are not wanting here persons who might, under different circumstances,
have attempted, by seditious harangues if not by overt acts, to turn
the example of France, and the sympathies of the United States, to
account.

[Sidenote: Three difficulties.]

But while congratulating Lord Grey on having passed satisfactorily through
a crisis which might, under other circumstances, have been attended with
very serious results, and on the fact that 'at no period, during the
recent history of Canada, had the people of the province generally been
better contented, or less disposed to quarrel with the mother-country,'
Lord Elgin did not disguise from himself, or from the Secretary of State,
that there were ominous symptoms of disaffection on the part of all the
three great sections of the community, the French, the Irish, and the
British.

Bear in mind that one-half of our population is of French origin, and
deeply imbued with French sympathies; that a considerable portion of
the remainder consists of Irish Catholics; that a large Irish
contingent on the other side of the border, fanatics on behalf of
republicanism and repeal, are egging on their compatriots here to
rebellion; that all have been wrought upon until they believe that the
conduct of England to Ireland is only to be paralleled by that of
Russia to Poland; that on this exciting topic, therefore, a kind of
holy indignation mixes itself with more questionable impulses; that
Guy Fawkes Papineau, actuated by the most malignant passions,
irritated vanity, disappointed ambition, and national hatred, which
unmerited favour has only served to exasperate, is waving a lighted
torch among these combustibles--you will, I think, admit, that if we