Letters and Journals of James, Eighth Earl of Elgin by Eighth Earl of Elgin James
page 75 of 611 (12%)
page 75 of 611 (12%)
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the result? You may perhaps _Americanize_, but, depend upon it,
by methods of this description you will never _Anglicize_ the French inhabitants of the province. Let them feel, on the other hand, that their religion, their habits, their prepossessions, their prejudices if you will, are more considered and respected here than in other portions of this vast continent, who will venture to say that the last hand which waves the British flag on American ground may not be that of a French Canadian? In the same spirit, when an association was formed for facilitating the acquisition of crown lands by French _habitans_, he put himself at the head, of the movement; by which means he was able to thwart the disloyal designs of the demagogue who had planned it. [Sidenote: French unionisation.] You will perhaps recollect that some weeks ago I mentioned that the Roman Catholic bishop and priests of this diocese had organised an association for colonisation purposes, their object being to prevent the sheep of their pasture (who now, strange as it may appear, emigrate annually in thousands to the States, where they become hewers of wood and drawers of water to the Yankees, and bad Catholics into the bargain) from quitting their fold. Papineau pounced upon this association as a means of making himself of importance in the eyes of his countrymen, and of gratifying his ruling passion by abusing England. Accordingly, at a great meeting convened at Montreal, be held forth for three hours to the multitude (the bishop in the chair), ascribing this and all other French-Canadian ills, real or supposed, to the selfish policy of Great Britain, and her persevering efforts to deprive them of their nationality and every other blessing. |
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