ONS REGARDING CANADA.

During this session, the affairs of Lower Canada were brought before
parliament. That colony was still distracted by dissensions; the
French, or democratic party, which had gained a majority in the house of
assembly, still insisting on all their pretensions, and declaring their
determination to control both the legislative council and the governor,
who represented the mother country. Their cause was advocated in the
British parliament by Mr. Roebuck, who, on the 9th of March presented a
petition from certain members of the legislative bodies of the province,
setting forth their alleged grievances. In supporting his motion, Mr.
Roebuck held out threats, that, if the demands urged in the petition
were not granted, there would be a rebellion. Lower Canada, he said,
would inevitably follow the example of the United States. Mr. Spring
Rice and Lord Stanley deprecated the use of such language as Mr. Roebuck
had adopted; language like this made matters only worse. So far back as
1828, a committee had been appointed to examine into the complaints
of the Canadians. Another committee was subsequently appointed, which
committee had come to this general resolution:--"That the most earnest
desire has existed on the part of the home government to carry into
effect the suggestions of the committee of 1823; that the endeavours of
the government to the ends recommended have been unremitting, and guided
by the desire, in all cases, to promote the interests of the colonies;
and that in several important particulars, their endeavours had
been entirely successful." Mr. Roebuck himself was a member of this
committee, and was, therefore, a party to this report; but in the face
of it he now blamed the government. On the other hand, petitions were
presented to the commons on the 16th of March, and to the lords on
the 24th of March, deprecating the violence of the democratic party in
Canada. In presenting the petition to the house of lords, the Earl of
Aberdeen stated that it was signed by 11,000 persons, inhabitants of
Montreal and its vicinity, who represented a numerous and respectable
body in that country of not less than 100,000 persons.

PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT.

Parliament was prorogued on the 10th of September. In his closing speech
his majesty alluded to the civil contest still raging in the northern
provinces of Spain; and intimated that he had concluded fresh
conventions with Denmark, Sardinia, and Swe