ADDRESS TO THE ELECTORS OF THE COU^^TY OF 
 GRFNVILLE BY P.' J.'*' FRENCH, Q. C. 
 
 
 i 
 
To the Conservative Electors 
 of the County of Grenville. 
 
 Gentlemen, — I recently addressed to 
 Mr. Orlando Bush, M.P.P. for Grenville, 
 the following letter : 
 
 Prescott, August 29th, 1896. 
 
 O. Bush, Esq., Kemptville, Ont. 
 
 Sir, — In the interests of party politics 
 and party rectitude, I feel myself in duty 
 bound (convinced as I am of the truth of 
 the charges made against you on nomina- 
 tion day, 1894,) to call upon you to carry 
 out the pledge that you gave upon that, 
 and upon subsequent occasions to prose- 
 cute the persons whom you alleged to be 
 guilty of libelling you, and to make good 
 your assertion that the letters alleged to 
 have been written by you over your OAvn 
 hand aad signature were forgeries, and 
 that the statements made by the various 
 Grit declarants verifying those letters 
 were false. 
 
 I would draw your attention also to the 
 article in the Brockville Times shortly 
 before the last general local election, in 
 which that paper undertook, on your 
 behalf, that the alleged libellers would be 
 prosecuted. The fail courts are now 
 coming on and it is the j roper time to 
 fulfil your promise to the electors and 
 screen yourself before the next election 
 from the charges made against you. If 
 you are not able to do this the season is 
 ripe in tiie interest of the Conservative 
 party that it should be purged of all per- 
 Etons guilty of the like offence agamst 
 |)arty, if not public morality. 
 
 Yours, Ac, 
 
 (Signed) F. J. Fbencb. 
 
 Mr. Bush, instead of acting on the 
 suggestion, has under date 7th Septem- 
 ber, addressed the following reply : 
 
 Kemptville, Sept. 7th, 1896. . 
 F. J. French, Esq., Prescott. 
 
 Sir, Your letter of the 29th of August 
 to hand, contents noted, and in reply 
 would say that I do not consider it neces- 
 sary to go to the' courts to defend my 
 reputation, politicaly, moraly or other- 
 wise. The electors of the County of 
 Grenville whom I have lived among all 
 my life, and have done business with 
 many of them, thus have honard me with 
 public positions for the last eighteen 
 years, and there verdict at the last Local 
 General Election was sufficient vindication 
 of my reimtati(jn, notwithstanding the 
 false accusations made against me by the 
 Grits. 
 
 You speak of morality. I would sug- 
 gest that you defend your own reputation. 
 I have repeatedly heard in your own 
 town and through the country reports (if 
 they be true) reflects very much on your 
 moral character as a man and a citizen. 
 Any further correspondence from you on 
 this matter will be treated by me with 
 silent contempt. 
 
 Truly yours, 
 
 (Signed) O. Bush. 
 
 The words in italics are as to ortho- 
 graphy and diction not changed from the 
 original, the same may be said of the 
 letters which the Grits published i^inst 
 
-2— 
 
 Mr. Bush after his nomination on nomi- 
 nation day, 1894, when it was too late 
 for the Conservative party to change their 
 nominee. 
 
 The letters are herewith republished as 
 authentic, in order to give Mr. Bush an 
 opportunity to disprove them, or prove 
 the slanderous insinuations in his letter 
 written to lue after ten days meditation. 
 
 pledging myself to be a candidate at the 
 presant election in the County of Gren- 
 ville against French, providing no Liberal 
 is nominated you can rest asured that I 
 will stand the contest until the last vote 
 is poled. 1 remain yours 
 
 Most respectfully, 
 
 (Signed) O. Bush. 
 
 Brockville, May 8, 1890. 
 
 M. K. EvERETTS Esq. 
 
 Dear Sir, — If in the approaching Pro- 
 vincial Election in Grenville, at which I 
 promise to be a candidate (provided no 
 Liberal is nominated) you will give me 
 your support aiul inliuence and do all you 
 can to elect me, I will in return do all I 
 can to further your interests as a candi- 
 date for North Leeds and Grenville in the 
 next Dominion Elections. I will sj)eak 
 as strongly as I can in your favor at all 
 Farmers' Institutes and public meetings 
 of that character between now and the 
 Dominion Elections, and will in every 
 other way that I can further your inter 
 ests as such candidate at said election. 
 You are to use all your influence to pre- 
 vent a Liberal candidate from being put 
 in nomination at said l*rovincial Election. 
 
 (Signed) O. Bush. 
 
 The above letter was prepared by O. K. 
 Fraser, brother of the late Hon. C. F. 
 Fraser, as the compact between the Grits 
 and Mr. Bush, but on C. F. Fraser re- 
 turning and learning that Everetts had 
 the comj)act in his possession, the late 
 Mr. Fraser insisted before witholding his 
 candidate, that his brother should get the 
 following letter. Mr. Fraser on receipt 
 of this letter, at once instructed his friends 
 in Grenville to "beat French" at ail 
 hazards. 
 
 Kemptvillo, May 14th, 1800. 
 O. K. Fraser, Esq., Brockville. 
 
 Dear Sir,— In reply to your letter cf 
 the 1 2th addressed to Friend Everetts, I 
 would say that I have no hesitation in 
 
 I care nothing for the declarations 
 made by Mr. Bush's Grit chums of 1890, 
 suffice it to say the letters were written 
 and the one of date 14th May, 1890, I 
 have seen and it is in Mr. Bush's own 
 hand writin<i;, and that alone shows the 
 company he consorted with on that occa- 
 sion. The worst part of the transaction 
 was his repudiation befor*. the face of the 
 whole people on nomination day, of the 
 fact that he had written or signed the 
 letters, and threatening to prosecute O. 
 K. Fraser and others for libel. 
 
 Mr. Bush has not made any reply to 
 the following letter : 
 
 Prescott, Sept. 18th, 1896. 
 O. Bush, Esq., M.P.P., Kemptville. 
 
 Sir, — Notwithstanding that you have 
 intrenched yourself within the walls of 
 the high sounding attitude of " silent 
 contempt," I have to demand at your 
 hands a pavticular specification of the • 
 base insinuations and innuendoes con- 
 tained in your reply of 7th inst. I raised 
 not any question of private character, 
 private Uiorality, or public moralitv, 
 rather my conmiunication to you clearly 
 shews that I characterize your oftence as 
 one against party politics, party rectitude, 
 and party morality. 
 
 Your tn ({luxpie reply raises a Coward's 
 defence, a concealed threat to throw mud. 
 This will not deter me from my course, 
 and again I demand a specification of the 
 breach against morality you insinuate I, 
 as a man and a citizen, am guilty of, that 
 I may put you to the proof thereof. I 
 know emissaries of yours (perhaps un- 
 authorized) have deliberately sought to 
 injure my reputation among the people 
 who 80 long have been my neighbors and 
 
3— 
 
 in the county of my birth, but this is the 
 first time I suspected that you were base 
 enough to father their lying and malicious 
 statements. 
 
 Yours, &c., 
 
 (Signed) F. J. French. 
 
 Gentlemen, Electoes of South Gren- 
 viLLE, — Who so long honored me with your 
 confidence, I no longer seek your votes or 
 influence to elect me to the Local Legis- 
 lature, but as one of yourselves I wish to 
 be decently represented in that body, 
 which should be composed of honorable 
 men on both sides. So long as the Con- 
 servative party accept as a member in their 
 ranks, — a man guilty of the charges laid 
 against Mr. Bush,— I have very little 
 hopes for the Conservative party. Should 
 the Conservative party, by gross negli- 
 gence or utter indifference, as m the past 
 has happened, allow this man to be put 
 in nomination again as the party candi- 
 date, notwithstanding the 700 Conser- 
 vative majority in this County, the party 
 deserves to be beaten. I do not know of a 
 single 'man in South Grenville who 
 desires the position, but in North Gren- 
 ville I hear there are several. I trust the 
 Conservative party, united from both 
 ridings in convention, will select a good 
 man from the North Riding instead of 
 Mr. Bush. Certainly if the party do not, 
 — whether it amount to much or little, — 
 my co-operation cannot be counted on. 
 
 I append the declarations by Messrs. 
 Fraser and Fulford, verifying Mr. Bush's 
 letters, and I publish this correspondence 
 and documents in the public intercGu con- 
 currently with an address intended for cir- 
 culation in the county before last Conven- 
 tion, but which, owing to my having to 
 attend the assize courts at a distance, I 
 was not able t(^ get before all the electors 
 fairly before the Convention. 
 
 Dominion of Canada, 
 Province of Ontario, 
 County of Leeds. 
 
 T(. Wit : 
 
 In the matter of a certain agreement 
 between Orlando Bush, a candidate for 
 the Local Legislature in the Riding of 
 Grenville in the election to be holden on 
 28th June, 1894, and M. K. Everetts. 
 
 I, Oliver Kelly Eraser, of the Town 
 of Brockville, in the County of Leeds, 
 Barrister at Law, do solemnly declare that 
 I was requested on the eighth day of May, 
 1890, to uieet said Oilando Bush in 
 Brockville to discuss matters connected 
 with his candidature in said election, and 
 that by appointment I met said Bush in 
 the office or store of G. T. Fulford in 
 Brockville, and while there, at the re- 
 quest of said Bush, and said Everetts, 
 drafted a letter, a copy of which is here- 
 unto annexed marked "A", which said 
 letter was addressed to said Everetts and 
 was signed by said Bush in my presence 
 and in the presence of John H. J'ulford, 
 of Brockville, merchant ; James Robert- 
 son, ex-deputy Sheriff, and the said M. 
 K. Everetts. 
 
 That the paper writing hereunto annex- 
 ed marked "A" is a true and correct copy 
 of said letter. 
 
 That said letter was written and signed 
 by said Bush in i)ursuance of an arrange- 
 ment between said Bush and said Ever- 
 etts in presence of myself and said 
 Fulford and Ro bertson. 
 
 That the assertion (if made) that said 
 letter ia a concoction or the result of a 
 conspiracy to injure said Bush, or that 
 said letter was not signed by said Bush, 
 is an absolute and unqualified falsehood. 
 
 That about the same time and whilst 
 these negotiations were going on, the said 
 Bush gave myself and the gentlemen 
 mentioned, to understand that he would 
 give the Mowat Government an indepen- 
 dent support, and on that imderstanding 
 we gave him support. 
 
 That I saw said letter within one 
 month and I have reason to believe an d 
 do believe that said letter is now in 
 possession of said M. K. Everetts. 
 
 And 1 make this solemn declaration 
 conscientiously believing it to be true and 
 knowing that it is of the same force and 
 effect as if made under oath and by 
 virtue of " The Canada Evidence Act, 
 1893." 
 
 (Signed) O. K. FRASPn. 
 
 Declared before me at the Town of 
 Brockville, in the County of Leeds,* this 
 twentieth day of June, A. D. 1894, 
 
 (Signed) I. N. Marshall, 
 
 A CommisBioner, <lfec. 
 
Dominion of Canada, 
 Province of Ontario, 
 County of Leeds. 
 
 To Wit 
 
 In the matter of a certain agreement 
 between Orlando Bush, a candidate for 
 the Local Legislature, iri the election now 
 pending in the Riding of Grenville, and 
 one M. K. Everetts. 
 
 I, John H. Fulford, of the Town of 
 Brockville, in the County of Leeds, Mer- 
 chant, do solemnly declare that I have 
 read the declaration of Oliver Kelly 
 Eraser, herein dated this day, and refer- 
 ring to said agreement between said Bush 
 and said Everetts, and the copy of the 
 letter therein referred to. 
 
 That I was present when said letter 
 was written by said Eraser and signed by 
 said Bush, and there were also present 
 M. K. Everetts and James Robertson 
 and said Eraser. 
 
 That I have seen the original of said 
 letter within one month, and that said 
 copy attached to said declaration of said 
 Eraser is a true copy thereof. 
 
 That I saw said Bush sign sakl letter 
 and that the agreement referred to therein 
 was discussed in my presence by said 
 Bush and Everetts. 
 
 That I believe said agreement or letter 
 is now in the possession of said M, K. 
 Everetts. 
 
 That said Bush led myself and the 
 other persons present to believe that said 
 Bush would give an independent support 
 to the Mowat Government, and for that 
 reason I aided in his election. 
 
 And I make this solemn declaration 
 conscientiously believing it to be true and 
 knowing that it is of the same force and 
 effect *as if made under oath and by 
 virtue of "The Canada Evidence Act 
 1893." 
 
 (Signed) John H. Fulford, 
 
 Declared before me at the Town of 
 Brockville, in the County of Leeds, this 
 twentieth day of June, A.D. 1894. 
 
 (Signed) I. N. Makshall, 
 
 A Commissioner, &c. 
 
 At the Convention in 1894 I bade fare- 
 well to local politics, though by no means 
 ashamed of the support my old friends in 
 South Grenville gave me unsolicited on 
 that occasion. I still adhere to that 
 determination, forced though it may be 
 by the want of support from North Gren- 
 ville. I thank my South Grenville friends 
 for my political birth and any little 
 measure of success that attended it, and 
 I have Mowat's Redistribution Bill annex- 
 ing us to North Grenville, to thank for 
 my political death, as it rendered such a 
 rascally combination as Mr. Bush made 
 with Mr. Eraser possible. I am satisfied 
 there is no man in South Grenville that 
 would be guilty of tha like rascality. 
 
 Yours most respectfully, 
 
 F. J. French. 
 
 Prescott, 14th Nov., 1896. 
 
 ?- i 
 

 To the Electors of the 
 
 County of Qrenville. 
 
 Gentlemen, — In a very few weeks 
 you will be called upon to elect a re- 
 presentative to the Provincial Legisla- 
 ture. The contest, as all future con- 
 tests in Grenville, as now constituted, 
 will not be a strictly party «ine. The 
 large majority of 550 with which you 
 honored me as the candidate of the 
 Conservative party in 1886, shows how 
 hopeless a task the Reform party have 
 before them in any attempt they, in 
 their wisdom and within their right, 
 may make to elect a party candidate 
 of their own. The discomfiture of the 
 Conservative party, by any expedient, 
 such as was accomplished at the last 
 general election, is all tliey can hope 
 to attain. Reformers recognize this 
 fact, and at the last election, when 
 more bitterness prevailed than I think 
 can be foreshadowed at the coming 
 election, even my personal friends 
 among the Reformers, voted • for my 
 opponent, who naturally divided the 
 Conservative vote as well. This, I 
 trust, under similar circumstances, will 
 will never re-occur, as it is to be hoped 
 one Conservative will not be found 
 opposing another again. 
 
 I have been asked generally, i.e., by 
 Conservatives and Reformers alike, to 
 contest the coming election before the 
 whole body of the electorate. This I 
 decline to do without tlfe nomination 
 of my own party. 
 
 To-day I am unclothed and naked 
 politically as I was in 1879 when I 
 first entered public life. Until the 
 Conservatives of Grenville, as was 
 done on that occasion, see fit to nomi- 
 nate me as their candidate, I will not 
 seek the suffrages of the whole elector- 
 ate. 
 
 Should my old time friends show 
 me, in convention, that they intend to 
 be at my back as of yore, in the coming 
 contest, I am prepared to say to you, 
 the electors of Grenville, that I am 
 willing to re-enter public life and to 
 serve you as I endeavored to do in the 
 past I will not promise better ser- 
 vice, because to the best of my ability 
 I have served you, and I can do no 
 better. 
 
 On one or two questions I have l)een 
 maliciously misrepresented. I cannot 
 do better in repudiation, than to call 
 your attention to my expressions and 
 
attitude on certain public matters, 
 during my public career, which I ven- 
 ture to say, were free from Intterness, 
 bigotry or self interest. I am still 
 willing to stand or fall by my record 
 in the past. A public lecture in part 
 delivered by me in 1891, and the 
 purport of my observations in the 
 House on the law of Separate Schools, 
 I have published and issued herewith, 
 and I venture to say that no reason- 
 able man will assert that they contain 
 anything offensive to any class of my 
 fellow citizens. These were always, 
 and are my sentiments still. 
 
 I append also the returns of the polling 
 in Grenville 4uring the last Provincial 
 and Dtmiinion elections, showing that 
 within the limit:, of Grenville at the 
 Provincial election of 1890, 1600 
 voters, (jr therealjouts, absented them- 
 selves from the polling l>ooths as com- 
 pared with the vote polled at the en- 
 suing Dominion election of 1891. 
 
 This lack of interest in Provincial 
 affairs is not much encouragement to 
 an old public servant to re-enter public 
 life. To offset this very unpromising 
 feature, as it is altogether likely a 
 triangular fight will occur in Grenville 
 in May or June, when the elections 
 are called on, it is advisable that the 
 Conser\ atives should me'^t in conven- 
 tion at an early date, and name their 
 candidate. Convention day is of more 
 importance than polling day, to the 
 party concerned. It has been arranged 
 that the Conservatives of each polling- 
 sul)division are to meet at or near the 
 polling booth in each polling m\> 
 division on an evening before the con- 
 vention day, to l)e named by the 
 
 executive of the association, and are 
 to elect two delegates at the meeting 
 who will attend at Spencerville on 
 convention day, to name the Conserva- 
 tive candidate. The chairman of each 
 polling division has been named, but 
 unless elected at the meeting to attend 
 at Spencerville, he is not merely l)y 
 reason of being chairman, a delegate. 
 It would be well to havn this under- 
 stood, as some gentlemen who are 
 chairmen might, through a sense of 
 delicacy and modesty of feeling, hesi- 
 tate about signing their own cer- 
 ,tificates or credentials. Let these 
 delegate meetings be fair, open, and 
 above lx)ard and let representati\e 
 men be sent and I fear not, nor will I 
 quarell with the result, as I only de- 
 sire nomination in the event of a 
 strong feeling that I should be the 
 candidate being manifested at the 
 polling meetings and at the conven- 
 tion. 
 
 Spencerville was selected as the most 
 central point by the executive of the 
 association. Trains from north and 
 south, connecting at Kemptville Junc- 
 tion, reach Spencerville before 9 a.m., 
 and leave about 2 p. m. Ample pr(j- 
 vision, I understand, will be made for 
 the accomodation and comfort of the 
 delegates during their visit, although 
 there is not a licensed hotel in the 
 village. The town hall of Edwards- 
 burgh will be used for the meeting, 
 and ample refreshments obtainable. 
 
 Arrangements will also be made to 
 have some of the prominent Conserva- 
 tives now assembled at Ottawa, present 
 on the occasion to address the electors. 
 
— 5— 
 
 T am promised that there will 1)6 no 
 failure on this point. 
 
 I also add to this business com- 
 munication (which is not intended as 
 an address), the names of tlie gentle- 
 men whom it seems a committee have 
 appointed to act as chairmen of the 
 meetings to be held at each polling 
 place or as near thereto as conAenient 
 — on the evening before the Spencer- 
 ville convention, the notice of which 
 it seems the executive are charged 
 with issuing. I have not the honor of 
 Ijeing a member of the executive or in 
 any way connected with it, but am 
 content to abide by the machinery 
 pro\'ided, and trust that ample notice 
 will be given of the proposed meetings 
 — to be held simultaneously over the 
 wliole county. t 
 
 Yt)ur obedient servant, 
 
 F. J. French. 
 Prescott, April 23, 1894. 
 
 Total votes polled in Grenville at 
 Dominion and Local elections, 1890-91, 
 showing al)sentees in Local election as 
 per actual \'ote. 
 
 Municii)ality. 
 
 South (iower . . 
 Ivemptville. . . . 
 
 Oxford 
 
 I^Ierrickville . . . 
 
 Wolford 
 
 Prescott 
 
 Cardinal . . . . 
 
 Augusta 
 
 Edwardsburgh 
 
 •J-. 
 
 
 
 
 100 
 
 101 
 
 90 
 
 28 
 
 119 
 
 102 
 
 122 
 
 07 
 
 412 
 
 250 
 
 345 
 
 175 
 
 85 
 
 104 
 
 79 
 
 .50 
 
 253 
 
 159 
 
 119 
 
 70 
 
 217 
 
 275 
 
 205 
 
 1721 
 
 143 
 
 40 
 
 .52 
 
 57 1 
 
 551 
 
 52«» 
 
 347 308 
 
 503 
 
 459 
 
 243 
 
 272 
 
 s 
 a. 
 
 74 
 
 32 
 142 
 
 (K) 
 223 
 115 
 
 74 
 425 
 447 
 
 Absentees at last Local election 1593 
 
 The following gentlemen were 
 
 se- 
 
 lected to act as chairmen in the several 
 polling sub-divisions in the county of 
 (jrrenville by a special committee ap- 
 
 poinipd for that purpose in July, 1891 : 
 
 Prescott— West Ward, I. W. Plumb; 
 Centre Ward, James Cairns; East 
 Ward, William Wert. 
 
 South Gower — Sul>Di vision. No. 1, 
 Hugh Hughes, Heckston ; SulvDiWsion 
 No. 2, W. A. Johnston, Kemptville. 
 
 Oxf(»rd — Sub-Divisitm No. 1, An- 
 drew Carson, Burritt's Rapids; Sub- 
 Division No. 2, George Ward, Kempt- 
 ville; Sub-Division No. 3, I^vi Pat- 
 ton, Oxford Mills; Sub-Division No. 
 4; George Ferguson, Bishop's Mills ; 
 Sub-Division No. 5, John Johnston, 
 Oxford Mills; Sul)-Di\ ision No. 6, 
 John Johnston, Oxford Station: Sul>- 
 Division No. 7, William Dickinson, 
 Kemptville. 
 
 Cardinal — William Brindle, Card- 
 inal. 
 
 Kemptville — Sub-Division No. 1, G. 
 A. Keating; Sub-Di^dsion No. 2, Al. 
 pheus Patterson. 
 
 Wolford — Sub-Division No. 1, John 
 R. Bates, Merrickville; Sub-Division 
 Nt). 2, James Cotnam, Merrickville; 
 SulvDivision No. 3, Edward Carna- 
 ham, Easton's Corners; Sub-Division 
 No. 4, Peter Bates, Easton's Corners, 
 
 Edwardsburg — Sul>-Divisi<m No. 1, 
 Robert Caldwell, Pittston ; Sub-Divi- 
 sion Nc». 2, Thomas Baker, Prescott; 
 Sub-Division No. 3, David Davidson, 
 Prescott: SuV)-Divisi<m No. 4, George 
 jNIartin, Spencerville ; Sub-Division No. 
 
 5, Neil Cook, Ventnor ; Sub-Division 
 No. G, William J. Kingst(»n, Glcjimail; 
 Sub-Division No. 7, Andi-ew Reilly, 
 Shanly; SuVj-Division, No. 8, Simon 
 Jackson, Groveton. 
 
 Merrickville —No appointment made 
 
 yet. 
 
 Auijusta — Sub-Division No. 1, Geo. 
 Bowyer, Prescott; Sub-Division No. 
 2, G. J. Carsoji, Charlieville; Sub- 
 Division No. 3, Thomas Robinson, 
 Roebuck; No. 4, Richard Connell, 
 Roebuck ; Sub-Divi "^^<v 5. Nat. 
 
 Garrett, Garreton; Su 'on No. 
 
 6, Harold Jones, Maitland oub-Divi- 
 
— 6— 
 
 sion No. 7, A. W. Shepherd, Brock- 
 ville; 8u>>Division No. 8, William 
 Newall, Algonquin; Sub-Division No. 
 9, Win. Steacy, North Augusta; Sub- 
 Division No. 10, Richard Checkley, 
 North Augusta. 
 
 Since the first publication of the 
 a)x)ve, the executive of the association 
 have issued a poster, calling a public 
 meeting of the Conservative Electors 
 of each polling division to take place 
 (»ii Monday 21st May, at 7 p.m., to 
 appoint two delegates to attend the 
 convention at Spencer ville on Tuesday 
 L'2nd May at 10 a.m., for the pu;^ose 
 (»f selecting a candidate for the Legisla- 
 tive Asseml)Jy of Ontario. The chair- 
 men of each division, whose names are 
 above, will issue six posters in each 
 poll limit, naming the exact place, 
 which is to be at the last polling 
 place or near thereto. In the event 
 of the chairn.m not actinir, the Con- 
 
 SERVATivE Electors, and they alone, 
 are to proceed to appoint a chairman 
 and elect delegates, and give the cer- 
 tificate of appointment signed by the 
 chairman named in the list, but if he 
 be absent or does not act, a chairman 
 may be appointed to act in his place. 
 It is most desirable that the chairman 
 named act, even if ^;ro forma only, 
 as questions regarding the regularity 
 of the meeting will thereby be avoided. 
 I ask only at the hands of my old- 
 time friends and new, a fair, full and 
 representative meeting at each poll on 
 the evening of Monday 21st inst., at 
 7 o'clock. If that takes place and the 
 Conservatives attend, I will bow to 
 their decision whether it he for me or 
 against me. 
 
 F. J. Frenoh. 
 Prescott, May 15, 1894. 
 
LECTl^RE PREPARED AND (IN PART DELIVERED) IN 
 
 1891, BY F. J. FRENCH, Q. C. 
 
 Part i. — "Organization." 
 
 Part ii. — " The Relations of the English and French 
 Speaking People of this Dgiiinion." 
 
^t' M 
 
 I ( 
 
Lecture on " Organization," 
 " French and English." 
 
 To the Members of the Young Men's Liberal Con 
 servative Club of Prescott : 
 
 PART I. 
 
 OR(JAXIZATIOX. 
 
 Gentlemen, — A short time prior to tlie 
 oi)eniiig (•£ your clu)). I was honoured l)y 
 jui iuvitation from jour wortliy President 
 to deliver an aiMress at the formal open- 
 ing. Owing to a temporary indisposition 
 at the time T was, I regret, prevented 
 fi'om accepting the invitation. 1. in send- 
 ing my regret, promised, if agreeable to 
 you, that I would at some future time he 
 most pleased to a<ldiess you on some 
 sul)jeet that 1 trusted would l»e of interest 
 siifhcient to command your attention, 
 notwitlistanding that it would not he sur- 
 rounded with tile eclat and ceremony 
 which 1 am hapjty to know, attended that 
 occasion. 
 
 1 am iiere t(»-night at your request in ful- 
 tillment of that promise, and let me in the 
 first place, congratulate you on the spirit 
 and enthusiasm which have been manifest- 
 e.l l»y the young Conservatives of Prescott 
 and vicinity, in the organization of your 
 
 club and the ol^jects for which it has been 
 estal)lished ; you have lots of room and 
 and scope for goiKl work and o})erations 
 towards the advancement of the interest 
 of your [Kuty. notwithstanding that for 
 many years past, we have had in tlie 
 oHieers of the Liberal Conservative As- 
 sociati<»n of South Grenville, a band of 
 zeah>us and earnest w<trkers whose etti>rts 
 have not, since I have been ^o->(»ured 
 with the position of presiding o\er tlien- 
 \\ork and deliberations (in 1H7!0 met with 
 a reverse, and this too, accompanietl l)y 
 the fact that there has been no assessment 
 on tlie jiaity as a wliole during all that 
 time in other words, "Tlie hat has not 
 gone round" for contril)utions to defray 
 the expenses, not inconsideraljle, of meet- 
 ing the cost (tf the revision of tlie voters' 
 lists, attending Courts of lievision, pay- 
 ing and getting witnesses to court, and 
 other necessary and legitimate expenses 
 of such and other \»'ork. This has been 
 done by hard working and industri'tus 
 niembt'is of the party voluntarily, juid I 
 
—10- 
 
 caimwc allow this opixtitunity to jiass 
 without certifying to the liberality and 
 zeal shown i)y that great and good man. 
 our late and lamented representative, W. 
 T. Benson, Es«|., when occasion re<|uired ; 
 and to the further fact, that the dis- 
 hursements of the last revision of the 
 Dominion lists, which largely contributed, 
 t«»"ether with the fact that we had a 
 y(»ung, good and popular cjindidate, t<» 
 our success, were defi'ayed without one 
 wonl of objection or remonstrance by our 
 late worthy re[)resentative, W. Shanly. 
 Ksij. On the contrary, he complimented 
 the Association on the expenses l)eing so 
 light. 
 
 I refer particularly to tliis subject on 
 opening, and before 1 begin my address, 
 for tlie reason that 1 wish to impress 
 upon you, young Conservatives, the ab- 
 solute necessity there is that you, from 
 your central position here in I'lescott, 
 should be instrumental in seeing that 
 every Conservative is eiu'olled and entered 
 on the Voters' list as soon as lie comes 
 into this constituency to reside, or grows 
 up to mans estate in oui' midst. Tile 
 fi'andnse is now so exteiided thar no 
 person, be lie twonty-one years of age and 
 a liritish subject, need be without a vote. 
 
 It is needless for me ro say that those 
 of us wh(» have been in harness in this 
 matter, and I have been at it now for 
 twenty yeai"s, woidd be glad to see you 
 younger men relieve us largely of the re- 
 sp«>nsi]>ility- iiidy referring to us for 
 counsel and H«lvice when oecasioii may 
 retpiire. Vou hav.* an etticient president, 
 .!. K. Dowsley, I.st|., trained, I may say, 
 in every parvicfaar to my own liking, 
 which training, in addition to his earnest- 
 ness and zeal, he has nev»M- failed to 
 nmnifest. Your secretary, Mr. T. K. 
 Allan, was brought up in the right school. 
 Vol! have among you, young men in 
 scores, of e(bu-ation and intelligence, 
 capable of peiforminir iireat work in this 
 
 direction ; and let it be understood that 
 from this time forth, if there be any 
 omi.ssion or neglect in respect to registra- 
 tion of Conservatives on the Voters' 
 Lists, the responsil)ility will rest upon 
 you. Think of the conditi<»7i twenty years 
 ago, when this matter was begun in earn- 
 est, our op[ionents had for years been 
 getting in their woi'k through partisan 
 assessors. I remember well the first Re- 
 vision Court I attended in the Township 
 of Augusta ; the municipal councils then 
 did this work, since then there have l)een 
 great improvements l)y reason <»f the 
 judges ])eing cl<»thed with extended 
 powers and more direct machinery to per- 
 fect the lists. The Townshij) of Augusta, 
 was, at that time, hopelessly ()p])osed to 
 us so far as the Councillois were con- 
 cerned, Mr. .bihn Chapman, the late 
 worthy Reeve, being the only Conserva- 
 tive on the Hoard. EdwardsbuKgh was 
 ec|ua.lly in as i)a(l a state, although Car- 
 dinal, that banner municijKility, had not 
 at that time been separated f)"oni tlie 
 Towiishi[). Prescott has always been Re- 
 form in elections within my experience, 
 except at my own election, and onr 
 victory against Hon. C. F. Fraser in 
 1H7!>, when I had a majority of L'l in 
 Rrescott, in fact a majority in each ward, 
 a result tiiat would surprise me or any 
 otiier Conservative nowadays. In fact, 
 Preseott is getting Worse : so you see the 
 Work y.Mi have to ilo at iionu'. Mi'. Keid 
 was in a minority in Prescott of .*»7 
 recently. 
 
 The result of oMr first Court of lievision 
 in Augusta was that at the next succeetl- 
 ing .Municipal Flection the '-Dum- 
 brille" ticket carried t!ie township, and 
 since that time the Conseivatives have 
 been solid in the Coinicil. and strength 
 there now is thv'w only weakness. Let 
 it l>e one of y,iin' objects Ut cure all dis- 
 sensions in that township. Fdwards- 
 burgh was slower in coming to the front. 
 
—11 
 
 but she came, and I think to stay. 
 Personally to-day, giving it only as my 
 individual opinion, I have more con- 
 tidence in the party fidelity of the men of 
 Edwardsburgh than of any other part of 
 the Constituency, and I have never for- 
 gotten the steadfastness to myself person- 
 ally of tlie Couserv-atives of Slianly. 
 
 The first election we had for Parliament 
 after this work was begun, was in 1878, 
 Dumbrille vs. Wiser. At that election we 
 had I clear Conservative majority on the 
 lists ; a large majority in Augusta, I think 
 125 ; in Edwards])urg]i we were nearly 
 even ; a slight majority against us in 
 Prescott. 
 
 We expected in Prescott a larger 
 majority against us than there was, but 
 the result was that Augustji kicked, and 
 she kicked the hardest at Roebuck, and 
 Dumlu'ille's expected majority <^f 125 in 
 Augusta vanished dowi* to 45, and we 
 lost the election by 25 to the standing 
 disgrace in the eyes of the whole of 
 Canada at the time, and R<»el)uck was 
 resp<»nsi])le for it. As South Grenville 
 was the only constituency' that w;us looked 
 upitn as a black sheep from Montreal to 
 Tore nto in that grand u))heaval of pulilic 
 indignation against the Mackenzie (xov- 
 ernment. and the little constituency of 
 South Grenville was the sole patch colored 
 "Green" on the river St. Lawrence, as 
 laid down on a jvirty v.vip t»f tlie Domin- 
 ion, itul)lished shortly after distinguishing 
 
 the Grits Ridings "Green" and tlie Tory 
 Riding 'Tied." 
 
 The local election, my election against 
 Mr. Fraser of 1879, followed afterwards 
 on lists not quite as well attended to, and 
 in June 1879, South Grenville was re- 
 deemed by a majority of 137, and has 
 stayed redeemed. May she by your, and 
 all good Conservatives' aid, ever remain 
 in the folds. 
 
 I have dwelt at such length (m this 
 preliminary (luesticjn that I fear I have 
 wearied you before reaching my subject — 
 a sul)ject of vast compass, one 1 sc.ijircely 
 know why I have the presum[)tion to 
 approach, knowing the pit-falls one is 
 lialde to fall into, and the mi.sciuistruction 
 that is apt to l)e placed upon one's re- 
 marks ; but I have felt anxious in this 
 address to treat feebly though it be, 
 upon tlie relations of IVw E}i>jlisl, 
 and FreiicJi ■•<p(((IJii(/ ptuple of this 
 Doiahiion, and the j)olicy in resjtect 
 thereto which has guided lirit^iin, and 1 
 may say the Conservative party, under 
 the guidance of its leaders in Canada in 
 the past, and which should, in my humble 
 judgment, guide the peoiile, the Govern- 
 ment and the leiders (»f the party in tlie 
 future. The first In-anch of the subject, 
 composed of history antl facts, I will 
 treat at some length. The second i)rancii, 
 "My Opinion," will be very br' f and 
 confined to a nieie expression of o], ninn 
 on that policy. 
 
— 12 
 
 PART II. 
 
 I will not throw you back into history 
 f.arther tli.-m that period, siiy 175(J, when 
 George Washington hatl ceased t«j muti- 
 late his fatlier's apple trees, had arrived 
 of age, and was a major in the service of 
 the King of England. Those were anxious 
 times in America, The French, though 
 less numerous than the English colonists, 
 were more active and united, and seemed 
 t<» have more success in alluring the 
 sympathy of the savage Indians. The 
 French were complete masters of what 
 was then kn<»wn as Canada ; and they 
 cLiinie<l besides that vast territory in 
 America kn<iwn as Louisiana, and they 
 further set claim to all land lying west of 
 the connecting trail or way from Oswego 
 to the Mississij)pi. On the other hand, 
 the English colonies were divided in 
 interests, had separate governments, held 
 under ditierent and distinctly vague char- 
 ters. Their confines on the Atlantic Sea 
 Coast were, as a rule, marked by degrees 
 of latitude and lay between such degrees, 
 but on the west, there was no limit except 
 the Paciric Ocean. Hence the conflict as 
 to boiuidaries between the French and 
 the Englisli : not so far as Canada was 
 concerned, then totally French. l)ut as 
 regards the limits of the British Colonies 
 on the west. It was at this peri<Kl that 
 Washington, though only 21 years of age, 
 was selected by the Virginians to lead a 
 IxMly of militia to rejiress the agressions 
 of the French. ' 
 
 Of him and this first echo of the war of 
 rai-es then c«nnmence<l, a jiopular novelist 
 writes : 
 
 *'It was strange that in a siivage forest 
 of Pennyslvania a young Virginian officer 
 should tire a shot and waken up a war 
 which was to last for sixty years, and 
 
 which was to cover his own country and 
 ])ass U) Europe, to cost France here* donies, 
 to sever ours from us, and create the great 
 western republic, to rage over the old 
 world, when extinguished in the new, and 
 of all the myriads engaged in the vast 
 contest t<» leave the prize of the greatest 
 fame with him who struck the first >)low.' 
 
 And Voltaire said : 
 
 "Such was the complication of p<ditical 
 interests that a cannon shot fired in 
 America could give the signal that set 
 Europe in a blaze." It was not a cannon 
 shot but a volley from the hunting pieces 
 of a few l)ackwo(Klsmen, conunanded by a 
 Virginian youth, George Washington. 
 
 FKENCH AND INDIAN WAR. 
 
 The circumstance which served to open 
 the war was the alleged intrusi<in of the 
 Ohio Comi)any upon the teiritory of the 
 French. This Company consisted of a 
 munber of influential men from London 
 and Virginia, who had obtained a charter 
 grant of ^(KJjOfMj acres of land, on and 
 near the Ohio River, for the purpose of 
 carrying on the fur tratle with the Indians 
 and of settling the country. 
 
 The < T( ivern* tr of Canada ha<.l early intelli- 
 gence of the transacti«ms of this Company. 
 Fearing that their plan w»)uld deprive the 
 French of tlie advantsiges (»f the fur trade, 
 and prevent connnunications between 
 Canada and Louisiana he wrote to the 
 (iovernors nf New York and Pennsylvania, 
 claiming the luuntry east of Ohio to the 
 .Mleghanies, and forbidding the further 
 encroachments of the PJnglisli traders. 
 
 The ( Hiio Company, thu« threatened 
 witli fhe destruction of their fur trade, 
 were now loud in their c<niij»laints. 
 Lieut. -Gov. Dinwiddie of Virginia, to 
 whom tliese complaints were addresse«l, 
 laid the subject l»ef<»re the Assembly, 
 wliich ordered a messenger to be des- 
 I latched to tile French commaiKhmt <»n 
 
-la- 
 
 the Ohio to demand the reasons of his 
 hojtile conduct, and to summon the 
 French to evacuate their forts in that 
 
 region. 
 
 The person entrusted with this service 
 was George Washingttm, who at the early 
 age of twenty-one, thus stepped forth in 
 the public cause, and began that line of 
 services which ended in the independence 
 oi his country. 
 
 The service to which Washington was 
 appointed was both difficult and danger- 
 ouH ; the place of his destination being 
 above 4(X) miles distant, 200 of which lay 
 through a trackless desert inhabited by 
 Indians. He arrived in safety, however, 
 and delivered a letter from Governor 
 Dinwiddle to the Counnandant. Having 
 received a written answer and secretly 
 taking the dimensions of the fort he re- 
 turned. The reply of the Commandant 
 to Governor Dinwidtlie was that he ha<l 
 taken possession of the country inrder the 
 direction of the Governor-Genei'al of 
 Cansida, to whom he would transmit his 
 letter, and whose orders only he would 
 obey. 
 
 The British Ministry, on being made 
 aojuainted with the claims, conduct and 
 determinaticm of the French, without a 
 formal ileclaration of war, instructed the 
 Virginians to resist their encroachments 
 by force of arms. Accordingly a regiment 
 was raised in Virginia, which was joined 
 by an independent company fr«>m South 
 Carolina, and, with this force. Wash ingtcm, 
 who was appointed to connnand the 
 expetlitiitn, and was now raised from the 
 rank of major t<» that of colonel, marche<l 
 early in April, 1754, towards the Great 
 Mead(»ws, lying within the disputed ter- 
 rit^>ries, for the purpose «»f expelling the 
 French. Tlie enterprise of Washington 
 and his troops was highly cre<litable to 
 them, but the French forces being con- 
 siderably superiitr, he was obligeil to 
 
 capitulate, with the privilege, however, 
 of returning with his troops to Virginia. 
 During the night, July 4th, articles 
 were signed, liy which Washington was 
 permitted, upon surrendering the fort, t4» 
 march with his troops unmolestetl to 
 Virginia. 
 
 Such was the beginning «jf *>pen hostili- 
 ties, which was succeeded by a series i)f 
 other hostilities characterizetl by the 
 spirit and manner of war, although the 
 formal declaration of war was not made 
 until two years after. 
 
 The British Ministry perceiving war 
 inevitable recommended the Colonies to 
 unite in some scheme for their cimnnon 
 defence. Accordingly a convention of 
 delegates — the first congress was held at 
 Albany, 1754, and a plan of union atlopted 
 resembling in several of its features the 
 present constitution of the United States. 
 
 The plan thus matured was approved 
 and signed on the 4th of July, the day 
 that Washingt(»n surrendered Fort Neces- 
 sity, and twenty -tw»» years before the 
 Declaration of Independence by all the 
 delegates, excej)ting those from Connecti- 
 cut, who ol)jected to the negatiA e voice of 
 the Governor General. 
 
 Although the j)lan was rejected by the 
 Provincial Assemblies they declared, with- 
 out reserve, that if it were adopted, they 
 would undertake to defend themselves 
 from the French without any assistance 
 from (ireat Britain. 
 
 Early in 1755 the Colonies commenced 
 vigorous exertions against the French, 
 one against the Acadians or Fren<jli in- 
 habibints of Nova Scotia, the sufterings of 
 whom are so beautifully portrayed by 
 Longfellow in "Evangeline," although 
 siul havoc is matle with history for the 
 sake of adding beauty to the story. 
 
 A second was against the Frencli in < )hio 
 where \V'ashingt«tn hml been the previous 
 year, a third against Crown Point and 
 
— u— 
 
 along Lnke ChainplHin, and a fourth 
 against Niagara. 
 
 These expeditions are illustrative of 
 the historic fact tliat at that date the 
 French in North America occupied and 
 claimed title to by far the larger portion 
 of the territory now comprising both the 
 I'nited States and Canada and that tlie 
 British possessions undis{>utod consisted 
 of a border line as it were ahtng the 
 Atlantic sea coast. 
 
 N<)va Scotia was sididued, Oliio and 
 the West remained French by reason of 
 the defeat and deatli of tlie Britisli 
 genei'al, Braddock. It was in tliis expe- 
 dition that Washington bj' his masterly 
 covering of the retreat of tlie regulars ])y 
 liis Virginian militia and ssiving ' them 
 from total destruction earned and after- 
 wards reaped tlie reward from his cotem- 
 poraries of that })eriod. 
 
 The Crown P<tint expedition was a 
 success and served to restore confidence 
 in the British notwitlistanding the dis- 
 comfiture of Braddock. 
 
 The Niagara expedition was abandoiied. 
 
 In 17.")r» war vas f()rmally declared. 
 The Marquis De Montcalm had conuuand 
 of tlie French forces. Tlie Britisli met 
 with dis;ister, Oswego was lost, tlie mas- 
 sacre at Fort William Henry took place, 
 and things went bad with tht^ British 
 cohmist "till Pitt. Lord Chatham, assumed 
 the reins <if power in England and 
 '•breathed a new soul into the British 
 Councils." Louisburgli, Ticonderogu jind 
 Fort Du Quesne. (now Pittslinrgh), on 
 the Ohio, all were attacked, and, n<»twith- 
 s anding Abercronibie's «lefeat at Ticon- 
 deroga, the campaign closed with honor 
 t<» the colonies and to the nation in 
 general. Wolfe was present at Louis- 
 burgh and lai-gely contriluited to the 
 success of the atf^ick on and victory there. 
 
 In 1859 General Amheixt had succeeded 
 
 Abercrombie as commander in chief, and 
 Ticonderoga fell a prey to the prowess of 
 British arms in July of that year. In the 
 .same month Niagara was placed in British 
 hands by the army under General Prideaux. 
 
 And on the 13th Seiitember, Wolfe and 
 Montcalm met on the Plains of Abraham, 
 not by "accident", as I have heard a 
 member of the Crown designate that 
 glorious battle of Quebec. 
 
 B(»th of these great generals met their 
 death on that day, and a monument to 
 their joint memory stands to-day on the 
 battle field, erected by a united peo]»le, 
 British and French, which ought, as huig 
 as time lasts, )>*> emblematical of the 
 lileiuling of the tw.i people, who had jire- 
 viously been so long at war. I will n<»t 
 dwell on the incidents of the battle or 
 the details of these two great men. They 
 are familiar to every school boy. 
 
 "His death," referring to Wolfe, s;iys 
 Professor Silliman, "Has furnished a 
 grand and pathetic subject for the painter, 
 the poet and the historian, and undoubt- 
 edly, considered as a specimen of mere 
 military gl UT, it is one of the mo.st 
 sublime that the annals of war afford." 
 
 Montcalm was, in every way, worthy of 
 being tli- competitor «>f Wolfe; in talents, 
 in military skill, in perscmal courage he 
 was not his inferior, nor was his death 
 much less sublime. 
 
 General Murray succeeded to the com- 
 maml of the English garrison at Quebec, 
 and after a bluody liattle fou'dit at 
 Sillery, three miles above Quebec, on 
 2Hth April 17<;0. in wliich the French 
 gained the advantage, the English re- 
 treating to Quebec, siege was laid to the 
 city by the elated French and Canadians, 
 and Canada was again oi\ the eve of lieing 
 recovered by the French. But in May 
 an English s.|uadron arrived, the French 
 fleet was destroyed, and the siege wan 
 raised. 
 
—15— 
 
 General Amherst iu the same summer 
 descended the St. Lawrence from Oswego, 
 fought the Battle of Chinmey Island, oj)- 
 l»osite Johnstown, and subjected all the 
 li(»rts to Montreal, where he j<nned Gen- 
 unil Murray on 6th September, and thus 
 ended the war, which had contumed six 
 years. Tlie French l)oth soutli of the 
 present international ])oundary and in 
 Canada subsided in 17«3. The Treaty of 
 Paris was signed, by which all Xova 
 b'cotia, Canada, the Tsle of Cape Breton, 
 and all other islands in the (iulf and 
 and River St. Lawrence were ceded to 
 the British Crown. The Treaty did not 
 extend to Louisiana, but the Americans 
 subse<|uently obtfvined the French claims 
 from Xai)oleou after the revolution. 
 
 1 have thus far endeavored to give what 
 is no doul)t familiar to many of you, a few 
 of the leading incidents wliich have led to 
 the union of the two iieoi)le. 
 
 As T said before, it lias not been the 
 result of an "accident". Tlie prowess of 
 r.ritish ai-ms has had sometliing to do 
 with it, but in tlie light of succeeding 
 events, particulai-ly tlie American revo- 
 hiff<»n, 1 tliink we must attribute the 
 greater part to Provitlence, that is. if wc, 
 Hs good C(»nservatives and good British 
 subjects, th.iiiking British connection 
 wortli something besides mere sentiment. 
 For certain it is if it liad not been for the 
 Hrui stand taken l)y Britain's new sub- 
 jects, the Frencli in Canada, at the time 
 of the American Rebellion, there would 
 li.tve lieei'i n<» Canada for the I'. K. 
 Loyalists to tiee to. an«l no Dominion to- 
 day. 
 
 Let UK brieHy glean from history the 
 <• induct of the French Canadians, be. ween 
 those two periods, namely, the fall of 
 <Juebec and the .\mencin Revolution. 
 
 In the archives of ISH'.J appe»ir two 
 remaikrible doeumenis. General Murray, 
 you will remember, w»i.s left military com- 
 
 mandant at Ouebec, He was recalle<l,< >winii 
 to the complaints of tlie British that he 
 favored the French Canadians. One was 
 the petition of the Quebec traders to 
 His Majesty, idling upon the Govern- 
 ment of Britiiin to recall from his jxist at 
 Quebec, Geneial Murray. This petition 
 of the Quebec tradei-s was endorsed by a 
 petition signed by certain f rms and l>usi- 
 ness men calling themselves Lomhm 
 merchants residing in L<.ndon, but, des- 
 cribing themselves as interested and 
 trading in the Province r)f Quel)ec in 
 North America. The militiiry govern- 
 ment, under the control <:f (General 
 ^Murray is the chief ground of complaint, 
 and the songs of the petiti<»n are that "His 
 Majesty would bt; pleased to order a 
 House of Rejjresent^itjves chosen in this, 
 (meaning Canada), as in His Majesty's 
 other provinces, (now the V. S. A.), there 
 being a number more than sutHcient of 
 loyal and atlected Protestants, exclusive 
 of militai-y othceis to form a competent 
 ami respectable House of Asseml)ly." 
 And, the petition closes with the re}ire- 
 sentation that His .Majesty's new subjects, 
 meaning theieliy jtersons of French birth 
 as distinguished from British subjects, 
 might be allowed to elect the Protestants 
 without burthening them with such oaths, 
 as in their present mo<le of thinking they 
 could not conscientiously t;ike. Thus 
 early was the attempt made to make 
 Canada a Protestant country, as Biitain 
 then was more than she is to-day. foi- you 
 will lemeKiber that then n«t Koman 
 Catholic could hold ottice in Kngland. 
 
 ()uthe<»ther hand the petition of the 
 Seigniors of Quebec t^» the king sets forth 
 that "they, as well in thei- own names, as 
 in those of all the inhabitants, and their 
 tenants penetrated with grief at the de- 
 jKiitureof H)s Kxeellency, the H<mouraltle 
 dames Murmy. wluuii they had, since the 
 coiitjuest of this province, loved and re- 
 specteil, even more on at^count of liis 
 
16— 
 
 personal (jualities than as their Governor, 
 believe that they would be unworthy to 
 live if they did not strive to make known 
 to His Majesty their Sovereign, and to 
 the whole of England the obligations they 
 owe him, whieli they will never forget, 
 and the sincere regret they feel at his 
 departure. His Majesty's new subjects 
 further submit that General Murray's 
 enemies cannot charge them with being 
 flatterers. He, the upright Governor, has 
 gone and everything assured them that 
 he had gone without leaving any hope 
 that he would return. That the ca])al 
 formed by a certain number of His 
 Majest3''s old subjects had triumphed, at 
 least it flattered itself that it had, and was 
 rejoicing. Its false complaint had I^een 
 listened to. Shall theirs, the complaint 
 of His Majesty's new subjects, be refused 
 a hearing '. Shall a very small lunnlier 
 outweiyh the greater? 
 
 That the Honorable James Murray in 
 17.")'.>, surroundeil by Canadians, whom he 
 must have regarded as his enemies, has 
 had only indulgence for them. From that 
 time he had gained their hearts. His 
 generosity, and that of his officers ani- 
 mated l)y his I'xample, l)y the charity 
 they distributed, drew the ])o{)ulatiou 
 from the misery into which tlie misfor- 
 tunes of war had ]>lunged it and forced 
 us to admire and res[iect him. 
 
 After the comjdeto c<<n(piest of the 
 Province, he, by his aflability, comjielled 
 us to love him. He established in this 
 government a military council c(»mp(tsed 
 «>f upright orticers, who, without preju- 
 dice and without any emolument, have de- 
 cided, or rather have reconciled, litigants, 
 and that there was in no instance an 
 ap])eal from their decisions." 
 
 The petition, which is lengthy, is 
 highly laudatory of General Mr.rray from 
 the beginning to its close. And, in 
 referring to the appointment of Mr. 
 
 Carleton in lieu of General Murray, they 
 (the Seigniors) say : 
 
 "We respect Mr. Carleton without 
 knowing him, and we will obey him since 
 he is chosen by Your Majesty; but if he 
 protect us; if he renders justice, and 
 maintains justice in our rights those who 
 are jealous of us will cabal against him, 
 and complain again to satisfy the 
 capi'ice of a handful of people who 
 find persons in London t(j support them, 
 knowing nothing respecting the su])ject 
 of their discontent except what they are 
 told. It will be necessary to appoint a 
 new Governor every year; and we poor 
 Canadians will be sacrificed without being 
 able to represent our case. What idea 
 could we have of the laws of your govern- 
 ment ? 
 
 "We address your majesty as the father 
 of a new people and as the protector of 
 the rights you have granted to us. We 
 supplicate you to accede to our Avishes to 
 retain Mr. Murray as head of this prov- 
 ince which his valor preserved, and who, 
 by his generosity and mildness has at- 
 tached the [>eoi)le to him, and to send him 
 back to us." 
 
 It would be curious to follow the result 
 of these two petitions; it is needless to 
 say that the petiticm of the Seigni(»rs of 
 (^)uel)ec was not complied with. General 
 Murray was not returned. Guy Carleton 
 was in ]\Iarch, 17<J'.>, installed in General 
 Murray's place. And we find that one of 
 his first acts was to reconnnend the aji- 
 pointment of French Canadians to the 
 Legislative Council. He says "I have 
 l)laced INIonsieur de Lery at the head of 
 the list as he gave early proof of a desire 
 to serve His Msijesty and the British in- 
 terests; and that he has expressed him- 
 self in a grateful sense in the king's favor; 
 and that great trust and confidence may 
 be placed in his fidelity and attachment 
 to the present government." 
 
—17— 
 
 Further, in the despatch to Lord Sel- 
 bourn, dated the 25th of November, 1709, 
 Mr. Carleton, commenting upon the re- 
 spective positions of the two peoples of 
 this province says: 
 
 "The king's forces in this pi-ovince, 
 supposing them complete to the alhnv- 
 ance, and all in perfect health, rank and 
 file, would amount to 1627- The king's 
 old subjects, meaning the British in this 
 prc^vince, supposing them all willing, 
 might muster ab(;ut 500 able to carry 
 arms, exclusive of his tr(-)ops, while, on 
 the other hand. His Majesty's new sub- 
 jects, the French, would send to the held 
 18,000 men well able to carry arms, of 
 which number about (me-half have already 
 served with as nmch vak>r, with more 
 zeal, and more military knowleilge, for 
 America, than the regular troops of 
 France that were joined with them. 
 
 "That the comuKm people are greatly to 
 be influenced by their Seigniors, and such 
 being tiie fact, he made a return of the 
 noblesse of Canada, that all he ex^teoted 
 from those uentlemen that remain in the 
 Province was jjassiveness on all occasions, 
 with res[)ectful submission to govern- 
 ment and a deference for the king's c(»m- 
 nussion in whatever hand it might be 
 lodged; that this they almost to a man 
 had preserved since his arrival, notwith- 
 standing that nuich pains had been taken 
 to engage them in parties by a few wh(»se 
 duties and whose office should have 
 tauiiht them l)etter." 
 
 This disposition on their part, the 
 French ministry seem to have foreseen, vis 
 apj^ear by the orders calculated to draw 
 them from Canada to France; well know- 
 iuii that such as remained were boinid bv 
 duty and honor to do nothing aganist 
 their allegiance to the King under whose 
 g(»vernment they lived, whereas those 
 who went to France W((uld remain stead- 
 fast French subjects. 
 
 Foreshadowing the ])ro,spects, the re- 
 ])ort further goes on to show that there was 
 not the least probability that the ])resent 
 superiority over the FJnglish should ever 
 diminish; on the contrary, "it is more than 
 probable it will increase and strengthen 
 daily; that the Europeans who migrate 
 will never prefer the long inliosp^table 
 winters (»f Canada for the more cheerful 
 climates and the mt>re fruitful soil of His 
 
 Majesty's Southern provinces," meanin 
 what is now known as the Tnited State^■ 
 
 "The few old subjects that are at pres 
 in Canada have been left mostly there b; 
 accident and are either disbanded officer.-- 
 s :)ldiei's or followers of the army who, no 
 knowing how to disjjose of. themselve 
 elsewhere settled where they were lefl 
 or else, they are adventurers in trade o 
 such as could not remain at h(tme; so tha 
 I greatly fear as a result, that while th 
 severe climate and the poverty of th 
 country discourages all but the natives 
 but, its healthfulness is such that thes 
 imdtiply daily. So, that barring a catas 
 trophe, shocking to think of, this countr 
 nuist in the end of time be })eopled by th 
 Canadian race who have already take 
 such firm root and irot to such a heisfh 
 that any new stock transplanted will b 
 totally hid and imjterceptible, except ii 
 the towns of Quel)ec and Montreal. 
 
 Commenting further in a secret corre:- 
 jx tndence carried < >n with L( )rd Hillsb< )ri >, Si 
 Guy Carleton says that n«)twithstandin 
 decent and respectful obedience to th 
 kind's government hitherto of these ne^ 
 subjects he has no doubt of their secrt 
 attachments to France, and thinks th.i 
 this will continue as long as they are e.> 
 eluded from all employments luider th 
 British government, and are certain » 
 being re-instated, at least in their forme 
 connuissions under that of France b 
 which they chietly supjxtrted themselvt 
 and their families. Further that whe 
 he reflected that France naturally had th 
 attections of all these ])eople that to mak 
 no mention of fees, of office, and the ve> 
 ati<ms of the law, that we have don 
 nothing to gain one man in the j)rovinc 
 by making it his j)rivate interest to n 
 main a king's subject; and that th 
 interest of many would be promoted by 
 revolution. 
 
 He admits not having discovered an 
 treasonable corresjxmdence, nor w, 
 jiroof sufficient to show that it did n< 
 exist in some degree ; and adds "I am ii 
 clined. to think if such a message h;i 
 been sent, very few are entrusted wit 
 the secret. Further, when he considere 
 that the king's domini<m here was mail 
 taiiied but by a few troops, necessaril 
 dispersed without a place of st 
 curity for their magazines, for the 
 arms, or for themselves ; amidst a nuino: 
 
—18- 
 
 4»us military people, the geutlenien all 
 t>tticers of exjierieiice, jxHtr, without hope 
 thvt they or their (le.sceiulaiits will i)e 
 admitted iut^) the service of their present 
 Soverei<^ii. 
 
 "I can have n<» doubt that France as 
 s^Miu as determined to Wegin a war will 
 attempt to "regain Canada. But should 
 France begin a war, and she adopt the 
 purpose of sup[)orting the British colonist 
 in tlieir independent notions, Canada will 
 probably tlien become the princii)al scene 
 where tlie fatij of America may be de- 
 teruiined. Atiairs in this condition. Can- 
 ada in the liands of France would n<) 
 longt'r present itself ;is an enemy to the 
 British colonists : but as an ally and a 
 j>r. 't'jct. r of their independence. 
 
 L )nl riillsl)or<». in a despatch to Sir 
 (iri:y Carleton in danuary 17<)->, aj)j)roves 
 of the advice contained in the counnunic.i- 
 tio:is t • both Selbourne and himself ; and 
 thus, at that early day began those 
 questions, which still e.xist of liow nnich, 
 and what can ]»e done to preserve good 
 feeling, and tlie goo<l will of the FrencJi 
 people of Lower Canada towards the(iov- 
 ernment of the day. 
 
 THE Wl KJ'.hX ACT oF 1774. 
 
 The action <»f the contending parties led 
 up to the passing of the <,)uebec Act of 
 1774 by the Bntisii l*arliament, wliicli 
 was the foundation of the ])olitical system 
 of Canada, liaving been less interfei'e<l 
 witli by the Imjierial l*arliameut tli.in any 
 <tther imjjortant statute liefore or since. 
 Mr. Houst(»n, the learned librarian of the 
 < )iitario Legislative Assembly, in a recent 
 lecture, pointed out that the French 
 settlements were at the first very ditlei-enr 
 fiom those «»f the Anglo-Saxons, whose 
 colonies well deseived the name of 
 "plantations." The British colonies were 
 compact and jiraciically self-governing, 
 while the Fi'cnch si'ttlements were scatter- 
 ed over a large extent of country and 
 were g»»verned in the minutest details 
 from ]*aris. There was grc!at <lit+erence 
 also in the lantl tenure of tlie French and 
 EngliNii settlements. The land in the 
 KnL'lish settlements of Virginia and New 
 England was held in fee, wliile in Xew 
 France it was held by feuilal tenure. In 
 tlje Englisli cohtnies theie was religious 
 etjuality every man was free to exercise 
 his religious views, while in the French 
 colonies there was a State chuich which 
 
 was a j)ower and pillar of the Govern- 
 ment. The motive for the ijassage of the 
 (Quebec Act was two-fold, a clause being 
 jjlaced in the preamble <tf the Act stating 
 that a large tract of territory by the con- 
 <iuest had l)een by the })rochimation of 
 17<i''3 left without civil government, and 
 therefore that it w:is necessary to extend 
 the Province of <,^>uebec to include these 
 wild and outlying settlements. This was 
 tlie avowed motive, but the real reason 
 foi- the passfige of the Act was because the 
 (jovernment of Lord North, seeing in the 
 future an out'nreak of war with the other 
 colonies then on tlie eve of revolut <»n, 
 desired by conciliatory measures toward 
 the French settlers to save as nnich as 
 possible of the American settlements when 
 tlie revolt of the cohmies came. C< insider 
 tlie vast extent of the French settlements 
 in America alfecte;lby the Act, including, 
 as they did, tlie territory now included in 
 Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wi.sconsin, Michi- 
 gan, Minnesota, as well as Ontario and 
 <,)uebec, analyse the ])rovisioiis -of the Act 
 itself which repealed all previous enact- 
 ments made by the K'ug and liis Ministers 
 for the iiovernmeiir of the coloiiv. "The 
 clauses dealing with the religious lieliefs 
 of the peojile, and especially guaranteeing 
 to Roman Catholics in (^Uiebec the same 
 religious freedom as Koman Catholics had 
 in Eiighind." Tlie further power given 
 to the Roman Catholic clergy to obtain 
 from Roman Catliolics their accustomed 
 dues and rights as under tlie old French 
 regime was dealt with. The second ])ro- 
 vision was the sultject -of much dispute. 
 Some said it was conferred by treaty 
 rights, l)Ut there w;is nothing either ex- 
 pressed or implied in the Moiitreil 
 ca])itulatioii or in the Treaty of Paris of 
 17<)o sanctioning this view. Tlitse ac- 
 customed lines and rights included tithes 
 a id the fabiiijue assessment sy.stem. and 
 so really became the fouiKhition of a 
 Roman (atliolic State Church in Quebec, 
 which still exists, although the correspond- 
 ing Protestant State (.'hurch h;is been 
 swe]>t away elsewhere and the clergy 
 reserves sold and the proceeds devotetl to 
 other than church pui|)oses. To distaMish 
 the church in (^Miebec it would be 
 necessary to repeal the clauses of the 
 Queiiec Act relaang t> this matter. 
 
 The land laws and the civil law of 
 '.Quebec were ;dlo\\ed to remain French 
 by the Act, while tho pmcedr.re under 
 
—19— 
 
 criminal law was changed from the French 
 to the English system. The clauses 
 settling the method of government and 
 the constitution of the governing l)ody 
 may be alluded to, and I would j)oint out 
 that the Act, with the exception of the 
 clauses regarding the governmental ma- 
 chinery, is still operative in Canada. It 
 was still an open cjuestion how far the 
 religious clauses affected or were o})er- 
 ative in the j)resent Province of Ontario.^ 
 The settling of the pioldem would involve 
 a Lcreat constitutional argument. 
 
 Such then were the conditions of the 
 ])arl:nership entered into between the two 
 races sanctioned by the highest authority, 
 t'.ie Parliament of (Ireat Britain, during 
 t'le American revolution andsubsecpiently 
 in the war of 1812. The French Canadians 
 remained steadfast adherents to British 
 inithority, well justifying the trite remark 
 of Sir George Cartier "That the last shot 
 in fav<n' of British connection on this 
 c mtinent would l)e tired by a French 
 Canadian." They had no love for the 
 people to the south of them — with whom 
 they had ])een continually at war prior to 
 the surrender of Que'oec. An alliance 
 now would be contrary to their interests, 
 as the rights secured to them l)y treaty 
 and the Quebec act would have to l)e 
 forfeited. To show the toleration exist- 
 ing on the formation of tlie Province of 
 U. C. in which the British i)opulation l)y 
 the access of the loyalists and others to 
 this Province had inci'eased and was in a 
 majority. 1 would point out that (tne of 
 the lirst acts of the new Legislature then 
 established of which I am proud to say 
 (me of my ancestors was a member, to 
 pass the following enactment representing 
 the county or Stormont front 17'-'2 to 
 17iH), was : 
 
 Order June 3, 17^)3: "That all such 
 acts as have already passed or may here- 
 after pass the Legislature <»f this Province 
 and the Iri.shman from the Englishman as 
 much as it severs the Frenclnnan from 
 be translated into the French language 
 for the benetit of the western district of 
 this Province and other settlei's who may 
 Come to reside within this Province." 
 
 Sir John A. Macdonald on reading the 
 a})ove in a speech he made in Piirliament 
 last session during the debate on Mr. 
 McCarthy's Dual Language Bill said as 
 follows : 
 
 '* Arc we one hundred years later going 
 to be less liberal to our French Canatlian 
 fellow subjects than the few Englishmen 
 T/nited Empire Loyalists, who settled 
 Ontario { Are we going to be less lil)eral I 
 Forbid it in the )iame of humanity, in the 
 name of civilizjition, in the name of pro- 
 gress of tlie great cimntry 1 api)eal to .ill 
 our friends in this House, witliout 
 reference to party, t(» forget what 
 may l)e an inconvenience when tliey 
 go l)ack to tlieir constituents on l)otli 
 sides, to forget that for a moment, 
 and to merge everything in the great 
 desii'e to make Canada, French and Eng- 
 lisli, one })e')]»le, witliout any hostile 
 feeling, without any difference of opinion, 
 further tliau tliat wliich arises fr.)m the 
 different literatures and the different 
 strains of uiiiul that runs alvvny?? in differ- 
 ent races, and which sever the Scotclunm 
 the Englishman. Let us forget this cry, 
 and we shall have our revranl in seeing 
 this mifoitunate tire, which has been 
 kindled from so sn.ill a spark, extinguish- 
 ed foi-ever. and we shall go on as we have 
 been going <tn sirice 18<)7, as on;. ])eoj)le, 
 with one ol)ject, looking to one future, 
 and exjiectiug to lay the foundation of 
 one great country." 
 
 But it will be said, ])erha|)S, that 
 tlie attitude of the Ontario C(.nserva- 
 tives on the Separate Scho;>l law and 
 the French language question conflicts 
 with the liber.d ideas of our forefatliers. 
 I say no. We don't wish to interfere 
 with (^>uebec. Circinnstances have changi-d. 
 The prognostications of Sir Guy (.-arleton 
 as to Canada never being inhabited by a 
 British peoplt- have not been correct. 
 Canada to-day is the brightest jewel in 
 tlie British crown. All the Provinces 
 except Quebec are largely English sjteak- 
 ing. The Ontaiio Consei'vatives do not 
 seek to al)olish the French lanuguage. 
 They are all desirous that their children 
 should learn the language, but they are 
 at the sanie time unanimous that the 
 English language in Ontario shall be the 
 language of instruction in all schools 
 supjtorted by public money, and that so 
 far as Separate Scluxds go — l)eing here to 
 .stay under the constitution — they must be 
 State .schools and not annexes of the 
 Clunch. Many and various are the mis- 
 re[)resentati(nis — false m fact -made as ti> 
 the attitude of myself and other Cunserva- 
 tive.s at the time in the Legisiature. 
 
—20- 
 
 Furthenuore we were placed in the posi^ 
 tioii of gratuitously insulting our Roman 
 Catholic fellow citizens and proclaiming 
 that we did not want their supjxjrt in 
 that agitaticjn. This, however, is ajjart 
 from my subject and may be considered 
 as descending to matters personal to 
 myself. Let me merely say that I am 
 glad to know that Grenville is not mis- 
 represented in this question to-day and 
 although I suffered for my straightforward 
 attitude on tliis (piestion Grenville to-day, 
 when the Separate School (juestion was 
 lately re-debated, responded through her 
 rejiresentative, for the present the same 
 way I would have d«me had I been 
 honored again with her confidence, and 
 «»n this platform, the Meredith platform, 
 we mean no attack on the religitm of any 
 man, be he French, English, Irish or 
 Scotch or German. 
 
 In conclusion let me say that the 
 British Parliament early in our history 
 attempted to solve this [)roblem in the 
 manner jjointed out, the French peojjle 
 
 and ourselves having not by "aci dent" 
 but through Providence been plact 1 here 
 side by side. The Conservative party 
 have the greater part of the timt been 
 the ruling power in this land. Mistakes, 
 in the light <jf subsequent event.' , have 
 been made. Our great leiwler — jxilitician 
 as he is, has pursued a policy of concillia- 
 tion — as General Mun-ay and Sir Guy 
 Carlet«jn and others did before him. Let 
 us hope that whoever may come after 
 ' him the course taken may not result in 
 the dismemberment of this great Domin- 
 ion, notwithstanding the conflict of race 
 and religion. And while not allowing 
 any encroachment <m the «mginal com- 
 |jact which should be construed in the 
 light of subsequent events, not foreseen at 
 the time, let us hope that we may go «»n 
 to our final consummation of being one 
 com|>act and harmonious pe<»ple, it is 
 true having our party ditt'erences, but at 
 the same time having at heart one end 
 and one object, the peace, unity and pros- 
 l)erity of our common country. 
 
OBSERVATIONS ON SEPARATE SCHOOLS— 1890. 
 BY F. J. FRENCH, (,). C. 
 
:(> "- ; .*■< }/ y» 
 
 / ■[ 
 
 vk. v.i 
 
Observations 
 
 Made by F. J. French, M.P.P., During Session 1890, 
 On Separate School Law; and the Second Reading 
 of His Bill to Abolish the Right of a Separate 
 School Board to Appoint a High School Trustee. 
 
 MR. FlJKNCiJ tolluwiiiif Mr. Awii-y The Hon. tli-j .\tt.»nitn-<iL'm'i;il. in his 
 
 ((.n the guvL-rniMfnt s..le)s.-ii.l as follows: ''uinpaign sl.eit ui «ktol,er. ISHC. a,!- 
 
 ,, , , .... , ^, .^ dressed t<> the \{v\. Mr. .MdliLrau. uses 
 
 Mr. >/*»'<//.>'»■;— \\ ith the matter. <>r = 
 
 this language : 
 
 the manner in whuh tlie H.m. gentleman. .. ^^ ^^ Pn.testant 1 heartily rec..gni:.e 
 
 wlio has ju.st addresseil lum.sflf t<. rlie the reasonahleiie.ss and the dnty of your 
 
 House I have no loason to find faidt. e\- taking an a«,t<\»' interest in [Meventinii 
 
 ceuting the reference to my iio,mral.le '■"/'"■'"">• eom-essions to the "Komish 
 
 . . , . , , II- ,ti Mier;nvh> or n> any orluM- hit;rarchv, or 
 
 tnend fn.m Lon.lon. diargmg hnn with ^o any other hody." 
 
 respoiisiWility for thf imhlieation of the My c »nte!ition and the contenlioii of 
 
 cunipHign sheet known as "Faets for the the majority <'f gentlemen on tiiis side of 
 
 Catholic Klectors- in ISS;;. Tiiis aecusa- f^'^' House, an.l the oi-ini.-n. I l.eli.-ve. of 
 
 ,.,-,, 1 1 ,1 1 t lie m I oi-.tv of the iieonh,' of <Mitariois: 
 
 tion hail iK'en time and again reiuuliateU ,,., ■ , • ■' ■ ^ ^i ^ 
 
 ■ ' I tiat tlie power given to the Sejtarate 
 
 hy him. (Mr. .Mer-dith), and thiit among Selio.l l...ar.ls to ap|M»int trustees to Hi._rl, 
 
 Honoralde memlii-is should siitfiee. School h. aids, -ind the power ^iven to 
 
 The introduction int.. this .U'l.ate Homauratholie priests, or- their agents. 
 
 ^ ^, ^. r .^1 1 v.. i- f" iiot'ty till' assessor of the iianie.^ of 
 
 of the (luestioii of the abolition ot '' , . r ^ 
 
 - ' persons who were suiiporters of Sepavaet 
 
 Separate School.- hy the MuiistiT ot Schools, hesid.'s various other sperioiiH 
 
 Pulilic Works. (Mr. Kraser). which amendments and additions to the original 
 
 under present circum.stanees was an im- Si'p;irate S< 1 1 \ct. are .„/,-*/...... eon- 
 
 ., .,■. Ill 1 1 »i 1 ..* I cessioiis lo the "Koiirsh " ;t>i;iveh\ . and 
 nossihihtv, luitl l»uidene<l the issue, l»ut I ,i , .i ,• .i . , ■ 
 • "^ tliiit, tlieiitore. th«^ govMiiment lieiiig re- 
 fill endeavor to ilear tlie smoke away sponsihle foi this legi-.iat ion. is eonvicte.l 
 and arraign tlu^ .\tto)'ney-(»eneral and under the \ttoiin'\(u;iierars own detiiii- 
 his goverinuent before the h.-ir of this tion of •'reasoiialdeneKs". and found -uilty 
 ,, ' 111 r 11 <'f "iniinious i-oucessions ' to the Kom.sli 
 House and the har of puldie opniioii on a ... .'I.] 
 
 narrower issue, the only issue, agitated T.iit it "is said tlu» Opposition were .liim'i 
 
 or raised, or whii Im'ouIiI he raisi'd. when that legislation wav projioHed hy 
 
-24- 
 
 the governineiit. lender what pretense, 
 at least since I have been a member, was 
 the legislation brought in ! In the Globe 
 of l»th March, 1880, e«litorially. It says, 
 in reference to the Consolidation School 
 l>ill then introduced. 
 
 "Mr. }{oss said the main o})ject »»f the 
 liill was to furnish to Sejiarate School 
 supporters a coni|)cndium of ♦ihe law, .so 
 that they wouhl not have to search 
 tlin-ugh a large nuuit)er of statutes.'" 
 
 And Mr. Ross is re[)orted as saving 
 (Olobe report). 
 
 "That the only new feature is tlie 
 cliuse provitling that a corjjoration may 
 be asrtfssed foi' such ]Mirtion as its diiec- 
 tors may determine in support of Separate 
 Scl»ools in the .s;ime way as partneis are 
 now assessed. ' 
 
 Can it be wondered at that late in the 
 session sucli representations made l)y a 
 Minister, were taken for granted. IJut 
 I ilo remember distinctly that olijec- 
 toiii was made by myself against tlie 
 section wliich my l>ill seeks to ivj»eal: 
 looking upon it then as 1 now do as in- 
 jurious, namely the clause giving tlie 
 power to Sejiarate Schools to name a 
 Higli School trustee. My objections to 
 this clause are : 
 
 1. Tlie council appoints all trustees 
 under the old law. 
 
 2. The whole ratepaytrs, Roman Cath- 
 olic and Pnttetsant alike, elected the 
 council. 
 
 ^{. Tlic itoman Catholics, therefore, 
 have «louble rcjiresentation on the High 
 Sclu»ol board; by way of illustration a 
 case sudi as L"( >riginal, where the coun- 
 cillors .uc all. nod »ul»t, French Catholics. 
 Thev would prob.iblv have all Catholics as 
 
 •- I ■ 
 
 High School tiustces. anil then again the 
 Si'p.irate School lio.ird. if one existeil in 
 su<'h a town, would ap|» ijnt another e.xtra 
 Catiiolic. This is minority lepivsentation 
 with a venge;ince, and is only e(|ualK'd Itv 
 the "Mi.hlle .M:in', (Mr. Li'ys) f'.r Tor- 
 onto, sitting in this Hou.se to neutralize 
 the wishes of tlie pcoplr he is supposed 
 to repri'sent. 
 
 Then again there is no par.allel in the 
 Public School law. Surely if it is right 
 to give the Catholics this minority repre- 
 sentation (»n the Higli School Hoard. 
 they are entitleil to it on the l*ul»lic 
 School Roanl. in places where there are 
 not Separate Schools at all events. 
 
 An injustice may be done, as in Peter- 
 
 ])orough, where the town council had ap- 
 pointed a Catholic fur years, as I submit 
 shoidd be done. The result was that 
 parties got at loggerheads when the 
 Separate School Boanl exerci.sed this 
 extraordinary right, conferred b this 
 statute, and an old and valued Roman 
 Catiiolic member of the High Sch(»ol 
 board (in Pete'"borough) was not re-ap- 
 poinred by the Council. 
 
 The Attorney-(jeneral has .said tliis 
 ])ower was given to interest Roman Cath- 
 olics in High Schools, that they had no 
 High Schools. This is a mistake, they 
 have High Schools. 
 
 "Little ol»jection was made to it, " so 
 says the Attorney -(jeneral. But 1 «lid 
 make objection. In Couuiiittee of the 
 Whole House, I expressed, not in any 
 s])irit of hostility, but on broader lines, 
 other means by which tliere might be rep- 
 resentation of the Separate School su}t- 
 porters on the High School board. I 
 rea.soned that there should ))e no class 
 legisl.ition. alrliough 1 did not ol)ject to 
 representation of Roman Catholics on tiiis 
 )>oard. ]My ol ejection to this clause was 
 that town aiici county, town and city 
 covnicils apj)ointed the High School 
 trustees, and therefore, indiiectly, all the 
 peo])le elected those trustees. 
 
 The Connnissioner of Pid)lic Works on 
 that occasion said tliat any otiier than the 
 I'cpiesentation suggested "for his people' 
 woidd not satisfy tlieni, and he objected 
 to my plan. I would be (piite satistied 
 with an election by the vote of the whole 
 people, a))olishing the [U'esent appoint- 
 ment svstem. 
 
 Let us see the general etfect of recent 
 legislation as to Separate Schools. 
 
 Without g ling as far l)ack as tlie origi- 
 nal Separate School Act. it may Ite of 
 interest to point out the various changes 
 which have l»een made by legislation |)io- 
 ni'tted I>y the Mowat government in the 
 status of Separate Schools since the Re- 
 vised Statutes of 1877 down to and in- 
 clusive of the Revised Statutes of 1SH7. a 
 j)eriod of ten yeais. First let me draw 
 the attention of the House to the fact 
 that Chapter 2-7 of t!ie last mentioned 
 statutes i)eing an act respecting Separate 
 Scho(»ls. occupies from page 240(> ti» page 
 24'.»S. both inclusive, or .'{4 pages of the 
 last Revised Statutes and consists of ;M> 
 sul»stantive sctions with ininy sub-sec- 
 tions. The .Ut as it stixHl in the previou.s 
 
—25— 
 
 revision in 1877 consisted of only 44 solid 
 sections with scarcely any interpolati«»n of 
 sub-sections and only occupied from page 
 2138 to page 2145, both inclusive, or 8 
 pages of the Revised Statutes of 1877, 
 showing that on the face of the two 
 revisions, legislation to the extent of 26 
 pages has been enacted during the decade 
 ))etween 1877 t4.> 1887. To dissect and 
 analyze the various changes or "improve- 
 ments", as the Att(jrney-General, Mr. 
 Mowat terms them, is no easy task. The 
 tirst 19 sections of buth acts relate en- 
 tirely' to Separate Schools for Protestants 
 and colored people, and as to these sec- 
 ti(ms no radical or material change has 
 been made, so that speaking generally it 
 is with the remainder of the act of 1877, 
 c<»nsisting of 25 sections, relating wholly 
 to Roman Catholic Sejjarate Schools, that 
 the changes have been effected com})rising 
 W additional sections and covering the 2<i 
 additional |)ages of tlie statutes. Section 
 •SO of the act of 1877 reijuires s<mie atten- 
 tion in view of the French sch(K)l({uesti<»n 
 in Eastern Ontario, as l)y section (>1 of 
 the act of 1887, a few w«>rds are added 
 which are significant, and probal)ly were 
 passed unobserved in the Act of 49, Vic. 
 Cap. 4(), Sec. (>2, which Mr. R«>ss called 
 a "consolidation". The additional words 
 have reference to the (lualification «>f 
 teachers, and enacts that all persons «|ual- 
 itied by law as teachers at the time of the 
 passage of the British North America 
 \ct in the Province of (Quebec shall lie 
 considered (jualitiel teachers for the 
 purjjoses of the :i'jt ; the «|uestion 
 naturally arises, was this legislation 
 oJ>tjiined at the instjince of the teachers 
 now engaged in Separate Schools. 
 True it is that this provision was dropjjed 
 out of the revisicm of 1877, and between 
 that date and 1879, the law actually 
 stood as it would if the bill of the honor- 
 able member for North Grey were now 
 law. (Mr. Creighton has before the 
 House a bill to make <|ualificati«)ns of all 
 teachers uniforui). 
 
 Then coming to section ,'il of the act of 
 1877, and comjiaring it with section 40 of 
 the revision of 1887 the sections corres- 
 pond as far as the word "aiinually", but 
 the additional words which made it in- 
 cuuibent <m the trustees of Sejwirate 
 Schools to transmit to tlie clerk of the 
 munici|Mility a correct list annually of 
 Scjiiirate ScIn»oI sujiporters, and provid- 
 
 ing that every ratepayer not appearing in 
 such list should be rated as a public 
 school supporter, have been stricken out 
 manifestly in furtherance of the scheme 
 that thereafter the names should be given 
 to the assess< «• and that he should rate all 
 Roman Catliolics as prima facie Se})arate 
 School supporters even without their 
 concurrence. 
 
 Section 29 (»f the Act 1877 deserves a 
 reference, but a jiassing one however, as 
 it appears to have been eliminated entirely 
 from the new Act. It was evidently 
 intended as a protection against Separate 
 School Boards obtaining too large a grant 
 from the Province, and relates to per- 
 mitting children from other sections 
 attending a Separate School ; as this 
 section is now not law, the ((uestion arises 
 ti) what extent its provisions are evaded 
 fftr the purpose of securing a larger grant 
 than was originally intended ( Sections 
 37 and 41 of the Act 1877 coriesj>onding 
 with sections 59 and H2 of the Act 1887, 
 fix the Goveriunent grant on the average 
 attendance as based upon returns made 
 to the Minister of Educjition. Section 29, 
 alu»ve referred to, enacted that certain 
 children, (n(»t the children of Sejiarate 
 School supporters) who attended as out- 
 siders, shou.'d not be included in such 
 returns ; the repeal of this old section 29 
 is therefore significant, and deserves 
 looking into as one of the "improve- 
 uients." 
 
 Sections 39 and 40 of the Act 1877 seem 
 t<» have no counterpart in the new re- 
 vision. The old law was, that unless a 
 Separate School was established within 
 three months after the election of trustees 
 the election became void ; why this ad- 
 ditional "imjirovement", iniless to enal»Ie 
 a Roman Catholic minority l)y threat <»f 
 establisliing a Separate Sch«»ol in a section 
 witlumt any intention of carrying it out, 
 gaining some point, either in the naming 
 of a teacher or in school management. 
 
 These j)oints cover some of the "im- 
 provements" in the Act which have not 
 received much attention, if any, at tlie 
 hands of the press «»r public; the otlier 
 j>erlmps stronger points are dwelt upon 
 at length fre(piently in this de>>ate and in 
 the press. 
 
 The great and Uiadiiig question is 
 whether by legislation, a Roman Catholic 
 is made now prima facie a supporter of a 
 Seimrate School. The legislation that 
 
-26— 
 
 h;is Ie<l u}» to the controversy is to l)e 
 found tirst in 40 Vic, Cap. !♦), Sec. 13, 
 revised 1877 at page 2047, and in 1887 at 
 page 2411). Tlie tirst enactment was that 
 it should be the duty of every "Township 
 C<-»uncil" to cfiuse the assessor in prepar- 
 ing the annual assessment roll of the 
 township, and setting down the schtxtl 
 .section of the person taxable, to di.s- 
 tinguish between Public or Sepai-ate. and 
 in setting dowi his religion to distinguish 
 Itetween Protestant anil Roman Catholic, 
 and whether sujiporters of Public or 
 Separate Schools. 
 
 A mistake by the jissessor in one of 
 these particidars, was by this section 
 clearly tria})le by the Court of Revision. 
 But notice the following saving clause 
 Sul). Sec. A. The foregoing pi'ovisitms 
 shall be constructed so as not to alfect or 
 impair any of the i»rovi.sions of the Act 
 respecting Separate School, and it shall 
 be o{»ti(Uial with the trustees of each 
 Separate School established under the 
 said Act, or the acts heretofore in foi'ce 
 in that behalf t<) avail themselves of the 
 foregoing ja-ovisions of thi.^ Act instead 
 of th(»se specially prescribed in the said 
 Acts fitr thf purpoHP of it-<i:t')tainiit<f the 
 support* rs of tlo'ir resppcfirf Sepamtr 
 Miools in such municipality, and the tfixes 
 payable l)y such su|)pi>rtei"s and the col- 
 lection thereof, and in cases where such 
 option is exercised l)y the trustees com- 
 pliitncr. fiifh ilip sjteriiil prori.-iions of the 
 sold Art aholl he inmeressitrii, but the 
 trustees, in order to jivail themselves of 
 the foregoing provisions of tliis Act, shall 
 give notice of such intenti(tn to the (.'lerk 
 of the Municipality, at least one week 
 before the time prescribed by the assess- 
 mejit Act for preparing the as.sessment 
 r< »ll. 
 
 Next in order is the famous amend- 
 ment of 187*.) made just prior to the 
 general elections of that year; very few 
 of the present members of the House, 
 only four on this .side of the House being 
 then members ; it is Cap. .'{2, Sec. 2, Sub. 
 Sec. o (5). "In any case where the 
 trustees of any Roman Catholic Separate 
 School avail themselves of the provisions 
 contained in the seventy-eighth section 
 of the Public Schools Act for the juirposc 
 among others of (iscertoininij who are the 
 su{)porters (»f Separate ScluMtls in such 
 Municipality, the asses.s(»r will accept the 
 statement of, or on l)ehalf of any rate- 
 
 {Mtyer that he is a Roman Catholic as sufti- 
 cient jyrim/i facie evidence for placing such ^ 
 person in the proper column of the assess- 
 ment roll for Separate School supporters, 
 or if the assessor knows personally any 
 rate-payer to l)e a Roman Catholic, this 
 shall also be sufficient for placing him in 
 such last mentioned colmnn. 
 
 The law remained thus till 1885 when 
 Mr. Ross, the Minister of Education, 
 brought in his Public School Bill, prefac- 
 ing it with a statement that it was a mere 
 consolidation and made no radical change. 
 But notice the change. The law now reads 
 as follows :— 
 
 Revised Statutes of Ontario, cap. 225, 
 page 2419, sec. 120. 
 
 1. The assessor or assessoi-s of erern 
 municipality shall set down the religion 
 of the person taxable distinguishing be- 
 tween Protestant and Roman Catholic 
 and whether supporters of Public or 
 Separate Schools, but nothing herein con- 
 tained shall be deemed to interfere with 
 the rights of Se[)arate Sclu»ol trustees 
 inider the Separate Schools Act. 
 
 2. The assessor shall accept the state- 
 ment of or made on behalf of any rate- 
 payer that he is a Roman Catholic as a 
 sufficient prima facie evidence for placing 
 such pers(»n in the prt»i)er column of the 
 ais.sessment roll for Separate School sup- 
 porters, or if the a.ssessor knows person- 
 ally any rate-})ayer t<» be a Roman Catho- 
 lic this shall also })e sufficient for placing 
 him in such last menti(»ned colunui." The 
 previous law merely j)rovided that it 
 should be the duty of tomtship covnciU 
 to cause their assess<»rs to do as directed. 
 The new law makes it apidy to the whole 
 pr<»vince, cities, towns, villages, as well 
 as townships, and makes it compulsory on 
 every assessor. I have not overlooked 
 the provisions of the assessment act which 
 re<pure all assesst»rs, in column 7, to put 
 <h)wn the school section, and whether ' 
 Public or Separate S(;hool supporter, see 
 Revision 1877, page 1825. Revisi(»n 1887, 
 I)age 20'.M -20«.»2. Sub-section 4 sets out the 
 act of 187i) nearly verbatim, and shows, 
 as is not shown in the sch<K)l act, that the 
 machinery was given to make all Roman 
 Catlu dies supporters of Separate Schools, 
 and to enable the trustees of such schools 
 to know who they were by reference to the 
 rolls. This is still more clearly shown by 
 the optional clause contained in Revision 
 1877 at page 2047, above set forth in full. 
 
u — 
 
 l)eeau.se there it in etiect provides that if 
 the assesKor puts d< »wn a ratepayer as a 
 Roman Catholic, compliance with the 
 special provisions of tlie Separate Schools' 
 Act shall not be necessfiry. 
 
 The position, I argue, therefore, is that 
 the effect of these coml)ined statutes was 
 to make all Roman Catliolics, supporters of 
 Separate Schools, and that where this was 
 done by assessment, compliance with the 
 act of 18(i3, that is the giving of the notice 
 by the Roman Catholic himself, would 
 not be necessary. 
 
 Previous to this amendment a Roman 
 Catholic could not become a su})p(trter of 
 se{)arate schools and claim exemption 
 from public school rates unless he delib- 
 erately gave the iKiice himself. 
 
 It must be quite manifest to every fair- 
 minded judge that there is a great dis- 
 tinction between leaving it to the opti«m 
 of each Roman Catholic to give the notice 
 voluntarily, and placing the burden and 
 odium ui)on him after the notice has been 
 given by his jnnest of appealing against 
 such a notice. Mr. Mowat, in his pam})h- 
 let of 2nd December, 188(5, tries to mini- 
 mize or r^her argue away the dilterence. 
 
 Mr. Mowat adds, "But the ludicrous 
 absurdity of the objection is that the pre- 
 liminary notice has not been dispensed 
 with." 
 
 Let me now deal for a moment with 
 the sj)irit of "truth and righteountss"' 
 w hicli characterizes this late stjitement v>f 
 the Attomey-Gener.d. He has recently 
 ]iroj>ounded for consideration by the 
 judges, the folhtwing question: After 
 reciting the different statutes and pre- 
 suming a case where the }n"iest has given 
 tlie notice — but the Roman Catholic rate- 
 payer has not given the notice (wliich Mr. 
 !Mowat has stated has not been dispensed 
 with) — is or is not a ratepayer, who has 
 not, by himself or his agent, given m)tice in 
 accordance with the last foregoing secti«»n, 
 entitled to exemption fr<»m the payment 
 of I'ates imposed for the support of Puldic 
 Scli(M)ls «)r for other Public Sch(»«d pur- 
 poses, as in that section menti<med^ 
 
 The answer of the judges is emphati- 
 cally as follows: 
 
 "If the assessor is satisfied with the 
 priiiiii fiU'ie evidence of the stjitement 
 made l)y, or on beh;ilf of, any ratepayer 
 that he is a Roman Catholic, and tlu#e- 
 upon (seeking and having no further in- 
 formation) places^ such person upon the 
 
 assessment roll as a Separate School sup- 
 })orter, this ratepayer, th«»ugh he may not 
 by himself or his agent, have given notice 
 in writing, pursuant to section 40 of the 
 Separate Scho(tls Act, may be entitled to 
 exemption from the payment of nvtes for 
 Public School purposes, he being in the 
 case supposed assessed as a su])porter of 
 of Ri>man Catholic Sepai*ate Schools,*' 
 shewing that the contention is correct 
 that Mr. Mowat, "constitutional lawyer" 
 though he be, and though guided by the 
 spirit of "truth and righteousness," was 
 misleading the people by tlie language 
 quoted al)ove, and which he used in the 
 pamphlet referred to, (2nd December^ 
 188«). 
 
 It is (piite true an the judges state in 
 their further ojnnion that notwithstand- 
 ing the giving of the notice by the parish 
 priest in a case where the Roman Catho- 
 lic has not given it, that the person 
 himself, or any other elect^)r, may aj)ply 
 to the court of revision to cliange the 
 assessors' entry from Separate to Pvd)lic 
 School supi)orter, and further that in case 
 no a|)peal is made, the person himself, or 
 any ratepayer, is not stopped on the suc- 
 ceeding or future year from objecting to 
 a continuation of the entry. One of our 
 county court judges, on appeal, has de- 
 cided to the contrary of this latter view, 
 and went so far as to decide that the 
 ])riest's notice, actually made the person 
 named a sup})orter against his will if he 
 failed to ajtpeal the first time it was given, 
 and that in the succeeding year or any 
 future year, he could not risist a con- 
 tinuation of the entry uidess, \\(\. until, 
 he had given the formal notice ;f with- 
 drawal. It is satisfactory to know that 
 the county judge was wrong, and that the 
 Roman Catholics are not rendered as 
 helpless as the law was heret<»fore con- 
 strued, but this final decision has not 
 affected in any way the force of the con- 
 tention, that the notice given for liotmnt 
 I'dflioUis by uuMubers of the Roman hier- 
 archy makes theui ptimn f<ii'U\ entitled 
 to exemption from the payment of 
 Public School rates, <tr in other 
 words, makes them priiii't fxcle Separate 
 Scho(»l sujiporters ; or, as Mr. Fniser said 
 in the House to Dr. OSullivan, when the 
 latter pro])osed to go the whtde "unclean 
 anim;d" and by legislation make every 
 Roman Catholic a Roman Catholic school 
 sui»porter, "That while it would bo 
 
— 2cS— 
 
 m xiutd'ent t » iiuiund the hiw as Dr. 
 iStillivaii |»ri»|>oso<l, the iirojx tsed change 
 meaning the amendment of 187'.) then 
 and now nnder discussion, wouhl secure 
 the same en»l practically." 
 
 Had the comhined eti"e<;t of the enact- 
 ments of 1877 HUtl 1879 been jxjinted out 
 to the (Jhmcellor anil Mr. Justice Robert- 
 son, showing that the formalities of the 
 act of 187"-', being comjjlietl with, and 
 the assessment etiected l)y the assessor, in 
 whicli case the itrovision as to j'ivini' the 
 notice of 18«).'i was dispensed with, I do 
 not see how they could come to any otlier 
 conclusion than that the assessment, un- 
 resisted by the lloman Catholic ratej)ayer, 
 made him a Separate Srhooi supporter, 
 and that Judge .Sinclair's decision was 
 right. 
 
 Subortlinate to the above, but very im- 
 portant indeed, are those enactments which 
 piovide for the appointiuent of a High 
 {School trustee by the Sepai'ate School 
 l>oard, see section (Hi, 1887. 
 
 (2) Provide for the esti'-blishment of 
 Model Schools for the teaching of Separ- 
 ate School teachers exclusively (see sec. 
 <).") of the act 1887). The same section 
 also ])riivides for the a]»pointment of a 
 Roman Catholic to be a member of the 
 county board of examiners in addition to 
 the member authori/.ed by law, to wh()m 
 is given the like powers and duties as 
 other mem))ers of the l>oard. 
 
 (.'i) Provide, as by section 52, for assess- 
 ing the stock of Roman Catholics in in- 
 corpoi'ated companies ami their interest 
 in the real estate and other property of 
 such conijtanies as rateable f<)r Separate 
 Schools. 
 
 (4) Provide ihe new and ex}»ensive in- 
 spection tif Sej)arate Schools as distin- 
 guished from t]ie former method by the 
 Public ScIkioI inspectors. 
 
 (5) Whicli provide for jiartnerships 
 assessing tlie shares of Roman Catholics 
 in a partnership for Sejiarate School 
 purjto.ses, 
 
 (()) Which pre .vide for assessing the 
 tenjuit for Separate Schools in any event, 
 although the great majoi-ity of landlords 
 in Ontario pay the taxes and are Protes- 
 tants. 
 
 As to the general (piestion on Separate 
 Schools 1 was nnich amused the (»ther day 
 by the following newspaper extract : 
 
 " A Kansas judge has just decided that 
 there can be no Separate Schools in the 
 
 state. Tlie decisi«»n is the result (»f an 
 attempt by one of the .school boards to 
 establish a Separate Scho»»l for c<»l(»reo 
 children. ' If,' said the judge, * there are 
 to be Separate Schools for white and 
 black, there should be Separate Schools 
 for Catholic and Protestant, Engli.sh and 
 lii.sh, reil-headed and black-headed, 
 l>londes and briuiettes.' His hon(»r re- 
 sorts to the mhntitt od ahsurdinii. Never- 
 theless, if there is to be one set (if Separ- 
 ate Schools, why not another T' 
 
 A correspondent, who is an intelligent 
 R<»man Catholic, writes as follows : 
 
 " In some places such as Tonuito, 
 Hamilton, Lindsay, etc.. our clergy have 
 established what they call High Schools, 
 'Model Schools, etc. These are placed 
 befoi-e the [le.tple who don't know the 
 ♦litlerence, as High Schools, and a great 
 brag made about the nundier of Separate 
 School pupils who pass into them." 
 
 This is an undoubted fact, as further 
 evidenced by the following despatch in 
 yesterday's (t1o])c : 
 
 KiN<;sr<)N, March 2."). -It is understood 
 tliat Archbishop Cleary will again lease 
 the Regiopolis building to the govern- 
 ment for use as an asylum. The money 
 received will be applied to the ju'opo.sed 
 new High School. 
 
 The next (|Uestioii is how many Se])ar- 
 ate School teacliers have teachers' certi- 
 cates '. 
 
 The Inspector's report shows : 
 144 in religious orders Jiast of Toronto. 
 an<l 11)1 in religious orders We.st of 
 Toronto ; total .S.')."). 
 
 The whole n.uiuber of teachers shows 
 very little room left for Catholic young 
 men and Women desirous of entering the 
 profession. 
 
 Speaking of these religious teachers, 
 (nuns and Christian Brothers), without 
 qualitications, the same ct»rresi)ondent 
 says : 
 
 "The work of these religious orders is 
 mostly that of mercy and charity, with 
 school teaching thrown in as a means of 
 revenue, and attended to by them only as 
 they can be spared from their regular 
 employment. They are n»»t educivted f(»r 
 the work of teaching, and the same per- 
 sons are not kejit at it regularly from day 
 t" ijJfvy, the head of the ()i*der usually 
 senaing to the schotds only those who are 
 not otherwise engaged. The work of 
 these schools is thus oi a very elementary 
 
-21) — 
 
 chameter, and Catholic chiMreii are n«»t 
 in consequence getting a fair chance." 
 
 As to text hooks, it is said tlie Bishop 
 of Hamilton and doubtless others as well, 
 has recently issued ordei-s that the Puhlic 
 Sch«M»l text hooks are not to he used in 
 Se|«irate Scliools. The Christian Brotli- 
 ers'-text h«»oks are insisted on. 
 
 The government refuse to change this 
 state of things, and s.'iy they have no 
 power to regulate text hooks in these 
 schools, and the thin;; ^<»es on without 
 redress. 
 
 The proceedings of the House show the 
 fitllowing as having recently occurred 
 here : 
 
 sKi'AKATK srHoor-s. 
 
 MR. FRENCH asked: Has the at- 
 tention of the (government been called to 
 the ailegation that certain of the ])upils 
 receiving instruction in the convents in 
 the city of Ottawa iiave heen returned as 
 pupils in atten<bince at the Roman 
 Catholic Separate schools f Whether any 
 entpiiries have heen mad6 with a view to 
 ascei'tnining if such allegation l>e true, 
 and the result of such en<|uiries { Whether 
 the (xovenuuent has reason to helieve 
 that the alleged practice is followetl else- 
 where ! Also, are any of the convents 
 in the city of Ottawa made use of, either 
 in wh«)le or in part, as or for Se|).irate 
 schools and returned to the (Joverument 
 as such '. Also, wlietlier or not tlie jmpils 
 in regular attendance at said convents 4tr 
 any of them have heen rcturnetl as pupils 
 in attenilance at sucli iSeparate scIimiIs '. 
 
 MR. ROSS (Middlesex), replying, said 
 that certain rooms in the Water strct't 
 convent building at Ottawa were rented 
 l)y the Hoard of Separate School Trustees 
 temporarily on account of the crowded 
 condition of the ordinary school huild'ugs. 
 For the same reason, and under similar 
 circumstances, the Boanl of Public School 
 Trustees for the city of Toronto (»ccupied 
 and paid rent for the use of certain parts 
 of the following buihiings, viz.: The Kew 
 Beach church, certain Bajitist Missi<»n 
 churches, two Episc<ipal churches or Sun- 
 day schoolrooms, one Methodist church 
 Sunday school ro(»m, and one Presbyterian 
 scho<»l ro(»m. He added that the rooms 
 used for Separate scho»»l purposes in the 
 Water street convent were otticially in- 
 sjjected, and that the teachers were all 
 legally »pialitied. He believed that no 
 pupil in regular attendance at the Water 
 
 street c< invent or any other convent in 
 Ottawa had lieeu returned :is a pupil in 
 attendance at the Sejtarate school. Tlu' 
 attentiou of the (Jovernment had l»eeii 
 called to the allegation that cei-tain pupils 
 receiving instruction in the convents at 
 Ottawa had l)een I'eturned as jiupils in at- 
 tendance at the R. C'. Separate .schools, 
 and enquiries had been made as to tlie 
 truth of such allegations, the result being 
 to s;>tisfy the (»i»vernuu'nt that none of 
 the pupils receiving instruction in the 
 convent at Ottawa had l)eeu returned as 
 Separate srhoi.l pupils. The (Jovernment 
 had no rea.son to believe that the allcgol 
 practice was followed elsewhere now. 
 (hie case ilid occur la.st year from h mis- 
 c<»nce]ttion of the 1 iw, but the law being 
 now understood he tliought it would not 
 occur again. 
 
 Ins] lector iJouovan. in reply to the 
 <juesti<in : 
 
 Is the Water street convent (Ottawa), 
 now a Sejiarate schoul, or is it a mere 
 temiMirary resting jilace for a few classes i 
 said, in ert'ect. 
 
 The Watei- street building (known as a 
 convent), is a Separate School. Tlie 
 arrangement is not temporary, but his 
 lasted eleven years. 
 
 Asked t • draw the line where the 
 sl'IkmiI eniled ami tlie convent liegan, 
 he Slid theve was a partition with a do. >r 
 in it. but generally was not very clear. 
 In fact, there is no line of ileinarcation. 
 As to the fairness of grant a;)p!Mpriation 
 the ]i ipularion of Ottawa was as follov*.'. : 
 }*rotestants Lll,'.»U;> : R mian Cath .lies, 
 21.72i> ; grant to Public School, .si>,(KSi) ; 
 gi'ant to Sejiarate School. Si>,;582 ; Pro- 
 testant assessments were 8 1 2,. "»()2, .">:?.") ; 
 R inian Catholic assessments were 84,r)«»»),- 
 S2o. So that while the population is 
 e(pial, the grant is divided as 54 to 4(5, the 
 assessment being To to 25. 
 
 A worse state of things existed at 
 Lindsay. Wiieie the Roman Catholic popu- 
 lation was only thirty per cent, the Roman 
 Catholic assessment eighteen per cent, By 
 Convent. Higii School jind Sejiarate 
 ScIkioIs manijiulation, the grant to the 
 Roman Catholics was thirty-eight j)er 
 cent. At Cornwall also 1 am advised the 
 same ineipiality jirevails, and there is an 
 unsatisfactory feeling against the govern- 
 ment for allowing it to continue. 
 
 1 am not surprised at the Minister of 
 Public Works, Mr. Fraser, refusing to 
 
-30— 
 
 (leffuul Archbishop C'leary. He was t«»o 
 wise H politician to defend a man who, 
 on Canadian soil, used the following 
 
 language 
 
 On Hth Sept. at Kingston, addressing 
 Anieriwm delegates of the Irish Catholic 
 Benevolent 8(jciety, Dr. Cleary said : 
 
 ''May God allow the day to come that 
 Ireland will be a nation, no Queen, no 
 English rule, no bloody Balfour (hisses), 
 no Governor-General of Canada,'' etc. 
 
 Mr. French resumed his seat, having 
 addressed the House an hour and twenty 
 minutes.