The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-01-10
Our Quebec Correspondence.


QUEBEC, Dec. IL, 1851.
Net Results of the Elections-George BroWn-Joseph
Cauchon-R Roman Catholic Hierarchy in Opposi-
tion-Freach Canadian Emigration to the United
States U'itch0att among the Indians.
| have now before me returns from all the consti
tuencies of Canada, with some half dozen excep
tions The net results are easily ascertained. The
liberal party have lost four or five counties, and
have gained seven or eight: thus continuing to
WELD an immense majority in the House Of Assem-
bly,. To superficial observer. the tremendous
power thus placed in the hands Of government
seems a dangerous and unwholesome symptom.
The removal Of all check on the ministry by the
comparative humiliation Of their opponents-the
prospect Of an absolute roign of four years-the
destruction Of that salutary balance which oonsti
tutes the peculiar safeguard Of representative and
a party government-appear, indeed, at first sigh
sufficient grounds for grave apprehensions. The
plethora of power with which the cabinet seems
menaced, has proved the ruin of wiser men than
our legislators.
But closer scrutiny of the names of the now
members, and a peep behind the scenes Of the
political theatre, will perhaps dispel these fears
Two men-both journalists, both men of great
energy and some personal as well as newspaper in
luence-both, till within few weeks, staunch sup
porters Of Mr.. Hindes and Mr. Morin-have been
returned to parliament on decidedly antiministe
rial ticket. The 6rst-George Brown, Of the Globe-
is fierce dissenter, who seeded from the reform
party in consequence Of the vacillating and timid
course Of the late administration on the ecclesias
tical questions of the West He is pledged to effect
the secularzati0n of the fund appropriated to the
support Of the Protestant clersy-to oppose all
acts Of incorporation Of religious bodies-to endea
vor to wrest from the Church Of England the grants
of land made by previous Governors for the sup
port Of rectores He is, moreover, a persons al
enemy of MIR. Hincks, and no friend to the French
Canadian members of the cabinet. Without
tually enrolling himself in the ranks of the repub
lican party, called clear grits, he would, imagine,
vote with them most questions of reform.
The second is Mr.. Cauchon, the editor of the
Journal De Quebec of whose controversy with Mr..
Hincks ! gave you a short sketch in previous
| letter. However defective Mr.. Cauchon's m0dias
| operanda has been, and however discredtablo his
motives, his position to-day is strong and menacng
Not that alone he could for moment cope with
such men as Mr.. Caron and Mr. MORN; but it
happens that the Roman Catholic priesthood, who
are terribly alarmed at the free thinking doctrines
avowed by the Commissioner Of Crown Lands, and
the organs Of the COVE rnment in Canada West,
and are disposed to cry, when they see the attacks
on the Church of England, prorinlAs arda meae-
gon, require an instrument in the House to watch,
and If need be, to oppose the administration. The
influence Of the priesthood in the rural parishes,
where few can read and still fe wer comprehend q
political question-where the priest, or cure, fire.
quently ascends the pulpit with copy of the news
paper in his hands, and reads the leading articles
on larty squabbles, or meraces the faithful with
the terrors Of ecclesiastical if the presty
candidate is rot supported at the hustings-has lei
many to consider the government OF Lower Canada
as pure theocracy, and the study of the Roman
Catholic Archbishop as the real council chamber
of the Province. Whether such an opinion be or
be not warranted by the facts, the political power
of the Roman Catholic clergy is undoubtedly great;
ard though that unerring wisdom and watchless
sagacity which have characterized the Papa church
throug hout the world, have hitherto prevented
an open collision between the ecclesiastical
thorties and the various governments which have
| from time to time ruled this Province-thoagh,
perhaps, to attain this end, the church has fire.
! quently waived her pretensions, and submitted to
teeng-in case these two sovereign authorities
might come to issue-might possibly range itself
on the side of the church. / do not foresee such
an event With Moliere, l think that
i! est avec lie cel des accomm odemente.
But many parties, whose judgment is entitled to
respect and authority, assert positively that
collision can only be averted by material conces-
siors, and that these will not be made by the
church. Whatever happens, Mr.. Cauchon will be
the advocate Of the clergy in the House, and will
doubtless be followed by several seceders from the
/ ministerial train.
These tive men will keep the hands of the minis.
try full. Though the tories be dull and fat
ditch water-though the clear grts be visionary
and lidiculous-Brown and Cauchen will, if they
1 IL. u
selves, and will enlivea the session.
Most Of the elections have gone of quietly. AT
Somerset, in Megautie, man has been killed;
and in Lottiniere few heads and arms have been
broken. But these are isolated cases. The sensi-
| BILE resolution Of the Montreal committees to put
| down rowdyism and the hired DULLES who have
been used to play such q pro ninent part at cleo
lions, has had wholesome effect in the country.
| heavy snow storm has delayed the arrival Of
the mails from above, and We are rather hard up
for news BY telegraph We learn the defeat OF
many of the tories in Canada West. Sir Allan
| Macnab and MIR. Cayley'a are said to be among the
number: This, however, requires confrmat ion.
A striking proof of the unequal rate of progress
Of the Western States Of the Union and Canada is
afforded by late announcement in the McbInges
Rehgieur, that Father Chinguy, the apostle Of
! temperance, and probably the most energetic ana
talented priest in the Province, is about to emf
CRATE to lincis, where he will be joined by fifteen
hundred French Canadian inhabitants. Emgra-
| ton has been going on slowly from Low Canada
to New York and Wisconsin, for some years; but
this wholesale desertion Of the country is
and deplorab'e symptom If the French Cana
dians were to emgrate in such numbers MS to de-
stroy their separate national existence here and
to make room for healthy influx Of settlers from
Britain and the United States, both the Province
and the emigfants would boneft but so long as
they abandon their native land in small bodies, as
they new deing, the only effect produced is n
depreciation Of the value of land, and general
want of confidence in the resources and prosperity
Of the country.
OF the general emigration to Canada purpose
to give you few statistics in q fusme letter. In
round numbers the arrivals during tnc past
are estimated at 40 900 souls, being considerably
more than the highest annual estimates OF previous
years OF these, Is 200 are supposed to have gone
to the states Of the West; few from want OF
employment in Canada, but the greater portion
having never intended to settle in the Province,
aid having sailed for Quebec only because the ST.
LawreEce route is in some respects preferable to
the route by New York or Philadelphia
A bcn'a fcrune for the lovers of the marvellous
ne a1k ia o.
An old Indian of Caughnawaga, dying of liver
complaint fancied he had skewer in his breast,
and asseite that an old squa who enjoyed ssme-
duccd the aforesaid skewer by the black art. Doc
tors reasoned argued mplorcd, but to no purpose;
the wise men OF the tribe gravey shook their
heads, and smoked omin ousy The thing was very
plain, they said. Why did the man say so, if no
lnunr We thnrn 2 and how cnuld IL hayn