THE CENSUS OF 1861. 9* 



tion, what change there has been being in the opposite direction, but 

 if we compare the Census of 1852 and 1861, the numbers of French 

 origin in Lower Canada have increased at the average annual rate 

 of 2.651 per cent., irrespective of those who have left the country in 

 the meantime, which is double the rate in Great Britain, and 40 per 

 cent, more than in Norway, which shews the highest natural increase 

 of any European country, and seems to keep up its character as an 

 officina gentium. We may even push our researches to a much earlier 

 period. A Census of Canada was taken with great care just before 

 the conquest. It is frequently referred to in the official correspon- 

 dence of the day as in progress, but I am not aware that the exact 

 result has been preserved. We have, however, a despatch of Mont- 

 calm, of the date, April, 1759, in which he says, that the great 

 Census is at last complete, that he has not as yet seen it, but that it 

 shews a population of 82,000. A Census was again taken by th& 

 British authorities in 1765. It was contained in two large folio 

 volumes, preserved in our own library, the first of which was lost in 

 the Are, but the second, which was saved, fortunately contains a 

 recapitulation, shewing the population of the rural districts, exclusive 

 of Quebec and Montreal, to have been 54,275. There is also a note 

 to the effect that includiug the towns, and making an allowance for 

 the people absent in the woods, the whole population is estimated to 

 be 80,000. This, taken in connection with Montcalm's despatch, 

 appears to afiFord us a pretty secure basis. Since that time there has 

 been no immigration, except of a few Acadians, whilst there has been 

 a considerable loss to the United States. But if we take the popula- 

 tion of French origin in both sections of the Province, we shall have a 

 pretty fair representation, though somewhat understated, of the 

 descendants of the 80,000 Frenchmen who inhabited Canada in 1765. 

 The French Canadians must, therefore, have increased during the 96 

 years, at least at the rate of 2.53 per annum. 



We have also a system of registration in Lower Canada, much more 

 perfect than anything in Upper Canada, although there is still great 

 room for improvement. The Prothonotaries' returns for 1861 are 

 much more complete than those for 1860, the year for wjiich the 

 births and deaths are given in the Census. Taking then the returns 

 of 1851, and leaving out of account many of the counties from which 

 no returns have been received, and others which are on the face of 

 them imperfect, leaving out of account, also, Montreal and Quebec, I 



