Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-05
CONFEDER RATION.
Agitation. of and Opposition to the
Plan of the British Government =
Secession of French Canadians.
From tho Montreal Herald. MAY 3l.I


[From the Montreal Herald. Nav 3l1
The intention OF the Canadian, New |
Brunswick and Nova Scotian Governments
TO remove the formation of our own Con-
stitution from the hands of our own repre- |
sentatiyes, and irOm the influence of public |
opinion on this side of the Atlantic. and to
commit the destiny OF the people who have
been repeatedly told that they enjoy self
government, TO an irresponsible body in Eng |
land, is producing its effect. How import,
ant that effect may be in the end we must
wait to the end to know. But the first re- 1
suit was to detachtronr the ministerial and.
confederation party the CdHddiea--one OF
the two Important French Journals pup
lished at Quebec-together with the public
men who are connected with that newspa-
per. We now see similar consequence in
another quarter. The Courier de 81. Hyd-
Cinthe was placed few months ago under
the direction of some gentlemen who were
vouched for as thoroughly conservative
that is, in palmer language, ministerial, as
conservatism is not the doctrine OF violent
change, but of adherence to what IS estab-
lished, and of course confederate. Two of
these gentlemen, however, have now found
themselves obliged to withdraw from the
Courier, and have given their reasons to the
public in the columns Of the local OppOsi-
ton newspaper, the JOtn7ldL de SO. HydCtHthe.
Their reasons are partly personal; but OF
these they say nothing at present, though
they of course arise out of the political dlt-
ferences which have occurred among those
who lave had control of the paper. On
these differences they speak as follows:
1.-THE question of confederation, which has
given rise to so many reasonable fears, and
caused so much legitimate hesitation in the
conservative parry, has brought about
new complication, which seems to fill the
cup to the brim-toe mean that. Qt imperial
arbitration. We have thought it our duty
to condemn the policy adopted i'll Nova
Scotia, and have not hesitated to denOunce
it as dangerous and antt-natonal We,
therefore, declared that for our part we re-
garded the imperial arbitration as utterly
unacceptable for French Canadians. The
Government, however, has not been attack
ed by us, though 1t has been by conscien-
tiOus writers, who are usually guided by
great intelligence and sincere patriotism.
Taking the position which appeared to us
to be the most rational, we did not look up
on our ministers as aCcOmplices In this
crime; and we cOntented ourselves with
putting them on their gnard, by saying that
the country would reject the imperial arbi-
tratiOn under no matter what form or pre-
text 1t might be presented lit. ltappears
| that this frank and honest declaratiOn-One,
moreover, which was perfectly Justiiiable-
| has alarmed some ofthe patrons OF thlSjOurn-
al, better informed than ourselves on the In
| tentiOn of our ministers, for they have had
| the good nature to tell us in all simplicity
that our, words might compromise great
cause, In politics we recognize no cause
| as being greater than that OF the country,
nor any as more sacred than the cause OF
| the nation :; and as no int1uehce can be
strong enough to Omake us consent to sac
| riice the interests of our fellow country
men-the future Of the French Canadian race,
for the sake Of chiefs eohOnl loe haze no reason
| TO think impeCcdble, we have not
hesitated to withdraw from the editorial
duties of journal on which, in spite of the
most solemn engagements, we cannot have
the entire freedom of our opinions and con-
| yictiOns. A circumstance which cannot
| fail to have marked significance, and
which has much influenced our determina-
ton, is, that the opinion of the committee,
who were at first unanimously of opinion
| to hoist our flag in opposition to imperial
arbitration, was found to be speedily mod
| flied in,the persons of some of its members,
as we approached the session iniJwhich we
| have reason to expect ministerial eXplana-
| tiOns on the question in litigation, which
| throws Jne country lnJO SUCH STdNc dnAlt-
ty. It is painful, no doubt, to believe that
some of our coleaguesin the committee OF
! Management have been subjected to eXter-
nal influences, coming from high quarters
Nevertheless, attempts to prevent the Cor-
4 Fig7 from differing from the Ministry on this
grave question of imperial arbitration, es-
| pecially after all the energetic prOtestations
| which had been subscribed to by every
member of the committee of Management
could edify hslittle, we regret to say, on
the motives which have brought about the
session and, the unforeseen differences
between the other. collaborators and our
4 selves" 81"
The gentlemen who sign this statement
\ -Messrs. Honore Mercier and Paul de Ca
i zes-conclude by saying that they leave the
Courier because they have lost confidence
not so much in principles or in the conser'
vative party as in the men who profess tt
lead that party, which they still believe tt
be too prudent to allow important events
/ involving the whole future of the country
H to be accomplished under its respousibili
ty, without itself or the people being con
\ suited. r ..or........ ..i. -.f....,... 49,.