c have been puzzled--I
mean the English-Canadians native-born, those who have been brought up
with the French-Canadians, who have spoken with them in their language,
who have played with them in their school grounds, as I have done, on
the lacrosse fields, who have served with them in the ranks of the
militia, and in the Legislature.

I am sorry that I was not given warning of the task that was before me.
I came here determined to listen, and I have listened. Nothing has gone
through my mind as to what I am to say, except to express my humiliation
to think that we English-Canadians here have listened to a French
lecturer who can speak our language as well as his own, as well as we
can ourselves. Of how many of us could the same be said with regard to
the French language?

I may say, as far as I have known the speaker of to-day, he is a
thorough Canadian, and I am sure that the fact that we all listened to
what he has said to-day will produce an effect. I am sure he was moved
not only because he is a French-Canadian, but because he is a Canadian,
to come here and address us on this occasion. It is a very serious
question agitating the Province of Ontario, and we English here, as I
said a moment ago, cannot understand how such a feeling should arise.

I have some friends in the Province of Ontario, and I must say they are
imbued with the same idea as those who passed regulation No. 17. I am
sorry for it; I have done my very best to convince them they were wrong,
and I knew they wouldn't feel as they did if they had had the experience
I have had with French-Canadians.

I need not tell you that I have been a student of Canadian history from
the very earliest days. I have read with the greatest interest the
history of the old regime, the opening up of the country, and then of
the abandonment of the people by their country, so to speak, and of the
tremendous efforts they made to keep the country for themselves. I have
read the history of the country under the British regime, and how they
have fallen in so well with the administration of justice, the
administration in our Legislatures and municipalities under the British
system. I believe that a certain French-Canadian at Ottawa is one of the
greatest parliamentarians under the British Constitution that we have in
any part of the Empire.

They have adopted our system, but there are two things they have clung
to, their religion and their language. I believe that their nati