The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-04-17
Our Canadian Correspondence.
OuEnRC April 10. lSj

Progress OF The North Shore Railroad ScA~me-
Shady Prospects Of h< Melbourne Road-ReSo't
u the board Of Ifade-LiJci against Mr. Hiness
--Bprial Case ot k,agston--Et Ecclesiastical INan-
ns-Ralrh Uddo Emaso4,-Prorogat,oa 81 TIC
Legislatures of Ne,c B,nasUict, Nora Scotia, &c
The contest between the rival railroad companies,
viz: tho Quebec aud Melbourne Company, and the
Provisional Committee for the North Shore line, lis
becoming interesting and lively The former has
been, many times since its birth, brought to the
verge OF the grave by the errors of its managers,
and the distrust generally felt in their admnstra-
ton. At th, momons its stock can be purchased on
change at fifty per cent discount Money they have
not, and cannot obtain. By the agreement they
made with the Corporation of the city Of Quebec.
the latter is 10 enjoy privilege on the proceeds Of
the railroad for the due payment OF the interest on
its loan Of G!00,000. What capitalist would ad-
venture his funds in concern thus mortgaged! 1t
i. not ut all likely that the road will ever pay more
than 10000 per annum-$2 ,00)--over and above
it, working expenses; and until this sum has been
handed to the city treasurer the shareholders must
content themselves with the glory Of having bcen
Instrumental in carrying into effect useless rail
way through that earthly paradise, the eastern
townships.
These considerations seem to have so dispirtcd
the directors that they are making but feeble
attempts to stem the progress Of the rival limo The
President of the latter has published letter to the
new Colonial sesrea Sir No John s hh"nngsHn in
| II commercial, political, and military point of view
iorcibly aud ably insisted on. This letter has
been published in most of the newspapers. and no
attempt. either 10 rciue question its contents has
been hitherto made. In point Of fact it is unan-
| swe,ube, and, unless intrigue ut home carry the
day, there is doubt that the imperial cabinet
viii adopt the North Shore line tho track OF the
| grca, trunk railway. Mr.. llncks. the Inspector
General, il, however, pledged to certain extent in
| favor OF the Melbourne road and there is some
rc,so to fear that the Colonial Secretary, acting in
proycrbia ignorance of the wishes and interests Of
Canada will adopt hisviews without further inquiry
| \ heavy blow will il be to Quebec, If such be the
| case.
| Tie chief topic of conversation among the mer-
chants juS now. is the annual report Of the Board
Of Trade Of Quebec. 1t is somewhat lengthy, but
| able document, and might be styled formal i'm
leachment Of tho late administration for their disro-
gard and neglect of the commercial interests OF this
| city. Ever since the establishment Of tho Board of
| Trade an antagonsm has existed between it's
| representing the mercantile communty--and the
Lower Canadian portion Of the House of Assembly,
! ~ representing tho French Canadian electors.
The latter. by their number, are able to swamp the
merchants ut the elections, and send whom they
please to Parliament-a power which they generally
exercise unless, as mt tho last election their party
is split by an adroit mannuvre Of their opponents.
| Against this undue preponderance CT the French
Canadian clcctoSs-who are in general men of small
means, Of no very extended political views and in
only III ucHTco III tIauc VI tHc
PROV ncethe merchants, whose stake in the country
! is undoubtedly greater than that of their
numerous antagonists, have been from time immc-
mortal in the habit OF protesting, As, however,
| the grievance is irremediabe without radical
| change in electoral divisions, the hostility
ofthc Board Of Trade can only display itself in a
kind Of guerilla warfare--a series Of skrmishcs, on
| all sorts of prctexts, which latter, it must be
knowlcdged, the administration has not beon slow
| to furnish. Thus, the Board was given to under
stand that grave irregularities were committed in
the management of the Marine Hospital that pa
tients were robbed Of their money-that female yr-
tue outraged-that peculation was carried on
to an alarming extent-that total disregard for
the comfort and welfare Of the inmates OF the nsti-
tuition was eynced by the officers and these
charges were supported by afidavis which, to all
appearance, seemed entitled to faith. represen-
tation was made by the Board to the executive; ;
but after some correspondence, the Provincial Sec
| rotary informed tho complanants that no investi-
CATION would take place. ! have no doubt that
many OF the charges brought against the Institution
were exaggerated they may even have been totally
false-but it would perhaps have been wiser, even
for the interest Of the accused to have granted the
desired inquiry. Again: dispute took place b :
tween the Superintendent and Inspector Of Police
and the Board, about the proceeds of the timber
found floating in the river After good deal OF re-
criminationSnct particularly creditable to any of
the parties commemorative government took the
matter in hand got law passed, taking the con-
troll Of the moneys derived from the river police tax
| out of the hands of the Board and stgmatized,
through the premier. Mr. Latontaine. the Board Of
| Trade of Quebec minded. contemplate
| set Of mcn--litte better than association Of
| crnps or course the absurdity of such charge
was simply ridiculous but it did not contribute TO
| restore harmony between the Exchange and Co
ve,nmcnt House. Again: representations have been
made by the Board of Trade to government, on VA
rious subjects connected with the trade of Saint
Lawrence. but they have almost invariably been
treated with indifference, and in some instances
have not even been acknowledged OF noticed. On
all these subjects the report gives expression to
| a,,l will asS ha
ticed with curiosity and surprise abroad In Britain
it will appear somewhat anomalous that the provn-
cial government should have thought SO little Of the
representations Of the Board Of Trade of the great
est seaport and the capital Of Canada, on the com
mercia laws Of the province. as to neglect even TO
acknowledge their receipt by the secretary
You will rccolcct that ] informed you OF the
publication Of il correspondence, which was alleged
to have taken place between Dugald McNab
aud MIR. Hncls, some years ago. according to which
the Inspector General had written libel, paid Me-
Naha sum of money to acknowledge himself as the
author and obtained pardon for him after his
conviction thought at the time, the letters were
forgeries, and it seems that Mr.. IlmcLs is prepared
10 prove that they are, for lie has indicted j. q.
Nansittart, Esq, Of Woodstock, for libel The
case is likely to excite some interest Nansittart is
a tory. and conspicuous man in his party. lie
VIII ofcouise be made martyr Of and ifthc tories
lneronderate on the jury. Mr.. Hnck, Will have
come trouble in getting verdict.
In Il recent letter, gave Won some account Of the
| famous intcnnent case ut Quebec. \ parallel case
has just occurred at Kingston, which shows how far
tic Episcopal clergy are prepared to carry matters
Lieutenant Walker. Of the artillery died the other
| aay at Kingston As he was grandson of the late
Major Logic. his relatives DESTROYS that he
should be buried in the family vault, and expressed
their wish to the chaplain of the forces Uniortu-
mtely Major Logic was 4 Presbyterian and his
vault in the cemetery attached to the Church of
| Scotland: on learning which. the reverend chaplain
expressed his indignation at the request which had
hccn made to him. and declared his firm determine
iun To uiicatr. unucr circumstances, out oil
| cop.ecratcd ground. presume that if this worthy
chal lain ever accompanies his regiment in time Of
war, the batcfel will have TO be consecrated be-
fore The dead receive the benefit Of Christian burial
The legislature of Nova Scotia aud New Bruins
| wick have both been poroeucd The address of
Colonel lIazagctic. in closing the session in the
former province contains little beyond wcll-mc
ritod euIogy on he late sir John Harvey. In pro-