The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-01
The Approaching Election in Quebec.

TIC Approaching I>iectoh LII SucUec.
As our Canadian correspondent has
pointed out. there are good grounds for the
keen interest exhibited in tho election of
the lower House OF the Quebec Provincial
Legislature. which will take place on March
s. The result Of the contest will undoubt-
eddy depend on whether the voters are
governed by personal or political considera-
tiuns. II they consider that the sole ques-
lion before them is whether the National
list ex-rrcmicr Mr.. HoNORE MERCER. who
las been accused of malfeasance in Office.
!. At TO be tho head OF the provincial Min
istry. they may return Conservative
majority. II. ON the other hand. they hold
That the charges against Mr.. MERCER
should be regularly investigated later by a
judicial tribunal. and that their primary
Guty is to rebuke the infringement of their
constitutional rights by Lieutenant-GOv-
eillor AEGERs. an anpontee OF the Tory
dominion Government. then they may in
sist on sending back tho Nationalist MEM
l"rs who were prcponderant in the chamber
uiiawfully dissolved three months ago.
X we look somewhat closely at the per-
s,.nai question. we shall see that it Is COM
p.icated by tho obvious improperly Of the
pot calling tho kettle black. The Tories.
who havo undertaken to punish Mr.. MER-
Ger IN an unconstitutional way before he
has been found guilty, do not come with
rien., rands before the people OF Quebec in
what may be called their national assize
T!',' are at this moment busily engaged at
Otri VA in embarrassing members of the
Dominion Government who are accused OF
offences precisely similar to those imputed
to the late head of the Quebec provincial
Ministry. Indeed, Mr.. ABBOTT himself. the
Dominion Premier was VIGOROUSLY impli-
Gated in the Canadian Pacific Railway scan
dai which. when Lord DuFFERIN was Gov
ernur-tioneral. caused the overthrow OF Sir
JnHS MAcpoNALD's Cabinet. In view of
tines, facts T. is difficult to resist tho i'm
preston that the Canadian Tories have
resolved to punish Mr.. MERc1ER. not be-
cause he followed their corrupt example,
but because the improper acts ascribed to
him were committed not in their Interest,
but IN that ~ their political opponents. In
stead ot supporting tho Conservative can
didatrs Mt the last general election for the
dominion Parliament, he threw his inilu-
encc on the side Of the Liberals. thus EN-
abIing them to carry tho province OF Que.
bee. That seems to I've the head and front
OF his offending in tho eyes of such UNI
scrupuious wlrepu!lcrs as are Mr.. ABBOTT
aud tho majority Of his colleagues in tho
present Tory Cabinet ut Ottawa.
But while it is right to point out tho
probable motives Of Mr.. MERcIER's assal-
nuts. We would not for moment underrate
the gravity OF the offences OF which he is
accused. or the strength Of tho primd Cacie
case against him. Although nothing has
az yet been legally proved there is wide
spread impression in tho province OF Que
bec and throughout Canada that there arc
solid grounds for tho charge OF malversa-
t!on brought against HIM Immediately after
the last Dominion general election by Mr..
Anglers. the Northumberland OF the
province OF Quebec who. OF course, has at
his back tho Dominion Premier and the
Governor-General. 1t Is. nevertheless. true
thut the three Judges. JETTE. BABY. and
DAVIDSON. who were requested to make u
preliminary Investigation OF the matter
did not concur in their opinions. Judge
JETTE was for time prevented by illness
from taking part In the examination OF the
evidence submitted. and without waiting
for his recovery Judge BABY and Judge
DAVIDSON sent In an ad interim report. pro-
nouncing Mr., MERCER guilty OF the delln-
quencics imputed to him. As soon. how
ever, as Judge JETTE was well enough to
review the papers. he made a report dia-
metrically counter to that Of the two other
Commissioners. and completely exonerated
tho accused. SO far. then. as the judg-
ments Of the referees selected by the Lieu
tenant Governor were concerned. they were
conflicting: but there was sufficient pre-
ponderance OF opinion against Premier
MERCER to amply Justify the moving OF
vote OF censure In the lower House OF the
Quebec Legislature. That was tho course
prescribed by the Constitution OF the prov
inco OF Quebec. which does not authorize a
Lieutenant Governor to remove the head
of the provincial Ministry until he ceases to