35
Pleasure on Bills reserved,—shall extend and apply to the Legislatures of the several Provinces as if those Provisions were here re-enacted and made applicable in Terms to the respective Provinces and the Legislatures thereof, with the Substitution of the Lieutenant Governor of the Province for the Governor General, of the Governor General for the Queen and for a Secretary of State, of One Year for Two Years, and of the Province for Canada.
The veto by the Federal Government is the real palladium of our Protestant liberties in Lower Canada. I have already shewn that our educational rights are only safe under its shelter, and that our representation guarantee will, some day, "dissolve into thin air" without its exercise. Let me now point out that in the firm but moderate use of this vast power, safety may yet be found from the undue encroachments to which both Protestants and Catholics are exposed. But it is negative only; and if the opportunity for its exercise be lost, it is impotent to remedy the evil.
No one can blame me then for endeavouring to enlarge the sphere for discussion of our Lower Canadian difficulties. Our last and most potent guarantee is in the hands of the Federal Government, and if the exercise of this pre-eminent authority be assured, through the establishment of a sound and pronounced public opinion on the subject now under discussion, we may await the issue with less misgiving.
On the other hand, if no voice of warning be raised,—if nothing be heard but adulatory pæans to the Hierarchy, to obtain their political support and influence, how can we expect to receive attention, when we appeal to a Government at Ottawa, almost all of whose supporters from Quebec owe their seats to the clergy—and of whose opponents, a like proportion are also hopelessly entangled. What chance of getting the Veto exercised, if nine-tenths of the Quebec votes are
