Speech #500148557

When the Canadian country and our own country are filled with opposing populations and shall have developed those hostilities and rivalries which inevitably result from the adjacent existence of independent and ambitious nations. it may be impossible. or at least difficult. without bloodshed and hostility. to effect a union which would now come naturally. I trust. sir. that in the discussion of this question or of this bill nothing may be said. especially if it be unjust and practically false in its character. to repel a tendency now so manifest in the direction of the union of our peoples while yet we are comparatively few in numbers. Certainly. whatever may be said upon the other question of the natural sympathy and the probable union coming between the country north of us and our ownwhatever may be said with reference to that question. we ought to be willing to go through this debate doing simple justice to the people who have come here from the North. and I repeat. in closing what little I have to say on this question. that the French Canadian immigration to the UnitedStates. so far as I know of it. is eminently desirable and should be encouraged. It may be said that there are differences of religion between the FrenchCanadians and the great mass of Americans. but they profess. as we do. the Christian religion at least. Onehalf of them are here today. and if a Catholic population is to be objected to because it be Catholic. let us remember that it is just exactly as well that we have this entire population under one union. under one political control. as it is to have it thus divided.