The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-10
English View Of the Crisis In Canada.


From the London Times, March 21.]
The bill "for Compensating the Rebellion Losses
in Lower Canada" need not be 80 outrageous pro-
posal as it has been described: A similar measure
though the predominant loyalty Of that district
proved an efectual bar to any rebel DESTROYS Of
share in the boon. The present bill has been
some time contemplated for Lower. Canada, and
has apparently been delayed, from the difficulties
which the divided state of the population threw in
the way of a settlement. So long as the loyal
party were in power, it was likely that they would
frame the measure on the most exclusive, and tor
Lower Canada, the most unpopular principles A
commission was some time since appointed to In
quire into the losses occasioned by the rebellion,
and letter addressed to it by Mr. DAILY, the late
Provincial Secretary, instructed 1t to receive and
to understand, beyond the original scope of the
commission The bill introduced by NJ. Lafon-
taine it is maintained by his friends is in perfect
accordance with that letter, though we do not see
and Objectionable selection. We are further told,
that so far from the bill being expressly for the
good of the rebels ninetenths of the persons to be
compensated took no part in the rebellion; and
rebels, we are assured, what is very conceivable,
though not much to the purpose, that any compen-
sation granted upon it will fall into the hands Of
unotending creditors.
in question was generally destroyed by the com
mon chances of war Excepting Il trlfiing pre-
limnary collision, the first actual fighting ensued
on the attempt to apPrehend M. Papnean !, and some
of his associates while they were avowedly 0rSai.
zing a rebellion. The village of St. Denis was
fortified and defended by the rebels against Colonel
Gore, who was obliged to retire with considerable
loss, leaving six-pounder behind him.. That six
FOUNDER, however, had done some damage to a
large fortified stone house, situated in advance of
the village, and surrounded by some extempore
works The damage done to this house, the pro-
perry and the castle Of Mr.. Wolfred Nelson, is one
Of the items of the proposed compensation. Mr..
Nelson, who was then conqueror in the field, has
since trumphed with equal success over his pc,
ltical antagonists. Instead of his large fortified
stone house," he is now. probably occupying and
defending an official residence; and, besides cap
turing the six-pounder, he is in condition to make
Canada pay for the shot, This, then, Is one case
of damage On the same day Lieutenant Colonel
Wetherel attacked Chambly, storlned the works
which the insurgents had erected, and burned the
village, with the exception OF one house. We pre-
sumo these are be paid for, well the bridges
which the insurgents had broken down to retard
the Colonel's approach. A more considerable ar
mament under Sir John Colborne captured st.
Eustache after severe engagement OF an hours
duration, and after great loss on the part of the in
surgents The church, which they had turned to
some account as fort shared the fate Of war, and
was burnt, as were also many fortified houses IN
its neighborhood Whether they were fired by
the usual accidents of the conflict, or by the hands
of the exasperaed r0yaliss, or by the rebels them
selves, no man can tell and i now matters not
But it seems they are to be paid for. There were
various other cases of damage. A mill was garri-
soned and held for some weeks by Amer can SYM
pahisers, who only took to their heels when few
shots from real siege train began to shake the
old walls about their ears.
Now, as things have turned upside down since
1885, and what was then the rebel camp is now the
government of Canada, it is obvious that no mea-
sure of compensation is likely to pass which does
not include some of the offending gentlemen them
selves in the bill of damages made out. The alter
nofi 10 thorn m n n N In
all alike. This must be very annoying to the roy.
alists, who marched to and fro, and who incurred
expense, wounds, and loss of health, by their
prompt succor of the State. We do not like it
spectacle, considering how many there are amongst
us who would like to rebel next year, and find
themselves her Maesty's advisers in 1860 If we
would Judge of the feelings excited in the breast
of SUCH ardent royalists as Sir Allan M'Nab, we
must suppose parliament OF chartists and repeal
ers, not only dividing among themselves all the
Offices of the State, but also compromising one ano
ther for their past suferings. with magnificent
grants from the treasury. In fact, what we now
witness in Canada will help us to form some idea
of real Irish Legislature, What u bill of costs
would be made out at once there against the trca-
sury! There would be compensation for the re-
belon ssses' of 1910; do. for 1898; do. for 1913
do. for penal laws; do. for alleged destruction of
lrlsh manufactures; do. tor the expense and trouble
ct agl'atIng for emancipation and repeal DO. tor
age. to Bermuda and back; do. for various wan
behring's on the Slievenamon mountains; do. for
visits to France, the United States, and other
places out of British jurisdiction; do; for. ruin of
prospects, exclusion from Office and other injuries,
too many TO be told. Besides the living victims of
oppression, the injured dead would be represented
by their heirs, and we question it. the whole reve-
nue. of the United Kingdom would be adequate to
meet the long claims of immemorial rebellion.
That the loyal population of Canada should be
considerably excited at the proposal, and at some
other which sthey class with IT. is by no means sur
prising: Even il we could hope that they have
somewhat exaggerated the enormty of this mea-
sure, still we must regret their settled impression
that rebellion has been rewarded and loyalty in
suited by the British Crown. Such an idea is in
furious anywhere, particularly In colony which
hangs by thread. After all, however, we are dis
posed TO set down much Of this excitement to the
simple fact that parties have changed pieces, and
that the colonial clique, which for generations mo-
nopoized Office, power, and pay, and which, we
regret TO say abused its trust very scandaously, is
now in opposition, with no other inducemcnt to
loyalty than what the mass of the people have at
all times. 1t is all very well to arraign the in
Justice of the fates, which have made loyalty and
rebellion change places but we, in the mother
work that we take 1t as matter of course, and con-
cludc every five or six years that 1t is now the
urn tor the others TO come In. SIR Allan M Nab,
njs family, and friends, had their full swing of
,fice and certainly made hay while their sun
hone. Another set of men are in now, and they
'eeln equally determined to make the best use of
heir time. Offices are being filled up us fast us
hey fall and, as they do not fall fast enough
,fiices are made for the occasion. There is no
hing new in all this. AT least, we are accustomed
o IT, We can only recommending brother royal
SITS to resign themselves to the nvarablc condition
Of constitutional and responsible governments.
From the London Times March 80
When our loyal readers are Informed that the |
Europa has brought whole acres of Canadian |
debates, with speeches and letters innumerablc |
lbout the "rebellion losses" they will expect to
with some members of the British |
louise Of Commons, they will expect to hear that |
he Canadian rebels, having now got the upper
land are scrcwing the unfortunate RoyaIists with |
al