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Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprim6e sont filmds en commengant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la der'«/vs On the other hand we have settled that celebrated diffi- culty which haH lasted for almost a century in connection with the JcHuits' Estates ; we have inaugurated that generous and beneficial policy of constructing iron bridges ; we have established the order of Agricultural Merit by means of whii;h successl'ul farmers will receive honors and. rewards which will excite a praiseworthy emulation and give a new impetus to Agriculture, the important <'-au8e of our success and the un- failing source of our wealth. By means of a loan etiected under advantageous conditions we have done away with the floating debt ; finally we have succeeded in many other re- spects in rendering the position of tW- country satisfactory for the present and re-assuring for the future. But our work is far from (complete, it is only at its beginning. We have a huge task before us whit-.h calls for all our care, all our energy, all our devotedness ; we have before us the vast necessities of the country, and we should stop only when they are provided for. Public Instruction requires further assistance to enable it to realize the hopes of men of intelligence and it must be given to it. Jt is our duty to diffuse the light of education amongst all classes and espedally the poorest and most humble ; the peoi)le ask us to give tliem education unsparingly and we will do so. It is a task and a du\ y ; we will not hesitate before the task nor weaken before the duty. We have to multij)ly means of communication and render them still easier so as to bring our rural i)opulalion nearer to the great centres and to enable them to bring the i>rodu(ts of their farms and industry to a market. For that purpose we will have to grant new subsidies to railway compjiiiies Vv'hich give sufficient guarantees and which propose to build roads to promote Colonization, AgrieultureandCommeree. We also have to improve our municij)al roads by offering special in- ducements to muni«'ii>alitie8 which desire to macadamize their roads so as enable farmers to reach the large centres easily and economically This will be a legitimate compensation for the sarease of $153,214 in this ex- l^enditure to justify that of $7<) 235. Let us explain some of these figures. 1. Justice — increase $46,537. The contingent expenses of the sherifTs alone show a dif- ference of $43,665. Tliere were districts in which the criminal court had not been held for some tiini! and in which the sherifl's' accounis, jurors' IV-ch, cVc, &c., had remained in sus- pense. We caused the terms to be held and paid the old accounts, &c., &c. 2. Police — increase $4,665. Our predecessors had i)romised to better remunerate the M police magistrates but had not kept their promise, which we re(!eemed. 3. Inspection of Public Offices — increase $1,320. This had been neglected and serious frauds committed in some oflioes. We appointed Mr. Geoffrion, a very competent man, to inspect the registry offices. This cost more but we put a stop to fraudulent practices, increased our revenues and protected family interests. 4. Civil Government — in<'Tease $14,773. The greater portion of this increase is explained by the creation of a special department of Agriculture and Coloniza- tion. No one ran reproach us for this additional expenditure which, later on, secured us the services of Colonel Rhodes, a minister who is a practical agriculturist, a distinguished gentleman who is an honour to his nationality and to his class, an indefsitigable man who attends all our agricultural exhibitions and encourages our worthy farmers by speechen of which he alone has the secret. And who would dare to say anything against the ajipoint- ment of Monsignor Labelle, the Apostle of Colonization, the worthy priest who hai^ spent his life in good works, the patri- oti<5 citizen who has founded twenty parishes in the Northern part of the Province. If there be any one sufficiently devoid of sense to reproach us for the modest remuneration paid to so active, intelligent and efficient a deputy minister, let him be pointed out ! 5. Public "Works — increase $50,521. Our court houses and gaols were in an incredible state of dilapidation. We have repaired them, re-built the found- tions, and furnished then*, &c. This has cost a great deal of money, it is true, but our court houses and gaols are in good order, clean, well-furnished, Siv,. , G. Agrii.uiltu re- increase !8;H.224. A single item will explain this increase. Our predecessors had given .f 5,000 for the exhibition at Sherbrooke ; we gave $12,000 for that in Quebec, which was a success in every way worthy of the ancient caj)ital, and one in which the lertilft valley of lake St. .lolui appeared to advantage. This exhibition, solemnly inaugurated by Cardinal Tach- ereau with unusual eclat, has ])roduced the best results. Who can reproach us for this necessary and useful expi-n- diture i 7. Distribution of the Municipal Code — increase |5.000. This expenditure waS incurred for the first time in order to distribute a work which is indispensible for those worthy people who, in our country places, render gratuitously and with admirable disinterestedness, services which are of the utmost value to the public and who maintain the municipal institutions which are the ground- work of our public liberties. 8. Aid to the Hull sufferers— $5,000. A disastrous fire had swept over that city and we thought it was our duty to help the victims. We did the same thing for St. SauveuT, where we spent $10,000, and for the disaster in Ohamplain street, for which we spent $500. Is there a sin- gle right-hearted man who will say we were not justified in doing so ? • 9. Cost of Collection — increase $12,918. What would you have ? When you make your employees work ; when you collect three-quarters of a million more ; when you change a deficit into a surplus, it costs you more. But this is only just and all sensible men will approve of it. Now that I have given these explanations, I appeal to all who are business men, who are reasonable men, and I ask " Who can blame us for this increased expenditure ? " I rely upon the judgement of honest men of both political parties, and I do so in all confidence. MALICE OR FOLLY. There are some persons who write in the newspapers or who gay upon the hustings that our expenses for the year ending the 30th June, 1888, have not been $3,865,032, as I have just stat- ed, but $5,996,9*77, as would appear from the public accounts, page 15, to those who know no better. And there are worthy Conservatives, it is even said that there are very good Liberals, who have been imposed upon by this ridiculous statement, confusing the payments with the expenditure. In fact this amount of $5,996,97*7 comprise? the following amounts : New Parliament Buildings, construction $ 250,000 New Court House, Quebec 210,000 Iron bridges 25.000 Protestant Insane Asylum 10,000 Special insurance deposit handed to the Federal Q-overnment 32,765 :i fc: 9 Codification of the Statutes 46,000 Railway subsidies, &c., &c 662.2*75 Repayment ot temporary loans, etc., etc., etc. 1,500,000 And there is an amount of $2,031,948 of these ! Really it is regrettable to have to take up such absurdi- ties and waste one's time in answering them. EXPENDITURE OF 1888-1889 AND 1889-1890. But our opponents say that our expenditure for the cur- rent year (1889-1890) and the year ending 30th June last (1888-1889) is much greater than that for the year 188*7-1888, of which I have just spoken. We admit that it is greater, but we consider it justified by circumstances. "When the time will come for explaining it, we will do so as successfully, we hope, and to the satisfaction of reasonable people, in the same manner as I have just done for the year 188Y-1888, the last year for which the public accounts are printed ; those of 1888-1889 are being prepared, and those of 1889-1890 cannot of course be given until after the 30th June next. But it is said : " You have asked for those two years more than for the preceding ones, and consequently you will con- tinue to increase the expenditure ? " This assertion is true, but it is not sufficient to justify a condemnation. In the first place, we do not spend more than our reve- nues, since we had a surplus for the year ending the 30th June last, and we will also have one for the current year. Then, the increased expenditure is justified both by the requirements of the public service and the works which have to be accomplished. Thus, for instance, we have raised some some salaries in the departments and in the court houses. Well, this was indispensable, and I do not hesitate to say so. There were good employees whose salaries had remained the same since Confederation ; advoca^ as in the offices of the courts, appointed 30 years ago, active and laborious, who had only 1800 and |900 ; workmen and laborers who received only 98 cents a day, yes, 98 cents a day. It is incredible, but it is true. Was it not barbarous, purely and simply, to main- tain such a state of things ? And we now give $100,000 for new bridges, |100,000 for colonization roads ; we are getting a large map of the Province made which will cost '|8,000 ; we are making maritime roads 10 in Gaspesia and the Saguenay region which will cost over $30,000 ; we are having explorations made in the southein counties, from Richmond to Rimouski, which will cost over 140,000 ; we are having marshes and swamps drained, creeks and rivers deepened so as to open up vast and fertile areas to cultivation; this will cost over $100,000; we have granted special and additional subsidies to schools, convents, colleges, hospitals, &c., for over $50,000; we give prizes for dairy schools, a new expense of at least $10,000 for the two years ; we have raised the indemnity of members of the Legislature to $800, and the salaries of the Speakers to $3,000, and increase asked for by both parties and amounting to over $20,000 per annum. Such are the details which are necessary under the circum- stances and which are calculated to remove many prejudice* and calumnies, which I leave to the intelligent appreciation of the citizens of this country. INCREASE OF BUSINESS. A word, now, relative to the increase of business in order to prove what I stated a moment ago and to show the large amount of additional work we are doing. The following information on the srbjoct speaks for ilself. it has been prepared with great care by the departmental Leads and indicates the difference between the old and the present regime. In the Provincial Secretary's office, there is, in 1880, as compared with 1886, an increase of two in the nuiaber of em- ployees and of $2,120 in the total of the saLaries ; but the statement of the work done shows that the numbt^r of docu- ments or records that have passed through the hands of the statr has increased from 18,420 in 1886 to 41,521 in 1889, which makes an iucrease of 28,095 or more than 209 por cent., that is to say that the work has more than doubled, while the number and the salaries of the staff have remained about the same. In the Attoniey-Gcnorars department, the number of em- ployees remains at seven, as in 1 186, and the total of the salar- ies has been iii< reased to the extent of $712 ; but thf* work has nearly doubled ; the fiijures representing it are 2,854 for 1886 and 4,808 tor 1889, or an increase of 68 par cent. The number of permanent employees and supernumeraries, in the department of public works and railways, has been in- 11 creased by three, aud the total of the salaries by $4,575. On the other hand, the work shown an increase of 50 per cent, or tliree or four times more than that of the employees and the salaries. It is, perhaps, well to add that the number of perma- nent employees has been reduced by two and that that of the supernumeraries will be also diminished, as soon as we have got rid of the extra work imposed on us by the settlement of old business, which we found almost in a state of chaos. In the department of Agriculture, Colonization and Immi- gration, we have added two to the staff of permanent officers and supernumeraries!; but we have done 68 per cent more busi- ness, that is to say, that the work has almost doubled. The figures supplied by the Auditor's office are about the same for 1886 and 1889; but Mr. Drolet shows by his report that the business has greatly increased. The report furnished by the Crown Lands department in- dicates an increase of fifteen in the staff and of $13,397.95 in the salaries, and of $13,19(> or 41 per cent in the amount of the work ; but the principal officers state that these figures are far from giving an exact idea of the real increase. Here is what is said on the subject by Mr. Rivard, head of the Land Sales' branch, Eastern section : — " It is perhaps right to note that the reports and memo- " randa made for a couple of years past in this section of the " sales' branch, are not only more numerous, but the greater *' part of them much more voluminous than heretofore, neces- "sitating much more labor, study and research, etc., as, for " instance, many reports on the Jesuits' Estates, others on beach " lots, on (u>rtain x»roperties of the Seigniory of Lauzon, etc. " It is also well to add that, undoubtedly, owing to the " great facility for traveling nowadays, we have, apart from the '* written (jorrespondence. a good deal of business to transact "verbally with people who, instead of writing, prefer to come " and do their business in person at the offieti ; and, to hear and " answer them, considerable time is ttiken up ; so much so, in " fact, fhat often this duty alon*^ occupies one or two of the "principal employees of the braneh for whole days. "This does not appear in the above figure ; but should, "nevertheless be taken into account at the same time, in order " to ascertain the amount of work done in this branch of the "Crown Lands department.'' Mr, Lavoie, head of the Western section, makes the same remarks ; and Mr. Uauvin, referring to the survey branch, observes : 12 '* It must be noted that the figures of the above table only " give an imperfect idea of the real amount of work done in " the survey branch ; the daily researches that have to be made "in the archives, and the verbal information of all kinds " given to the public, represent a considerable quantity, in re- " gard to which we have no precise data." We have not yet been able to obtain from the Treasury, the Department of Public Instruction and the Office of the Queen's Printer, the necessary information to institute a com- parison between 1886 and 1889 ; but for the seven other de- partments — those of the Secretary, Registrar, Attorney Gene- ral, Auditor, Crown Lands, Public Works, Agriculture and Colonization, — the data transmitted establish that if the num- ber of employees, permanent and extra, has been increased only by 25 and their salaries by $26,453, the work has increased in the proportion of $89,3tl to |l47, 718, which mak(38 an increase of $58,347 or more than 65 per cent. Taking into account the additional work which does not figure in these statements, it may be safely asserted that the work has almost doubled or has increased 100 per cent., while the number and the salaries of the staff have only been increased by about 20 per cent. If those who reproach us with having increased the expenses had remained in power, they would — to per'brm the surplus work we have accomplished — have increas' i the number of employees and the amount of their salaries three or four times more than we have done. One examx>le is sufficient to show the whole difference between the two administrations. According to the statement supplied by Mr. Mackedie, the accountant of the Crown Lands Department, it appears that in 1886 the gross receipts of that department were $630,- 475, and the gross expenditure 1 130,000, or 21 per cent, of the receipts. In 1889. the gross receipts had increased to |1,065,- 199, and the expenditure to $211,700 or 20 per cent, of the receipts. That is to say, that while increasing the receipts by $434,724 or about 69 per cent., we have reduced the percentage of the expenditure by 1 per cent. The same may be said with regard to nearly all the other branches of the public service. With a bad faith, unworthy of a self-respecting party, the Opposition are making a gTeat outcry about the pretended increase of the expenses, but take good care not to say a word about the increase of business and revenue necessitating the additional expenditure. If we had 18 wished to imitate their example, aud to give up the public domain to pillage, we might have saved ourselves from cer- tain expenses ; but we deemed it to be our duty to put an end to this system, and, by expending $13,397 more than in 1886 for the administration of the public domain, we have foudd means to make it yield an additional revenue of |434.724, and to bring up the receipts to $1,065,199 in 1889, as compared with $630,475 in 1886. EMPLOYMENT OF THE LAST LOAN. With a display of bad laith which must be sincerely re- gretted, our opponents spread all sorts of rumors, calcu- lated to injure the Province, make all sorts of charges to create a dangerous feeling of uneasiness in the public mind, aud maliciously allege with a full knowledge that the state- ment is false, that we have no longer a cent, that the treasury is empty, and that we are obliged to borrow from day to day, like people who live by their wits, to meet the obligations of the public service. It is hypocritically added, as something abominable, that the amount of the loan of 1888 is all expended. Let us at once deal with this abominable thing. The Act sanctioned on the 18th May, 1887, 50 Vict. chap. 3, authorized us to borrow three millions and a half at 4 per cent, to pay off the floating debt. Now, what was that floating debt ? It is down in black and white as follows in the law : — a. For temporary loans and trust funds $ 729,227 76 b. For unpaid warrants 16,196 78 ('. For balance upon subsidies granted to certain railway companies before the year 1886 579,732 25 d. For payment of the first 35 cents of subsidies in money.. $1,084,328 50 And also, for the payment of the first 35 cents of the same sub- sidies, to be converted into money subsidies 464,100 00 1,548,428 hi) The whole under the Act 49-50 Victoria, chap- ter 77, 1886. e. For payment of the work to be performed on the Legislative buildings and the Court House at Quebec upon which the sum of $160,000 was then due 427,937 06 14 /. For balances due upon pur(;hase of lands and other debts admitted in connection with the Q. M. O. & O. Railway 64,070 0% g. For a similar amount to be reimbursed to the sinking fund by law established and lost by the deposit in the Exchange Bank 2*7,000 00 h. For the estimated deliciency in the ordinary revenue of the current year 18S6-1887 310,842 0« Whereas, on the 'Ust January, 1887, these va- rious sums amounted to the sum of three millions, seven hundred and sixty-three thousand, four hundred and thirty-four dollars and thirty-two cents 3.763,434 32 "Whereas, in addition to the said sum, the following sums are required for the public service, in addition to the ordinary expenditure : — i. For enlarging the Court House, Montreal 200,000 00 k. For eucoura; ing the building of iron bridges in municipalities 25,000 00 /, For the payment of part of the expenses of the exploration recommended by the Legis- lative Assembly on the I4th June, 1880, for the counties of Dorchester, Levis, Belle- chasse, Montmaguy, Karnouraska, Temis- couata, Lotbiniere, Megantic, Arthabaska and Wolfe 10,000 00 m. For the amount of the additional supplemen- tary Estimates for the current year 1886-87 39,190 57 Whereas these last sums amount to the sum of two hundred and seventy-four thousand, one hundred and ninety dollars and fifty- seven cents " 274,190 57 And, with the said sum of three millions seven hundred and ixty-tliree thousand four hundred and thirty-four dollars and thirty-two cents 3,703,434 32 Form a grand total of four millions and thirty- seven thousand six hundred and twenty- four dollars and eighty-nine cents $4,037,624 89 16 Whereas there were iu' addition, on the Slst January, 1887, contested claims against the Government of the Province for a very large amount ; Whereas the I'rovince has certain claims to set off against the above, but it is impossible, owing to their nature and cir- cumstances, to establish even approximately the sum that may oe collected ; Whereas it is in the public interest that such floating debt should be settled, and the Government be placed in a jiosition to meet all the lawful claims against the Province ; ', The loan of three millions and a half was thus auihorized to pay off four millions of floating debt , remark well, not for anything else. . The loan was effected on very advantageous terms, and produced $3,378,382.50. What have we done with this amount ? It is really hor- rible, Jind I am afraid to tell you. We have paid off* that amount of the floating debt men- tioned in the Statute, Is not that something abominable ? You will find all these details in Mr. Shehyu's admirable speech of last session. And to think that the Opposition has allowed this guilty minister to leave for Europe without having him arrested on a capias! he who has expended all the proceeds of the loan of 1888 for the objects specified in the law, as he was ])ound to do. Frankly speaking, this is shocking, and honest people should be dismayed at the spectacle of a treasurer departing from the traditions of hi8 predecessors and honestly applying the proceeds of a loan to the purposes for which it was des- tined ! And destined by the law itself. A word now relative to the first charge, that " we have not a cent in the treasury and are living by loans." In the first place, I hasten to inform you that we have not borrowed one cent since 1888, that is to say, since the three millions and a half loan from the Credit Lyonuais. Not even one cent of temporary loans ; note the fact well ! And yet we paid yesterday in this city $400,000 of the indemnity for the Jesuits' Estates ! And we have asked nobody to lend us a cent for the purpose. Really, is not this annoying to our adversaries ! To think that we have not been obliged to borrow iu order to please them and to bear out their false and unjust charges ! 16 But from all sides comes the cry: " you are giving letters of credit because you have no more money." Another falsehood, gentlemen ! I admit that there have been several letters issued by the departments, promising to have certain amounts voted next session ; but they have been given, not because there was no more money in the chest, but simply because there were no credits to warant such expenditure. And credit here means appropriation by the Legislature — no payment being permis- sible without a vote of credit by the Legislature or without a special warrant issued in such cases. All these charges are false, lying, concocted to injure the Government, and wafted about on the wing of wicked and anti-patriotic calumny for the purpose of alarming the public and obtaining an ephemeral party success. I affirm here before the distinguished men by whom I am surrounded and who are my judges ; I affirm before the people whom I respect and whom I do not want to deceive, that there is not one word of truth in all these stories, that the salaries of the public officers are paid regularly and that the interest service of the debt is being attended to according to the requirements of the law, to the satisfaction of our creditors and to the honor of the ProvSace. Let our opponents continue their outcry if they please ; that's their business. But they will not be believed ; my word will be accepted by the reasonable people in both parties. OUR SURPLUSES. "We have not only used the proceeds of the loan to pay off debts or obligations contracted by our predecessors, but we have also applied to the same purpose a part of the surpluses which we have realized since 188t. I need not tell you that these surpluses are far from being soothing to our friends of the Opposition, who are giving themselves an infinity of trouble to muddle matters and to deny so obvious a fact. Yet the question is very simple. Between the Ist Febru- ary, 188 1, and the 31st December, 1888, we paid out on capital account 14,381, 40149, and we received on the same account during those 23 months, only $3,925,389.10. We thus paid 1456,062.39 more than we received. Whence did we take this money ? Simply out of the excess of the ordinary receipts over the ordinary expenses; no sensible person with the slightest notion of business and of accounts can dispute a faet I T f It BO clear. Bad as wo arc reprt'seiitcd, wu are not wizards ; we do not dt'ul in magic, and as then*, were no oilier resourcen from which we could take to meet those $45t-,062.8H of excess of payments on capital acSt. Hilaire. It is even a point ■ought to be made against us. We have bem told : ' You have no irierit in this matter; you have only '-arried out what we agreed to carry out " We shall examine this point presently; but let us not* well, in thn first place, that a settlement had to me made. Hon. Mr, Cha])leau himsiilf affirms it. Here are his own words, takiiii from the Montreal Gazette of the 7th September la«t • — "Mr Mercier said : J }i;ive only conip'etefl what was Itesnin by Mr. Chup- leai! ;iiirdinary cases, might have ])assed for a pittce of h)luster, I'or one of those humbugs of the hustings 19 with which he is familiar, is truo, not because he says it, but because others have said it beJore him. When I ou. Mr. Ouimot was Premier he wrote to Carli- nal Antoiielli as follows ; — " Wliatcner may liappen conrerni uj^ tliis (question, I niUHt derlare U> Yonr EmineDce that it \h tlie tinn intention of tlx; (juvtirnnient to not treat tlii.s ques- tion with the Revd. Jesuit FatherH, but Holely with tlio An.liliishop of Qufheo, whose prudence and wiwdorn inspire the Government witii tiio fullest confi- dence." Thus Mr. Ouimet coiiseuted to treat this question, but not with the Jesuits, and solely with the Arohbishop of Qu(;bec. The priucJole was then.'fore admittarticular of the j^round in (pieslion." Later, the Abbe Brichet, one of th(?! most distijiiruishecl members of the clergy in lionu! who have had to do with the afliiir, wrote to the Oeneral of the .lesuits : — "His (Irace ttie An libisiiop (of (Quebec; hop(\s to obtair them (the estates) easily for his universily." On the 11th Oiitober, 1884, the Archl)ishop of Tyr<', vSecre- tary of the Propui^anda, s^>nt a letter to th<^ General of the Jesuits, in which he said : — " The uiidersi'jtned, Hecn-tiry of ihf> H'>ly Coii^/re^ration of the Propanjan-la, deems it liis duty to comuiuni'at'; to you the final decision nf the Holy lather on the bead of tlie estattis whicii your worlhy comfiaiiy formerly pisseaseJ in Canada, and irhich Ihv ijoV'rnnicut nam -mslux lo riKlorr in tlw rhurcli." On the 8th April, 1885, Me^r. Tasi*h.;roaa a*j^ain demanded the restitution of these estat<\s from Hon. Mr. Ko.' i, then Pre- mier, who rt'j)li('d as follows — "If His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor in Gouneil de- " cides to reopen and r>'c,on.si(li'r this queslion of the J.-snils' " Estates, [ shall not fail to inform Your Gra'e and the Rev. " Jesuit Fal.h'Ts, in ord'T that, with your eone,urr(!n(x; and " theirs, he may, if need bs.', propose to the L-jgislature a mea- 20 " 8nre which shall settle this question in a Katisfactory and " final manner." Thus, there can be no manner of doubt, the question was settled in principle. Only two things were needed to com- plete the transaction : 1. To haA^e had the necessary courage and to defy the Orangemen. 2. To fix the figure of the indemnity. This is exactly what our opponents did not dare to do. Secretly tht y s^uid to the religious authorities : " "VVe are ready to settle ; " but publicly, through Icar of the Orangemen, they did not dare to settle. S»'c how this poltroonery is evident from the wording of a document already cited : " The Jesuits will get nothing, and in vain and to the " great injury of religion, will fanatici>m and prejudice have •' been excited in a question in which the passions are so easily " aroused." And note how the same cowardly and underhand policy ofour op])on(^nts showed itself at Home : " The Protestant portion of the members — says a docu- " ment in Ecmi — are too hostile to the Jesuits to consent to "this ristitution. This point is clear to all, who know the " m« n and state of things. Directly, the Comi)any has no " chance of getting back possession of these estates. Never- " theh ss, Monsignor understands that it is right that the " Company should have a good share in their accpiisition. He " will njidertake finite secretly to pay to the Company the sum " of 50(1.000 IVam-s." Ther(» cannot be any reasonable doubt on this point : the setth m(7it was de(]uled in princii>le, and, if they had not been afraid of the Orangemen, that settlement would have taken place. The Jesuits were in appearance, to get nothing, for fear of annoying the rroti\stants, but there was quite a dis{)osiiion to give thtm 600,000 francs secretly. It was doubtless to carry out the same idea and to avoid always giving offence to the Protestants that Mr. Chaph^au, who, neveithelef-K had been mix(d up with the whole aflair, «aid at St. Hilaire : (Montreal Gazette of Vth September last) : " Yep. 1 1 sul 1 (t f-rily 1 ej:jm, l ut luul aliiKSt ccmiiletod tlie settlement of IliiK •\fi>:('d qrt'i-tir n v 1 en 1 lett (tlice. Init \\< t in a innnner to irritate tlie sensi- bilities eft L( ee who difl'er ire m us. Tbe fact is the estates did not belong to 21 Itie Jesuits and it was a misnomer to call them tlie Jesuits' Estates. His Emi- nence Canlinal Simeoui, Prefect of the Pr>>}).i>:an(Li, said there was nothing which helonged to the Jesuits, but there was something which mij^ht belong to the Church. When the .lesuit Order was aboHshed by the Pope, their property was relii/ions property that helonj^ed to the Cluirch generally, and under eccle- siastical law when a property belongs to the Cliurch, the diocesan bishops dis- po.se of it for the public good and, in t'uis way, all tlie public would benefit by It. The Church pretended to have rights in the i)roperty. What did we wish U) do with it? We tlesired to dispose of it in gr.ints in favor of superior education " Therefore, I have a right to conclude that w^i, Catholics, are all agreed on the question of the principle of the settle- ment, and that the only difficulty is to know whether it is opportune to apply this principle openly, honestly and frankly. Our opponents, according to their usual policy, wished to take the crooked, secret and hypocritical way, in order not to ruffle the sensibilities of their Orange allies. We preferred to follow the open, honest and frank way, and we decided to do justi(H^ and to restore stolen property without hope of favor from the religious authorities, but also without fear of the fanaticism of the Orangemen. 2. We have paid too much. This reproach is simply stupid. Mr. Chapleau, who allows it to be made and, perhaps, even inspires it, knows well how the matter stands. He had fixed the figure himself. I affirm this knowingly and am prej)ared to prove the fact. He had fixed at $500,000 the share of the Catholics in these estates. We only pay $400,000. Moreover, all reasonable people know that this last figure is not excessive. It is the one which appears to have been formerly fixed here, under Mr. Ouimet's G-overnment, for the Abbe Brichet said in the document already cited : " The Government of Canada retains the estates formerly " belonging to the old Company. They may be valued at "two millions of francs " Now, two millions of francs make $400,000. This figure seems all the more reasonable, that Father Turgeon, representing the Holy Father and the Jesuits, claimed $900,000 for a single property, in his letter of the 20th May, 1888, and the whole of the estates in question are valued by Mr. Rivard, the Superintendent of the Jesuits Estates, in a report which he made to me on the 1st May, 1888, at $1,602,- 203. On his part, Mr. Varin, another agent of those estates, in 1^ report of the 22nd May, 1860. mentioned in an Order-in- 22 Conncil, of the 1st October, 1860, estimates their value at £211,S11. As regards the annual revenues from these estates, with- out counting casuals from the sale of timber, of unconceded lands, &c., &c. Mr. Rivard, in a report of 1873, (Report of Crown Lands Commissioner for 18*73), places them at $20,- 617.33, which, at 4 per cent, interest, represented, at that time, a larger capital than we have paid. On the 4th June, 1888, I wrote to Father Turgeon : — " Seeing the difficulties surrounding the settlement of ** this question and the situation of the Province, we are '* obliged with regret to say that we cannot offer you more *' than $400,000. " To arrive at this figure we do not take as a basis the " intrinsic value of property, as the religious authorities long *' ago abandoned the claim for a restitution in kind, and in- " variably limited their claim to a compensation. " The amount of this compensation was even indicated *' by the religious authorities of this country, at Rome, which " authorities on several occasions declared themselves willing " to accept 1400,000.00. " It is therefore impossible for us to exceed that sum " Then^lbre, under tliese circumstances, with all these facts and according to all these documents, I am warranted in as- serting that the amount paid is not excessiA'^e, that it is reason- able and that, consequently, the charge made against us of having paid too much is uu founded and should be r^^jected. 3. We did ivrong in mixing up the name of the Pope with this tramiirlion. This charge is a very strange one ; still, there is nothing to surprise us in it, since it emanates from the Orangemen and Mr. Chapleau. \ qu^er association, is it not ? It is neverthe- less a very natural one, and quite in harmony with the tradi- tions of the Bleus. Firstly, could we have settled this affair without the inter- vention of the Pope and without mixing his name up with the whole of this transaction? For a Catholic, the c[uostion is an easy one to answer, for it is an elementary principle, in ecclesiastical law, that the property of abolished religious orders belongs to the Uuiv^ersal Church, and that the Pope may dispose of them. This is, moreover, unmistakeably statod in the pontifical documents relating to this question of the Jesuits' Estates, and the present 28 Pope would never have consented to the settlement of th<^ question unless he remained absolute master of the distribution of the amount of the compensation. Moreover, Mr. Chapleau himself stated so at St. Ililaire in the words I have quoted just now. Let us hear him ; "The fact is, the estates did not belong to the Jesuits His Eminence Cardinal Simeoni, prefect of the propaganda, said there was nothing tiiat belonged to the Jesuits, but there was something which might belong to the Church. When the .Jesuit order was abolished by the Pope, their property was religious proMrty that belonged to the Church, and under ecclesiastical law, when a property belongs to the Cluirch, the diocesan bishops dispose of it for the public good, and in this way all the public would benefit by it. Tlie Churck pretended to have rights to this projjerty " Mr. Chapleau admits, therefore, that this property belonged to the Church, but he pretends that the bishops should have disposed of it. This is a grave error. The bishops could dis- pose of it only with the Pope's permission and in the manner indicated by him. From the moment these principles are admitted, the accusation falls of itself In fact, since these estates became the property of the Universal Church and the Pope alon» could dispose of it, he alone could distribute the moneys granted as compensation therefor. Consequently, why should we be reproached for bringing the Pope into the matter? We could not settle without him ; we could not distribute tho money without him ; therefore we had to go to the Pope, and I did go to him, with the result which is known to all, that i», with success. Moreover, if it be a crime for me to have gone to Rome to settle this question, it is also a crime for Mr. Chapleau to have gone there. He has said himself that he went to Rome to settle this matter; it was therefore because he knew he could not settle without the intervention of Rome, Now, what is Rome ? For us, and from a religious poi.it of view, it is the Pope. Unless Mr, Chapleau hopi>d to have settled this matter with King Humbert, for thm-e are two sovereigns in Romf, one a lawful one whom we acknowledge, the Pope ; the othor an unlawful one whom we do not acknowdge. King Kuniberi. To which of these two was Mr. Chapleau to apply ? As for myself, there can be no doubt, I applied to the Pope, sinc3 that, is the crime I am accused of But I do not wish to fatigue you any more with this ques- tion, which 1 will settle in a few words. 24 1 Mr. Chapleau's accusation pained me to such an extent that I deemed it my duty to write the following letter to Hig Eminence Cardinal Taschereau : — PREMIER'S OFFICE, I^OVINCE or QUKBEC, Quebec, 26th October, 1889. Your Eminence, I respectfully ask permission to put the following ques- tions to Your Eminence, and to ask you to answer them officially : — 1. "Was it possible, in Your Eminence's opinion, to settle the question of the Jesuits' Estates Without having the distri- bution of the amount granted as compensation to the exclusive and entire discretion of the Sovereign Pontift"? 2. Is there, to your knowledge, any document or any- thing which might lead one to believe that the Soveriegn Pontiff would have consented to the settlement taking plac« without his having absolute control of such distribution ? With the assurance of my most profound respect, I re- main. Your Eminence, Your most obedient servant, (Signed) Honore Mercier. To His Eminence Cardinal Taschereau, Quebec. The following is His Eminence's reply. Archbishop's Palace, Quebec, 28th October, 1889. Hon. H. Mercier, Premier of the Province of Quebec. Sir, In your letter of the 25th instant you ask me to reply officially to the two following questions : 1. Was it possible in Your Eminence's opinion to settl« the question of the Jesuits' Estates without leaving the distri- bution of the amount granted as compensation to the exclusivf and entire discretion of the Sovereign Pontiff? 2. Is there, to your knowledge, any document or any- •i'^T which might lead one to believe that the Sovereign i tiff would have consented to the settlement taking plac» 'f'V.out his having absolute control of such distribution ? To the first I answer : No ; unless the Pope had consented thereto. tmwmi 26 To the second question : No ; to my knowledge there is no document or anything which might have led me to believe that the Sovereign rontiff would have consented to the settlement taking place with- out his having absolute control of such distribution. And even if there had been any before 1888, the letter of His Eminence Cardinal Siraeoni of the 27th March, 1888, (se« Statutes of 1888,) is quite clear and formal on the subject. I remain, Mr. Premier, ike, (Signed) E. A. Cardinal Tascheeeau, Archbishop of Quebec. This point is therefore settled to the confusion of our enemies, to the confusion of Mr. Chapleau. He claims that he could have settled the question with the Archbishop ; that is to say, that the distribution of the amount granted w^ould not have been made by the Pope. The Archbishop is His Eminence, Cardinal Taschereau. Now, the letter which I have just read formally contra- dicts this assertion, and shows that that question could not be settled without passing through the Pope, that is to say, with- out the Pope distributing the amount. "Why discuss any further ? All I might add would be useless ; my thesis ife proved and that of Mr. Chapleau is disproved. As to the Orangemen who support him, I have noticing to do with them. They are our natural enemies, the enemies of the French Canadians, the enemies of the Catholics and, above all, the enemies of the Pope. They had to condemn me with reference to this transac- tion, not only as regards the form, not only as to the fact of bringing the Pope's name into the transaction, of leaving the distribution to him, but also and, above all, as regards the merits and the settlement itself. By condemning me the Orangemen are consistent, they are faithful to their traditions, and I would have been grieved, I might say insulted, if they had not honored me with their condemnation in this connection. THE PROTESTANT MINORITY. Some evil disposed persons have wished to take advan- tage of the settlement of the Jesuits' Estates to raise prejudices against the majority in this Province, by accusing them of 26 being unjust towards the Protestant minority, and have pre- tended, quite falsely, that the said minority were illtreated ftud had not the full exercise of their rights. The rights of a minority may be considered from four points of view : — 1. The religious point of view ; 2. The civil point of view ; 3. The educational point of view ; 4. The political point of view. Assuredly it cannot be contended that the Protestant minority do not excerise and do not successfully claim their rights in this Province from a religious, political and civil point of view No one can say that the Catholics prevent the Protestants from practising their religion as freely as they do themselves. There are Protestant churches everywhere, even in the centres which are, I might say, exclusively Catholic ; and we have yet to learn of the slightest insult being offered to Protestant congrogatious when they wish to meet. As to political and civil rights they are consigned in our codes and our constitution, and it has never occurred to any- one to say that the Protestants had any, reason to complain in this respect. As to educational rights, it is but just to state the case exactly as it stands so as to remove any doubts which may exist in this connection, But before doing so, let us state that the law declares both languages, French and English, official, that practically all our pul)lic documents are printed in both languages, that both are spoken in the Legislature and very often we, the French-Can ulian members, reply in English to speeches made in English by our colleagues of another origin and we endea- vour, in every respect, to render them every possible service, so as to remove any pretext of complaint. The same is done in our courts of justice, where, fre- quently, French-Canadian advocates plead in English, through courtesy for their colleagues of a different origin and although we are not obliged to do so, whenever, in our dex)artments, we have to write to an English-speaking person, we do so in his own language. This is an invariable rule, and I not think there are any exceptions, or if there are, they are so few that it would not be reasonable to take them into account. 21 As to the question of education, I do not think thero is a minority better treated than that of the Province of Quebec in this respect, and as I do not wish my own evidence to bo ac- cepted, I have taken care to obtain that of Rev. Mr. Kexford, the Protestant Secretary of the Council of Public lnHtructi")n. The followiiij^ is the letter he has written mo in answer to mine. This reply is complete and will settle in a definite manner the question T am now speaking of : Departmknt of Public Instriction. 1077-89. Quebec, 9tli July, 1889. The Honorable the Premier of the Province of Quebec. My Deau Sik, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th June ultimo, containing questions concerning tlie Prutt'stunt Schools of the I^ovince of Quebec, and I beg leave to submit the following statements in reply thereto: Question 1. What is the status of the Protestant and separate schools of the Province of Quebec? Answer. The Protestant schools of the Province of Quebec are either schools of the majority of the municipality in which they are situatcid, under the control of five School Commiaaioners, or they arc the dissentient schools of the minority in the municipality under three School Trustees. Of such schools there are in tlie Province i)10 elementary schools, 8 model schools, and 19 academies, making a total of nearly one thousand schools, with an attendance of 34,440 pupils. These schools suffer iu many instances from the thinly settled dissentient sections U|)on \vlii(;li they depend for support, but they enjoy all the rights and privileges of the schools of tlie majority in the Province in reference to sciiool regulaiions, tcxt-book.s, courses of study and (lualifications of ttiachers, and in this last respect they are perhaps somewiuit in advance of some of the schools of the majority of the Province. In fact the Protestant Committee having a snialler number of schools under its control has been able to introduce from time t'» time measures for the improvement nf the Protestant Schools before they have been provided for tl»e llomau Catholic Schools of the Province. Question 2. Please give me a synopsis of the hiM' on this matter and the rights of tlie Protestants to obtain separate schools in this Province ? Answer. The Province is divided for school purposes into sections called school nun licipali ties. Tlie scliools of tlies"^ municipalities (ire under the ilirections of five Com- missiou'^rs elected by the rate[)ayer3. If the inba itants of the municipality are chiefly Protest mt the f-i-'hools of the municipality are conducted in accord- ance with the regulations of the Prot(;stant < 'onimitlee in reference to course of study, text-books, tcacOicrs, ett:. H' the Protestants are in the minority iu a municipality and are imt satisfied \^■itll the niauagenient of the schools they have the right to dissent and notify tlie School Couiuii.ssiMners that they, or any number of them, di.sseut. They then elect three trustecK for the nianageuunit of their dissentient schools. Such dissentient schools linve al! the rights and privileges of the schools of the majority in the nmuicipality with one excep- tion, namely, the dissentient trustees cannot levy school taxes u()on iucorjiora- ted companies. This power rests witli the School Comnussioner.s of em'li muni- dpality, who are held to pay over to the trustees a share of the taxes upon 28 ini;orfM)rut4'tl coinpfinicrt propnrtionato to tho miniVn^r nf pupils uttondiiig thoir wsjMU'tivo hcIkmiIh, In dtlicir reHpectfl tlio DisHonticMit ydioolH* Tru»»- teea liavo tint Hiiiiio pnwors uH School < "oiiiiniHsioiiers in refer- >'n(! woak to support a scliodl they may unite with Mn adjoiniii)^ inuiiicipaiity of their own faith in Htii)|)ortinu' scliools. Any head of a family, liviu).' in a miinicipality haviiiji no «iiHHHntient school, may [1 J if ho bt'lon^.s to the minority, [:.'j anro rain share of the exiatin;:; debts of the school corporatitjn. In the caLte of the fornuition of a new inunicip.dity, howevc^r, if the notice of dissent in served within a montli after tlie organization of tho inuiiicipaiity, th > dissentieuta ar« not 8ul>ject to any taxes imposed by tho Hchool ( 'onimissioners. When the minority in a municipality dissents they are entitled to receive ft share of the school proixjrty of th(! school corporation from which they dissent; ihis share is determined y>ro rdln. accordinji to tho amount of taxable projM^ifty represented by the dis'sentients, tlie I'rote.stant schools whether dissentient or under ScIm^oI ( -ommisHioners. are under tho supervision of the Protestant Com- mittee of the ('(hukmI iif I'ulilic Instruction, which is composed ati)resent often niomhers app(unted by the GoveruuKint, live members 'api)ointed by tho Com- mittee itself and ( m moml)or el(N'ted by the I'rovincial Association of Protest- ant Teachers of tho IVovince. This committee is empowered to make re^^ulu- tions for Protestant schools, ("oncernin^ normal schools, boar.ls of examiners' jKchools inspectors, text l)ooks. and also concerning the organization government and deci[tline of Protestant schools and the classilicatiou of schools and teach- ers. The M'GiU Normal school trains, under the re^>;ulations of this eommitteo, teachers for the non-Koman Catholic section of the ['••oviuce. The Protestant Central Board of Examiners, iicit.ng under the regulation of the Committee, has, alone, the power to grant diplomas valid for teaching in Protestant Schools. Five regular inspectors and three partial ins])ect(>rs, appointed upon the recommendation of the Protestant Committee, inspect the Protestant schools of the Province. Qeestion J5. — Please give the number of protestant and separate schools in this Province with the amount of money givtui to them by the Government? Answer 1.— Tlu^re are about one thousand protestant schools in the Pro- vince. 2. The (lovernment grant for elementary education is §1()(),000. This sum is distributed among the school municipalitie.s of the Province in propor- tion to their total population according to the last census. In each munici- pality, where their are dissentients schools under trustees, tlie share of the grant to the municipality, according to population, is divided between the school commissioners and the dissejitients trustees, in proportion to tho number of children attending their respective schools. As this grant is divided first ac- cording to total population and subsequently, where dissentient schools exist, according to the variable school attendance, it is impossible to state the exact amount of tlie grant received by Protestant scliools. It is evident, however, that these schools receive, approximately, according to population, or attout «ne seventh o. the total grant of $lt)0,000. Question 4. — Could you give me the names of the Universities, Colleges, Model Schools, that receive grants from tho Government and the amount given to each of them. 29 Answer. ~Tlif3 following is u liHt of tlio Protestant institiitionH of RiitK'rior ?oo'if'\-'"" *"i-'<'^'"''" «it*i tlin grunt inado Ui thoni for tlie yo:ir ending .".Otii June loMH, Imni tli»> Hni)(>ri()r edncution funds : !• — 'i'l'K l^NIVKlthlTlEH AND Coi.I.KOKS. 1. From tilt) -Marriugo Tiicense Fees : McGill University ^2,^) Morrin College ],l!5U University of liiHJi ;, » <^ollego !... i,i'50 $ 5,000 2, From Superior Kdueation Fund : MoCJill University ^I.CmO Morrin (.'ullege....' CM) Bt Francois College 1,000 University of l5islH»|)'H • ('ollege 1,000 $ 4,150 IT. — Ilifiii Scnooi^. High Fehonl, Quebec $1,285 High .Scliool, Montreal.. J, 185 $ 2,740 HI.— Ac ADKMIES. Coaticook $ 575 Huntingdon 575 Waterhjo 57,") Lachute 425 Sherbro(i!wans\ille 150 Bedford 150 Laeolle jTjO Knowlton 100 Quebec II i g li SL'hi:)ol (Girls) 200 Montreal lliuh Seho(4 ((iirls) ": 200 Compton liUdies, Col- leg 225 Stanstead W. (\jllege 400 $ 6,07& IV^— MoDKi, 8cnoor,s. Sutton 2()0 Aylnier I'lO Portage du Fort 150 (►rnistowii i'j,5 l>anville ^O Clarendon I'jfy Cookshire 125 IMansunvillo 125 Leeds 50 HennniiiLrfonl 125 ^^'at,erviiIe 1'.'5 l'lvert(*esalt of an honorable alliance, and has enabled me to form vhe present Government, which, at its inception, was called national, has since remained national, and will remain national as long as I am at its head. This means that we have broken away from the old party bonds, that we have renounced certain traditions considered as dangiTous and certain ideas condemned by respected author- ities, in order to assert a new programme suihi-iently liberal to secure the public prosperity but also suificiently conservative not to disquiet good citizens. This proiiramme will be respected, this Government will be maintaiiicd, and this party will live under these conditions and no others. I rely upon all honest men to assist me iu keeping this promise and in having this decision respected.