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

The balance Of the population, with the exception Of
between five and six thousand persons, of whose re-
ligious creed no information could be obtained, is
made up of various denominations, who may be
classed az Professionals; and while the Roman Catho
lies predominant in Lower Canada, and the Pro-
testants in Upper, yet in the province, generally
speaking they about equally divided. 1t may be
proper here to remark that there exists but little
sympathy between the French and Irish Catholics,
who have separate places Of worship in Montreal and
Quebec, and no other bond of union than that of
common creed During the rebelons the Irish popu-
ation stood aloof from the French Canadians; and in
the recent outbreak at Montreal when their religion
was also attacked, the latter took no part in the
riotous proceedings that occurred.
By the terms of the capitulation, in which Canada
was surrendered to Great Britain, the undisturbed
exercise of the Roman Catholic religion was permit
ted SO far as it should not be at variance with the
laws Of the empire Yet, while in the neighboring
Provinces the people Of that faith continued to labor
under civil disabilities, down to the passing OF the
Catholic emancipation act in 1929, quite different
state Of things existed in Lower Canada the British
government deeming it expedient to propitiate the
Catholic clergy and, in this way to receive the at
tachment Of their people, over whom they exercise
an almost unlimited control.
Gradually, however, British party was formed in
Lower Canada, as well as in the upper provinces
which was not of 80 much importance in
point Of numbers, as for the undue influence
that it exercised in the councils of the country
many of those who composed it, having fed from the
United States at the close of the Revolution, and
cured for themselves and their posterity, as they
vanly imagined, the perpetual administration of the
affairs of the Province, and pretty generally all the
offices of trust and emolument in the colony. 1t is
to this improper predomnance of the British party
that the rebellions Of 1878 are to be attributed
which were followed by the reunion Of the Provinces
that had been njudiciousy separated in 179l
Hitherto the government of the North American
provinces had been administered by Governor,
with the advice of his Executive Council, and who
directly responsible to the authorities in Eng
land, but who was almost invariably swayed by the
local party in power To rid the country Of this in
cubus, the British government has recently conceded
what is termed responsible government similar to
that OF the parent State, which requires that the
advisers of the Governor shall be able to command
majority in support of their measures in the Colonial
Legislature. Had the British or conservative
party, when they found the Queens govern
ment determined to make this concession, wisely
decided to regulate q movement which they
could not control, they might have remained in
power TO the present day. but they resisted the mea
sure, and an adverse majority in accordance
with public sentiment, both in Canada and Nova
Scotia drove them from the position they had oc-
cupied since the acquisition Of those provinces by
the British crown and subsequently, they have been
pertinacious in their efforts to impede and obstruct
the working of the new form of government, in con
sequence Of which, the French party in Canada have
been enabled to obtain the ascendancy, not only in
the halls of legislation owing to the divisions among
Brtish pary, but in the government Of the country
Five Of me gentlemen who compose what is called
the cabinet, being members Of the Legislature
Of them of French origin, and all Of them being Ro
man Catholics; while but three from Upper
Canada who not bound together by any religious
t.e, And probably IL may be added, any ioen..y Vi