session the House oil Assembly showed
ilseli mote independent, and hv it's hoh
demand OF an elective Legislative Council,
regsined the popular confidence which
was fast losing grouod. The mass ot the
people in Lower Canada, were ever sound
IN their politics, and in the fourth session.
as the repeated insults from The Colonial
administration in England seemed To have
reached it's maximum, and us this was
likely To he the last session of this Paflia.
ment, the ma jofity Of the members al the
House then mindful Of their duties towards
,heir offended constituencies, were more
bold than ever in rspeing The insults aud
injuries heaped upon them By the Colonial
authorities as the representatives of an op.
pressed and deridrd people. Certain thai
IL they did not express exactly and truely
the feelings OF their constituents, they
would meet the fate OF untrustworlhy rep.
resentaiives, they were called upon by hon.
or, justice and candid truth to vote the 90
Resolutions. For this act alone, has ,hs
Parliament gained immortality.
The next general Elections through the
Province gave the most direct and unr-
quivoca vilo the false and malicious words
ot Lord AyImer who, in his closing speech,
had said that the people of the Province
were far from partakug tho views of the
House Of Assembly as expressed in the 80
Resolutions. The minority who had sup.
ported Lord AylmeI's administration du'1
ring Tho last Parliament, was reduced IL
TEN when all the res, of The members
elected Tor the Fifteenth Provincial Pa,Iia-
meni, had openly prolesscd on HE hastings
that they approved Of aud sanctioned the
prime Piles ot the 90 Resolutions. On, of
population of 1919 souls, according
10 the census of 1881, only 29,i93 DECLARED
the mseves opposed to the introduction Of
the elective principle into The constitution
oi the Legislative Council, whilst 4Sa 7o6
voted in favor OF The proposed innova.inn
in the Canadian Constitution. In countries
which are blessed with governments rul,,l
by the majorities, such an expression of
the public spirit would have been sufficient
10 have their demands Immediately granted. |
But in a'limted monarchy, or rather in an
unlimited colonial vassaIage and despo,ism
such as then existed in l.. Canada, a dill
srent result was TO be expected. Aud as
our readers are already Informed, intrigue
aud deception were the first means 10 b.
used 10 entrap the Canadians, but these
were soon to be followed, by the uncors,i-
,uiional violation of the sacred charter vi
lrecnen's rights; and arson, blood shed
and murder, with oil their concomlani
horrors, were TO close The drama.
A District convention had been regularly
orgs nised in tho City of Montreal, and to
lis useful lahors, the Country ia indebted
Tor many important measures. a. n. Mo
nm Esq. a member of the Hnnsr, who had
been sent by that body, for the purpose
,l taking the 90 resolutions and The address
IS Of the House, To the three branches Of
he Imperial Legislature, had distinguished
himself before special committee of the ,
House OF Commons. Blu, dnplicity was the
feature Of The Colonial minis.
~, and aided by the powerful assistance
# bribery and intrigue, this committee ;,
vas induced 10 make partial and upper !,
ect report, in which il was asserted thai u
ONE of the recommendations OF the CON. %
nitice of the House of Commons, which
n 1928, reported on the affairs al Canada, "
ed been carried into eiTcc, as far as prac- n.
icable. and attributed the reciptnraied P