The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-07-20

STATE of Parties Railroads, &c.
The Parliamentary campaign of this session has
been signali,ed by the voluntary retirement from
Office Of Mr.. Baldwin, the Attorney General for
Canada West; and, within the past few days, his
colleague, Mr.. Lafontaine, the Attorney General
for Canada West, has SIGHTED his resolve to imi-
tate his example. Both these individuals have
enjoyed Office for several years, and were the respec
tive heads of alliance which emb raced the French
aatiOnaite ofLower Canada, and theradcal reform
ers of Upper Canada.
The compact bet seen parties holding such anita
gonist ideas could only be preserved oy r'siu al
herence to negative poicy-one ina. "ouia
respect the peculiar opinions OF each section' ana
separate the legislation to suit the capacity and
feelings of each In loyal parlance, the Canadas
are NOT united. The Jurisprudence is different in
each; but politically speaking. they united by
the imperial act of 1910. Mr. Lafonta.ne, as the
recognized leader of a numerous BODY of French
Canadian members, and Mr.. Baldwin, ., the leader
of very small IN inorty of Upper Canadian men,
bers, by combining their forces, formed working
majority in the ssemby. 1t was a fusion of ultra
montagnards and socialists, suited TO tie paltry
scale Of colonialsm, unenlivened by genius, orgi-
nality, or energy. The stagnant atmosphere of
colony not congenial TO patriotism, aud the blan
dishments of my Lord the Governor are too potent
for the feeble ntellects that previously enlightened
the obscurity Of a country parish Mr. Lstontsine
emerged from the humber paths OF life, in the
earlier days OF Mr. Papneau, To whom be acted as
subsltern When the projected revolution expl )ded
the latter aed to France the former to England,
where he found friends in the Roe Duck, hume, and
Wordsworth clique. and returned here purged Of the
faint of treason. Accident thus invested him with
the leadership which Mr.. Papineau had vacated;
and it mast be confessed that be preserved his pow
and steered his course with skill. Frem being
the revolutionary leader, he osded into the adyo
cate Order and invoked the potent aid Of the priests
Thus his language and his acts belonged, the first
to his earlier existence the latter the sobered con-
yictions Of maturer age; and his political combi-
nation with MIR. Baldwin secured to his followers
the substantial rewards of office. They thus held
together for several years. mutually respecting the
preiudlces of opposite races, and neutralized the
spirit ofthe Union act, by legslating for the colony
as if the Provinces were distinct. Every man has
some peculiar object of ambition In Europe,
Theirs aspires to the rege.cy, and Golden TO be a
Right Honorable, and cabinet IN mister. la this
remote region, the summit Of a mans ambitious to
be judge. The office coniers rank, afhaence au-
thority, importance, and ease. Monsieur Il Jnge,
is q wondrous beng in the eyes of the vul gar and
every lawyers ANS and night visions elevate
him to the bench.
To the very natural query why Mr.. Lafontaine,
in the full tide of has power, aud while yet middle
aged man, should voluntarily reinquish the cim-
manolng position of Attorney General and prime
minister, an answer may be found ia the wish to
become Judge. During mis- tenure of office. there
have been many vacancies, but whenever be ex-
pressed q wish to avail himself of the opportunity
to mount the bench, he has been invariably met by
the reluctance OF hs colleagues 10 lose his services
and doubtless there was IL be found in Mr. La
fontane's own mind lingering respect for public
opinion and propriety, which prompted him to avoid
the reproach OF having appointed himself 10 the
bench. There are various ways Of cheating the
devil in the dark, a. illusa ated tae present
Mr.. LsfontaiDe retres, and the first vacancy frees
- to a Ind gxcl new An llv ha
mana ged. Mr.. IAN telson, thou, 20 he was only
nominated eighteen months ago, IS nevertheless
seventy years of sge-in tact, he sI4Iseda Judge
70 serve su0h an arrangement the present-aud
the chances are, that twelve lnoui hs hence, Mr.
Van Feson will be on the retired hst, al NJ La
fontaine consigned 10 the calm pose uf = i1ge-
ship, and his name forgotten ss party leader.
The disruption Of the political alliance between
the Lafontainites, and oaldwinites. seems an i'm
piled consequence of the retirement " the respec
tive leaders; and whatever combination may ensue
to serve the exgency of the mOmsnt--it ;annOt be
permanent or infuential-a seterai election must
decide the fate OF many aspifants. Mr. Hinck has
risen TO Importance b. the retirement Of his col.
leagues, and, though branded by the tory press,
two year. since, "a scouudrel of the deepest die
he has conrived TO become popular with hs ancient
antagonists, and t is rot b. yoDd The range Of pro-
liabilities, that the M'Nabs, Sner woods, aud BouL
tons, and others Of bis bitere,t oes, may be quite
ready and willing TO hold office under him We
nav moralize AS we like, upon the faulty Of
mankind. and the facility Nth which they deliver
themselves up TO a dcluson hut it s not the
less a fact that a. long a fnan:ier keeps the
bal rolling, the masses will call hun a clever
fellow. Mr. HiDek plumes himself upoa bis
ability a. fnancer aBd though the people Of
Canada have traditional horror Of public debt,
yet be has lent an effective hand to swell the debt
Of this Province to twenty millions Of dollars aud
mt this time Of writing, he y the author OF scheme
or rather, he advocates a scbeue, for borrowing
thirty millions additional
We are to be great poope-nothing less than
railway from HALIFAX % dmhCrtburg will satisfy
the canadians, and they talk aucnuy OF millions
re II Lake superior copper were california gold.
hat the money will BE- borrowed aud the ran why
made is pretty certain, and IL Il equa clear that
political friends will istten upon n JOS The I
Ortlard line are steadily a work aud pashing I
ahead fast The Cnampisin line have occ ded to I
build wharf on the south side 81 the -. Las
renee, facing Montreal The cost Of tue erection
will be two hundred and forty thousand dollars
and iftbe ice blocks up the length of The pro-
Iosed wharf (which u 10 extend about mile from
the main land 10 Isle called MOaatts lslaud) the
wharf may cost even larger SUN TINS wharf
scheme is stupid idcs-it Nu be useless from NO
vember 10 May, ana will cost bali ~ much ~ would
bu a q bridge. Atar- from this fact, II the wharf
Lawrence may some morning ibysde the lover
art Of the city, and carve cut channel for itsef
along Craig street.
The boteis here are filing. and considering the
nun Der Of new ones, ihe travellers must be nu
merOus
Pope, who last year established the present
iorcgan az, y TINS season ia better house, known
~ Hsyes building AMERICANS Who ike sucb ho-
tcls a. the New Urk and Unou IN Nev York, will
tnd PoTc's quarteis 10 tLtlr taste. lie i very
civil. obiighg fellow
The crops look uxu1aut but the yield of grain |
eiil be slight ] be continuous rau- have run the |
osts, wheat and barley 20 stras Very litle grain !
has been formed. Tie ruit .,a.-n will ~ failure
no plums or cherries. very few apples or pears. a
VAIN spiing aud an unwcic0me frost when tue trees
were in flower, eAplaus ths origin u the deficiency
Lord Eglin, the Governor General, sll not pat
rouhe Montreal du iug bis progress % Quebec; a
visit to The Chambly canal and the Richelieu will
eerye ne an excuse =.
The Watering Places
OR FASHIONABLE CORRESPONDENCE.
StANNoHpAi.E SPsINss, jefferson Co. Va,