The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-06-26
CANADIAN AMhsrs-

Whatever may be the ultimate destiny Of Canada
whether it is TO remain the colonial possession Of
powerful nation, extending along our northern FROM
tier, from It's junction with the province Of New
Brunswick to the shores Of the Pacific, either a.
separate and distinct colony, or the member Of
federative union of all the provinces-whether it
shall be the intention of the British government 1t
no distant day, to form these into an independent
empire, whose position as such 1t viii maintain and
defender whether they shall eventually become
portion of the American Union; In whichever of
these points of view the subject is considered it is
one Of vital importance to the people of the United
States and merits their attention a. well that Of
the general government.
Not only are the commercial relations between Ca
NADIA and this country daily increasing in extent,
value and importance, almost beyond conception,
but by means of its canals and railroads. princ
pal link Of which, extending from the Niagara to the
Detroit, will be opened in q few months-that pro-
vince affords the most direct route to our north
western territory, and channels for the transport
ing of produce from the far West to the American
seaboard, or to the Atlantic by that great natural
highway-the st. Lawrence.
In addition to this, large and increasing portion
Ol tnc Va Sououo, aiC Vi VIC boniC huSiV
Saxon stock as are those of the United States, in
whose welfare the citizens of every part Of the Union
must feel deep and abiding interest," as well social
ly and politically, as commercially; and which must
be increased by the state of religious feeling which in
that province is at present adding to the bitterness Of
political strife, which it did not require the visit of
Padre Gavsxzi to develope, but which it seems to
have brought to crisis, that will awaken the SYM
pathies of large portion of our felowcitizens, whe
ther Protestant or Catholic.
The territory of Canada East, which was originally
settled from France, and where seven-eghths Of the
present population are of French origin protesting
the creed Of their fathers retaining their amiabe and
simple habits, governed to great extent by the
same laws and usages that existed at the time Of the
conquest in 1862 and still holding their lands under
the seigniorial tenures- embraces upwards of one
hundred and twenty-eight millions Of acres; while
that of Canada West, whose inhabitants are chiefly
of British and American origin-fve-sxths of whom
are Protestants-co contains about thirtytwo thousand
acres of, generally speaking, fertile land peculiarly
adopted for the cultivation Of wheat-upwards of two
hundred millions Of acres in the aggregate.
The population Of this vast region when the CEN
sus returns were made out last year was, in Lower
Canada, s9O,26l; in Upper Canada, 952,O04-
making total Of l,s42,265. At the close Of the
American war Of independence the latter province
was an almost entire wilderness, and when the
union Of both provLce took place in 1s4l, the popu
lation Of the lower province exceeded the other.
Since then the latter has been filing up rapidly and
has already outstripped the former in the race of
population as well as in that of cultivation, intel
gence, and improvement; the existence of the
.egniorial tenure large blocks of land held in the
eastern townships, chiefly by absentees and specu
lators, and the jealousy entertained by the French
Canadians towards all whom they consider foreigners
materially retardng the settlement Of that part Of
Canada. The following is the origin Of the inhabi
tants Of beth sections Of the province according to
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