The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-08-14
FROM OUR CANADIAN CORRESPONDENT.
TORONTO, August !, 1851.

T. j.
l. Boulton stated to the House that one of it's
members, Of the name Of Watts, had attended
one day in the House, and had then obtained
from the Clerk three days pay and his travelling
expenses, amounting in the aggregate To one hun.
dred dollars, with which he had returned home
No notice was taken Of conduct 80 unbecoming
in gentleman end man Of fortune, and perhaps
not strictly honest, until last week, when call
Of the House brought this individual back to his
parliamentary duties, and who very foolishly
brought the subject up, abiding in no very meas
ured terms to Mr.. Boulton's conduct.
No action, however, was taken by the House,
which is rather careless Of its dignity when it is
really invaded; but day or two after, the par
ties accidentally met, when Watts, who is a stout
man. in the prime Of life, inflicted stick on the
other, who is upwards Of sixty years of age. The
subject was brought before the Assembly, and an
apology and reprimand was the result. A son
Of Mr.. BoultOn, hearing Of the transaction, came
to town, and with horsewhip Inflicted guant,n1
Sfct of fagellAtion on the offending party, whose
constituents have called upon him to resign his
seat, and refund the money he had obtained-the
taking of which must have had its origin in the
purest avarice as understand he owns a village
in Lower Canada, consisting Of sixty or seventy
houses, with two churches, and number of mills
On Monday last the question Of the Rectories
came up-one Of the causes of interminable dis
agreement on religious subjects, with which this
Province is disturbed, at the instance Of few
troublesome clerYmen and intolerant bigots; for
nowhere on the North American continent are
the professors Of religion less nterfered with in
the enjoyment of their peculiar and individual
opinions.
1t seems that, under the act of 1871, called the
Constitutional Act, the Governor General is au.
thorized to appropriate certain portions Of the
clergy reserves as rectories, and to appoint in
cumbents; but it was not till 1897, that any such
were created by Sir John ColbOurne, then adj
ministering the Government and a bill has been
brought in, during the present session, for pre-
venting the erection of any other rectOries than
.bO5s - iyo5sat in existence yssv"r IN o"pO-
II :. ,s.5l5so5sE, 50 = ~4e<Issr the ultra
party, who are opposed to any appropriation for
the support of religion and a BILL which was
introduced on Wednesday, to abolish these REQ
tories, was not permitted to be read o second
time
ought to mention, that an opinion prevails to
q certain extent, that the creation Of the recto-
ries was illegal, although, after perusing the act
alluded TO- cannot see how such an opinion can
be entertained by persons whose prejudices have
not subverted their reason. To settle the mat
ter, however, the Inspector General moved reso-
luton, for the purpose of testing their validity,
to the effect that case should be submitted to
the Court of Chancery, and ultimately to the
Privy Council in England This was opposed by
the Free Church party, but was ultimately car
ried by large majority Of the House and a le-
gal decision will thus be arrived at.
The proposed removal of the seat of Govern
ment to Quebec, for the next four years, excited
a very angry debate on Wednesday 1t appears,
that after the destruction of the Parliament
House at Montreal, in ls49, 1t was resolved that
the Legislature should assemble at Toronto and
Quebec alternately, for period not exceeding
four years it being generally understood that 1t
was TO meet at Toronto ia the first instance, dur
ing that period. Contrary to this understand
ing, however, it is about being removed to Quebec
for four years, at the expiration of two and the
impression is, that the French influence, 70 which
any ministry to retain power must suocumb, will
be successfully exerted to retain the seat of Gov
eminent in that city.
The debate on the present occasion was caused
by resolution, introduced by Mr. BOulton, de-
kok IA a. A..
seat of Government until after the next session
of Parliament; and was characterized by much
warmth and a manifestation Of the inherent ami
mostly which exists between the two races. The
resolution was negatived, however, by large ma
jority, composed for the most part Of French Ca
nadans.
A resolution by Mr.. Merritt, for delegation
from the different Provinces, to be called by the
Governor General, for the purpose Of taking into
consideration Legislative Union Of all the North
American Provinces, led TO q very animated dis
cussion on Thursday, which was opposed by the
Inspector General on the part of the Government,
and was lost by large majority. The effect Of
such measure would be TO swamp the French
ascendency, and to render Canada in reality what
ID IL in nsme-a British Province
".
only of the Franco Canadians, hut also of the
present Government, by whom they are support
ed 1t being understood, when | speak Of the
Government, that mean the Ministry; who, il
they are not sustained by majority in the House,
must resign Office. With this view, MIR. La Fon-
tame has again brought in bill to increase the
representation Of the Province which at present
consists Of eighty -four members) to one hundred
and ffty-the aggregate number of members In
both Houses previous 10 the union, when Upper
and Lower Canada had distinct Legislatures.
There was a very general desire expressed
that the representation should be increased; hat
ii was very properly contended that it should be
based on population, and not ms the bill provides,
giving TO each section Of the Province the same
amount Of representation and thus perpetua,ing
the present state Of things by which Anglo Sax
on energy and enterprise are kept in thraldom
Had the success OF this bill depended on bare
majority, IL would have been carried In the pres
ent instance, rs il has been twice before but
Lord Sydenhsm, under whose auspices the union
was effected with the far-seeing eye Of a states
man, provided that no increase Of representation
should take place without the assent Of twothirds
Of the entire number of the members, which, as
before remarked, consists Of eighty -four. ln the
present instance, however, as was the case last
year, there were but ffty-fve votes for going into
committee on the bill and as ffty-six are re-
quired, IL will be doubtless lost at its third read
ing. An attempt was made to induce the Speaker
TO vote; but as his ability to do 80 is limited by
law 10 cases where there is an equal division, he
refused compliance, and was subsequently sus-
tanned by the decision Of the House
A recent judgment in the courts Of law in this
Province Is Of Importance to mutual insurance
companies in the United States and Is worthy of
consideration by other parties there. This Is,
that they cannot sue or be sued out of the State
In which they arc situated; the power Of the
Legislature to grant charter being limited to
such State. The question arose on an action
brought at Hamilton, in Canada, TO recover the