Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-08-21
THE FRENCH IN CANADA.
How They are Rapidly Getting Back
Their Old Domain

A. NJ Elliot. American Journal Of Philology
Large families are the rule everywhere. NJ
Ouimet, the present able superintendent of pub
lie obstruction for the Province of Quebec, is the
twenty-sixth child In his family, and it is a
most common thing to find families of twenty
five TO thirty children by the same mother A
race whether of the Latin or of any other stock,
which has been known TO celebrate fourteen
golden weddings at one time in a single parish.
Is not likely even to be anglicized or stamped
out by royal edicts. But this prolificness is the
simple continuance OF a state of things that was
encouraged by the early colonizers and rulers
OF the province. Colbert provided the colonist
with a wife and did every thing in his power to
encourage large families by royal premiums
royal gratuity OF twenty francs was given to
young men who married at 20 years or under.
and TO girls who found husbands before they
were sixteen. 1t was no uncommon thing in
these early days for the united ages of the
bride and groom to fall short of thirty years.
premium of three hundred francs was
awarded to parents with ten living children,
and oi Iouc hundred to those who had twelve
children. As a natural effect of this rapid in
crease in population, we ind a gradual uproot-
Ing OF the weaker race in point of mum bers
that is, the English. Nor Is il to the west alone.
as with the people Of the United States, that
the French race is spreading. Masters OF the
ldrther AMI farther to the east and SOUTH In
-FOUR counties OF New Brunswick Victoria.
hisisouehe, Gloucester and Kent, they
already nave more than ten thousand majority
Repatriation societies have been established
ana are actively at work To bring back those
VINO nave gone forth To seek new homes in the
United States. Thousands of good thrifty
citizens have thus been restored to their native
STOCK, whose force they materially increase in
the determined race struggle that Is now going
on in Canada.
The French population now occupies seven.
eighths OF Lower Canada. Tine English element,
after a hard hight, has virtually renowned the
struggle I" mold the province, and, discouraged
mas retired or Is rapidly retiring from this part
oil the held Inc wonderfully absorbing
power OF the French elemen: has here prod uced
the curious phenomenon OF q people, in certain
parts OF the country, who bear all the racial
characteristics OF the English or SCOTCH, such
as the blue eyes, light hair, horid faces. and
VIII % have the name OF W arren, Fraser, McDOn-
ala, McPherson, etc., but also are still unable
TO speak word of the mother tongue. The
English names OF roads of towns OF counties
give abundant proof to who were The oc..
cupants oil the soil lew years ago. To-day it is
Inc offspring oil the Gallo stock that possess the
iaho- iheir answering purpose, encouraged oy
The clergy, Is To take back their old domains nv
tue peaceful process oi repopulating them with
descendants ol their own blood, and at the
present rate Oh Increase, We may safely predict
that 1t Will not be many generations before
they shaii nave accom- plished this unique feat.
AT Montreal the French element is progress
ing apace. Though the population (about
one hundred and nity thOusand) is here pretty
one hand, and the different race elements snch
As English, Scotch. Irish, etc., on the other vet
the number OF children Is more than double In
favor OF the Gau, being TO. 80 OF all the other
nationaiities. II Is evident, therefore, that In a
lew generations, IL this condition OF thing,
continues, the French Will be in All overwhelm-
Ing majority. Ii We pass little farther 10
the west, We ind that Two counties OF Upper
Canada, Russell and Prescott, have already
fallen into The hands OF tine French and they
number now more than 1OO,OOO souls in this
province.
But no where else, perhaps, Is the spread OF
the Galiic race more marked than in the town
oil Ottawa, capital Of the dominion. Here.
town began TO turn French, SO that now IL Is
more French than English. The habitapt
having thus crossed the line between Upper aud
Lower Canada, Is marching westward tnroux h
the counties mentioned above, and nOrthward
up the valley OF the Ottawa river. He has
planted settlements In the fertile prairie
region OF The saskatchewan, = river that affords
LOU miles of steamboat navigation. The
comparatively new English settlements of the
eastern townships are being over-run. Sooner.
set becomes ST. Morisette; stamford, ST. Folle.
bouiton, Bouton; as parish after parish Is in.
Saded by tie race which England thought she
mad erfaced on the plains of Abraham. They
have swarmed over the boundary between
i've thousand peasants lett 10 shit Tor them.
selves In the abandoned colony that Voitaire
described as u few arpents OF snow have in
creased TO so great degree Gut Of their own
IL has been very properly suggested, with re-
ference To them, that ''ifat THIS present time
the French race manifests vitality ia Canada
as mysterious 70 Its enemies as To the French
imperishabie power OF the seii-sacrihce anu
neroism OF 30 many men, laymen as well II
eierics, who planted the standard OF France or
Inc shores OF the 81 Lawrence"