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SPE COidL
tiv n.f
HON. J. A. CHAPLEAU, M.P.,
(.x TKf.
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111
iT
'F
I
JTOUSE OF COIMMONS
IfBC^
TbUTsdav, 20tli FebrLiai.v. 1800.
t> OTTAWA:
1>RTNTEI> BV BROWN CttAMT3tRUN, PRINTER TO, TItE QUEBN'H T^OST
1800.
iMi. M i i m il ■■ II »i " I "
.*"
rr^jiTiiTjnpj-
Eift/-
... y, ;
A,
Hqusp of Commons Hebfitcs
FOURTH SESSION -SIXTH PARLIAMENT.
SPEECH OF HON. J. A. CHAPLEAU, M.P.,
ON TIIK
FRENCH LANGCiGH IN THE NORTH-WEST,
TUrnSDAV, liOTH FElUlUAJiV, ISiiu.
Mr. CHAPLEAU. Mr. Sjniik.-r, I uni sun- tlie
f't'iitiiiieiil will liu re-echood l>y nuuiy <tf ii.s, w lit-n \
^■i\ lliat it was not without a <U'C|t fet'liiij; of
uiiMoty that I heard the iN-ginniii^ of tlii.s deliatv.
1 Hill 8till siirtT to M^spoiul to the fouliiigH of all in
('V|ii(SHing the .•iinoeic hope that, iiftir nil. it will
^r luf thr hetter that tlu' 'U'hiito liad takeu piaoe,
i'- •; will dispel evei'y Hii.spii.ion <iiid j)ri'vi- ., any
iiii>inider.>itandiiig ; and in that i-c.-spect i (iiiinot re-
fi^iiii from thanking t\\c lum. g(jntl(.'iii(.'n oppo.Hitc,
fi'i- ihnir moderation, their sincerity and theii-
jKai'irttio Htand. in di.Hcus.sing thin d* licat!?. tlii.><
il;iiit;erous ijuestiou. Lei im hope that the dtdiale
^nll continue in the same spirit. The sensation-
iiKiiigers who ex])ectod to see the purliainentary
aiiiia transformed into a regidar liattle-liehl uill
1«' ilisHppointed, hut the go<)d name of tlie (. an-
;iiliju represeiitiitives, the good credit of the
""intiy will gain in value all that our det laotms
"ill lose in theif- expectations. It was thougiit,
iiiiy, it was predicted, that the inllammahle
JMMteiiuls which enter into the comj>o.>iition of all
•"oiii'ties wotdil he set on 'tire, and that oJrr tine
noiiiininii woiihl soon he all in a Ida/c ; \vi ii.-i hope -
nil it looks so, fortunately let ns hope that those
'iilhiiiimal»h! elenu'iit.s. 'suspicion, prejiidice and
'iv.diy, will all he consuiiu'd and nothing will he
left hut the fine, solid, sterling gold fraini- of our
young Confederation, more solid and hrighter lliiin
t'vcr, inviting the atlmiration of the world us it in-
vites the i'o\ etou.s eye of mir powerful ii<iL;lil>or.
WeiH'it not for that hope, were it not for the happy
turn tluit the disiiission ha.s taken, I would say that
it is with a sense of d<( |) riL'icl that I have .si'm
the Hill phn I'll hefore the Hmisi' hy the huii. iiiem-
her for North .Simcoe. 1 thought, and I had hoped
the (l.iy had gone hy w liiii v e would he called upon
to di.scus." (|iU'stioiiH ciiiiduciv e to no public good,
irritating in their nature and unjust in their ohject.
It was to he exj)cctcd that in the latter end of the
nineteenth century, ideas which savor of what
are considered hy many as dark ages, wouhl not
lie .idvocnied in a Ih'itish Canailiaii Parliament,
advocatcil hy onc! of the most eminent menilK-r.s of
a plnlVssion M here fniliea lance, lilicialily and
good fellowship arc .su iiiii ver>all\ iira<ii--i'd The
lioii. iiiemlicr for .^iiiicoe has iirgueil very -Uiuiigly
agaiii.-i th^' propiieiy ot I'liactiiig the rigiil to
dual language in the North- West from the fact
that, at the time of the cession of Canada, no such
clause; was inserted in the .Articles uf Capitulation,
in the Treaty of Paris, in the l^uehec Act of 1774,
and in the Act of l7iM. Discouragingly hiind in
the perception of liistorical facts, in the apprecia
tion of signiheant events, the hoii. mend'cr has not
seen that the law of nations secured that right to
a jieople who had against them the fate of war,
hm who were not coni|iicied, in the .strict sense
of the word, siiu-e the last regular engage-
ment of that war. the hattle at Stc. Foye,
was a hrilliant victory for the French ;
nu«l if till! hull. iiuiiilM-r had <iiily taken Home
of tlio tiist (illiciiil (locumeiitM uinliT tlie iiiili-
tiiry rfj^iine wliiili fi>l|(.Mi(i tliu ('tsHJoii, \\v
woulil liavf tiuiiiil lliat itic liiiti.-<li geln•l•lll^, still
filiiaitiiig mull r tlu' initatioii of a 1'>ii>; ami ()i)ftin-
Ht<' stlMiyLtli', wt'l'r iiiiiio ^rlicioii.-* *" llKir foo.-i of
yt'fitfnlay tliaii in my imii. friiinl for (in- inoHciiHivc
tK'si'oiKliints of the (lis.-ovorcr.s mid tiist Hftllors of
tlu' Hiidwm's Hay and ixuiturt's I>juid. It is ii fact
woitliy of loiirtiiici-itioii. a fact wliich sliouhl not
lie o\crl>>okcil. that, a.tiii^' iu-cordiny to IiIm iiintnic-
tioiiH, oi' a|i|ilyiii;' .■-iiii|iiy llic p'lifial lawrf which
govern the relatioiiis lictwven the con(|nerorM aii<l
the \aiii|iiished, ( lencral Miiiiay, f he tirst ( lovenioi'
of (^nirhec, u>ed the Kreiu li language in all his*
dealihfis with the Kings new sulijocts. I hold in
my imnd his proclamation, dated 17ti4, which
enacts in what manner IiIh future proi-lainations
shall lie )iulilishel. and it is in French, (iencral
Carleton, iifti'i wanlw Loid l)urcln'stcr, issueil a I'i'o
claiiiation in ITT'K heioic flif •• (^nehee Act," in
which he states that jii-oi lamationH shall he made
ill Knglish and in French. All the ordinanccH of
the t,>nel»ec (Id'.cth , which is made up cliietly of
nltioial dot iimcnts, arc printed in Knglish and in
French, from the datt^ of its tirst issue y\ 17()4.
Ha\i' 1 not i-easoii to wondci-, Mr. Speaker, that
over one century ago we can find such li'ieral icleas
prevailing, in conipai-ison with those of self-styled
liightoncd and high niinded gcntlciiicn of this
enlightened age V Taking at a glance a general
view of ihe policy of the I'.i'itish (ioverniiient in
this country, 1 am glad to say that I find tliat it
has always heen most intelligent, most lllicral,
except f;)r sonm period when the homo
(lovernnient was Inspired hy the liiisrepresLiita-
ti(ms of some of their frien<ls in < 'anada,
1 regret al.>io that the lion, memlier should have
thougiit til to hring in this Mill -which, accoiding
to the plan of 'vunpaign e.vpounded in the press
and in tlie piihlic meetings of the ivjual Highiers,
is the lirst practical step in the iu).<stile movement
directed against a people whose loyalty to the
Crown and British institutions is alxive Huspicion.
I say that this is the iirst step, hccause we all
know that what is asked foi- in this Hill is only a
small portion of what is desireil. diidging fi'oni
tlie ntteiano.'M of the lion, iiiemher. outsidi! of
I'aiiiament, we must expect Mows to he diitctefl
at the Catholic minority of Oiitaiio, of Manitfiha,
of the North- West Territories ; it is hoped
for that the day will .soon come when the
Catholics and the l''ren(;li, if they wish to have
sehofils of their own, will have to sup[)ort th*-!!!
and al.'<o thr' pulilic sc1iim)1s of tho.se jiortions
of the country. This Hill, tliei'etoie, is the initial
sicp in a. direction leading to all soi'ts of
strife, is the fir-st step in ihe reversal of a generous
Iiolicy which all clus.sesof tlu'populatitmof Canada
iHve approved of for upwai'ds of fifty years. This
enlightened policy has given us prosperity, good
feeling among the (liferent races, good fellowship
among pulilic men. W'e have Tieen taught to
esteem cadi other, in working together for the
common good of the coui'.ry, sinking down all
race and ci'eed prejudices, agreeing to disagree on
♦icveral sulijects, hut all agreeing to push the
country forward in the path of material prosperity.
We are asked today, to reverse that policy, to go
hack U) the days of strife, of hitter feeling, out
of which no good can come. It behooves all men
/
' that viJue the jieace nnd proapurity of the country,
I to stamp out this dangerous agitation, to di.scom
j age it at the oiit.set and let well idonc.
' Many right-meaning men do not sec tli.
J ultimate resnlr of this first move, hecaiisr
if they understood it I am sure it would receixr
' condemnation at their hands. Tlie legislatimi
j which we are «wked to place in our statntes, nd
()nly savors of persecution, hut is also retrogriiili'.
I take it for granted that the <pialily «if Ihiiili
"itizc^nship is not incompatilile with a fonijii
j (U-igin, that a Hritish suhje<-t may he of I'n luh
(>rigin and a R<inian Catholic. If yriu admii <.f
I this doiihle proposition, \\lii<'h I claim to h<' a fair
■ and just one, wliich I have never heard contcslee,
i I do not see how any oni- (\in countenance iln-
I liill now liefore this House. If you admit my
I ])roposition, if we of the Province of <i)uehec aic
I British snlijects enjoying all the jiiivileges nini
' rights which this (piality confers, I cannot iindi r-
^ stand how the inemlier for North Sinicoo can.i-k
I the House to accept his Bill, in the light of wha' li.w
I been done in the I'rovince of Quebi'i; to sati.-'fy tlie
I claims, the just claims of the I'rot.estant niiiioii \.
This extraordinary war, de<.'lared oi( the miiio> 'y
(jf the western part of the eountry eaiiii..i ■.
'looked upfin otherwise than as cruel andiincnlL
I for by every inhabitant of tin- Pi-ovince of '
l)ee. The difl'erent sections of the pojiiii.. ■
have managed to work in harniony, presentiii/ p
pleasing spectacle of a people divided by iiui •
alitics and religion, but united for all other ji,
poses. Docs the promoter of tin; Bill now I.el. .
the House know how the minority tluie have i i , :,
treated ? Does he know that wlutn (JonfedeiMlmn
took place, it was agreed between the leaders nt
(i>ucbec that the limits of twehe eoiintic.-i m:
tjlucbec Province, in which the Knglish cleiiK iit
predominated at -that time, would lie ( i
be changed without the consent of tin
repres(!ntatives of those counties? Does \\v:
hon. gentleman ignore that the Protesnni
minority have jiractieally a Council of pubbe ■
8trni;tion of iheir own, whi(di has coinplett^
trol of educational matters '; Does he know did
in the smallest municipalities of the Province of
Quebec this control exists? Surely h.e mu.^i "
aware that every re<piest of the minorrty in <,'
b*;c has always been granted by the majority ■' \
few years ago it was suggested that a sc]'- i ii
gaol be set apart for the Protestants, and this •
gestion vas acted ufion and has now beeonn^ a ta '
Later on it was likewise suggested that a sja > ! :'
lunatic asylum should be constructed for Pinti ■
ant patients, and the scheiiKi is now being cai i !'
out. The Protestants of Quebec arc satisfied : ! ■
strange to say, they aie taken to task by men 1. •
the proinotei of the coercive legislation now ii"-
posed to this House, and are blamed for their bt 'ii'.
satisfied. People have been speaking of the j" ' ■
of the Catholic ('hureh. Power- from whom ? M>
English I'rotestant friends, I suppose, do not |)ii
tend that the Konian Catholic ( lunch extend.^ n^
ijower over them ; what, then, their grievances an
[ am at a h)ss to know. But 1 would nad heiv
the opinion <»f a man who has been living all in^
lifetime in the Provinw of Quebec, of a man w Iimm
literary merit is oidy ecpialled by the keen perceii
tion of an unprejudiced and thoroughly infoniH d
olwervcr as set forth in an article pnblisheil in 'H''
of the periodicals of Toronto, which must ii. '
'liMil
toil.
tl.
MM-'
I U .
ttnicttMl cKiisidcKililc ptiMic attiiilion. It ih im
ulitlc wrilteii hy Mr. S. [•]. |)aws(>M, <if MonUi'iil, !
Mil I wi'l i|ii(»to a few seiitt'iife.'i from it jn«f t<i ;
-l.iw wliiit Im tlu! ti-.K' feeling of ilio I'lofeHtiini
iiuiiDiity ill till' I'roviint: of yiiel>rc; in re^^iitii lo
itiiiwe jiii'^eiiilcil )(i'iev(UHM's :
" rho Knglish Priilc-i.'int iiiiiiorit^ in tlic Piovincf of
Uiu'Ihh- oiiKtit t'> Id- yiT) iinliii|i|iv, it fur ni> ntlifr itiisnii,
1. iiniin («> inii'iv (■•■'tilimldc' pcoiiii- in llii; HJHtfr l'r<)vii''!ns
iiimI ill liif Uiiileii StiitoK seem ti> lie ilislri'sscd oii flicir
ii'i'imnt. It in imt (iluiiFiaiit to Ijc Ihi' ulijei-f of no imicli
-.■lii-ilirle. lk-Hi(|(^H, it in too IhIc riio dnotriiii' "f
• >liltff' lidlilH ' liiiH liiTii Hi> ixT-i.-liMi'ly iniiiilaiiuMl liv
ilic iitlitT I'mviiirc;', cj-iiuiMiilry !iv New liniii^wiok ami
I'Mtiirio, tlint ir is imiiot-Hible to ili'ny lo tin- Fn-ndi in
(,'iii«lu'i- lUtifv powiTH wliidli the KiiKlisli ni:ijiiiiiic.< in iho
ntlior I'loviin'cs liiive nucpeM.ufully iic-iertiMl. Wliiit
;.-<i'i*tiiiii'", then, the oilier Vrovinci-s Piiii iilTi)ril ti> the
iMiiiority ofQnehfc docs not r-hMirly M|i|>e;ir. cvi-n it' that
ii.iiiority 'inred Ki'niTiilly in the (rhminy iiiipri'hiMn'ion.i
till el !ie where on their iieeount.
''The Ki'Rlii'h jniiiority ontflit iilso In ln' uiihiiiiiiy he-
ciiue .d' tlie eivil iiiid reliKicMii' dixiidviintiiKes winch it
iVMiild ii|i|<e:ir Iroiii outHide ■"lureeM thiil they nre i>Mi»red
. fmlure. And. then, if iiercliiinec tiny one of the minor
r\\ t'liinlly MiKfueci.-' lint be eannot pereeivi; Miiylhinif on-
11-iiiilly hard ui his lot— anythioK heyond wlial fully to
■riiiHiritie.xeljKnvhero — he inehiddeii hy ' ."njierior persons '
!i'r not re:ilifin|{ his Jihjei't condition. .So tluit he lieenine-i
li,''eoiiraK«''l beeiiiise he is not unhappy enoiiKli lo please
jiif' nei(fl(lior.-'.
" I''or. lifter all, in real deeil, the most <d' »g who have
!"ii'r resided in th's I'royinee do not find it in the least
''(".iirreeahle. _ Tiiless ihe An(?lo-Sa.xon mind is at an
ciir'y iipe t'amili'i rised with other r.iees and religion!', if is
Mjil lo furiu tlxed ideas. And so it often happens that the
Fiiiieli Hoilliin CiMliiiIie, as imncined hy our outside
t'lieiiils. in dilferent from the person we come in daily
I'aet with. An Ko(rlishiiiaii innv ilwell a lite time in
I'liiee in the lieart ol'Freiudi Caniidj. Nohody will leave
'nelsat his door or ^ive iIkmii to liifi children. Ife may
I'l on e.xecllciit terms, and evenexidiaime hosiiiliilifies,
wiili the C'(// .• hul it thai reverend nent Ionian should feel
.o>v doubts about his lui<i 's future state, he will never hi
ili^aBreenblo itnoufth to express ilicm.''
N OS, Mr. Speikpi-, liiis is, unfoitiiiiati'ly, tht;
(I'lijtioii of alhiirH in the I'lovince of (^neliee mIiici;
I III' liegiiining of this agitition. NoluKly knows
whole tliu evil Ik. The evil lioes not exist ; Init.
■ 'ir ProteMlaiit frieniln in the I'loviiu.-e of (^ueliec,
wild have not I'oinjihiineil, are taken to tank ami
.lie lootmxil la".'a.n.se tliey <lo !iot liiiiler.^itiinil tluit
'hey aie unhappy, even if tlicy <!'> i>"t «<''" ■' "''
I'cl it. Mr. .'^jK'fi.ker, what in the principle, or
I itlici the negation of principle, at tlie liottom of
'-hi^ Bill prcaejiteil liy my hou. fiieinl from .Simcoe?
It ii coercion in a matter where coercion cannot
cxiHt. (a)crcion Iiiih Keen trietl in several coun-
tries in niutti'i's of lanj^unjje ami religion, ami
IK rywliere it has lieen tried the result has lu^en
' "iitrary not only to exju'ctationt*, luit in a laii,'e
lie iiHure eonlraiy to the w isli of tho.-c who liavt^
Miployed such means. Xow, it is a very .sad
;liing to see how the lessons of history aiy; lost for
•ur Kipia! Kitrlits |M'ople, iind liow innoh, by
iie^'locting tlii» part of tlieir edmation, they are
'liifting into a channel of narrow idea.s. During
!lu' early part of tiie lirilish regiiiu' in Canada,
'••mipulsion and coercion was tr' with a \ itw of
\>ilding together the dilVerent e, us of popula-
lioii, 8o as to ff>rin a homogeneous nation, and it
.vas alway.s found that this coercion had a result
liuite contrary to what wa.s exy)octed. The ino.st
enlightened of our g*)vernors have doclariMl time
and again that the only way to strengthen iJritish
I'ule in Canada was to conciliate the King's new
Mihjects. Such was the opinion of (Jeneral Mur-
ray, of Lord Dorclie.-ster, of .Sir J. I'revost, and of
many others, including and foremost amongst them,
l.orl Klgin. The K<iual Hightds. who are aUo,
iinmt of them. Imperial l''<ileiationists, think dlH'or-
eiitly ; liiit I may tell them that if their aim is to
per|)et\uite Mritish iiKtitiilions m .Xnu'rica l»y sow-
ing the .seed of diH.satisfiiction. they are «idc of the
mark. Thci" isom conMideiation which iiitMirully
springs from « hat I have just said. It ii- this;
Tliat they appe.ir to li.ive !oht sight of the
l)iiia<l jiolicy inaugurated liy the Knglish (!o\ern-
nieiit ye us ago, hut they should not o\<-rhMik the
fiict that if rhey can ls>ast today of tiie title of
lirilish citi/.itiH, which tiicy profess to value so
much, they oAe it lo the lUlce.-ito.H of the \ ery
people (hey scdn to hate anddesiiise. What would
have licrome of 'the liiitihh rnl" in tin- wars of
Indi'(iciidciicc a'ld of |><l2,-if French t'.mnd.'i. in-
steail. I do not .-.ay .if lii^hting. Imt of Is-ing loyal,
had siiii)i!y remained neutral. Neiie lnit si<ine-
hliiid men' v,-iiuld s;iy that thi.-i I nuada of ours
would slill he a Ih'itiMh eoimtry. It is a matter «)f
history that the liovernors of Canada in olden
tilings would i'lrive here imluted with pit judices
.•|^aiu^t the •" ( 'anadians." and that, after .-studying
the loMiitiy. these prcjudiies would make way for
sounder iioti'ius leading to a change oi policy. Im
iiiialiately after the coiii|iiest. ( Jeueral Murray
wrote to the Home flovermnent in jtraise of the
King's new subjects. Lieutenant* lenerulCarletiin,
who, during tin war of lndep<'ndeiicc. was sjived
from falliiij.' into the hands of .\merie.an soldiers in.
his Might from .\loiiti-eal to t^uiln c liy a Canadian
oflicer (lencral ( 'arleion w.is a fast friend of the
)ii-ople he \\ii» exjiected by .some newl\ l.ilided
emigr.iiit to ciii.sli out of existence. I could lengthen
this list imiil your p.itieiiee would be exhausted ;
but I must turn to tliing.s of tli«^ day. and say,
that 1 am ama/.ed to see men. very few I Iiojm',
brought up in contact with n-;, having for years
professed the greatest friendship, aceejited the
hand extended to them, suddenly turn around on
the ( Joverimient to per.se.-nte and hound down the
men they wi re so friendly to some months au'o. I
am am.i/.ed to liud men of the day. aspiring to be
tlu' hiiders of the peojile, re\ersing tlu policy in-
augurated by men whose positioi- placed them above
the pasaions of the moment. \\ ie-n T see that the
first (iovernors under the I'.riti.-h rule, Istfore the
Quebec Act of 1S74. and even during the military
ruh'. conde.scended to publi.sh the laws and the
ordinaucos in I'len-h. I have a riglit to ex-
press my surprise that this meagre measure of
justice ap])ears in the eyes of certain geiitlenn^n to
be too large foi the FiS-neh population of the western
'i'erritories. [■"reuoii wasii.Hed, moid ban a century
ago, to bring the ordinar.ees lief.irc the jieonle,
and that, after a terrible war, when vampiished
and coinpierors were face to face : ami now, after a
union of overoiu? century, this simple act of justice,
of international i'ourt:es\ . which costs the country
the enormous sum of rive hundred dollars a year,
is considered out of place and t«H> generoUH. If you
exp»-et to make a great coniitiy with siuh ideas you
are sad. y mistaken. .Sir Henry .Summer Maine and
.Sir Alfred Lyell have claimed as one of the brightest
titles of (ireat Urilaiu to the iwlmitatioii of theciv-
ilise.l world that, foll.iwing the example of Home,
w hicli left the couipiered |)eople their customs and
institutions. F.ngl.ind. in itsaeipiisitions of territory,
graitJ I'll to the Crown's new subjeetj* their former
laws and customs. If we hiok at the Dritish Em-
pire we find it carrying into eflect this generous
K
priiK-ipliMif intomulioiiul law. Thv K«|iial iliglitvi'H
M-.VH\ to tliirik that tli<' use of tlw l''"Hili liiTii;unnt'
\h a iiiKiioti'iiiM (ii'ivilciri', rtoini lliiii;.' unlicai'il of in
iitlicr ('"iiiiilri'-H, I'lu \ \<iiulii iiiit have to tniM'l
out of tlic Itntisli Kiii|iiri' to liixl "Ui tliat wo are
not a })ri\'ilegi><l elartM, ami that in niany lliilinh
lolniiii s ^»l•v^'l!^l other Iaii)/imj{«'« are Mpnkrii iH'nidvH
tin- iilidin of Shakr.s|ii'(ir«'. In tlii! Wimlwanl
i-'hinilH 1Im\' will liml the i'nnrli biws an<l tin'
I'l-fid'h lanu'.ajbfo iicfi [>l<'il mill uhi'iI. In MaiiriliuK
l''ii'ni'li Ih .s|iul(i'n in tlif Lt i.'i>laiivi' ( 'oriinil, iinil
hiNt year a prninmition wns iiia<lr to int r<Mln>-(' it in
the liiM' coiirts. anil no niic M|(|io»r.l it. 1 may hftc
(|Uotc a rt'inark wliicii Wiis ni.iih'in that .\.shcimIiIv,
an I wliirh will rt'ccive il.s applinition in tlif Norlli
VN'fMl, if the Iviual RiuhtiiM havi; their own way.
ihu' of the hpi'akeiM in tht- Mauritin-* AHscnilily
n.iiil that a man corning' out of eourl hml re
inarki'il : "I Iimm- la-en accn«i-il antl coU'lenMie'l.
anil I ilo not know what for." Coiiiinj,' l>aik
to tile Uritish colonieH I liml also that l''i-eneh
wai* introductMl in the .NeychellcH IhImkIw.
l^(!t UH i-ohU' nearer' Kn^ilaml. Tin; Kducation
Connni.vi^ioH of I.SS(»-7'^. in tln-ii linal rvjiort. way. in
reyaril to the "leniaiKN from W'ale.s, that the Welsh
laui,'Uiii.'e .shonlft he nseil in the »eh<M>ls of Wales :
" It \» felt lliiit llicy shdiiM lie iillo«(<ii|(p tiiki' Up \Vel!<h
11" II spi'citie sdlijcci rceiiKiiijcd in ilie I'ciie : In ii(li>|if an
ii))ti(timl yclu'iiie tor F,iiKli.<li lis ii clii'S .nnhjcot .-iiiliilije to
I ho .'•fecial iiecils of Welsh •lislriet.-. such scIhmiu' I'eiiijr
t'oiiii'liMl on (III' piinei|>li' of siiloliliiliiii; ii u aliiiiteil
".v.-liMM of lv.iii«l.'itiiiii li-ciiii WeNh til Iliiirli.-h fur the
iirex'iit ri'fiiiirciiiiMM-* in KiiL'liMJi ifniiiiiimr ; lo iciicli
Wel.-li nli'iiir wiiii KiikIIsIi ii ~ a cjii'^.'- -uliiecl ; iiiiil t;)
iiii'liic|t> Welsh jiiiMii(f,lhe humuiiires in which cinhliilates
fur QiU'cii's schiilurshipH iiiel tor oertlicatci of ir.crit iiniy
he e.viiiniiieil.'"
Witli refereme to .Scotlaml, the same (ommisHion
ers say :
" In districts where O.Tclic is sjiokcti the iiiti'llijrciice of
the chihireii cximiiiieil iiiiiloi any piiriiKrii|ih of tliis
iirliclu may he lesteil hy rciiuiriiiK thi'iii to explain in
tiaclie ilio meaning uf any piisxiiKes ru.iil or rei-ituil."
In Inditi. according to the Proi/rc'ss Report, India,
ISS'2-.'{, the native laws and language! arc rccog-
iii.sod as follows : -
"1. //(("*. — 'liic niitivps of Iinlia, Iliiiilii, ]Miihaiini)e<lan
or other, arc iiineiiiiblc, so fur as rcBiirds succession,
inhcriliiiice, niinriiiK«, caste, or reliirioiis umaros, each
class Ic their own liiw. except when iiio'litieil \>\ e.xprcss
eiiactment." (ProKresH Kep. (Indiiil ls>i2-;i. p. VK)
" 2. I.iiiiiiuiiiir Iti ifif' ('(iiirii. — III the Pinijal), iTflii and
Ilindiislani iirc tlic olliiMiil ItiiiKuiKfes of the courlt. (Pro-
gress ]>i\>.. lMHi;.:j, |,. ■^•yi.)
" III the native luiiior courts the native laiiKuiiKcs tiro
i'pol<en.
" .'i. Srhfioh.— In the (lovoriinirnf schools of Hie Punjab,
Urdu and llin<rustaiii arc the langiiaKes in v hioli the iii-
hlriiciion is (riven.
'' 4. Li' riiliii-i. — In ISHli the rcirister of pul.lic.itinnF for
Itrilisli Indiii -llo^^cll s.STT liooks iind miKruziiiev imhlished
within the jeiir : of these more I hau niae-teiilhs were in
vernncutar laiufuiiifes."
In Hidigolatel edu<;ation is eoin|uilsorv. The cliil-
divii, iiHistly of Kiisiaii origin and speaking tlnur
own laiii,'tiai.'e, ate taught Knglish and (ieriiian in
addition to tin; iMiglish. In Malta Italian is the
olHeial language of eoiirts and doeiiineiits. In the
Cape of (lood Hope, in the Session of ISSS. it was
resolved that the notices of nuition and orders of
the diif' and all hills submitted to the Cotnicil he
})i iiited in the Dutch as well as the Knglish lan-
guage, and this resf)lution was carried hy twelve to
seven, .Mid the Finance ('oinmittee asked to have a
sum of money })laced in the Estimates for this
purpose, whicii was done. And in 1884 an Act
w'iiH iMiNHcd under whic^h judges may, and < '
judicial otficct's shall, allow the use of eithe '
Dutch or the i'ln^lish lungiiagi; in coin ts of jii i;,,
and ilivi«<ioiiiil eouu' ils rif a ci-rtaiu niiiiil»
I voterH I'ould n.-^k lo lui\c' siinnnonses and nc.i,
issued in Dutch. 1 hIiiiII have occasion
I put liefoie the flouse, in a nionn^nt, the opin .
I of a gentleman who visited Canada not i..|i
I ago, OIK* of the most prominent men
: Kngland, and a m'cII known wrRer, who dc >
I a eoin|tarisoii tlien Ixtween the ('a]ie of (•.■..!
! Ilopi' and < 'aiiadu, wliieli he concluded li\ sav'u.
th.il t lie people rif tlitsc iwo colonies are tin la,-:
land liest specimens of jiritish conservatism u 1 <■■■
; still exists, and that these i;oloiiies M'ere kept >;
I to K.nglaiid l>y the generous and liheral tt,..i
I inent which they received af the hands of |i,,
llinpeiiiil <ii>\ei miient. F refer to Sir ('h.rii
j Dilke. 'I'he dehal I' on this suhject has consider; 1,1'
iwidetied.t My hon. friend who jiroposed -'m
measure, and those w do support it, felt tli.in
I s(dve» eoiupilled to setk other reasons heyoiid ii,.
I practical question to whicli they Mould like li n
iluce it ; and in their searcii for iicasons they «• la
to foreign countries. Ihit in their .searcli il
I were eiiually unfortunate. For wliat do we liai
'!"ak«! Austrn- Hungary, we find that L(ads Li ^^ i
in his history of Austro- Hungary, .says*
' " The Universities of Vie mi II, (Jriitj! InnHhrui'k aii'' • •
noyic teach in Iteriiiiin. Th'" f'liekh Universities Icac ■
I ("hockh. The Cracow t'oiwrsity teaches in Polish. I
Universities ot lavow in Polisli and Hiitli<'iiian. il,
\ rnivursities cf Hmia-Pc'-th and Uolosov.ir tcacK
MaBViir. 'I'lie University of /atrrcb teaches in Ureal r
" The University of Priijiiie. wtiich was first I,atii. 'i
then ( I or in a II, his recent In henn divided into two 111:1 \
.lilies, one teailiiiiir in (icrinaii, tlic other in t'liekli. 'i'
lliniKtirian toiiKnc."
I Article Id of the Fundamental Law |iroiiiulgatc<i i:.
IXtiT undor the authority of Count Jk'ust, is a-
ffdlows : -
1 " All the racc<i of the Krapire urn on a footiiig of i>ipi:.l-
! ity and cich mie of the nations severally has a riu'l
1 that the iijviolatiility of its nati nialit.x iiml its laic.M il''
shall lie scciirivl. The oijiiality of all liiiiKuaijtc.*iisi"i a,
I the Km pi re for the jiiirpose.sof adiaiiiistnilion forsclioiil,-.
i and for public lilc, is recotrnisj'd by the Staie."
I \'aml)ery, in his History of Austria, says :
I " In lS."iO a most iinnortant (amices- iou was maih; Iiv ilii
Imperial (!ovi'!iiuicnt to the spirit at' nationiilify. I'vn
; uiinistcriiil order, the lariKiiaif ' used in the hi(rlicr ^a li 'i-
was, for llio fuliirc, to be reaulated accordlnir toi'ii' ri
ciinistiiiiccs ol nationality, the picilcminance of (Icriii >.
beiin; thcrdiv aboliFhcd. In the saiiic yiir was i-^'a 1
' what was known us the Prole?lan( I'liteiit, which p-i-ma c
, to the commune!" tlie frei' ailtnini.^tration of ihi ii aui,
I ohicationiil and roliRioiis matters." '
i These examjiles show that the countries wliic!
' have hecn wi.sely guided li_\ tlic nt^cessities c; tia
iliH'erent nationalities comprising them aic ili"
I whose vitality i» the most pi-onoi;nced if. i^
! orilcr to make a nation threat , its people shoiiM
i speak hut the o!ie language, could it not heaiL'H"!
that there shouhl he in tin- wliole world hu.' i"'
j l.inguage in order to make it peifci't. If th. ■ • '^
j to he a.ssimilatioii, let there he assiniilati'iii
I over the world ; let there he hut one lair i.c."
I all over the worhl. If that is necessiiry fm •
! nation, it is etjually neoeHsary for the whole \m '!■!
That is the view held hy .SocialiKts, Tli(\> ^'iv
I there sIkuiUI he no differeiu^es, no classc, tii n
: every citizt;n in the world should he treated as In
I neighbor is, ami that ('hristian fraternity sle 1'''
: he ))Ut in practice, in polities and in the admiiii>-
I tration of the material and moral afl'ttirs of tic
u
.•m
|lli'. Tlli'y li'>lll tllllt lill llll-ll hIiiiiiIiI lit i;i|\iuI
:; riiik, ill |)ri\'iK>{('M, in li^lit, iiml in cvi'iy ihmhj
i.lc Wiiy. 'riiiH itt cuiiiiiiiiiiixiii, nviliriili<iiii hihI
.'I'liiiigMgiHiii. (I inust May tlml in iiH lii^ii-al ctiii
|ii«'iit'» H Mi«! Hill wv ilis( iiM« lias (liiit ii iiili'iny . I
I 111! lion, nu'iiilitifni Niiilli Sjiii'ov (Mr. MiCirtlc, , !
li I' M.r;;m'tl a^iiiii.il tin- jirii|ii icty of allnw in;,' tin' I
I'l.ncli liiiintiiif,'!' to 111' u.-^ril ill till' N'm-ili Went. ;
.n ilic xi'iiiiii<l tllllt lit tlie tinu' nt llic rrsHion |
,,' I imaila no HUfh law wan inscrtt'il in tlu- uitic-li.'s |
i| i-ii|iitiiliiti<>n, that it WiiH not inxiM'd'il in tin-
I laty of I7<(>t. linil that it >\aH iinl in tiic <,)i|i-
li,'- Act of 1774, or in tin- . Vdun iiii.'i'on;itiliitioiiiil
.i\(iiinnoiit to Ctiiunhi in I7!'l. I -ny tliiit is no i
I i,MliH;nt. If it was lint (hi'ii rnarti'.l, tile rcisnii is I
I liw ; tlicif was a tacit iiinh'i^lijiiliii'.' l!iat iIm i i;{ht |
lit ilio )i( i>|il«- to tJD'ir laiij^Mu^i' hIiouIiI Im' i'<'s|)i'i't( ti,
liiii my lion. fricii'l han ^oiii- fiirthri, ainl ha-itaiil:
Oh, in a ii"\v I'ounliy, vvhcix' id'opic aii; Ixv'iii'iinw 1
til i.'oloiiiHu aii'l Metth>, it \» wroii;; in |irin<'i|ih' and ii |
i.i ,1 wroiim)oliiy to iiorniit liilli ren uih of hiii;,'iiii(;( . I
Itui thi'tt! 18 no (liliiTi'iici' Iwtwiifii thi- two ra.s»- .. I
In tliconi' raHc, yon iiml tiic ptojilc in ,i riiiii|nt'it'c|
."•aiitry aitiu'hcil to tin-ii' nwn I'ln^iiiiu"', ami ymi all
.illiiW tin-Ill tn spfiik it : in the ullu i' ciisi-, \oii art' I
!ihkinjn)co|)U' to foiin- finni all jiartrt of the worlil
;ii sit'ilf in your cniinti-y ; is it not a \v\av |Kiliiy
til a.-isiiii! them that wliiii tlicy arrive lure, llioy
will timl th<i law.s of tlm <,-()iintry pi'oinn'^ati'il
at li'iirtt in H laii^jiiage (lu'V fan winh iKtainl.
'I'liis has lieen the wi-n' [lolji y folloucd in Mii^rlanii. 1
I' IS tni(!. liowcsi'f. till' Kt|iml Ki^htiTs in this i
(iiintry have iiinl aiiti'slors in i:ni,'laiii|. Tlir
S.'licitoi (ieiicral in luiir'ainl. in the diliali (111 the
All of \'~l, s|)eaks of a Canaili.iii (liaiid .Inivi
>\lioHonu' years lu'fore had returned an iiidii ' iiient
against all the Komaii ( atholii suf theeoimtry. I»iit
Sir, [ repeat, it here : the iSritish statehinen have
fr.iiiu'.d a geTu'rons and lilteral poliey for the early
;^n\cninieiit of this eiiimtry, a poliey Whieli has
.liived this eolony im- luiiiland instead of sindini:
it ii\er to the " Stars and Stripes,' or of ''U-atiii^ a
Hi.rt of Ireland here ill America. In presence <>f
tin nolile conduit of these statesiiii;n 1 say that
lie uolicy to foster I'elijjions strife or race aniiiio
wiics, whether eoinin^' from a t^iieliee " Nation-
(ilist " or a 'I'oroiito " Kijiial I'ijihter " is t!»e
greatest eneniy of !>riti.sli rule in ( 'aiwida. More
lliii'i one hundred years ago, when the Kurdish
I'll' Hanienl was inetint; out its (irsi ineasure <if
JK-ncc to the I'reneli Canadians, in I774, an
I'ji.dish st.itcsiiian, di lending the (^liieliee Act,
said ti'at n<) address or (do(|uenee :
" Will silCPCOil in iniliieiiiR ii polislii'd asscinlily of mon
I'l iil'ipl the Imrliiiroas |iriiu;i|i|c ilml lla- iiiuinciii a imhi-
1(11. -t in iibtiiiiuMl, it iMiiisis\> will) liieimnity. it eoii-ists
wiill wisilniii. it iiani'isis with cdaiiaon linne^ty to lake
■nviyiillllie liiw-i i>l lie' ciumncrcd ininii ry. inil imovl-
I -I'Cfiiilly ihnt iHirlioii of the laws wlilcji reaalateil the
|iiip,'i>(Mlin(i|[.-- (»l tlie iiiiiahiliiiits in civil laattev.-. S|)o;ikiiiK
ill dip riKhts (>f (^diHiue-it. (Jnitiiis liier tLcse wunls: t'tna
I. "III. imii'i-iuiii rnlii iiifiitiir I'lia'/ni ilh'i jiuM'-iiiit '•trrn
■ • lirif!<itiiii it inililiitii', Hiiiv h iji K, ■niiiiiii niiirri it iiiiiiiiK'
liti'im. Since nil iiutlmrity is snatclu'il fVoiii the con-
'iii'Tfd, leave to •liciii their. iwii laws, their own casldiua
Hii'l aianistriites which are of ailvantiiKe regardiniiiaivatu
;iii I (lublic matter?."
These are the nioderateil ideas of coii(|Ucst. Sucli
li.i.s lie.en the practice of nations hetweeii i no
aiiother. Is it not extraordinary that, aft' r one
luiudred years, that cidehrated dehate tan he quoted
ill a (.'anadian Assendily in a most a)i|)i(ipiiatc niaii-
Jicr, I'rejudices from past ages still linger in tiiis
fiiif land of AmcHcn, hut I hope that tin' vast
majority of t he citiy.i n.s of ( 'anada \\ ill slniiip them
out. will piefer pein-e and plo.-peritv to rell^jfinliH
aiid race strife, will lea\c to liine the .sett leiiu nt
of passing diihciiltieH. I confess that the fate nf
the l''reiicli langinigc is in your hands ; yon can
crti~h it out of ollictal life, lait I am Hiire that if
the people of t anada rhse. through tlieii represi nta-
tives, in their po«i-r and stif'iiglh, it will lie In
aiwert, after tlut Ihitisji I'arlianient, that riiflit
Htaiids in their estiiii.iiion far alio\i' might. Ilow
ditreii ntly inspired W.t* Lonl Dutlerin when he had
occasion III liielltiiin the h'telleh ('iiiadiaii l ac. .iiiij
its laiigiiau'c. Speaking, at tln'iimitef hisadndii
ixtiatioii in (anada. at the Canadian ( liili in
London, in iMT-'i, that distinguished Coxenior
( leiieral said :
" 1 ma> lie liemiittcil ta reiieirk nil the extriHinlienry
iihility iiinl imi'Iliuetiee with which the Freiieli iKir.imi
nf Her iM.ije-!y'-< siiliieets in Ciniiihi j'lin with tlieir
hrilish lellow i'lii'iitryiiieii in wnrkiiiii and i|evelii|i|ni;
the I'liti.iti: a imial |ii ivile;/es wi'h wlinli Mliaiiki' In llie
iiiiii.iliie lliey were ihe liisf 1(1 iiike) their eeiiniry has
heeii eielnweil. Our rrciicli lellnw -eniiMtrvnien are, in
tile, inure i.iirii iiaeiiliiiy than Mie Miiiill-h llieliiM'lvi'.s,
Hiiiliiillie \ irinas tiirtiiiie< nl llic ei.liiiij , there Icivi:
never heeil Winilimr Kreiieli -ilaieyiiien ul eiiiiiieiice In
id.iiiii an ei|iiiil .-liare with their Kntisli e<i|le:n.'iics
ill shaiiiiiit the his!(ir.\ el I lie IliiiiiiniiHi. Wlnil-
evov may lai the cise il.-iewliere, in ('iiii.nlii, at all
nvt'iils, iIk^ Freiieli race liii^ le.iriieil ihe (rulileii rule and
the iieee,...ii V ul nrri\ inir iii iir.'ulie il lesnll-liv the (iiea-
siiiliiil siienliee nl lairieul >^ iniiietiy iiliil tn the seitli meiit
(itilis| lilies, ill the s|iii il nl'ii (ielieiHi.- I'niinniiiiiise. 'I'lie
s|ieeliiele I'l' twn |ie<i|i|i'.-, I'nniieii I'lom iiiitinliiililies -11
di\ei>e, |iiiUiiiir Inrlli all da ir sireiiuth. in ueiiemus
riv.ilry nl e.ieli nilier, In |irn\e ilieir ln>alfy !n il|i'lr
C^iieiMi ami In ilie (in\ eriiiiieiil , iiimI l.il>nriiiL' with enii-
cirieil iiciidii .'iml ill iiirleei li.ii in"ii> I ir the wiil . r ijieir
ciiiiiiiinii en II 11 try, wiil reiiwiiii mie ol the iiin^t rein iikalih!
anil iileiisiiit.' lacls in the liislnrv nf rlie wnrld, while also
it will lestit'y Id the )iiiliti 'ill wisiliiiii and llie iiiaifii.iiii-
liidii> >eiiiinieii|i which iiervaile iil|(l|e laeiiiliers nf llm
Kreiit t'liiiadiiiii t'aniily.'
And in Montreal in 1S7'_*, .it the iiiaiignratinii of
the l^nceii's staluc, on \'i(.li'tia Si|uare. Lord |)nf
fefin, spiakiiij. of the iiiiii'iiity in this I Kaninicii,
said :
'■ IJravc and luilile race, whieli was the firijl In iiirnril
Kiirn|»L' the aieiiiis nt liriniriiiir i ivili.-atidii tn the (.'mili-
neiii. (it AiiieruM, race valiiriiMs iiiiil Icinly, wlin-e
piniieerx. in the inter!. ir nf Oiis (••iiiiineiil. irave .«i'd|i« in
I llie ili(lii.<iry nl Ivirnpe III lake rndi iin! iinly nii the Ijaiik.s
' nf the St. liawieiice, hat alsn in the, Ivrdle valleys nl iho
I tlhid ami of the Mississippi."
I I could eoiitiiiue liiesc i|i|i)taliiiiis. hut I will ii"t
I take up the lime of the Ijousi' fiirlhei liy leading
jthein. Sir. I ask mysell. what credit, what glory
I dues the hoil. gi'litleni.in lliillk he will get ill
I era.sing from the pages of the Statute three inof
1 fensive line.- which, when erased, will not add an
, iota to the piwcr, the .siieeess. the sufifemaey of
i Ids race in the North We.st, whilst, as he well
' knows, it will he ••onsidered as an uiiiirovohed
' insult, as an attempt at oppte.ssion hy tlio.se against
iwiiiim his action is direi'teij. No, Sir. the great
I legislators of the world -and my Imn. and
learned friend is well gifled enough to justify his
I aiiiliitioli to he one of them the great legislators
i of the world have not gained thcii fame liy such
narruw legislation. They have added to the code
: of humanity eiiaeinients in the seii.se of proti^ction
for the weak, of peaceful progress, of enhirged
civilisation in i word, they have added to the
true " unity and eoniity " of nations.
" \ wi«e priiier." sav? Piiirkc "shdiild !>Uit\\ the treiiius
oflhi nalioii 111- is ealli'il In rule; lie must iiu; cdatrailict
them in their (;uaidiuti nor take away their pnviloijcs, but
I
ill' iniixtiirt ai'(uir>liiiv In iIh' '•irf'iiini'finiPPH In wliicli he
liiiil- tlu' fxisiiinf Uiivi'iiiiiH'iif. Ii in |i-h l>y (orror limn
In liiv"' iiml oiiiliiliMii'"', Kiiy.x Miinl''Miiii"u, iliiit in<Mi iiri'
i.Mvcriiri|, iiikI ii nl)Mi|iilc (piTtVi'iiiiii in iniiKrr nl' ••nviri.-
nii'iii is ii invili, it in a liifi iliiit the tM'-t ii* ilic- »!ii\<'rn-
ini)Ml wliii'li ii(tii|i!s il^'i'll' iiiii.«t iln.itw I" lliK oliiiiMic, to
ilio clmi.ioUT, tUi' wmgi'K, tliu Intl)!!!", lli>' i>ri'ju(lifi;» uv«n
■ if till' i'oiiiitry."
'I'ln' iii)liH|)iititiilo oviili'iici.' iif piinl iii^lui'v liiiK
Inii;,' (Icliumlliltcd tllf tliltl) <if itni-i' old l)\lt wImi'
a|iliiiriMiiis. All liDii. iiiL'tiiliiM' I lliiiik tl.c linn,
iin-mlrtir for Nnrtli N'mfnlk (Mr. ('Iiiirltoni IniM
i(iii>ti''l tin- ('Viiiii|il>' of Kdiiu', luiL, if wi' ^o luuk
t 1 iiii.iilit lll.stnrv. wli.il iIm Wh see? W'lr him; nvi>
),'liat IHiWfin iU'i'Ml'iiili;.' Ill the iHinks n't lllf r'll-
l';:i'.-. wliii!) I siipportt: uvi'iy ''lit! tif yiiii li;i« n'lul
iiii.l tiiui iku'il twii j^ri'iit iiiliuiiH Wiiif iiiii;i iiiii
j.iiiiihM ihf iitlu-r foi' till- .su)ii(;iii.i'y «>f tlu- worlii
Cartlia^'c iiinl Koino. It wo looK at llii! lioliiy
(if tlui.si! two groat citivH whii'ii fomuiid
two giviit iiiitioiiH, we tiiiil tliiit I lie \<>n
of Cartliajio wan Itrniijilit alimit in ^fi
uiuiisiiro l»y till' hostility .wliioli it ilovclni
to till- iiations it hail siili'liicil I)y its ni'iiin
Ju .■>icil\ , whfii' iiii|i«ii t.iut ( Irt'ok MfttkiiuiilN ImiI
iailtii into its piiu'if, .1 rr;.;nlai' puisj-ontion- was
orj^uniscil iii^aiiisi ihi' liiiii;\ini,'i', tlu^ ciisloiiis.
the ojiinioiis of tlii' i.(ini|ni!rc(l. It Hucti'oilcd
ill making of them iiruiinu^ilalilo cnmiiii s
wiio totif agiiiiiHt it at the lunir of flanger. Honu'.
on tho rontrary. cmutfil tlu' >yin|iii.thi» w of ihf
(Iri'f!;s wliorii sliu hail i.'()ii.|iii'ivil. Slic i'iuour.;;i(l
tiie stuily of thi'ii lan^na^c : slie jiic-ci \ cil thoii'
laws, rcsfXM'tcd thiir rnsioni.-*, their rtlivion, thcii
Hi'hool-'. TliL' riHiili of tilt' two jMiliricN is writtfii
in history. I'arihagc wan ilestroyod, when t.'vi'ry
tliiiiy seemed lo promise her siu'<'e8« and doinin,'-
tioii. l-lome ga\e to her litizens the freedom of
the world and to her name an everlastiii.tr >;'I<iry.
\\ liat Carthaye did, the Ni.rmanN atteiiijiteil in
l'!ni,dand after the cfiiujiiest. There a^^ain the |)er
seuut ion saw the viitiiin virtorious in the long
struifgie. iind Knylaiid was founded, to eontimie the
traditions, the >>ueee-«M and the i^luiy of tin; Kniiaii
Ijnpiie. If the proud and mai.;ie "(!ivi.s Sum
Ki'iuanus " has had a rival in the tali.snianie " 1
am a Uritirtli .siiUjeet," it in due, in a ;,'reat meas-
ure, to the liheral and generous poliey of Kng-
land, more than to the fear of her military power,
'i'he founder of the < iermaii lOmpiie, I'rederiek
the <iii;at. understood the advantaueM NN'hieh tin
eonservatiee priiiei|)les of ilie Oatnolit; I'cligi'.ii
eould '4ive l:im in thi; ('atholic ])ro\ iiii-es wlii> h
he had subdued. He proteetod hi.s new .-suhjeets
ill sjjite of tlie narrow-minded advis< rs who jire-
dieted that the (Miurt of Vienna «uuld he served,
in ita intrigues, hy the jirotei^tion gi^•en to the
Catholie's of Sil(;sia. The great emporoi' took no
heed of those .'^hort-Highted eounsels. In one of
hi.-s lelttMS I read these niemmalih; words:
" Kmp<;ror do.seph eoiitinues hi.s \v oi k of seunlar-
iiation without interruption. Here everyhody
remains .is he whm. I riMpoet the rights of j)o.ss»>s-
sion, upon vvhieli .soeit;ty is founded." And his
( atholie provinee.s of Silesia, remaiiK-d faithful to
him. Kxaniples of tlu; saiui; kind are to he found
in the history of all the great nations of Kiirope.
where union began under the warm and henetieial
iidluenci; of generosity and forltearanee, leaving
to the ai'tion of time the woik of hlen'iing
together nationalities and luuguagea in the direc-
tion of perfect homogeneity. The great nuusters
in politieul wieini', the foiuelerN of viiht and |.,
maiient empireh, wore alwtve the pi< jtnlin
elasH. iietd (U iiiee. Their windom eiiaeteil r
great JiiM (.'- w^(//«, whieh in mo, an Montexi|'
oliserxeM, tliat "vietory leiueB to the eomn i ;
iiatioim, liesides life, those great things, lilui j .
laws, pniiierty. and religion always, when one i n,,'
Mind, vi.iunl:irily."' I inijjhl ijiioie again, il I .,,,
not feai to wearv the patieme .f ( he IIoum', the ■ ■.
uiitlioruy that I i,noti d a moment ago, toemii •
my assertion, that (Weat IJritain iieled wisiv,
grnniing those liberties and |iriviloj,'es to Can
and that (aiiudiuns meiited siieh ii libeial t
Hunt at the hands of ihe mother eountry. I
nutferiii. in his reeeption at Windsor, Oiitaii ., ,
the liMh .Viimist, |.S74, spolvc as follows:
" Ihil it ic mil nwrely on thii> ifreuinl tlnit wn iin i,
oliliiriilimi til till- Krcneli riiiuiiliiin ruM'. It inn><l nn i,
loru'iitlcir tlia' it i!< 111 ito Ii)l'tiiic)iji (it s|iiril, lo im \.,\.
iiliiTtv, iiMil III ity ia."l Hplireciiiliiiii el' ilie i-ivii i!
i-iiiitaini'il ill ^'iiriii ill the eiin^iitiiiion urlKinally ki:i:
liV Kilj:l;ilid t"i <\i i,|,|;i, tliaf we ewe Ilie iU'\eli"i|pnii'
tliisi |i:iriiiniietiia v uiniiiininy nt which thi; nalim :
jii-.flv iirmiil : aid 1 eiin li-.-iiMT vdu iliil. in fhe ,.
an Ivurlishiiiiiti, there iirc few iliiiins inure delit'h
elisi'iM' than the 'liiriiih . (he niiiihTiitinii. and the i
'•_»! iMi.'liilllv, uilli whii'li liie Frciieh slafcHiii' ■
CauMil I uiil ihi'ir Ki.aiisli r illiiiiracs in aii)il.\iii(i :i. ' ■■
imltiiiL' iiilii iielive e|ii'iatinii ilic.-e Knonl |inneijih' •■ i .
Mini 111 I'liiistitiirKiiuil liriciiee, wliii'h are 1 hu i(iiii;.l.i
of tin; tree giiveriiiiieiit nl iliici'iiiinl ry."
After siieh high tributes given t.i our nation ;
I w.i.s KUipri.sed, Mr. Speaker, and I was mIk.i
when I hi;ard the lion, member lor \oitii Nor 1
(Mr. I'harllon) using the following language ;
V?" Il' the liiynli>- nf iho ('iin.Mliiiii hislKips in rile
the otTur el' diu Alnerienns tn juin in liie in-iirri'. i'^
;i(raiiist Knirlaeil, I liii\e my ileiilit.s ahoiii it; I .iiiili-
Ixi^i'H to helii ve llml tliey thru i,licyei| llie ilicl.,; i,
01 tilt ir own inl<'re>-ts. (■.(Iio iiileresi... i,l their ilee.!'
inorft lliaii lo the true' ilii|iiil.su ul' patriot ism and ioy.il!*.
The member for Norfolk w ill allow ino to tell im,
he must huve icid in very strange books tlu -.
tory of oiir country, oi- he mn.st Inne dr.loi^
enijioisoned sources his ins])irations, witii i ■
gaid to till' great factors of our mvtionnii;;. .
to have been guilty of such ii cruel annchron; -e
W hy. Mr. S|Kaker. leaving the largest |m.
sible margin foi' the sliorteomings, nay. ih'
faults of a -pan ol our clergy and I am n •'
to admit that such a iiiiirgin can be made use "I i
athriii, withoiii l.-ar of coni radiction. that im t • ■
admirable and uninterrupted smcession and ii i:
lion of loyalty and ilevolicii to the liritish ( V m
can be traced than to the hi.strry of the II ■ ■!
Catholic l''piseopaey of Lower ('anadii. I -■
hoping that my words are not unparliamei i t
ihat no more unile.scrved, no inoie unwari;i '■
slander was ever written than thi page of "i
//(iiiitini wiiere those unfortunate utterances oi il'
lion. memVicr for Norfolk are recorded. I)isl( .
and selfish, the bishops of t^hiebce I W ho n ti -
and repudiated the teinj)ting ottci?, not ol li
Americans alone, but of the; French generals \y\f»'
the Catholic King of France had sent to assist ('■
thirteen colonies in their rebellion against Kiil'I i '
Wm.- he disloyal, Mr. .Speaker, the eminent .\b !
|)olitan of (,>ucbei', who ordered aTh,iMk.sgi\ iii.'^ '■
to be i)bserved,a.soleinn T'' I)<inii to be .sung in ■• ■' ' '
of the \ictory of 'i^rafalgar, won by Xelsmi ■ i
the l'"reiieh forces, and who, in his pastoial I' :
speaking of the reverse of the French arnl^ '"
this :
" Wlnil enlttuiitic!* would have happened to us if tlnv
(the FreucLincn) had seized llis Majesty's posses.^ion'^
/ rii.iil.rnltiH hiinnninprcp.nhut thn irnton to Iiiii wohIH),
i I 'It iliiniiii'licil Mit' iiD'iiiix til clu'ck tlicir riiimtuty iiinl
l.i'ii' Hpiril "t'lliiiiiiimiiuii,"
^^.lH ho ili.Mloyitl M lifii lie orduruil hiri priiMtM t.,
,iili tliiir |>iiri«liiitniT.s ifiiitttiiilfiiiiil tiili'lily 1" lli<i
' Kiwii. W'lin 111- i1ih1iiv.i1 mill Mfllifili till' in.lilc pi u-si
lii> )ii'cut'h(!(l the xi'i'iiiiiii oil t Ir' 'riiiiiiks^iv iii^ I lav
i.)iiiiiitt<l liy till' ^l^ll<)Jl, mill wli.i I !in.<t for Imh
I'aI iIu; NiKilJIiriiiit w ( tills " J >i.i-t 1 1-" hi. I /hiiiiiiii
,./<■<*> Iiiiiiiinitii." "It u tliy liiuitl, O l.nnl.
t struck thi; enemy." A>liliii).' tliim- worii* :
Miici" it not coi'iii to vi>ii a i-nii'l tlilnii (i) iMJI ' III) cii-
' i.\ ' II I'uiiiitry to wliiult iIiIm cilntiy owi'm its oriirin, ii
' iii'iii wliKili wii.-f ■"> l(,Mif iini'i'il h' iiH liv llii' Htnmvt iii'<
! .Mi't', of lricii(islii|(, i.r l.iiiiriiHtfn, lit' ri'iiifinii ; » ruunl ry
III! Iill.x Kivi'll 1,^ liillii'r.", |ilo.irUir!>, piliitnr", huiiIi'Ih lit'
II \ iiMU'd, licliivcl ."iivnri'iifiiy. wtiiici) wisi' iiml uiiiilKriifc
. 'MTiiiiiftil iiiiiilo w liii|iiiy, wliil.si ilii-y »Ii'<itv<)iI mir
'i' '•tjoiii' mill Kruiltiiilc."
\\ ho, iiftof iiietitiuiiiiig lliugoinjiiwity of till' Kiiitr,
• •. I'',iii;iaiiil iiildu :
Wliiit rftiirii mill'' you iriw lor .«! iiiiiny tavor.*'.' .A
' i< iri'liiiK ol tlniiiktiiliii'Ks towiii'l!! (ii't'.'ii Iti'iiiiiii, II
i.ici'o (Itriirx (o rt'iiiiilii tiiiiliT III. 11 iirolci': ii>ri, i lull
■ ivii'lioii tliiit our iii!(ri>!s ni" iK-iicinIci t oi' tlic
, iliiT coiiiiiry, iiii'l that mir li ipiiiiii'siji in iiili'rwo\fi)
.<iili ihiil of tilt! Kiiipirc."
All' tlic.>«' tlio wonls of ilisli.yiil iin'ii V Ami can u
i: 111 III liis seiiHCH flail lui mxcu.hc fur Hiiylii^ that
i|h.~c li>V"l ll|)|H*alH Willi; not .sillflTC ? 'I lull llnlilr
iiii-it., \Ii. Spiriiker, l)i;i;;iiiu', very kimhi nfliT, ii
,' l.itL'of our I'liiiitli, ilLsjiop I'lcsMJ.s, out' of tiic
ii'-t oloiiuc'lit, one of tlic iiio'ii illiiwliioiis, oiif of
.1 most lo\al Itisliops of till- I'mviiui; of l^fiu'lujc,
. Iiifoiiglit for the ri>5lit.saiiil lilit:i licNof lii.M;oiii'tiy
I II. and who wah afUM-wards fnvoicd witii ;lu'
ii'iidwliij) of iht! lirst stati'.siiiaii in Kii^limd. and
!m I ii'i'i'i vud from ihis liritisli Ciou ii iiii ai'kiMiw
I' ;iiii'iit of till- .Hi-rvin'H that he liiid roiiih ri-il,
I'll to hi.s fellow roimtryiiii'ii and to the Uritish
riii|iin'. Wrongly informed hy the liooL.-; he read,
I'l iioii. meiiiher for .North Simeoe said llmt the iii-
-niii I'tion in 1S.S7 was a war of niee.s and not the
i>;^(dt of ini.sgovirniiienl. I am at ii lou.s to kno\t
ii;«hat hook tiie, lion, gcntieiiian lia.s read tli«^
hi-itnry of Canada. FiiNt, he forj^its tliiit the in
■iiiieetion wa.s not limited to Lower 'anada. that
I |i|ii'r Canada had its .share of it ; thei , that .^i \ era!
|ii iiiiinenl Knolishmen of the I'rov inre of i^nehee
1' ■. |)art in till! KelK'llion. l)oe> lie not Know al.so
' • the i)riiuiple>^ upon « Ideli ilie eonstitut loiuil
■ ill' was foiiifht from ITi'l to IM.ST were those foi
'. i.ii li the Kngli.ih had hem fightini; tor more than
I ' 1 iitury — in faet, for the artiek's of the Magna
• ii.iita for the pure, |)roiii)it and inijiiirtial ••■d
iii;iii.stration (if jn.siiee, fortlieeontrol hy the jieople
Hi ilie expendiLiire of jmlilie iiioniy, fortiie rediens
'ir liM'sesand shockiiii; favoiiti.-^m fi oiii the pi'r.soiiai
ohI tyraniiiial ehi- f of the INieiitive. 'ilichon.
'I.I uiher for \oi«th .Simeov;(Mr. MeC.uthyi and hi.-i
ii ii lida- -for, after all, we nniat take them togetiier,
Or. anae they have a plan of oamjiaign, they have
I'liii red upon an agitiUion whieh has been carried
' •ughout the I'onntiy these gentlemen tiuhmit
•i' e rca^onij ill support of the. Hill now hifore the
11' use, 'I'he.se are : First, that th«' N'ortli-West has
'ii i-u rapidly filled liy Anglo ."^axoii iiiiii'igratioii,anil
'lilt the iiuinljer of people .speaking the I'^iiiuh
I'lii'.'.Ui'gi! i.s so .small in the Territories that the
i.'\|M'iiditnre invoheil in the use of a seeond lan-
.;ii.il;i.' in otfiei.'il pioi'et;ding.s is a waste of money.
■'^ei:oiid, a dual language is a Boiiroe of contention
•III. I division, and should n ver be allowed in the
funning of tini eoiiHtitntion of a n<'W emintry.
'Ihird. tile im- of the I iiiieh langnugc wux not
allowod to the (iiM iiilml>ilant lot tin leiuitry lifter
it fell into KiitiMli haiuU ; that it liati always been
I a Hoiiree of divJHioii and diHeord in thin lonntiy,
I that it iti ineon.'-iMtent with Hue itiitisli loy.ilt\ ;
[ and that the himuu'I' it di.sappearrt tlielnttfr. I
hi\e «*nili'uvored to givii anxwerx to tin two
liiMt reimoiiM. Unt let n» fun xijiiaruly the aign-
iiieiit with regard to the 'I". 1 1 itories 't Ii« i|isel\ e-<.
W'li.'t i.>.tlii' rea'ion given for objeeting to tin- dual
language in the North W.^i Te|•ritolll■^ ? I lui
lion, geiitlem.'in has Hiiid llmt the Aet utnendini' the
tint N'orih Weil riri'iloiien Act was pacsed at a
tiliU v^heil th'Te were no peopli- I'n the Tei'ritoi uis
to assent ol eonseiii to it I'.itt the lion, gentli'iiati
should remeiiilM'i that there wana popiilaiion then'
at that time; and they were people wlio, witli
their aniestoLs, had oeitipii-il thr i-ciuutiy for
nearly a eeiiluiv. Tin .Noitli .SaMkatehewim, Lac
a la l-'oiirehe. I'liiii i .Mbert. Kdnionti n anil
Mi.i'leford well' settled. The Ten itoi ies h.td ii
po|iiilati('ii in 1M77, iltlimigli it was iioi ,i teeiiiiii;;;
|)opiiiiitio)i. Anil \» hy was it that tlu Kreiuh
l.iugnage was allowed to tllOM' people '; It WUd lie
'jaiise at that lime the great majority of the peoplu
of tliosi.' Territoi'iijn was I't'eneh. Tinn' li.is pa.ssod,
and the eoitiitry has been i'on<(iiei'ed pi'.n'i'fnlly by
another race. Do holl, gelilleinen ima'.ine that
wi! Freiii'h ( 'airidiiiii." of another l'rii\ iine liiid f nilt
with that result '.' No ; I speak hen- the sen; iim nis
of lil> fi'llow e'liiitllrynieii when 1 say tiuit llie
iii'eati I the ,\ii;:liiSa son iiiuiiigralion is into those
Territories the iietter for the Territories and for
the country at large. 'i'hey have put their
money and their energies into that country.
They have hliruMi theiuscKes good >el tiers, and
they are now a lane niajiiiity in thi.se Territories.
1 am not ^orry of it. 1 speak of it without any fi'il
ing or without any pri jiidiie. A-- 1 luuc state.l on
many oeeasioiis, 1 lia\e in\ited KiiL;lish to be
spoken ill my home, and the pi-aieni that home
has not been disturbed by the ditleri^nee of lan-
guage in our prayers to the .Vlmighty. I do ii.t
envy my mighbor because he suei'CH'ds in the path
of life, with an.itlier laiigiiag", another criM-d than
mine. The sun .'iliines for idl. and I leave hnu hi.s
right as 1 want him to lea-,' me mine. We lind
from the eeiisiis i'"turns, whii'h no one w ill eoii-
tro\"rt, that the Fn nrh aii'i French halt lneed
population in the Tci litories is in ihe jnopoi fimi
of I. 't per cent, thai istosay, that oiieseveni h, or a
little iiioie. of the ponidalion, is I'l' n.h, as to l!ie
laiigimge, in the N'oi tliAN'est Territories. Now. in
tiie I'rovilieii of t.Miebee about one-sl.xth of tliepopii-
latioii is Fiiiglisli, but nobody has ever <!!• amed
of denyiiiL' them the n.se of their l.mguaL'c.
.My lion, friend inaj- say you eould not lake
from thiiti til U.se of tlieir language, becaii-'e
the coiLstiliitioii of the l'io\ince ot (,lueb.'c would
prevent you ; nor (.'ould you do it, in view it the
impoifani e of the AtigloSa.\on race, tleiriiulu.stry,
their energy and the capital they have in the
Province rJf" l.hiebec. I will admit all that, but I
.say, and I si)eak for my countrymen when I say
so', tliat, le.iving those I eason.s aside, and consider-
ing only the )>ai.iniount right ef niiiK.'i ities, it a
niea.'^uie were pro|ii'seil in tlie I'toxiiiri- of t.itiebec
to abolish tlit'ii.M,of the llli'.dish laiii.'Uage, 1 wouhl
be the tii't to den.iunce it and 1 am sine the
ininienne majority of my fellow -countiyineu would
8
il
ilo tho siiiTic. My iMHinorviitivo instini-ts would jiro-
VL'iit nu- from ciiilnrsiii^' .i iimiiosili-.n. wliifli woiiUl
1»', in my fstiiiiaticn, u.>t;ar, unjiiii, <l(iiiiii<,'niri,.
in its toiiiii'ni'ies as is tlic nieu.sure lulvucatttlhy
my lion, friend.
Mr. CH.ARLTON'. I rise to u <iui-stion of
"iilor. An r\|ni's.<i(]n was used l>y the lion. Min
iSU'i-, fiM' ulncii my iioii. fi i'cnd cr. my I'i.ub.t (.Sir
i'.irliaid Cartwrijiiit) vias ruled our of order on a
Indiana, even liy the Anu?ri(.'an (lovern'nent, i
time when their policy toward.s tiie Indians wa-
1 will not say harharous Imt most .severe, mi i
in the North -West the first settlers were French, imi
tile Hudson IJiiy (\>nij)any respected their Tu
guage. and their customs. Why sliould wi n •
treat tiiem as well as -they were treated wi
there was no regular gr)vernm(!nt in tliose 'I'm
toriea? I say tiiat if the mea.sure of my I, ',
friend hecame law, a large portion of the \h>\>:.'i
formuroccasion. 1 di) not i^now if it is proper tiiat i lion \40uhl he without knowledge of tiie 1,
it fhouhl lie alh)wed to l)e used on one side of tlie { tiu-y are sui)posed toohey. And as the LegLsl^iH
Mou.se and not (Ui the other. inis in its iianils the wludeof the municipal goNc
I ment of tiie coinitry, the injustice would lie ii).:
Mr. ("HAI'LKAIJ. I am ready to withdraw it | i.,ue!. If he had' only said: it is useless t!i
for tlie h<m. gentleman, although I must say I was tlio Lcgishiture of the Nortii-West should
not thinking of him at the time.
Mr. McCAKTin'. He was addr.ssiug it with
regaicl to me, and I jircfcr that tlie word should
not he witiulrawn.
Mr. ( 'H A I'LKAU. I was refeiring to the mem- ,
her fur Nortli .Simcoe wlien the mcndier for North '
Norfolk (Mr Charlton) called me to or<ler, and I I
was calling this measure of the meniWei' for North '
.Simcoe (Mr. .McCarthy) a revolutionary measure, 1
a liemau'ogic measure and I do not tliink tiieexpres- j
sion unparliamentary. I say, tiuit if siicli a meas- !
ure wer<i proposed in tiio Province of CJuehec, !
even thougli liie I'aiglish race occupied oidy tlie j
sauus ])ositi()n with legaid to tlie French as tlie ^
I'rciich do with r.'gard to tiie Knglish in tiie Nortli- ,
Wi^st 'I'crritoiies, I'" dd say " no " to sucii a pro-
])osition. [ Would dec .wtiiitiiooiiciisivi; prc.loniin- '
aiue should he given to tiie niajoi-ity in a country
w heie hoth races sliould he iini^ mI. I ask myself
what is tlie oliject to he gai d ]ty tin." measure ;
])ro|)nseiI liy my lion, friend ? Is it to make tlie
meiiihcrs of the Legislatui-e of the Nor'l ii-W'est
s])eak Knglish V Tiiat cannot he tiic ol)j<\'t, he-
eau.se they all sjieak I'.nglisii now , and t understand
there is not a single elected man who is French.
Is it his .ohject to }>reveiit tht^ votes and ilelihcr-
, Flench in their' proceedings, the answer win;! i
I lie the sentimental one that they have, as :;i.
'important minority composed of tlie first setil, : .
of tiie land, a right to speak French in il: :
f.egislatuie. But against that J would li >.
said: Wait for the suli-division of the couii;i\,
when there will likely he three or four Freii'l
speaking niemhers elected to that hody ; tin 11
we would not lia\e to pass Di'aeoiiiaii law.,
lien- to jirevent them having French, liecausc iIm \
would have it. Tlie Kiiglish-speaking peopli'
the Nortli- West would he as courteous to tlirni ,
(lie Fiencii-speaking majority in the I'roviiur ..i
l^nehec have lieen to the iMiglish -speaking miiK.i \:
in that Province ; and we know very well thai ;'
there wet-e French niemhers in tlie North W'l-i
Council it would he allowed to them to .«pr,::>
French. Thei'e will soon lie a very laige (ile:iF,: n
immigration into that counti'y and I hope tii r
will iie, theticrmans make very gooit settlers ,ur
siipposi' tluee or four memliersidecied for the Lc.;-
latiirc were (urnian ; if tiny wanted to speak «i' ;
man, th.ey would have a right to do so. Sir, if you il'
not resjiect the covenants which haveheen entcu
into hetween the two ini[iortant laces in the ))■.,
inioii, to the extent of iiei'iiiitting the laws of li,
1-ind toli<- piihlislied in >he language of the miiioii' .
committing a cruel injustice, ami retaiiiiiv
.. t .< X' .xi v\' J. \ 1 1, 1 ;„ , .;, * 1 you art commuting a crue iniustice, ami retaiiiii
ations of the ^iort!i-\\ est Assemlilv lieing iirinteil ' •', c ,, "^ , •* t» 1 \..-
I,-, 1 ,, ri,, , ., t 1 *■ ," 1 1 1; ,. ♦! „ the pi'OL'ress of tlie countrv. Why Sir, we set'
in French .' I hat cannot lie. tor J lielieve they 1 . ' s r , ,, •' , • , ,• , '
•' tlioiisaiid.s of dollars I'very ye.u' to pulilish paiii).
are, in fact, finly printed in the haiglish language
now, fill' the ohvious reason that tlie mcnil>eis are
all I'aiglisli.
Ml. D.WIN.
in Fi'i ncli.
They never liave In (.'n printed
do
lets for distiihiitioii in I'rance, .Switzeilai .
.\ls;ice- Lorraine and elsew iiere— for what pui'iio . '
To hriiig French ininiigration to Canada, to -.'V
to tho.se people that w lien tin y arrive here tiny
will find the ordinances of the country and m..
' ! of those oniiiKUices refer mainly to local intcp ;
Mi. CI[API^K.\U. My lion, friend fells mo, as and oUjt'cts -and its laws pi'inted in their ^^
a matter of fact, they iie\cr lia\e hecii priiitcid in language. To dejirive them of< this pri\i!i
French, ar.d there is. therefore, no rca.son to make I would lie a gross injustice. IJiit ...y lion, frit nl
a law that tlicv shall m^t he printetl in tfiat Ian- i knew this very well; he knew that if he couhl pre
guage. In the Privy tVuincil at Ottawa our pro- ' vent tin; promulgation and puhlication of the liw ■
ceedings are all in Knglish, and there is no neces- I and ordinances of the \ortli-\\ est in l''rench. in
sity ftir having thei.i printed in Fieiich, not hy , wouhl prevent French immigration into ilin
law, hut for the mere convenience of tlie case, ! country. He knew it, and he did it with tiiai
and nohody comjilains. So it wnuld he in the ohjei't in view ; ho hud the courage to acknowlcdu''
it. I am sorry to say that llie F.ipia' Kighters w ho
Ntirth-West Assemhly. liut, as regards the pi'o-
mulgation of the laws, I appeal to the htiii.
memlier for >>inK()e if it is not nectjssary that a
are acting with the lion, meinher for North iSinni'i
are to hlanie if a war of races is the result of tlici'
huge portion of that ])o[)ulatioii, wdio understands ; agitation ; hut I hope 1 am not mistaken in heiic\
only the French language, are . "titled to know ; ing that many hon. gentlemen, wlio.-e names havv
w hat laws they should ohey and to liave them ' heen connected with those of the hon. nieinhei- fur
printed in their own hmgiiage ■; The French Cana- North Simcoe and the hon. nieinher for North
dians can lay claim to the title of lieing the lirst Xuilnjk, do not ttarry their feelings to that oxtcii!.
settlers of that counti'y, ami thert; is some value in ' know that amongst them there are men who do not
that title. That title has been acknowledged to the j wish anything of that kind to happen, It is vei\
West L
\\ f \\(
•I'.tteil
i; !elat<
.•' itutio
''■u'liau
'lit we
'\ e will
IK'oph'
■'uy u-
: round
'fould t
liack a
si'iitati
lation
I 111 sly V
iiiistali
we ai'(
> tnntr
piihliij
lation
woiih
uliich
u''> inti
*\-td h<
unjust
from
■1 ror-i
htth;
t)[ipo
he pill
electit
into t
contr:
which
his ht
there
Lil
i;iwy to set fii(! to tlii.M very iufliiiiiniivliU- piiMc of
tiiiilKT, ii raco iigitiitioii, iiiic] t.ikc tliat iigit.iriun
a-i a iiR'aiKS to a<.'lii<\(! .success ; Imt I must sa\' that
It tlu'.if is a (.'low for tin; iiniliiriun of a jnililic uuiii,
it shdiiM not l)r ji glow coiiiiiiy from llie )irf8 of
|i:v|ii(licii and iia^sion \vlii( h lie liiin.-idf has kindUjil.
Tiif lion. gentU'inan has taUi^n cliaij^o ot a mitiiism-o
\> liii,h the peo[)le of the; Nort h- \V( si woliM iiave
. i,iili(k'(l to any of the niemlieis represenlin;^ tiiem
hrie if a real grievance had (.'xisted. Who has
.I'uvcil him to iiitroiluce this Mill ? Has he done
! iif his own motion o?' had he a mandate for doing
II ■; He went uj) to the \orth West on a mission,
tmd he has ae.i'omplisheil it ; Itnt I ho[)e and Ixdieve
thiit he will ue.eoniplish nothing liy his meiisiire.
This (jnestion shouhl ha\e lieeii set tied (|uietly
iiiiong the peo]>lo of the \ortli-\\'est as a ioe:il ((Uiss-
t ion, to )>o determined between t h(;mand tln' I'edei-al
< .ovei'nment, from whom the '■ yislatixe power of
I ii.' ten itorles emanates. I5nt the pi'oinoters of this
measure do not think of making it a loi "il ijuestion.
Leave the (juestion to the people lu settle, anil yon
ii:;iy be sure thiit prohalily in twoyoius henee there
ivill he nothing leit of the little tire whieli has been
•aised by the hon. member for North Simeoe. Has
II it tlie Xorth-West disinterested mend )eis enough
in llii.s Hrmse t<i take charge of such a measure Y Is
>; not an insult to them that a member fri>ni an
I astern I'loviin'o siiould take upon himscdf to put it
I irward and advocate it V It sliall not pass here,
i't'caiise on every side of the House? people are
darnied, if nt.t disgusted, liy the wjiy in which
it has been taken u|) and .igitated. We might very
ucU agree iiinong ourselves to leave to the North-
West Legislatui'e the settlement of this '(iicstion.
\\ (■ would say to them : You ha^•e not ln^en
■I'H ted in tile Xorth West to settle th it (jiiestion ;
i; lelates to one of the organii' articles of llie eon-
.-' tuition of those Teiritories, which only the
''arliament of (^innda has a right to change;
'lit we will be a paternal Parliannnt to you, ami
n e will Hay to yon, i-ousiih the iicMjde, and let the
Ii"n{)le <)f the Nortii AVest .say whether there is
' iiv use of your .sj)cakiiig Freni'h when yon sit
round the iablc of the fjegislatnie. The (dections
■iiiuld conic, and after those elect iiiiii; tlu^y may coinc
iMck and say : If we ai'e to have a useful repre-
sentation ill thatas.seiiibly, if wc are to h.ive a piipu-
lation in those Territories, who will live harnioni-
'iiisly with their neighbors, we must not repeat tlie
iiiistak<' (jf hurting the feelings of those with whom
ue are in partnersiiip for tin building U]t of tliis
I )iiiitry. I Siiy that to try to prevent those ))eople
pulilishing their laws in the lang'wige of the popu-
lation, either in the Fieneii language oi the English,
'.1 iiiild bean atrocity, a cruel measure, and a measure
which would not induce iininigiHiits or settlers to
go into that country. There, is, one tiling which I
fuel bound to say to correct a w rf)ng iinpi'essiftn,
unjust to the hon. gentlemai'. My hon. friend
from North Simeoe has been taken to task as being
" Tory. I do not attaidi inncli importance to that
little digre.ssi(m of my hon. friend, the leader of the
I '[tposition. That is an eye-ciitching color which
le puts in hi.=< political |)aintings when before an
election audience ; the "Tory" is always brought
into the back gnnmd so as to bring out in greater
contrast the great display of the Lib(!ral principles
w'liieh it is the hon. gentl'MnanH wont to jiicture to
his hearers. Hut in the subject under discussion
there should be no ijueHtion of party politics. The
right hon the leader (vf the ( loverniiKni answered
my hon. frien.l from t^tiiebec Kast(.Mr. Laiirier), by
show ing that the Tories have been at times the l)eBt
protectors of imr French Canadian nationality in
this country. |{nt in calling tins Kill a Tory nieaa-
iiie, my hon. friend wanted lu make out that it
was ,111 .irbitraiy. a retrograde measuie.
Sir dcHN A. .\IA<T,.()N.\L1). It was in
tlainma-lory.
Mr. CM.' I'LF..\U. \o, ;t was that " oratory •'
of my hon. friend xiiat broiighi it out. .My hon.
friend wished to give a political meaning to this
di.scii.s,sion. It has none, and I think it ia but
just to those who, on other occasions, have voted
with the hon. member for North Siuiroc. to .say
that the hon. gentleman himself hail tlu' i ourag'u
and it is not I'onrage he wants -lo say that
on this occasion lie had separated iiim.self entirely
from the ( 'miservative part,\. My hon. friend, the
leader of the Opposition, c. ills all the ( 'onsei vatives
Tories ; and I know that whatever denial wc may
give to the ex))ression, he isbimnd to call ns 'i'ories.
If he enjoys in calling us by that name, let him be
ha])])y. The hon. incmlier for North Simeoe ha.-- in
this ipiention comiilelely di.sassocialcd himself
from ins pai y ; he has declared that on this
i|iiesiion he is not in harmony with ids jiarty, but
ho declared, and had i right to do so. that upon other
(juestionshe w oiild follow thosewhom lie had always
f'llliiw'ed, and would continue to vote as acon.seiva-
tive on such matters as, for instance, the National
Policy. It wonlil not b' »..ght to close the Con-
serv,".t'i ,« party against tV«ti4on. member for North
.Siui.oe' d those who hold his views. This iiill
whici', .• lias iiitvoiluced has nothingto do with
that pi rt3' ; "t ii..f. Hill of his own, and 1 hope, be-
fore th'- deliatt' is over, he will see that it is greatly
restricted in his tol'.,wing. 'j'he hon. incmher for
W'e.'-t Durham argued that the Federal ( Jovcnimcnt
should keep, in a certain iiieasuie at least, a portion
of the power over the Territories. True, we have
granted to tlie Territories a constitution ; we have
given them legislative power to somc! extent; but
as we still li.ivc I lie .idniinisu-iti.in of the Territories
in our hands and to proici i those whom we are
ii.\iting to come and settle there, this (ioMinment
should keep a certain .untiol over these Tei-iitoiies.
We are. bound to do that, as we are bound togiM;ti>
the Fr-neh jiopulaticii a fiee and easy aeiress to the
judicial li'ibiijiuls we lia\e established there. I do
not believe that there are many in thii? House dis-
posed to say that tlie.v are at heart in faxor of the
measure proposed. I ( s preamble is a pro\ ocation and
a jii.-,t cause of irritation to a large seciioii of our
people, and the priiici]>lc of the Hill ind its pr-.iciical
oft'cet. if carried into a conclusion, would woi k in-
justice and bad feeling in the old i^rov incesa^ well as
j in the Norih-West Territories. There are amongHt
tho.se who support the measure of tin; hon. meinlrer
I for North Simeoe men who, if they do not call them-
: selves Kipial Rights advocates, are Imperial Feder-
] alists. Many of them pose as the aihocates of what
they deem to be the gianil iwid the hiyal policy of
Imperial Federation. Let me ask iliem Imw they
expect to help on tlieii' cause by this untair, un-
j seemly, this persecuting agitation, 'i'he Hrilish
Eni|)ire is composed of a gieiiter variety of nations
I and creeds than was the Homan Empire. Do tiie
; Imperial Federalists think they are going tc help
10
on tlieir scheme l)y prosecutiii).' a iiiiiiority, even in
such II reiiiDte territory as the N'oitli West ? We
iice iKit ill the siiiix- cdiiilitinn of things in u iiidi
we were some years ago. Modern seieiu'e has given
new w•ing^ to ))olitieal thought ; evi ry ineiili nt thai
occurs in Tanaila, of any iniportanee, is known to-
Tiioiiow a? far as Cape Colony and in the remote
regions of India ; and 1 a)ijteal to I)n])ei'ial K<;iieia-
llsts, MJui might he temjjted to snpjiort the Hill
liefore the House, iiot to injui'e theil own eutise.
and to remeiiiln.-r that nil men interested and
resjxiiisilile for the future of the (^>ueen's dom-
inion will eonileiiiii them for entering into an
agitation which would tend to ilestroy the loyalty
of a jKiition of Her Majesty's siihjects. These
gentlemen ])ose us the repiesentatives of Ontario
and ])retend to ."peak the \<>ice of Ontario
in protest against the use of the Fi'eneh language
in ('anada. I venture to tell them th;it the}' do not
represent Ontario in this matter, that they do not
speak the voiee of Ontario in this agitation. The
true voice of t)niario may still he heard in the
echoes of that splendid demonstration made in
Deceinher, 1S84, in Toronto, in honor of Sir .John
A. Maedonald. It %\ ;i,s my good fortune to he
present at that grand and imjjosing reuiiion of tiie
forces of the great Conser\ative jtarty. I shall never
forgi't the ovation given to the Old Chief when he
entered the hall where five thousand voices
acclaimeil him with enthusiastic cheers. I shall
never forget the waiin, the cordial reception given
to my lion, friends the Minister of I'uhlic
^^'orks and the Minister of Militia, ami to myself.
It was my first visit to Toiontfi and the impiession
I received. ;in impression which will nevei' he eif'aecd
from my memory, was that tiie bond of friendship,
nay, the bond of affection, that linked together the
two great laces of this Confederation, wotihl resist
fuiy attack which interest, jealousy or preju-
<iico niiglil direct agauist it. It was, it is true,
a political demonstration, hut it had a gieat
character beyond that, which proved that vlitf'er-
ent races, and different creeds, and different,
nationalities, might unite and work together in
the best mannt-r for the progress of our common
countrj'. This was the voice of Ontario, and 1
think it would be the voice of Ontario still. I say
to the supp<jrters, if there are any in (hitai-io, of
the measure of the hon. member for Xoitli Simcoe
(Mr. McCarthy), that I believe the voice of ( Mitario
woulil be .still the siime if the right hon. the leader
of the House would appeal, on the same generous
principles, to the same fair-minded juipulation of
Ontario to-<lay. Sir, I protest against that agitation.
I prut est against that plan of campaign iis sug-
gested in the speeches of the hon. membi^r for
North Simcoe iMr. McCarthy), and indicated In le
and outside liy the speeches of the hon. memlier
for North Norfolk (Mr. Charlton). I do notipiote
their expressions here. They are too ugly for me
to (piote them or, at all events, they are too ))ro-
vokijtg. It is not for us here to talk about opening
a free road through the St. Lawi-ence for the
Anglo-Saxon to pass to the coniiuest of the
worhl. If that course is to be persisted in, Sii-, I
cannot ijualify it in any other words, that if it is a
i)olitical game it is a dangerous mistake, and if it
is a determined and premeditated movement to be
earnestly carried on, it is a criminal attack against
the " peace, order and good government of the
country." Sir, 1 hope that the hon. gentlemen will
])iiU8c before venturing any furtlit r in the dark
and dangerous path they havt- entered iiit.i.
They will look in the past and around tliein. ami
they will see written on the walls the fate win. |i
awaits them. .\ll jmblic men who have tried to
build up a political platform of such niateriids as
prcjri<lices and fanaticism ha\e found out that the
beams and rafters of their Iniildiug did not lon^
resist the action of time and the pressure of com
mon sense ; they went down with the wreck,
helpless and cripjjled, giving to the world a < ruej
lesson as to the inevitable fate of tho.se who Would
attem]it to imitate theu- example. Sir, I ajipea!
to the higher instincts, to the noblei- feelings of
those who sinceiely wish the con.solidation (jf thcsi;
Ih'itisli jMissessions, and whom the chanciis <<{
jiolitics (io not afl'ect. 1 ask tliem to tliink calmly
of all this. They must know how dangerous urc
the elements mIucIi are brought into contact in
the agitation w hi(;h i^i carr'ied on. They may he
in earnest in believing that the strong curi'eiiis
thus put in motion will ])roiluce great and go'.,!
results. Let them not forget that in dealing with
these (juestions of race, nationality and leligioii
they are dealing with the great electric currents
of national life. Cuide and govern these cui-i'cnts
wisely, and you mtiy draw ficim their -iinit'd
iiiflucnct's powi'r and liglit an<l all the beneficent
ellects of the natural forces with which I'rovidcU' ■•
has provided you. Misgnide and misgoveii\
them -use them with ignorance, recklessness,
or malice, -- and you may draw down on
your heads unknown and uncounted disasteis
ruin to individuals, confusion to communities, ami
disaster to the State. Sir, 1 agree- with the hou.
member for West Durham (Mr. Hlake), I am nm
I'eady to at^'cjit the amendment proposed by the
hon. memberfor ISeilhier (Mr. I'eau.soleil), i>ou^h
I am in accord with the principles of ii ■ i I
cannot find too strong language to expri'ss my
repudiation of the pi'incijiles, the fonh, the sur-
roundings of the measiire submitted. .The Hill of
the hon. member foi- North Simcoe is o])posed to
his own ]i ditical record, principles and t;areer.
He supported with intelligence and vigor the
policy of unity of action and harmony of thought
of the difl'crent races which form this Doiii
ijiion, irrespective of creed or- language. He was
present when the Acts giving a constitution to
the North-West Territories were initiated, revhscd
ami jiassed, and he gave his aciiuiescence to tliiit
legislation. The Hill is op[)o8e<l to the policy that
has prevailed in C'anada, of ])rotectiug the right.^
of minoiities in the schools, in the Legislatures,
in the Senate. It is opposed to the law of tiie
land, wlr'ch was approveil by two Administration--
anil three Pailiamcnts. It is op))osed to the
spii'it of British legislation, which, in the ease of
Manitoba, ])rovided a jierjietual guarantee to tlic
minority in regard to schools and language, and.
in the case of any new Pr-ovince hereafter ei-eated
in the Territories, pi'ovideda gua!'antee of stal)ilii>
to the constitution given to it at the time of it.s
creation. It is opposed to the general jjolicy of the
modern Kritish Emjiiie, whicli, in India, in Marii
toba, '"n Cape (,'olony, respects the right of tin
peoiile of diH'erent oi-igin to have the legal and
legislative use of their own language. It is opposed
to the j)laine8t facts of science, which pi-ove that
race is stronger than language, as may be seen in
the case of the Irish and the Scotch, the licrman-
\o be'
of true ])i
11. ember-
f'lV the J)
will in tl
It beiii
Mr-. C
six o'chn
•11) injust
Tcrrltori
who, sur
I I depri
judilishe
What h
Anglo -Si
the inilli
voted to
all agrei
11
,|M^iking Russians, tlieFrenoh, (iurniiui ainl Ititliaii
>|itiikiiig Swiss, the Jews, tlie S|)iiiii!<li-s|)eakiiig
Ml xicaiis, the (iei'niiiii-8j»e!ikiiig Alsaciiins. It is
i.jijidseil to tiie true s))iiit of loyalty to tlie Crown.
Ii.iiuise no mail, who is tiuily loyal to the Crown,
.. Miilil iiiLileavor to stir up strife among the '.^iieeii">i
siiliji'cts l>y attempt in;.; to rejKial, for the :iv')WC(l
|nii |)o.-<e of persecution and extinction, laws which
)).ivi hail the .-anction of the (,'i own in one form
(i: iinother ever since the Cesijinn of Canada.
I w i-.li to make one more romatk as to tlie political
I .■•■(lid of the hon. memher- f(ir North Simcoe. .Let
II <• refer to that gi'eat tleinonslration in 'I'oronto,
wliiiii showed so well tiie fraternity of the two
liucs, and 1 wish that fraternity was more widely
piiictised. I think that the puhlic men of i:acli
i'?M\-ince ought to visit theotliei' I'rovinces, and try
to develoji that good ft^eliiig w liich is so easily de-
Miuped when wo are 1 letter aci|iuiinted witli one
iUiDther. In that git.'at demonstration in Toronto
w liat do we find ? .'\n address was presented to
>ii .lohn A. Micdonald l»y tiie Lilieral ('onservativo
|i:iiiy of Ontario. My lion, friend fi'om .Simcoe
i>i!inva something of that addres.'.. On tiiat occasion
tiic chainnan was apjiointed on the motion of Mr.
Iiallon McCarthy, and when the meeting was
oiLaniscid the chairman read an elaborate, an «'Io-
i|ii(iit iidilress to Sir John Macdomild, twooi' three
|iii'agi'a))hs of which I will read to this House, witii
iis full an u.ssnrance of their being acce|ii,ed here as
ihey were accepted then; :
" Tlio happy results of Britisih rule in North Ann'rica
!)('Ruii wtieii the policy of I'itt n'.is accoinplii'lu'il liy the
vali.r of VV'oll'e, would hnvi; liccii imperlccl, if not
Iiiistriited, but for thi' nordial relations whiidi yo'i hiive
t 11' nearly h.ilf a century iiiaint;iineil, in spite of unjust
luid unpiitnotic critiiMsui, with the great uii'n who liavu
lucii llio ciiiels of the loyal (.'anadiaiis of yuebcc ; and on
III!:' occasion we would niiiiKlo with our lelioitafions lo
\ iirself a trilaUu of grateful rc'inonihrance of Carlier,
wliuso statue rises in aiioflicrcity to hear witness to his
luljliiMleeds and to keep his memory green. * * * In
.1 Cinfeueration in wliich tlie people iire divided by a very
'iiiiicst and sincere ilifferencc of opinion in race, religion
. Mill political seiitiineiit, unity of action and b;iiinoiiy ot
ih'Miglit have biieii maintaiiiod with striking sui'ce.as by
ilic wisdom, tact and true liberality with wliicli you liavo
minii) alike tho Cabinet, the Provincial Exei'utives, tiie
I'l i.i'i, llio ]Jar, and iho I'ni.lic .'^iTviee, bear witiies.« to
y in- tort'thoiight and care tor the interest..! of riiccs,
' n I'ds and ojiinions, as p.irf of the forces by which
II iiions are governed, and bv the wise conduct of which
•iii'y grow strong, united and pro.«perous."
N'o better inspired, no btitter worded sentiments
"t true patriot i.sm were ever recorded, and the jioii.
I ,. iiiber ffir .N'ortli Siiiii oc will derive mor<! glory
! ■! the part he took in that demonstration than he
will in tiie uncdiristian crusade he is now leading.
it being Si.x o'clock, the Speaker left the Cliair.
After Recess.
Mr. CHAPLEAC. Ikfore this House rose at
^i'v o'clock 1 had been showing that it would be
.in injustice to the po])ulation of tlie North-Weat
'I irritories, who were tlu^ first settjtu's ilii^re, und
v\ iio, .surely, desei've our co- .sidcration, if we were
1 1 deprive them of the ])ri\ilege of having the laws
jmblished in a language that they understaml.
U'hat has been tlie cau.se of the large influx of
.\nglo .Saxon settlers into tiic North West ? It is
the millions ot immey that the old I'rovinces have
voted lo build the Canadian Pa<,'itic Raihvay. We
all agreed to that ; we all applauded the enterprise
and the energy of tiiose who built that r<.ad. What,
again, has lirought that immigration into the 'i'er-
ritory ? It was the great, the richly sithsiilised colon-
isi.tion Societies which brought thous.mds ot iiii-
ii'igriiits from ( ireat lirilumto takejiossession of the
soil, and the railway companies who a('(|iiired largo
I riicls of i.iiid as railu ay subsidies and have invested
theii capital there. All thesiMiew comers were char-
acterised by that spirit of enti'iprise which bclong.s
t.') tlie Knglish immigrants, and w liicli leads them
to take possession of the world wherevc-rthe world
and its ["esouices nreseiits itself to tliem. We wel-
come iho.se desiiai)li- iiainigrants, we lud]) them in
tlie full measure of a dutiful < iovernmi ni. I5ut
must we, for all tli.it, despi.se and forget the lir.st
settlers of those remote regions, tho.se who ro-
\eale,d to us the treasure we had there ? Sir. will
not my lion, fiienii from North Simcoe. gne to
tlie.sc oM .settlers of t!ie Xorlh-West, at least, time
to leani English ? it has taken me a long lime to
learn to speak it, badly as I do. I think he ought
to give them, at least, a few years to learn how to
read the laws M'hitdi will be enacted in tho.si Tcr-
rilories. lUit then! is .something more. These
people who live there, \vho are the owners of the
soil, have disputes amonust themselves. The law
must be obeyed, must be adininistereil, and is he
going to 'deny them Ihe right of having justice
administered to them in a language which they
understand"; lie does deny them t){ that right;
we must not be unjust as lit' wants us to be. I
think tliat if this House comes to the conclusion that
a certain nicusure of liberty to settle that (|iiestiou
of language ought to lie given to the Legi.slatine
(jf the Nortii-West, w«; must in justice reserve
to the oM settlt-r.--, to tluit population whici; is
now ii the minority, the right to speak tlu.dr
languagt!, to be heard in their language, us wit-
nesses, jurors, and pleaders before the courts. I
desire, inclosing my icniarks, totpiote some obser-
vations from a jiowerful writer and a keen obser
ver, who ha- isited this country, Sir Charles
Dilke. How • s he speak of tlie pojiulation, of
whom the lion, member for North .Simcoe (Mr.
McCarthy) and t lie lion, mciiibi-r for North Norfolk
(Mr. Charlton) spoke, 1 will not say with contempt,
but with suspicion as to tlieii loyalty and with tear
as to the futuKi of the country .-o fai- as they were
concerned. Sir Charh.-s IMlke referred to one of the
most prominent .statesmen who represented the
I'^reiieh Canadians, Sir (ieorge Cartier. .Sjieaking
of .Sir ( ieorge Cartior. who was very often accused by
his opjionents in politics, of being too much of a
Britisher in Can
1 JlOlltIC
ada. Sir
Charles said this
I "Sir (Jcorpe (^lulior, the Conscrviitive statc-'iuan who
led the Kruiiuh Canadians at the lime of ConlVileiation,
I had himself IIS a yonni.' man taken (lart in Papiiu'iiii's re-
bellion, but thcio was never a .-stronger aiipporl'.r of a
United I'^uiinrc than my host at Ottawa in tho ycurof tho
passing of the iiill."
! Drawing a comparison be'.ween t!ie French in
Lower Cana.da and the South African Dutch, the
author siiid :
vatism, and the French of Canada anil tho Diitcli of
South Africa are now in fact the only nurviving true Con-
servatives living under free iiistitutionii."
12
This may not please the Ifiuler of the Oppusition,
but it could not hut please an oM Toiy, likf the
lion, iiifnilur foi North Siiiuoc (Mi'. M<(^ irthy).
Speukini; ,if the loyalty of tlie French ('ana<liaiisat
the time of the Ameneiui Hevohition, Sii- Charles
Dilke said :
" Curioupl.v ciiouBh, ttio mily iii()iin'.iil.«iit which we wcro
over pevuliir in Lnwor Csiiiniln, until we kuvo lier IVi^o
iiiMitufion.-i, were the ninnieiit." when tlie Ainoricmi.-*
were tryint! ti> e.\i>el u."."
These few lines must l)e Migiiiricant to those
who lielieve that hecause we speak a fort'iyn
language we cannot he loyal to the Crown and true
Support- r.s of the Uritish nation. I will not say,
true as it may lie, that Canada would hilve been
Amei'iean I'xcejit for the assistance ^'i\en l>y tlie
French Canadians ;it the time of tiie American Ke-
Itellion, hut a.s ii loyal l»iilislier, I would .<ay, with
Sir Charles Dilke : we have Keen ahle to pp-eseive
our sujiremaey in Xoith America with the a]iproval
and assistance of the French Canadians, and
"curiously enough the only moment at which we
were ever ])optilar in Lower Canada, until we ga\-e
her free institution^*, were the moments when
the Americans were drying to expel us.' Mr.
Speaker, 1 claim foi- our ])eople, as I read it in the
opu.seules of a late friend, Oscar Duini, that "the
first man wlio spoke of responsihle government in
this country was a French ( 'anadian. I'ieri'e llodai'd,
j'.nd the one who contributed the most toestablish it
was another French Canadian, Lafontaine. Our
nationality had tlie lionor to furnish the states-
man who introduced British lilierties into tiiis
countiy. It was the only revenge we drew from
our conijuerors. " I do not. speak here as a French
Canadian ; I speak as a Canadian. The hon. mem-
ber for North Sinicoe has said, that, in order to
judge of the nationality of a man, you nnist ascer-
tain the langtuige he spea,ks ; that a (German sidi-
jeot s))eaking anothei' language can hardly lie a full
(ierman ; that a man who speaks French as his
inotlier tongue, even if ho knew and could speak
English, cannot b<! really and truly a liritish sub-
i jcct. Tint, we claim to be Canadians, and althoii;<li
we may speak in Fre;ich or Kngli.sh we are reallv
not Knglish oi' French, but we are truly Caiiadi.un',
and we intend to remain such. I heartily eni|!,i--i.
the .sentiments of tliat ehxpient ami ft!i'\ent api>-.i|,.
I of Canadian naiionaliry, I'rincipal (!ran(. wlwii,
speaking before St. An<lrew's Society, in Montreal,
he said :
"The Scotch arc but one nationality in Caiunlii, ,
iiottliu first. Thiit pliioohohpiitrf to the Fn-neh Ciinieli:,
ii s^.ncred (ibli«)iti(ni is^ impused iiiinii the ('nimiiiiin iiic
IttiltlO
VVe o
11 11 J tiioothcriiiori" tliiiii Freiieh,weou(rlir.l()he ('iinmli
Tiicre can lie hut one (!aiiiuliaii nation, iind all tin u
wliif^li have eliofen the fky of Ciiiadii iis their own <.;
to eoiilviliute lo ihe ImiUliiiR up nnd the eoinculiiintii
this niiticin- F^-ery other dream is hut a folly timl v
otVort to realLso it is hut rreii.aon. And against treii.s.ii
Canadians must unite, to combat and cha-utise it."
Ill
1> ■
C M.-'
leli,
MlS.
u !•»
i|;lil
Ik' of
■■■■rv
.Sir, if the hon. gentleman intemls tfi carry out Ids
jiurpose. interju'eted as it must be by the pieiindiie
of this liill and by the speech which accoiiip.iuied
its first reailiiig, if the hon. gentleman w.mt-i
to go to tiie end of his jirogramme, if he ii.tlly
intends to do as he has stated in this H'.i c
and outside this House In; intends to ilo, I i
only tell him this, that if he wants to de-ii...
ainl etl'a.e tin; I'lench languagt; from the |)oiiiiiii u
of Canada- he should begin higher uji and ten, - ■■
its use from the highest order of chivalry in I...
gland ; he should efface it from the anus "f
Kngland ; if he thinks in speaking French we ar-
disloyal to our beloved Sov(M-eign, Her Majest\-
jhe (\|ueen. he must have forgotten the words " //'"i
soi/ qui inni ij ])i'tisf." If he wants to de-^rr..;
F'rench I answer him, in company with all iii\
fellow-coiintrymen and all true Jiritish .sulij i-
in this Dominion : Sir, you shall not touch tiini
language ; you cannot efface it. We keep it with
our religion, as a gift we owe to Divine I'lmi
denee and to the kind lil.ierality of Our lielovd
Sovereign. And whenever it is attempted »..
tle|>rive us of that sacred deposit, we shall ii"'
despair as long as we reail on the Royal Arui> a
England : '" l)v n vt inoa Droit."
Ottawa: — Printed by Bhown Chambeki.in, Printer to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty.
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