Nevertheless, we must take the world as we find it, and if new
elements of strength are required to enable the Government to go on,
it is I think very advisable to give the French a fair opportunity of
entering the Ministry in the first instance. It is also more prudent
to enter upon these delicate negotiations cautiously and slowly, in
order to avoid, if possible, giving the impression that I am ready to
jump down everybody's throat the moment I touch the soil of Canada.

I believe that the problem of how to govern United Canada would be
solved if the French would split into a Liberal and a Conservative
party, and join the Upper Canada parties which bear corresponding
names. The great difficulty hitherto has been that a Conservative
government has meant a government of Upper Canadians, which is
intolerable to the French, and a Radical government a government of
French, which is no less hateful to the British. No doubt the party
titles are misnomers, for the radical party comprises the political
section most averse to progress of any in the country. Nevertheless,
so it has been hitherto. The national element would be merged in the
political if the split to which I refer were accomplished.

The tottering Ministry attempted to strengthen its position by a junction
with some of the leaders of the 'French' party; but the attempt was
unsuccessful:

I cannot say that I am surprised or disheartened by the result of
these negotiations with the French. In a community like this, where
there is little, if anything, of public principle to divide men,
political parties will shape themselves under the influence of
circumstances, and of a great variety of affections and antipathies,
national, sectarian, and personal; and I never proposed to attempt to