The New York herald., 1864-09-29
The PoIattca, Cr.sis An Ca.sa..

The people of Canada are just now much
sgitatsd BY the question Of a proposed con-
federacy. aud, ~ they are very near neighbors
Of ours friends or foes. as circumstances may
hereafter Observation-Disclosures which are
entirely under their own control-they may
az we'll understand a. not how we regard their
present policy
plan Of confederation Of the British
North American colonies has for some months
past been seriously considered. and committees
Of leading Legislators and prominent members
Of the Canadian press have, under the guse
of pleasure excursion, been ooasting along
the lower provinces to learn the state OF pub
lilo foeling. and have met at Charlottetown,
and are to be heard from again at Halifax, or
% We undsrstand, tSe programme. Truth, Il
q said. lies ct tho bottom of we'll, or, Is
others believe who do uot desire p descend
90 'deepsrit u 10 be foand iasa nutshell. We
prefer tho latter afhorismy - II 10 ths more
convenient.
British America h ia sisp . unSni6-
cent territory. 1t reaches from the definite
and tangible boundaries Of the lakes and the
st. Lawrence. northward to where the Esqui
maux assert their boundaries amid "thick rib
bed ioe," and westward where the Russian pos.
sessions interpose with their barrier On the
east. the bays and sounds which admit British
chips during short season, when they come
in search of whales and furs. shut ont this
great territory from civilization and commerce
the greater part Of every year.
The Canadas and the lower provinces are
the real colonies for which England has much
thought. A troublesome possession they have
been to ber. and never more than now. Every
thing possible has been done by the mother
country to keep these provinces in good
humor. They have been petted, coaxed, in
dulged far beyond all former precedent In the
treatment Of British colonies and yet they can
not be kept quiet. We propose in few brief
paragraphs to explain the present difficulty.
II Is one lying deep in human feelings and in
terests. not to be overcome by an enactment,
put down by a recall Of governors or molliied
by an ordinary compromise. 1t is radical, and
arises entirely from difference between the
two races which inhabit the Canadas, with
legal institutions The people Of Lower
Canada, or Canada East, are French, of French
descent and habits, which have not changed
since the days when some of the cleverest men
OF old France administered the government of
this transatlantic colony. Canada West, on the
other hand, is populated with British adven-
turers, who have generally left their own coun-
try without titles, without fortunes, to seek
new sky and climate, and to improve their
condition in life. The very spirit of such men
Is adverse to old systems from which they have
desired TO escape. Canada East and Canad,
West are therefore, antipodal, and they always
have been antagonistic in their policy and in
terests.
The imperial act of 1910, by which the two
provinces were intended to be reconciled,
provided for equal representation in Parlia-
ment When it was adopted by the Canadians
I seemed to be fair, nay, generous, adjust
nent on the part Of the French interests: for
hey then had the largest population; and when
hey consented to an equality of representa-
ion it was supposed everything would hence
orth be harmoniously conducted, and the
government 60 on without further jealousies
But Canada West, before it was fully aware of
t, found itself growing rapidly by its contact
With the United States. The trade OF the
northwestern. States, the commerce of the
,reat lakes, the benefit Of navigation on Lake
Michigan, aud the prosperity Of the great Cana
liam lines OF canals and railways, depending
IN American crops for their value aud their
success. had the effect of creating q large
Increase of population in the western province,
American ideas, making closer
The population of Canada West to such an ex-
tent that it at this time numbers four hundred
thousand more than Canada East, and is ac-
tually deficient in representation in Parliament
in that proportion. Not only is it deficient in
representation to that extent, but it pays taxes
in the same ratio, and very naturally com
plains Of the inequality. The practice in the
Canadian government is to expend the public
moneys equally, East and West and the upper
province has found ont that for il this is
losing business. This is the "csnker and the
worm"
All attempts to overcome this injustice by a
change in legislation have been defeated by
the unity OF the members OF Parliament from
tho lower province, and the consequence has
been that the administration have never been
able to carry out any measures where there
was q leaning to the one side or the other no
matter how just or necessary was the dscrlmi-
nation. Mingled with these differences have
been the Catholic spirit on one side and the
Protestant spirit on the other; for the Church
Of England party and that Of the other denomi-
nations in Canada are unit againss the Catho-
lies, and there is an antagonistic feeling be-
tween them Of decided character. The latter
have, 1t is true, no great leading mind to direct
their policy, though 1t is said the secretary of