No. XI. Statement of the different Establishments for Education in Lower Canada, taken from the Returns made to the Committee of the House of Assembly, on Education, during the Session of 1828-9. No return was received from Gaspé, except for the schools of the Royal Institution. These establishments are mainly supported as follows: The schools of the Royal Institution, by an annual grant from the Legislature of about £.1,900, on an average, since 1818. The colleges in the towns, by the revenues of the landed property appertaining to each of those establishments, and by the amount of the boarding and tuition of scholars. The colleges in the country have all been founded by gentlemen of the clergy, and are mainly supported by them. The amount of boarding and tuition forms the remainder of their income. Convents, by the revenues of landed property granted to them, and by the amount of boarding and tuition. Gratuitous schools have all been established by voluntary subscription; seven of them receive, this year, aid from the Legislature. Schools established in virtue of 4th Geo. IV., cap. 41, by one-fourth of the revenues of the fabriques, in virtue of the said Act; most of them by a further aid from the curates; the remainder by the price of tuition. Of the schools of other descriptions, a large proportion of those in the country parts, and not a few in the towns, were established by the clergy; were, and are still, mainly supported by them, the price of tuition being insufficient for the support of the masters.-Old Quebec Gazette. No. XII. Extract from the First Report of the Committee of the House of Assembly respecting the Settlement of Crown Lands; printed on the 12th of February, 1821. The Honourable James Cuthbert appeared before your Committee, and answered as follows to the questions put to him : Q. Have you had any, and what means, of becoming acquainted with the nature and advantages of seigniorial tenure in this country, compared with the tenure of free and common soccage ? A. Being proprietor of the seigniory of Berthier, in the district of Montreal, and having resided upon it for twenty-four years, I have had occasion to bestow much consideration upon this subject, and acquire much experience respecting it. Q. What, in your estimation, are the relative advantages or disadvantages of these two modes of tenure? A. I hold a very great difference between the two modes of granting land. That under the feudal system, as it is, in my opinion, not accurately called, offers an easy, expeditious, certain, and economical mode of obtaining lands, 16. That in future no person shall be capable of being elected who shall not possess real property to the value of £.500 sterling, and take his oath to that effect. 17. That persons swearing falsely shall be guilty of perjury. 18. That the trials of contested elections shall be according to the mode of proceeding now established by law in that province in which the disputed election or return shall have been made; and that at any time he shall deem it expedient, the Governor may summon two members of the Executive Council of each province to the Assembly. 19. That the joint Legislature shall be summoned, not later than the 1st of September, 1824, and once every twelve months afterwards. 20. That every future Assembly shall continue five years. That the majority of votes shall decide, and that the Speakers of the Council and Assembly shall have a casting voice. 21. That no member, either of the Legislative Council or Assembly, shall be permitted to sit until he shall have taken the oath prescribed by the Act 31st Geo. III. 22. That the royal assent shall be declared or withheld, as prescribed by the Act 31st Geo. III.; and that all laws now in force shall continue, except as hereby repealed or altered. 23. That the privileges of members shall continue. 24. That from and after the passing of this Act, all written proceedings, of what nature soever, of the said Legislative Council and Assembly, or either of them, shall be in the English language and none other; and that, at the end of the space of fifteen years from and after the passing of this Act, all debates in the said Legislative Council, or in the Assembly, shall be carried on in the English language and none other*. 25. That persons professing the religion of the church of Rome shall not be affected. 26. That certain provisions of the Act 31st Geo. III. shall extend to Acts to be passed by the joint Legislature. 27. That all accounts, returns, papers, &c. &c., shall be laid before the Legislature, and that salaries of officers of the Legislature shall continue till otherwise provided for. * I have abstained from making any observations on any of the preceding clauses; but my readers, no doubt, will easily perceive the interested motives of the framers of this union, expecting by it to have annihilated for ever the influence of the French Canadians. The present clause, however, appears to me so impolitic, that I cannot help placing before them the following questions :-What good can England derive in abolishing the French language in Canada? What possible political advantages can she expect from our being more assimilated to our neighbours (the Americans) by language, character, and habits? No. X. This Composition, which appeared in the Quebec Gazette on New Year's Day, 1829, will assist in giving a tolerable idea of the present feelings and character of the Canadians. Sol Canadien ! terre chérie ! Nos pères, sortis de la France, Et leurs enfants de leur vaillance Qu'elles sont belles, nos campagnes ; Tu peux marcher tête levée, Respecte la main protectrice Si d'Albion la main chérie |