n of the Jews under King John, as far as
hatred and unexpressed contumelious feeling goes, was preferable to the
feeling which native Americans, of the ultra Loco-foco or ultra-federal
breed, entertain towards the labouring Catholic Irish, and would, if
they could with safety, vent upon them in dreadful visitation. They
would exterminate them, if they dared.

To account for such a feeling, it must be observed that a large portion
of these ignorant and misguided men have brought much of this animosity
upon themselves; for, continuing in the New World that barbarous
tendency to demolish all systems and all laws opposed to their limited
notions of right and wrong, and, whilst their senseless feuds among
themselves harass society, they eagerly seek occasions for that restless
political excitement to which they are accustomed in their own unhappy
and regretted country.

A body of these hewers of wood and drawers of water, who, when not
excited, are the most innocent and harmless people in the world--easily
led, but never to be driven--get employed on a canal or great public
work; and, no sooner do they settle down upon wages which must appear
like a dream to them, than some old feud between Cork and Connaught,
some ancient quarrel of the Capulets and Montagues of low life, is
recollected, or a chant of the Boyne water is heard, and to it they go
pell-mell, cracking one another's heads and disturbing a peaceful
neighbourhood with their insane broils.

Or, should a devil, in the shape of an adviser, appear among them, and
persuade these excitable folks that they may obtain higher wages by
forcing their own terms, bludgeons and bullets are resorted to, in order
to compel compliance, and incendiarism and murder follow, until a
military force is called out to quell the riots.

The scenes of this kind in Canada, where vast sums are annually expended
on the public works, have been frightful; and such has been the terror
which these lawless hordes have inspired, that timid people have quitted
their properties and fled out of the reach of the moral pestilence; nay,
it has been carried so far, that a Scotch regiment has been marked on
account of its having been accidentally on duty in putting down a canal
riot; and, wherever its station has afterwards been cast, the vengeance
of these people has followed it.

At Montreal, the elections have been disgraced by bodies of these
canallers having been employed to intimidate and overawe