The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-20
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Political Questioss Tor Discussion.

OTTAWA. March 18.-It win be- I suppose
quite q novel thing for the American pub
lie to be addressed through newspaper
by French Canadian journalist and mem
Der Of the House Of Commons Shall be
fortunate enough to interest that great rub
lie? Unhappily for me. am writing In
language which IL not my native one. My hrst
duty 10 to beg the kind indulgence OF those
who may feel inclined TO think that the United
States AMI British North America have 80
many common interests that the citizens OF
both countries should carefully study the best
means OF establishing closer relations, and.
consequently. feelings OF amity and brotherly
sympathy between tho two nations
Representing as l do constituency OF the
province OF Quebec, cannot refrain from ex
pressing In this first correspondence our sim
cere gratitude to the American people for the
generous and liberal hos pitality that they have
given 10 tho hundreds Of thousands OF our
countrymen who are now living undor the
Stars and Stripes Of the republic. Those who
have left us have become active immigration
agents. and at this hour there IL on your soil
one million OF Canadians OF French origin.
We are nearly as numerous In the United
States M we are In Canada. OF course.
the two groups NJ our population have the
same social relations as II they belonged
to one country. In past days there were
among certain Glasses preiudices against the
United States and its institutions. The Ho.
man Catholic clergy were afraid that the
French Canadians would lose their religious
faith. Those erroneous ideas have vanished.
Our people have their churches. their priests,
their conveDts. their schools. &c. In q word.
they are organized as they were In their own
country, They enjoy the full blessings OF
American citizen ship and liberty. II Is then
but only natural that the name and the flag OF
the United States should be more popular In
the French province Of Quebec than In any
other province OF the Dominion.
This statement will be u ground Of reproach
against me by some OF our English friends In
Canada. 1t Is. nevertheless. perfectly true.
And those who will protest most vehemently
are Just the persons who are. to great extent.
respop sible for the state Of public opinion at
this moment.
Besides the legitimate sympathy created by
the presence on the American soil Of so largo
q population Of French descent. there are
other reasons which direct the popular mind
toward your country. We have In Canada .
body Of men for whom there are neither Con-
stitption nor other laws than the arbitrary will
In 1857 the confederation OF the provinces
Il t be Mhe
SsS the soSnry 70 and Esy NEARLY led
ously taken into consideration. civil war was
raging in the American republic; Our leading
Of that calamity were. the weakness Of the CEN
trail Goysrnment and the large powers given
seauentIy resolved upon establishing our CON
federation on the principle OF the soyereignty
ters Affecting the rights OF the miporities
The British p9Rnsaon was SfTf h ahss ne
population feared that the French minorities
In the other provinces might be unipstly dealt
right Of dissilowine and nulIiiyine ali the
: :pi! 'ss, sos 'Sai'lth cSa..i e.
lon; Moreover, at the urgent request Of the
British population: clause was s inserted in the
OF giving to the minorities in all questions
pertaining to education the privilege OF an APP
TO e the % government ana to The Cansdisn Par.
In 1859 the Red River Valley and the North
lon 1' from the Hudson Bay Company. The
population Of those tesril0ries had not been
ne ssTs e. % RS fsS
edge the authority Of Canada Negotiations
t t place, which were fSllow.d By the cor.
wa. organized under the name Of Manitoba.
and the same PRINCIPLES were adopted. the
s1istenee in the f province q quebec. - ''''
In 1875 a goyerpmsnt was established on
shoso N' vine the snd the
French populations were placed on an equal
and each denomination was to have the con-
troll sndsr ne the law 81 their q Swn schools The
tincsH and solsmniS arantsd to the minoSities
and the mere forbidden by the
In 1890 the Legislature OF Manitoba did |
away With the tn priylegs that the Trench nj,
dHr hse oW sE sehoS 0cay and
In 1862 the LeGisisturs, Of tho Northwest
case the federal power denied to the minori- |
~ the right Of appeal. which had been guar !
iitiesI corner stone Of the compact Of is53. w.
The English Tory party has. to all appear:
Se Of n
ada Th E, q 1877 e no
thingsl which preceded confederation; Our |
national lie is thIeatensd with disturbances
important debates in the course Of the present |
weak and Incapable Govern%snt altogether
UNEQUAL to the grave responsibility imposed |
In. the speech from the throne. which was
read Yesterday BY the Governor General. no |
crsasing every day In the difisTsnt Provinces
Of the Dominlon. Public attention viii have |
70 Dc called TO IL during the debate on the adj |
popular sentiment runs so high In the prov |
tnce OF Quebec that the Hon. MI. Royal an ex- |
Just published pamphlet in which he advo- |
Gates separation from the mother country and |
the INDEPENDENCE OF Canada
. One OF the great issues between the two po- |
litlcal parties is the tariff question, The Tory
party. now led by Sir John Thompson, has |
been forced By public opinion 70 announce its |
DISCRIMINATION to amend the high protective |
tarin enacted in 1870 By the late Sir John A. |
Macdonald. But the manufacturers and the |
mohopollsts have such hold on the Admins |
tration that the proposed changes will evil |
GENTLY be nothing else than a sham and |
iSrfe The principle OF high protection will be
The Liberal party which has at its head the |
Hon. WiltIid Laurier. has adopted as its plat |
form tariff for revenue only.
The battle during the session and at ths |
next general elections is going to be fought |
on on that ground. as iarSs tho fiscal policJ OF |
The Tory party is systematically hostile to |
any commercial relations with the United |
ktatAa Ia ar Id