with it. This, with the other impediments to
enterprise, has left Lower Canada in a state of quiescence, and the
emigrants who have gone over have passed it by that they might settle on
the more fertile and free province of Upper Canada. One of the writers
in the daily press of New York has very truly remarked:--

"When the British first obtained the Canadas, its commerce consisted of
a few peltries, conveyed to France by the vessels which brought out the
troops and carried back the disbanded regiments. The lumber trade was
unknown. The importations were a nonentity. While at present many
hundreds of vessels are engaged in the direct timber trade, and more
than one hundred and fifty vessels have been frequently counted on the
river St Lawrence. These, it must be remembered, are almost
exclusively owned by British merchants; while the French Canadians own
the land in the same proportion as the English do the trade."

It was the knowledge of these facts, and that the English were every
year rising in importance, (for they had not only secured the whole
trade, but were gradually occupying the more fertile land of the Upper
province,) which has created the jealousy and ill-will, and has been
such a source of irritation to the French inhabitants of the Lower
province. I have dwelt upon these facts because there is a very general
opinion (which has most unfortunately been acted upon by our
Government), that the legislature of the province should be guided by
the interests of the majority, and this they have considered to be in
favour of the French population; whereas in numbers they are about
equal, and in point of wealth and importance, the English population are
most decidedly in the advance; besides that, the former population would
willingly separate themselves from the mother-country, and therefore
deserve but little favour, while the latter are loyal and attached to
it. The French having the ascendancy of five to one in the Lower
province, have done all they can to check improvement. Public works
which have cost large sums, have remained uncompleted, because the House
of Assembly in the Lower province has refused to allow them to be
carried on. Indeed, had the Lower province been allowed to continue in
her career of opposition, she would have eventually rendered difficult
all communication between the Upper province and the mother-country.

This is acknowledged in Lord Durham's report, which says:--

"With