The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-07-11
MIR. BNNETT'S LETTERS.
No. V.


"a great day this in the States said the barber
opposite Rascos Hotel, to me this morning, as he
was operating like philosopher on the chin.
"Yes" said !, ga great day, indeed"
"A glorious day" said he again, as be pulled my
nose to the north east, 81 wish to heaven l was
there"
Would you like itr' crooked l, az he let 60 my
York to-day looks like Paris"
THAT would-we are all dead here-no life as
N the States"
Such was the short colloquy, this blessed morn
and there is something in it. Montreal, one of the
chief cities OF the British colonies of NorhAmerica,
appears to me to be dead, inert, dull it is
possible to conceive. see plenty of soldiers and
saints male and female, but there is nothing of that
eternalIfe and variety that you in the chief CT
ties of the Republic but particularly in New York.
The soldiers the regiments sent out by the Bril-
fish government, whose goddess Of idolatry" is
VIctoria-the saints are the priests and the nuns,
whose goddess is the blessed Virgin. 1t is singular
place, truly The leading spirlts-the idle classes,
the priests and the nuns with their black gowns
and CAPS side of the street-and the soldiers
and their wives, with their red coats and gay ia
shions on the other side. The industrious and COM
mercial classes seem to succumb to their red-coats
and black coats without murmur. 1t presents
curious system of society to be placed along side OF
the "Great Repubic"-and it is dull, las stagnant,
calm at this moment, as the waters OF Lethe.
What contrast the "Mighty Democracy" pre-
sents! How efervesceht is life in New York We
live as much in month in the Republic as the Ca
nadans do in year. We consume more vitality,
sense, sensibility, wisdom, folly and religion in
quarter Of year than they do here in quarter of
century Montreal is singular looking place, with
its narrow streets, its numerous churches, with
crosses on them-its gloomy nunneries with the
nuns peeping out of the windows-its many barracks
its really splendid pier, and numbering propensi.
ties.
In one thingIMentreal entirely surpasses us. Their
stone pier, built ofbcautfu hewn limestone, stretch
ed for mile along the bank of the river, is magn
fcent piece of work. 1t owes its existence to the
practical good sense of Lord Sydenham's admins
traitor who is generally believed now TO have been
the most rational Governor they ever had or everwl
have. Montreal has also the appearance of an old
provincial city in France, with its churches marrow
Streets and singular patois To-day the streets are
covered with mixture of very superior grease and
mud-to-morrow, most probably, they will be equal
y covered with dust and impapable sand. The
history Of the streets in Montreal for the last month
i. a very good history of society and government
here for the last month Of years-a mixture ofmud,
and monarchy, and grease, and grumbling, and
sand and sunshine, and dust, and dirt, and aristo
cracy and democracy, all combined in very un.
equal and very small proportions.
But forgot to relate our voyage up Lake Cham
plaine-our touching at beautiful Burhngton-our
arrival ST Johns-our travel the railroad TO
Laprarie-our crossing the ST. Lawrence--our dr-
wing up to Rasco's Hotel one of the finest and most
comfortable houses in the coony-kept by Mr.
Rasco in style that is part English, part American
md part French, but forming very good mixture
for the comfort of the traveller
AtSt. Johns we heard Of very amusing incident.
couple of Protestant clergymen from the United
States, visited the church one morning, during the
performance of some devotional services They
took of their hats, but did not kneel In conse-
luence of refusing to knee at certain portions OF
the service, they were very unceremonously thrust
of doors, and left beyond the precincts of pen
nance and purgatory for want of manners ST
Johns is the great point where all travellers from the
States enter Canada, and probably the cergymen Of
Il Johns wants to impress upon visitors the impor
of conforming to all the holy customs OF the
country they visit. The church in ST. Johns Is the
religious custom house of the border, and the rei'
gious demeaner of travellers must undergo the same
search and inspection which their trunks and band
boxes do at the other custom house. Protestant
clergymen will, therefore, be pleased hereafter,
visiting Canada, to fill the portmanteau of then
souls with such wares as the church of St. Johns or
Lake Champaign can put the sign of the cross
upon and pass along the railroad without molesta-
ton.
There is an election to-day at Rouvile, near by.
was invited to attend, to take look at t-but as
have had enough Of such pasmes in past days, hac
no ambitious longinps TO see another dish of the abb
surdties of human nature. Ii is expected that few
fights will come Off hope ! delight to Sc,
political combatanis of all sides thrash each other
because they richly deserve it, either in this world
or in that which is to come.
II traveller wants to change his United State,
funds INTO Canada, let him go to Darium, in ST. Pau
street.-the allows you the honest premium. | hao
some money changed at Wallis & Co.'s bankin
house, and they had the meanness to take New
York money and allow no premium. was t
stranger, and they took me in about ls3 cents Isup
ose-sma shaving this.
Hackeu has just arrived hcre-but the theatre i
only tolerably supported. James Grow, however
nas just finished good engagement but in Canad
they hardly understand or relish Rice as in London
or New York.
NAvAL.-FLoRrDA EXPEDITION M'Laugh
lin, commanding this expedition, was daily expect
ed at Key West, on the 9th ult., from Cedar Keys
and Tampa, whittier he went TO consult with Colo
nel Worth regarding the naval forces returning
norih Capt. NIL. having received orders from
the department TO that effect, if approved BY
Colonel Worth. SO it is expected the squadron
will leave in a few days The vessels al
Key West on that date are the Jefferson
Madison and Wave the Van Buren, was hourly
expected from New Orleans-the Phoenix attends
the Flir, the Otsego has been recently turned over
to the merchants from whom she was chartered
The following is list OF the officers Of the expe-