on, that
Ireland had not her fair proportion of members of the house of commons,
on this data. By the last census it appeared that the population
of England and Wales was 13,899,675; of Scotland, 2,365,930; and of
Ireland, 7,943,940. Scotland, he said, had fifty-three representatives,
while Ireland had only one hundred and five; so that the Scotch had more
than half the number of representatives possessed by the Irish; whereas,
in order to be on an equality, the latter ought to have one hundred and
fifty-nine. In order to be on an equality with the English, he said,
they ought to have one hundred and sixty-six; but Mr. O'Connell said
that he would be satisfied with one hundred and fifty. In order to
obtain that number he proposed the organization of an association
sufficiently numerous to speak the sentiments of all Ireland. For this
purpose, he said, the "Precursor Society" had been established, and
was now in progress of enrolment. Mr. T. M. Ray was secretary to the
"Precursor Society," and to become a member it was necessary to pay
him one shilling at the enrolment. All the population might have the
privilege of enrolment--men, women, and children--for the more shillings
that were paid, the better for the pockets of the agitators. The
operations of the society was to be conducted by local boards,
corresponding with that over which Mr. Ray presided at the Corn-exchange
Rooms, Dublin. The duty of the "Precursor Society," in every parish,
was to procure petitions to parliament for "justice to Ireland;" for a
corporate reform; for an amendment of the law of election, and extension
of the suffrage, and an increase of representatives. The precursors
were also instructed to furnish accurate details of the state of the
franchise in every parish, and to keep up and extend the registry. This
was what Mr. O'Connell designated in one of his letters as "one great
experiment more to obtain justice;" and if this failed, then he would
have repeal.

THE AFFAIRS OF CANADA.

It has been seen in the parliamentary debates that the affairs of Canada
were in a very unsettled state; it is now necessary, however, to give
a brief account of the transactions which had taken place in that
province.

During several preceding years great dissensions had existed in Lower
Canada; and in the year 1837 these dissensions broke out into open
insurrection. The provincial parliament of that province assembled on
the 18th of August; but from its