New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-01-31
CANADA.
CHANGES IN THE MINISTRY.


On the formation Of the Coalition Government
u September last the Lower Canada section re-
NAMED unnltered. Within the last week, how
ever. three Of the FIVE occup ants Of these offces
have been changed. Mr.. NORM, who issppolnted |
10 the Judg,,hip vacant BY the death OF M
Justice Psnet, has been succeeded IN the CON-
mhsionership Of Crown Lands by Mr. Cau'noh.
Mr.. CAsuveau has retired from the PROVINCIAL
eeeretsrysbip, and been sa,ceededby Mr Caruer'
Mr.. CS.bot, who has vacated the Chief Commits
,,on. r,hip of Public Works, is tucceeded oy MI
Lsnieux. Politically speaking the cna'so'
amount 10 nothns--the three new hiin, So ,s
.,,a 81 Dc same nautical complexion as lhe'l III
49, nr.docessors. They all belong 10 inc old
$3.50, taal Marty of French Canadians; they
Are al equally opposed TO ana Dy lno ' c e.
Thev were so late rs 1c51, all followers VI MI
I.afautsine, who then ruled among ris OouS
..;,h undivided sway. Mr.. Lafontaine was
tho .rccessfnl rival Of Parlneau. Both nave leit
' Gfe The former is Chief Justice, and the
ILL., has abandoned himself to the pleasures OF
A." farm and the garden. The ruling party OF
the French Canadians consists of the party when
Mr.. Laf6ntaine consolidated. The Rouges are OF
the Papineau school, with this difference, that
while thew are dumb Republicans he was out
spoken in his republicanism; he lost no opportu-
nity of proclaming his sentiments, and OF eXtoll-
ing the American system OF government Iney
carefully abstain from committing themselves On
that point.
OF the new members Of the Cabinet, 1t IS
proper that ] should give some account Mr..
Carrier il a successful advocate, who lives IN
Montreal, and enjoys a very extensive and lucra-
tive practice He Las for several years been
member Of the Legislative Assembly having been
elected at least three or four times ne mas Deeh
devoted partisan. JIe was always iOund on Tue
4 d. OF fl /
watched closely his public career-a single IN,
stance in which he expressed an opinion different
from that Of his leader, or in which he gave vote
IN Oppostion to the Administration which he pro-
fessed to support Everybody always knew
where to find Mr.. Cartier. In carrying into Par
lament too much of the habits OF his class he
was but guilty of fault common to the whole
tribe of lawyer. politicians He waited rather
long his turn for office, which, indeed he did not
court, but once repulsed when it sought to EN-
brace him. He once refused portfolio ana
seat in the Cabinet, because the Government
which he was asked to Join would not declare
ineligible for the Office of Legislative Councillor
eyery man who was not worth $4,000 year-I
think it was. How that arist9cratic scruple OF
his has been got over has not transpued; but the
remaining members of the Government were COM
mitted to lower money quallfcatlon-stlli, now
ever, holding that money possession Is a great
merit in a legislator Mr.. Cartier was the I'M
successful Government candidate for Speaker In
September; but that was under different combl-
nation of parties from that which at present
exists The Conservatives, who opposed the
election of Mr.. Cartier, are now his colleagues
and supporters. Mr.. Cartier speaks French and
English with equal fuency-a very useful quallf-
cation in a Canadian Minister who has to anage
a House in which both languages are indlferenty
spokep. but one of which only is understood by a
large portion of the members There is not In
the House more prominent member of his party
than Mr.. Cartier. He is, in every respect, more
than the equal of his immediate predecessor in
the Office OF secretary-though of Mr.. Chauveau
it has never been said that he performed badly
the duties Of his office.
The new occupant of the Public Works DE.
partment Mr.. Lemieux, is man of no mark, and
must be looked upon rather as make-welght
than anything else. He has been at least three
times elected to Parliament, but be never made
any figure there Judging from the little use he
makes of the English language, should say his
acquaintance with il was very slender indeed. In
this respect however, he does not labor under
greater disadvantage than his Immediate prede-
cessor, Mr.. Chabot, did. The latter never at
tempted TO utter more than few sentences III
English, to answer briefly some Interpolation re-
rarding matter that was connected with his De-
partnent and then he could only stammer out his
broken English in very imperfect and scarcely
ineligible manner. 1t is curious spectacle TO
see sitting together on the same Ministerial
Denches members oil CaDlnet, one OF WHOM uots
not know what the other is saying! And yet, 1t
may any day be seen in our Legislature.
Mr.. Cauchon, who succeeds Mr.. MORN in the
Commits sOuership of Crown Lands, is French
Journalist of repute, having for number of years
been editor in. chief of the Journal de Quebec, Of
which he was the founder as he continues to be
the proprietor. He too has been several times
cent to Parliament by the people OF Montmorency
County and he, like Mr.. Cartier, once refused a
Government oflice-not Department nor seat
in the cabinet but the under Secretaryship, worth
less than s., 900 year. 1t was in 1851 that he
declined this Office his os tensible reason for doing
no being dislike of two members of the Cabinet
under which he was invited to take otfce-Dr.
Ralph and Malcolm Came rOn-to whose 90 social
"ism, as he strangely lied their protested po-
Etical opinions he never failed TO offer strong OBJ
jections, till that Government fell to pieces In
September last. There were not wanting those
who attributed Mr.. Cauchon's refusal to the
subordinate character of the Office offered TO
his acceptance From the fall OF 1851 to that
of 1854 be occupied an isolated position in the
house standing almost alone in the late Parlia-
ment in the particular kind of opposition he Of
fered 10 the Administration, no unfrequently hay
ing no more than one name standing by the side oil
his in the division. When Sir Allan McNab.was
charged, in September last, with the formation Of
new Administration, he first sought to approach
the French Canadian members through Mr.. eau
chon. The latter listened eagerly as may readily
be supposed; but how was he TO Improve so tempt
ING an opportunity He resolved 10 seek an inter
view with Mr. NORM, the leader Of the ruling par.
ty of Canadians in the House. The latter replied
that he was to be found at his lOdgn gs and thther
must Mr. Cauchon come if he desired to conmu.
cate personally with him. Mr.. Cau.hon mustered
courage 10 90; but in reply 10 his att-mptto make
himself the channel OF overtures from Sir Allan