New-York daily tribune., 1849-04-20
Written for The Tribune.
A WINTER JOURNEY
THROUGH THE CANADAS.
by Nm l. MACKENZIE

Losses in Assembly. and wishing to see the
Hopse when employed in "the dispatch oil busl-
,e.. went .,,rl.-,hat is at three IN the alter
,oon. I'M, il was near four before the public were
sdm;,,eA Until the minutes Of the previous day
ava road and approved Of strangers are rigidly ex
cloaed. There are no Saturday sessions, and 1t Is
mostly nieht-work on other days, the adjourn
noen,. being after the fashion Of the British House
of Commons. IN the neighborhood OF midnight, or
,erba % at one or two in the morning. was told
that Colonel Gugy, who represents little VII
ase with ss9 people in it, babies included, had
occupied full FIVE hours evening in a speech
uoon "things in general" and that Mr. Papineau
another Of "the Opposition when be moved to
amend a proposed reply to the Governors open
ing Message talked at least eight hours, and sue
ceeded in getting four votes, all told, on a div
sion The Clerk, or his Deputy, records the Ayes
and Noes with very provoking slowness, and
the Speaker puts questions and reads resolutions
both in English aud French Routine business
occupied the members till five; and then they ad-
iourned 10 dinner. In the British Parliament no
member is paid wages French Deputy gets
louis dor per diem three dollars are the stated
recompense at Albany and at Toronto formerly Il
was bat two. Here the members have adopted
sliding. scale for their wages ia lsiS they took
nearly g per day out Of ngm public chest IN
l. 10 they are contented with 81 Executive OF
fcers with salaries about equal 10 those OF the
Cabinet n. Washington, putting IN their claims as
Members Of Assembly, for double income, and
deciding annually what shall be It's amount
The Chamber IS large enough tor house OF -
"the Ministry" sit on the Treasury bench op
posIte tue Clerks table on the Speakers night
Sir Allan McNab Messrs Robinson, Cayley Sher
wood Prince aud the rest OF the "outs, range
themselves on benches at his left. Mr.. Augustus
Norbert NORM, formerly Editor OF the M,nerre
newspaper receives the enormous income OF 81
600 a year as Speaker-makes very good pre-
siding ofiicer-is neat, polite and attentive He
would have been Speaker IN the last Parliament
had not Messrs Viger and Papineau deserted to
the Tories and cast their votes for Sir Allan Nc
Nab-for a consideration. Last year Mr. Norm
got his 81 900 for presiding few hours per day
during some % or 20 days Mr. Papineau, one
wear, netted the same sum Tor only lO DAYS HI
tendance at Quebec.
Mr.. Morin's chair, truly splendid one, is raised
four steps above the floor; over it the royal arms
are elegantly painted, and on the table before hlm
is placed the mace, emblem Of the power and Dig
nity of the Commons OF Canada. The table ana
steps are covered with red cloth, and the mace IS
richly eilded having the figure OF crown or cor
onet carved on it at the top. The Speaker and
Clerk are attred in black robes, and TO the re
porters for the public press are assigned conve
nient seats in reccsses behind the Speaker
chair The galleries will contain about l9O per
sons and found that strangers were admitted
only by means of tickets, of which each member
was supplied with four. Below the bar are
benches for the use of former members, and Tor
ladies' and gentlemen when Introduced by hepre
sentatives. could not hear some OF the speak
ers Mr.. Christie the historian OF Canada Tor in-
| stance, who is WEI advanced III years but thelr
midnight legislation is brilliantly lighted up with
cas- / guessed the average age Of the members
at forty-fve years. There are neither chaplain
nor prayers.
French Cana9ian Orators-Papineau.
The debate on the Rebellion Losses was an
after dinner affair, commencing at six o'clock Mr.
Chauveau, a young gentleman who has succeeded
the deservedly distinguished John Nelson, as
member for Quebec County, spoke frst-huently
and with great animation but altogether in French,
which half the members did not understand -
| There are but few, if any OF them, who cannot
comprehend what is said in English. SIX report
ers were In attendance, and the debates are regu
| lary given in the Montreal newspapers with com
| mendable accuracy, and far more fully than at
| Albany a perusa OF the speeches aud proceed
inss would show that the Legislature contains not
| few men of ability, experience, and ready busl-
| ness habits Yet, in the way oi useful legislation
| of a general and permanent character thelr pro
| gress IS pfOvOkIngly slow. Since lett Montreal a
morning session has been agreed on, but II Is only
| for routine matters The quorum is 20 out OF -
| la Albany it is majority OF the whole House
| and in London any 40 out OF bos.
Alta quarter past SIX, Mr.. l.. j. Papineau, " the
| Papineau,n rose and addressed the House, III
French for so minutes. He is an eloquent, sono-
rous and agreeable speaker his enuhclatlon eX-
ceedingly clear and distinct and his manner grace
| ful and winning. Before the outbreak, his mar
| was black and glossy 1t is now quite gray III
s37. DIR. Wollred Nelson and Mr.. Papineau seem
| ed as If in the nOOn-day OF their existence nov"
they are pale care worn, W 18th marks OF Iast mas
tening age in their mlen and general appearance
Times Footmarks-McNab. Merritt, BonltoH.
MANY of the members were new men, whom
had never seen before, but with not lew had
acted in one capacity another some oi them
| had known in public life for many years. Hav-
ing been in exile during nearly twelve years
| the contrast between their figures on the moor
and the vivid recoilectons had OF their carriage
and bearing in other days, had something almost
| melancholy about 1t.
AN infant on its mothers breast
A bouncing boy At play
A youth by maiden fair csressed-
An old man silver gray
IL all of life we know
A ioy-a tear-a smile-s tear
And all 10 DER below
With an elastic aud a firm and manly step, did
Sir Allan McNab tread the floor OF the upper an
ada Parliament house, in ls36-none more proud
and defiant Now he hobbies about W wlih the gouI
A pursv, paunchy old gentleman, with head as
white as Martin Van Burens, and about as lew
hairs in IT, | have known him 10 do generous snd
kindly acts, and very disinterestedy too a1o
vet much OF his public conduct Is marked by hsIsh-
ness and cruelty. from the hour on which Mr..
Rolph. the representative Of Hslton, was dragged
from his bed aud tsrred and ieathered at the Una
of which case SIR Allan and Mr.. Bsdwlns clerk
of the peace. Gurnett. said they could not tes'i'y
without eliminating themselves, and downwsr
HIS private grieis and sorrows have neither been
few nor light, and they tell on his frame. Cana
das crooked politics have spoiled IN hun man MAJ
once capable of achieving far more envao'e rep
utstion ia history than he is likely to deserve
or enjoy. ~ , u
Next TO the knight of Dundurn sat w Is hoo-
inson, brother to the Chief Justice OF Upper Can
ada. and Mr. Hinckss predecessor In the I1sPeo-
tor-Generalship his head white as the driven
snow. and his general appearance so changed tnA' =,
failed al first 70 recognize him. When lei' o.
ronto his hair showed no sign OF assuming 'he
/ i