gious prejudices, the presence of a haughty soldiery is not calculated to lull jealousies to sleep.

As respects the ignorance of the Canadians, with the peasantry it is probably with justice called absolute; but that the House of Assembly should, as is generally asserted by the Anti-Canadian English, be composed of men who know neither to read nor write, can hardly be received as a fair statement. Some such instances may occur; but a body of men who have frequently made a stand for important rights, and in the persons of some of its members, endured arbitrary imprisonments, for conscientious and constitutional opposition to the dictum of the Governor, and Legislative Council, that such men should invariably be a crowd of illiterate peasants, is not easy of belief.

The government of the Canadas consists of a Governor appointed by the crown; a Legislative Council, composed in Upper Canada of seven members, and in the Lower or French Canada of fifteen; these are appointed by the Governor, and nominated for life: a Lower House of Assembly whose members are chosen by the Freeholders in either province, the elections occurring every four years. In Lower Canada the French forming the majority of the population, are able to combat, in the House of Assembly, the power of the English Executive and Legislative Council, which virtually forms a part of the former. It is easy to see with what candour this House will be judged of by the party it opposes. It is doubtful whether it would be more praised were it more enlightened.

You will ask, perhaps, whether some pains is not taken to amalgamate the old with the new population, or to break down the strongest national distinction by the establishment of English schools. I have stated that the priests are no ways desirous of enlightening their communicants. To resist the authority of these spiritual pastors were not very politic on the part of the temporal powers, and perhaps it is considered as equally the interest of both

to leave the Canadian to sing his song, and tell his Ave Mary in the language of his fathers. It is curious to compare the stationary position of the French Canada with the progress of the French Louisiana. Not sixteen years since this vast territory was ceded to the United States, and already its people are nationalized. Not held as a military possession, but taken into the confederate republics as an independent state, it feels its existence, and has learned to prize the importance that it enjoys. A population as simple and ignorant as that of French Canada, has been transformed, in the course of one generation, into a people comparatively enlightened. Superstition is fast losing its hold on their minds; the rising youth are educated in village schools established throughout the country, even in the least populous districts; distinctions of manners, feelings, and language between the old and new population, are gradually disappearing; and in the course of a few generations they will be mingled into one. Instead of expensive colonies, the acquisitions of America are thus turned into wealthy states, additions to her power and her riches. She quarters no soldiers to awe them into obedience, but imparts to them the right of self-government, and admits them to her alliance. How strangely contrasted to this is the position of these provinces; expensive appendages to a distant empire; military depôts, in short, into which England throws her armed legions, to awe the peaceful population of the neighbouring republic.

Is there not some erroneous calculation here? By opposing an armed frontier to America, is she not constrained to nourish more or less of a military spirit? Remove it, and were she not deprived of all incentives to martial ardour? Would not her institutions, essentially peaceful, then operate more perfectly than at present, to prevent the exertion of her strength to the injury of other nations? Leave her alone, and she might go to sleep; as it is, she is forced to keep her eyes open, and

though her sword be sheathed, to wear it always at her side. Some say she is ambitious of conquest; and that her invasion of Canada, both during the revolutionary and the late war, proves it. She was certainly ambitious of dislodging an armed enemy, and of turning hostile fortifications into inoffensive villages. Had she obtained possession of the Canadas, - what then? She would have said to them as she said to Louisiana, Govern yourselves. Her own fortifications had then been removed, instead of being strengthened as they now are, to keep pace with those of her neighbours. For her, it may probably be as well that she has an enemy skirmishing at her doors. Peaceful as she is, it serves to keep alive her spirit, which might otherwise relax too much. It makes her weigh her strength and feel it: this may be useful, seeing that her institutions, and the policy necessarily resulting from them, prevent her exerting it without provocation. But this effect, it may be presumed, is not that intended by her enemies. They surely do not expend their treasures with an eye to her advantage. If their object were to increase her energy, and keep alive her national feeling, could they take surer means than by pointing cannon at her gates. "Delenda est Carthago" should not be the motto of the Republic. The rivalship of hers with European power, on this Siberian frontier, is a wholesome and spiritualizing stimulus, corrective of the soporific otherwise administered by her security and prosperity. To interrupt these were now probably impossible, though the whole of Europe should league against them; but it is as well perhaps, that America should not feel this, for, were she to feel it, might not her security and prosperity be then once more endangered?

I fear that I have written a dull letter; but perhaps I do this always. Should you, however, find me yet more dull than usual, consider the hard travelling that I have undergone, and the drowsiness of convalescence, which

still hangs about me; consider this, and be merciful in your judgment. A few excursions into the surrounding country have finished our Canadian travels. The icy winds of the equinox, and some remaining weakness, scolding me into prudence, we sacrifice our visit to Quebec, and strike south for the States.

209

LETTER XVI.

LAKE CHAMPLAIN.-BATTLE OF PLATTSBURGH.
OF THE PHENIX STEAMBOAT.

BURNING

MY DEAR FRIEND,

Plattsburgh, Lake Champlain, Sept. 1819.

THE shores of this beautiful lake are classic ground to the American, and perhaps to all those who love liberty, and triumph in the struggles for it. For myself, I have listened with much interest to the various stories attached to the different villages and ruined forts that line these waters.

The Americans, rich and poor, gentlemen and mechanics, have all the particulars of their short, but eventful history treasured in their minds, with an accuracy which, at first, cannot fail to surprise a foreigner. A citizen, chosen at random, may generally serve you for a Cicerone any where and every where throughout these states; nor is he ever better pleased than when satisfying the curiosity of a stranger upon the subject of his country. He does this, too, with so much intelligence and good nature, and knows so well to discriminate between what is interesting, and what is tiresome, that you usually come from the conference more awake than when you engaged in ́it.

The little town and pleasant bay of Plattsburgh is pointed out with peculiar satisfaction to those who show a willingness to sympathize in the brave defence of an invaded people, fighting for all that life has of best and