Ay de mi! How many years is it since I resigned myself doubtingly, but as it seemed necessarily, to the acceptance of Free Trade as the one thing in economics needful for the world. And now I am in a dominion where the doctrine is regarded as a melancholy heresy, and its professors as all but——. "But for protection, Sir," shouted out a vigorous Scotchman, full of figures and faith, "I tell you there would have been no manufactures in Canada; and more, there would have been no population to work our fields! In protection lies our only chance of successful struggle with the States." "Don't go away with that ideey!" exclaims another Scotch philosopher. "I can show you to a dee-monstration that Canady wad bee in a far finer pos-eeshun but for protection, than she has at this pree-sent." Between Canada and the United States there must always be, in all probability, a keen competition in bidding for the traffic of the great quantities of produce which pass down from the upper lakes to the sea. It was natural that we should hear a good deal about a question of very great importance to the well-being of both countries—the water communications from the North-west. There has been a discussion going on, too, respecting the possibility of sending cargoes down the lakes without transhipment, and so out to sea and to Europe; but it is found, practically, that the cargo must be transhipped. The question arises where that operation is best performed. The Welland Canal Company is, at the present moment, about being enlarged; but the shipbuilders on the upper lakes are enlarging their ships too, so that the lakes are covered with craft which could not enter the canal. Grain is carried to Buffalo and the Erie Canal in very large ships which cannot navigate the Welland; and the extra expense of transhipping from these large bottoms is more than compensated by the farming of the grain and other advantages at Buffalo. The Canadian Government have reduced their tolls, and have exhibited an anxiety which is too well justified for their share of the trade. When they ask, however, for the fulfilment of the Treaty of Washington, by which they are entitled to "the freedom of the canals of the United States," they are met with the mocking rejoinder that the United States Government has no power to make the State of New York respect Federal treaties, and that they cannot compel any State in the Union to open its waterways free to foreigners. The solution of many of the contentions between Americans and Canadians, however, may possibly prove to be found in the Mississippi, where barges now are finding their way down to New Orleans, at an average in nine days, loaded with corn, which can be brought from St. Louis for 6 cents, while it costs 22 cents and upwards to carry corn from Chicago to New York. The people of Chicago start at once to open a canal from Rock Island on the Mississippi to Hennepin on the river Illinois; and no doubt each move on one side will be met by a counter-move on the other, and the rivalry between Canada and the United States will be repeated and accentuated in the efforts of the great cities like Buffalo, Cleveland, Toledo, Chicago, St. Louis, &c., south of the lakes, to secure as much as possible of the carrying trade, the through traffic, and the consequent profits. I escaped eventually from the clangor virorum, and had a stroll through the town with Lord Stafford, in the course of which I dropped in on my old quarters at the "St. Lawrence," where the host Hogan, racy of the soil, and full of sport, made me doubt if twenty years could have passed since Augustus Anson and I had been his guests. He was charged with reminiscences, and among them recent memories, solidified in photographs, of an excursion for fishing and other purposes, in which Lord "Bewfore"—who was, I believe, his Grace of Beaufort—was introduced. If any one needs a good introduction to fish and hunt in Montreal, I recommend Mr. Hogan with modest confidence.
After an early dinner, we drove to the quay, where the steamer "Montreal" was prepared for all comers, and after some delay, made up her (or its) mind to start for Quebec. It is a mistake to go down the river at this time of year in the hope of enjoying the scenery. Darkness set in on the river very soon after we embarked, and there were no sights on shore to look at. Now and then the local authorities pointed out to us sites of towns, and occasionally through the trees we caught a glimmer of fire, where little circles of bright light dotted the clouds, and indicated the hamlets. On board the steamer there was a senator of a very pronounced national colour, or stripe, or school, whatever the term may be, who considered that the politics of the world revolved round the narrow area in which, according to him, Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Parnell were contending for mastery; and it was not difficult to discover on which side he thought right, if not might, was placed. As he was speaking, there came from the depths between decks a strain of high-pitched speech in French, interrupted by shouts of laughter, and descending the companion to ascertain the cause, I perceived an Indian—charged, I am sorry to say, with the fire-water of the pale-faces—haranguing the passengers on the miseries and misfortunes of his race with great volubility—nay, eloquence. Whenever he made a good hit the Canadians laughed, but when one of the ship's officers seized the orator by the arm and led him away, it was plain the white man had the best of the argument. Poor wretch! Demosthenes could not save Athens from the Macedonian.
By selecting the night steamer from Montreal to Quebec, however, we succeeded in preventing an undue strain on our faculties in the way of admiring scenery. What sights we escaped! what objects we shunned! All night through there were stoppages at unknown stations. The people trooped in and trooped out, and doors were banged on board. To sleep was not facile. And so it was that it was not with clear, composed minds we awoke on the morning of May 11th, just as the bluffs of Quebec were looming in the distance, and in an hour more were preparing to grapple with the wharf under the Citadel, where the Governor-General was already visible waiting, with a moderate cortege, to receive his uncle. There was something else waiting for us too! Scarcely had we got into the open carriages ere a deluge of rain—just as if the St. Lawrence was tumbling out of the skies—began to fall, and, as the ascent to the Citadel is at an angle of 45 degrees or thereabouts, it was not possible to evade the tornado by rapid driving. So we climbed the hill in a waterspout, and were right glad to get under the shelter of the hospitable roof of the Queen's Legate in her good Dominion of Canada. The fires in our rooms were felt to be needed even this 11th of May.
The Citadel is now but an historic site, and has no potency as a fortified place, but Lord Lorne has done much to make the quarters a little better than the rough barrack they formerly were and to improve the accommodation. The apartments are comfortable, absolutely luxurious in their fittings compared with the style of former days, and there are evidences of refined taste in the reception-rooms, which remind one of the illustrious lady whose temporary absence when we were in Canada was much regretted, and whose presence when she returns will be hailed with delight.
When I was last here, Quebec had all the appearance of a large garrison town. It was a time of trouble. I think two battalions of Guards, a couple of regiments of foot, and a strong force of artillery were quartered in and about the city, and the citadel and forts were militarily occupied. The cities of Canada were filled with refugees from the northern States, valiant men and fair women, soldiers like Magruder, and gentlemen like Corbin, whose souls were with the South. They were waiting for the hour of vengeance and victory, for a change in the tide; and they raged exceedingly against the Federals, and reviled Lincoln and Seward and all their ways with the animosity which is engendered by civil war. Americans in Canada spoke more bitter things of the American Government in our common English tongue at that time than were ever perhaps said or written by any people in the world. Now all is changed; the refugees have disappeared, not a single red-coat is to be seen. I am told that there is much to regret in the policy which has handed over the defences of Canada so entirely to the Canadians, and that no one is pleased, but of this I know nothing. The only people who are said to be happy at the withdrawal of the English are the young Canadian gentlemen of French race, who thought that the red-coats were in too much favour at balls and parties, and who are not sorry to be rid of such formidable rivals. But there is a very large and well-appointed force in the Dominion—Canada has an army of her own to be proud of. The Canadian artillery whom I saw could not be distinguished without a very close inspection from the Royal Artillery, and a more serviceable, soldierly-looking detachment than that which presented arms to the Governor-General as he passed to-day, and which paraded on the ground of the Citadel later on, I never beheld. In the forenoon the Duke went out with the Governor to visit the Lieutenant-Governor, M. Robitaille, and when the rain ceased I went down, literally down—and rambled about the old city, which seemed more French and less English than ever. There was a dinner party in the evening, at which the Lieutenant-Governor, the members of the Dominion Government, and as many as the table could hold of distinguished persons and their wives who were in Quebec, were present. And then came a reception, at which as many as could possibly be got into the rather limited suite of rooms came to pay their respects to his Excellency and to see the Duke.
On the 12th we paid an exceedingly interesting visit to the Ursuline Convent. Those who have friends and relatives within the walls are only permitted access to them when the Governor-General or some high dignitary, such as the Lieutenant-Governor, inspects the establishment. In one of the spacious rooms were arrayed the good sisters and the pupils, dressed in charming simplicity, all in virgin white, with bouquets of rare flowers. A young lady delivered an address of welcome to Lord Lorne and to the Duke, which was in very good taste, although it was not unstudied eloquence; and in spite of the natural nervousness of a young girl on such an occasion, every word of the oration was uttered with becoming emphasis, and accompanied by gestures which were easy and graceful. When the address had been delivered, there was a little song of welcome and "God Save the Queen," very prettily sung, and the girls presented bouquets to the strange visitors, and a few words were spoken by the Governor-General and by the Duke in acknowledgment; then, escorted by the sisters and the clergy, the party went over the convent. The skull of Montcalm is the sacred relic of the Ursulines, and is more reverenced by the good priests, I think, than any living head. The Latin epitaph (the work of the Academy, I believe) is very fine. There are many people living under the shadow of the citadel who take greater pride in the victory of the Chevalier de Lévis over General Murray, which is commemorated by the Napoleon statue on the plains where Montcalm was defeated by Wolfe, than they do in the triumph of the latter. Why should it not be so? Blood will ever be thicker than water, and that is a fact to be remembered in Quebec as well as in other places.
After an agreeable hour or two with the devoted ladies who were to be shut in within the walls without seeing a soul except their pupils and the clergy who attend the convent, until the next visit of a Governor-General, we departed, and walked down to the river, where we embarked on board the "Druid" for the Falls of Montmorency, the Harbour Works, the Graving Docks, and the Princess Louise Embankment, as to which I have no novel observation to offer, although my note-book is full of facts and figures connected with Quebec, beginning with Montcalm and Wolfe, and its improvements, ending with the new docks. One thing I may remark, that "the Gibraltar of America" seems to rely on moral force for its defence, so far as artillery goes, for the armament of the works is by no means suitable to modern warfare.
There is still a fine mediæval Catholic "old France" air about Quebec which makes it as refreshing to come upon (not to the nose always), after a string of American cities, as a good old picture is among a gallery of Dusseldorf paintings.
The exceeding heat of the last few days had caused our excellent friend Mr. Knowles great inconvenience (and his friends had shared it with him), but the unpleasant conviction was gradually growing stronger in our minds that it would not be prudent for him to undertake the rapid and protracted journey on which we were about to engage. When he arrived in Quebec he had come to the same conclusion, and to our great sorrow, we felt obliged to admit that he was adopting the wisest course in taking his passage in one of the fine steamers of the Allan Line, direct from the St. Lawrence to Liverpool. He arranged accordingly to sail on the Saturday—the day after we left Quebec. Among the causes for regret at quitting this interesting city, none was felt more than the necessity for saying adieu to one whose close observation, sound judgment, and practical knowledge had rendered his companionship so useful, just as his amiable qualities had made him a most agreeable fellow-traveller. Our party was doomed to suffer still another reduction. Lord Stafford felt that the pressure of his Parliamentary duties, at a time when most important measures were under discussion, would force him to return to London without visiting the Western States.
At 4 o'clock the Governor-General, attended by Colonel de Winton and others of his personal suite, came to the station with his uncle and the party who were bound for Montreal. The kindness of the General Manager of the Pennsylvania Railway, Mr. Thompson, had followed us into Canada, and the President's car, with special carriages, was awaiting us at Quebec. And so we glided out of the station, amidst the cheers of the small crowd of friends, and the waving handkerchiefs of the ladies who had been good enough to see us off, and the fire of fog-signals in lieu of artillery. We were bound to assist at a function that evening, and the special train was tolerably well filled by members of the Legislature and of the Council, and many others who were going to witness the first trial of the electric light under the auspices of the Canadian Electric Light Company, at the depot of the Q. M. O. & O. Railway at Hochelaga. The Premier, Mr. Chapleau, the Provincial Secretary, Mr. Paquet, and other ministers were in the train. The Duke, to do honour to the occasion, and to get a little fresh air and keep his hand in perhaps, drove the engine from Quebec to Three Rivers, a distance of seventy-eight miles, which, according to the Montreal papers, is the first occasion upon which a Duke drove a train in the Dominion, and probably will be the last.