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The ailigeil, it will Im admittod, Ja, fromito iaipertaiieo, daaeiriiig of the moat anple eonaiderairioB. I obd oolf regret tiwt tiie very limited apace of time that I cao pretend to engage yoor «tteo- tion will not permit me to viUie my loreatigaCiot ao eem* plete aa I eoald wkb, and aa ite Intrlniic we?gbt denuHida. It may be aeceaaanr, before entering on the aat|j«et«to atate that in treating it I ihall take oare to atoid trenohtngon any qoeatien connected with the party pelitioa of the day. Acknowledging the propriety of the mle laid down for the government of thia Inatitntion, I ahall, of conrae, take caie not to violate it. My eiamination of the veaonroea and proapecta of Canada will be fbnnded, not upon the peaitioB which ahe baa held, or may hereafter hold, under thia or Iba; form of government, or connected with one or other nation, but on Canada aa alie ia, with the reaonroea now at her comi* mand, developed, in part, aa they have been, and more fblly aal trnst they will hereafter be, by the energy and enterpriae of her inhabitanta. I preiunie It ia, on my part, perfectly onneceaaary, ad- dreaalDg each an audience aa the preaent, in a city which may as justly be described aa the ofiipring of Commeroe as the city of Venice waa atiled the bride of the sea, to enlarge en the high advantages to be derived to a country from the c«l* tivatlon pf » eommdrolM apirit, and to aaaert the eqeality of A9 ^C^ 4 ConmerM with the intereito of AgricDltai* tod Manufae- tirea, io the prodaetion of national proaperity. It eannot, howefer, be denied that we have in Canada atfennofli adfoeatee for the ebeborageneot and proteetion of ptrtieolar olaaaea, and who claim for the apecial olject of theirjpitinoligei « pireiBreneeot^r other branehee of Inchia- try. Thai, one party ia vehement for agrienitore, at the great producing power of the isonntry, and ia eager to en- force in this country the maxima which have been exploded in Great Britain. TlMt ciy^ffthiae parltoa ia Protection to Agricnltore ; tiie olject which they profeaa to be deairona to olKain le femnoen^ing^in other worda, high ratea for the farmert. Nor, all thia ia highly patriotic, hot the queation ia, how ia it to be;e||8eite|irf. How ia tbeapirit of competition which prevaila in every other branch of bnaioeaa, and which rednces prieea to their jnatJevel, to be prevented from exer- ciiing ita doe influence on the fiurming aa on the other great intereata of the eonntry? The thing ia impoaaible, even were we to admit it to be deairaUe. Canada prodncee more agrieultoral commoditiea than ahe conanmea, and ahe, there- fore, diapoaea of the remainder to other oonotriei. It ia aelf- evident that there cannot be two difibrent pricea for the aame arliole in the iuune market at the aame lime, and the coMequenoe ii, that the price obtained for the anrplna quan- tity, which ia exported, regulatea the price of that aold for hone conaomption. Any attempta, therefore^ that may be made to bolater up tiie price of agricultural produce within thia Cobny, by prohibitive or protective dutiee, must be unavailing;' Of one thin^^ we may reat aaaored, that the lawa which lejiulate demand and supply, apply in their full force to agri- culture. The latter will not exceed the former : if agrieol- tttral prodoctiona be in exeeas, agricakore will be found an unprofitable occupation ; a portion qf those engaged in it will devote themselves to other pursuits, and roannfacturea will spring up as a matter of course. With the increased de- mand for, and the diminished supply of agricultural produc- tions, occasioned by the tranafer of su much labor from agri- caUnre to other pursuits, the depression of the agricultural isterest will subside, and it will become an equally lucrative p«fe«iit with other branchea of trade. Thia ia the natural coorseof trade, and had the demand 'for agricultural produce been 'eonfined to Canada alone, we muat long ere this, have 'ir ^- mtt arrif Ml at the opoeh in wbieh it woald ba naoaaaaif to with- draw a portioD of tlM oapital and laboar togaged to agirlMl- tar«i and to liaYa t mploycd it in mamifaetoraa. Bat bera eomntrce baa atappad in, and by llndifig a OMr* kat for tba anrplaa of oar agricoltaral prodacok boa aaa M ad tba laroiar, with tba proeaadab to parebaaa, wbaraaaetat ba iioda it to bia advantage, tboaa manofaotnrad aiiiaiaa tbal ba laqoiraa. Tbat to tba agrieoltariat, aomnaraa Ib bigbljr advantagaoaa, tbarefbre, naeda no proof. Onr faraMia, ganarally, nowr aee what they were blind to a kw yaara ainaa, tba ImportMnce of fiadiag aa many oiatlceta aa, poiaiUa for tba aala of their prodaee whence, their anxiety Uwt it aboold ba admitted free of doty into every part of the worM. And they are, doubtleai, in the rigbtv^and cooanlt their Irae intereata<— >iD advocating tbia prinoiple; altboagh I believe the caosea which have led, in some meaaurOiito their preaent conviction, are not *o powerfully operative aalbey i m agi ne . One great reaaon for their deiire that our ag ciealtnral pro- docta of Canada tbonld be admitted free of duty into the United Statea market, and their willingpeaa ,tbat United Slatea prodacta of a similar* charactar ahonld be received here free, ia donbtleta the fact, that for the laat two or three yeara, owing to cainea which are no longer in esiateaee, the prieea on the other aida the linea have been eonaiderably higher than in Canada. But a very little reflection will convince any one, that for the futofe no each diaparity, to any conaiderable extent, can exist. Both the United Statea and Caaada prodnce more agrioaltaral col; i.:^itie8 than they consume; and both, therefore, export their ^urpiaa piio- dace. Each country haa the use of the meaoa of iotemal transport which the other potiseseea ; and the produce of one country can be exported through the* other eon ntry, free of duty. If, therefore, the produce of the foreign article be even a abade bwer in price than that of the tiome article, the exporter ahipa the foreign. This ia not theory^ but an estab- liahed fiMt,— known to every one engaged in commerce. The price of Canada wheat and floor laat summer and autumn, waa lower than that of the. United Slatea ; our enters prising neighbors, therefore, purchased lavgal^y in oormarket for the United Statea — not to supply the borne denwnd, wbere it would have had to pay doty,^bat the export defnand, for wbieb it nnawered theaame pafpoae,besideapoaaa9tingitbe properlif of being free of doty. But do not imigiQe that the diflbiendt A3 6 io filMl IftWfM tb*t CtomuRaii tod Unked StttM flotr fo Uw Ntir York anarket, wa» Any tMair like 90 jur em/, the emoent of dotf to wMdi the fanner ie enbjeet in the United Sinteiii No,tbediAreMewueeaieely,6jwr0«tf : perhtps not oter tdi n birrel on iloer. So long u Canadian floor waetobe got at the loweat Ihietion betow United States floiir, it wae of eonrae taken in preferenoe for ehipmeot. The coneeqiMnoe wie,' ae might be fbreaeen, the ? alne of the two beoame oleeelj aeaimilated ; United Statee floor having de* ollned fai ahont an equal rate aa Oanada floor adfanoedi The eflbot of Ikeao opOrationt manifeated itoeM throoghottt the' Weeleni Statea aOd thronghoot Canada, in a lednotkni ot agrieolf«raY|irodooe on the other tide, and aaenhaneement ofvalneon ooreide of the linea* The dety thut became a noNity, esaept in lo fiiraa the obatroetion to commeioe, wbieh the vOxatioQB forma and delaya of Coatom Hooae pro- eeedinga, psodoee. Do not, however, imagine that the foreign merchant de- rived all the benefit from this export demand in the United States. Oor Upper Canada merchants and farmers reaped th^ir feU share. Tbey> were foond jost aa aharp and wide^ awoke to the operatiisn of tho United States Tariff as our neighbours^ whom it is joet now the fashion to extol as mo4 nopolteero of the qoalities of shrewdness and aotivity ; and they generally availM themselves of the United States mar- ket instead of oor own for the dispoeal of their prodoee^ That tliis dotraoted firom the prodaotiveness of onr poblio works, and that it diminished the eomraerce of Montreal, cannot be deoied-^two great evils^on which, however, this iif not the place fo enlargo--*>bat beyond these evils and the small disparity, in price to which I havefeferred,. it is evident that Caaadia did not soflbr from the doty levied io the UniWd States on her proddee; I have been thus particokr m detailing the eflbets of these doties; not with an^ desire to ondervaloe the importance of the nieaanres, Which I am aware ai^ now being adopted with •voiy prospect of soeeess, to obtain their abrogation, but to reet the question on ilo^ proper foundation* I trust I have Olearly demonstratod, that to hnagtne there can beany very great dispari^ in the value of the same eommodity on the two aides of a goografbical lino-^-eaoh country having to supply Of hirgueaporidettiaiidi for wMoh the produee of tiie other oiliiiitty iu available; free of du^^ia an absurdity ; and Mt > < y •f thit, eonaequently, c^t thote etlealationi by whieh tbt ftmi* •raofCtnadt htira bren attempted to be deloded into tba notioo, that with the wlthdrawat of the duty in the United Stitei, Canadian prodo^e will advanee SO or SOfif eetil.,are fondamentally ienoneoai. The extent of the e? il arleilig from these fiscal impediments are these :— There are artioles such as coarse grains, oate, barleyi cattle, &c., and prodoce of the dairy, which Canada prodoees cheaper than the United States, and^ for #hicb the f^ee admission there would be desirable ; as on the other band there are commodities, sneh aa Indian com and hea?y pork, such as is used to a great extent for oor lomberers and for our fisheries, which It wonld be tdvantageoas to the American farmer to havel admitted free here. Snch an interchange of cflmmodities woold be adfantsgeous to the people of each cSibtry, without weighing injorlously on' the agricoltnre of either. Again, there are varibns local demands ^rhich wonld be more conveniently sapplied from foreign markete, than from the markets of their own coontry. A reciprocally free in* tereoorse, ontrammelled by Costom House difBcolties, woold thtia be motaaily beneficial, and a reciprocity treaty so ftr as regards agricoltural productions batween tiie two conn- tries is therefore e? Idently to be desired* I fear 1 may be considered as trespassing too mocb oij yonr time by theae necckearily dry details, but my object in the present lecture is not to tickle the ears of my auditory with well rounded periods in favor of this or that particular branch of science or iDdnstry,but to confine myself to practical remarlcs on matters bearing on the subject of my essay,—** The Com- mercial Condition and Prospects of Canada." Taking com- merce in its most extensive acceptation— the interchange of commodities— not confining it either to the internal or external trade of the country, it is evident, that every thing which bears on either the agricaitoral or manufacturing interest ia analogous with it. Having thu^, I trust, shewn the identification of the inter- ests of the Agriculturist with the extension of the foreign commerce of the country in agricultural productions, Jt llllay be expected that I should make a few remarks on the cry that is attempted to be raised in favour of some special en* couragement being accorded to the manufacturing interest by our Legislature. I shall not enter at Any length on this subject. It seems to me soflicient to observe, that nanufae- p tsrtf wilt ipring ip aiMl eitend io ibit eooatrj wlthovt tpBh txtraiMoiis tid» wbeiMoev0r there ibtll #iiit a reaaoMblt ^rokalMlitj of Um Ir proving a mort profitaUo pamolt Umh afriooltnrt ; aad tliat witlioiit tboro bo ineli a probabilitj, it if not adviiaUo to feater tbom by Legialativo ooaetnonta. lodifidoil ootorpriM may aaftly bo loft to poraao iU own ooorao onlmpoM by artiibial barriora— it oanoot fail to awell tbo fall tido of natboal protpority. Bot to imagioo tbat Ligiilativo interforonto ia reqaiaito to ioitroet tbo eapi- tfUiol bow boat to employ bia own acinay, doea aoem the faioigbt of proeaoptioQ. If foor-flftba of tbo people of Caoada agreo to oaltlvato agrioDltare, It ia faiily to be preaomed that it if a iHoratifo omploymeDt, or tbat there ia no room for more than one-fifth in other poraoiti. I wonid not be nnder- atood to oodenralae mannCMtarei ; on the eontrary, tbevt jBqnally with, bot not more than, agrioQltaro and eommjpe ooodaee to the prosperity of a nation, and are therefore en- titled to eqaal eneoaragement, b,nt not to ipeeial protection, from the LegUlatare. The praotiee of raiting by Coatomt dotiea the soma oecetiary for the eipenaea of the Govern- ment, givok indeed iooldentaUy a proteotioo to manufaotore^, denied to the Agricoltnriit or the roerohant, and tbeie eoo- •Iderably stimulate manofaotoroi to a great extent. Theao dotiea, which In Canada are generally 19} pw eent,^ together wi^h the coat of transport and the expense of porchaaing the foreign manafactnre, make the virtoal protection to our Home roanofaeture fully HO psr cent. This ought to pro?e a strong indooement to domestic mannfaoturea^snd no doubt it does, since they are daily apringing up and, I rejoice to see, rapidly extending. Thia good to the community is ef- fected solely through self-iotereat',tbe most powerful stimnlua that cfo be employed to excite the industry, vad sharpen the intellect and ingenuity oC tnan ; and I, therefore, bo'd for true, the proposition that to each person can be safely con- fided the taak of judging for himself, how best to apply the talents and meana which he possesses. " The statesman,** saya Adam Smith, '* who should attempt to direct privste pMplo-in what manner they ought to employ their cipitals, womld not onlj^ load himself with a most unnecessary atteo- tioUf but aiailme an authority which could not aafely be troated, not only to a aingle per^n, but to no council or aeoate whatever, a^ which oojold no if hero be ao dapgeroua aa iti, tbo hanA of a mfn who bad folly an4 presumption enough to fancy himaelf fit to exercise it.** ff 9 Tbeie mnarki on wbtt it called protoetlon to AgrlcQUnrt •od to Blanurtotorw, and wbieb yoo will obtar? e aro in ac- eordanee with tbe known prinolplas of Fiao Trade, bear strongly on the eolifjeGt of this Cesiy— oar Coomereial Pros- pects— beeaose it is on the. snccess of these principlea that our fntare prosperity will mainly depend. Yon sre all aware that, to fkr as Great Britain Is concerned, the days of pro- tection to Colonial Agricnltoral prodoctions is at an end. It hss been withdrawn, net er to be restored. As well may yoa expect tbe course of tbe tSt. Lawrence to be reversed, and its waters 4rhieh now thunder down the Falls of Niagara, tn re- mount its steeps, as hope that Great BritaM will retrace her ateps, and tax the food of her already over-burdened artisans for the purpose of enriching her great Isnded proprietors, and perhaps incidentally benefitting tbe Canadian Agiiculturist. Tbe repeal of the Corn Laws in Great Britain 1 hold m un fmt aecompli : like the laws of the Modes and PersUns, irrevocable. The queation, therefore, to me appears Koiely to be,— What are our Commercial Prospects, nnider tbe new ■ys(em of policy adopted by Great Britain 7 To anawer this question correctly, we most examine what are the resources of Canada, and how far those resourees have been developed or are capable of development? Thoroughly to fathom the depths of this suliject, would re- quire more time than I can command. I regret that tbe limits of this Lecture will only permit a rapid glance at some of its prominent points. That the Commercial Prospects of Canada should be a mat* ter involved in doubt and uncertainty, can scarcely excite sur- prise, since there is a complete discordance of opinion as to her present actual condition. With the same evidence before the eyes of all, there is a most wonderful diversity in the conclusions drawn from it. Whilst one party draws a som- bre landscape in Indian ink, the other paints a smiling onp, dipping his pencil in eoukur ^ rose. The one travels from Dan to Beersheba— from Gasp6 to ISandwieh — and cries, *' All is barren," whilst the other finds nothing but civilixa- tion and fertility. The one calls Canada a veritable Kanata •—a collection of huts-^its original designation — the other points to the public edifices of Montreal, Toronto, or Kingston, in disproof of the appellation. The one tells us that Canada MS in a state of ** ruin or rapid decay ;" the other, that she is in a state of rapid advancement. Those who take the 10 j/iomf •Ue of the fietire dillbr to the details. With aome tlieiUMMe it of old ittndiog, daHog I know not bow lonir iiaee b ut ptogffM^weiy .tdv«iieiiigu.witb otberi it it but of reeont orii^ii, bor&tiDg out at fbe li|n« of the repeal of the Britiab Cora Lawt ; whiitt aoeording to ;tome it only broke out in May or September laat— which of the montht it a matler of oontiderabla oneertaioty. AU of this temperament figrse that the only tpeeifie liet in one single wordi which I wfll not whisper In thit Hsll, or in any other place. The tnpporters of the bright side of the picture, also, generally admit that dUBeolties and distresses hafe occasionally beset the Colooial path, bat they look with confidence to their Qltimate removal. Non no$trvm Umtas eomponen litet : it is not for me to re- concile such differences of opinion. It is possible that both parties may of ercbarge the picture. It may be, that as the poet says of the two traTellers who having seen a chamelioo, detcribed it— tbe one as green, the other blue— that ** Both aro right and both axe wrong." the difibrence being in the object itself when seen in diflbr- ent places. Or, more likely st'll, the difference may arise not from the object presented to the visual organs being dif- ferent hi appearance, but seen through a different medium^— the Ode apectator looking through green, the other through tise bine spectacles. I siiall endeavour, however my sympathiea may be enlists ed on the bright side of the picture, not to throw any lint— •eioept a neutral tint— over the landscape, but to draw itas it appears in the elear light of truth. Dropping metaphors, let us consider calmly and dispas- sionately bow far Canada possesses, within herself, the ele- ments of commercial prosperity. The first point to be considered is her productiveness; that is her capacity of producing such articles as are or may be advantageous objects of commerce. Here we are not left to wander in a labyrinth of conjec- tures, we have solid realities to deal with. First, as to the country itself. We are all of us perbsps too apt, in considering the resources of Canada, to draw our in- ferences rather from what she is than from what she may hereafter become. With a large strip of territory bordering on the river St. Lawrence, the Ottawa, or op the Gre^ Lafcaty thbly settled in comparison to older cottn\ries, we are w tpt to edttaider thii territorj u the « b9-«n and «nd-«n 'V of OMiidi ; lenroelf |^f log a tboagfat to that bereafUir, #lieti- tbmie prinwnl fdreita whfeh nefor y«t felt the itninf of lU an^ ■hillbe' feMed, and the landa whfeh thoy eot^tifatll bHtoy fcrth a plcn(ite)Mi harveiu-whoii bitfey tdwni add «U* faig^ the maMe of indoitry, thall aprtoir vf^ id plaint Htheitl the fsot of man, at yet, has, p^rhape, net^r trod. The Mpetfieiea of Canada, be it remembdted, eofem iti aMa of 880iODO iqoire millii; or 9Ha/)OiO,000 ofaJbieii^hiB inelMea hmd and water. It it within 6 per cent, of beln|p equal in lisa to the' whole thirteen' original SUitet of the Union, at^ the time of their obtainingr their indepenoeniBe: it it nimrly thre# thnet the aii9 of the United Kingdomt of Gireat BHtaln and Ireland; two-thirdt larger than France; and oue^faalf larger than tlie Austrian Empire, inolndlng Htottgary. lit popolation now amonnts to upwards of on^ and-a-half miliibnt, being eqoal to two-flftha of the Wb^le pepttlition of the United States, at tlie time from wKSeh ttey diiie their independence; and about eqoal to that of the" NSbrthem and Western States st that time. Orthe immense area of Cintuia, not mbret than about flVe- alMi^«4ialf millions of acret, or abnut one-fonieth part, ar« At ytt brought under eultifation ; which, tsking thte^ popoliitibn, ailjefbtententioned, gives the produce of d} acres cttlllVitdd' land ibr die sustenance of each inhabitant ; Mng mot$ thill dodbl^ the ratio of cultivated land to population in Great' Brittin. Sd smalt a portion of the landV of Canada hu at yM been surveyed,— only about thirty-live millions of aeiM; ^-^tbilt it is impossible to estimate' the total amcnnt of laitdk siitceptible of cultivation for agricultural putpotes; It tuf- flAM, however, to remark, that immigraticn may continncf; t» aillokmettse extent, for aget befbre the country will be fblly peopled. At testinfony to the fertility of the soil in Canada, attd itI' eapthnities of production, I shali qu6te the langnage of Bfortin. In bfs history of the British Colonies, he sayt :— ^ "The quantity of good toll in Canada, compared with thtt' eitiWt of country, it equal to that of any part of the globe; and theM'yet mmaint locality for many milliona of the homitf raee: The tett Undt are thote on which the ^<2^ timbtf itrlbilnd^uch at oak, maple, beech, elm, black waldta^ &d. ; though batt-wood, when of luxuriant growth, aUd pfate; wheii^^ terge, clear, and tall, alto hidicate good Und. lluiy of the otytcfto^ytfcrfjitr ^ /sitt kny gnmndi im Hm imtU. Sp |[ii|^>.4^ ,if«ictl(ltjr-^^^^ i^U in CftuMfti thpl fifty Mielit. o(,i||lifNi| p9r iortiirt fr^ifieiidy pfs^dnpid <^ a funn, wli9n,i U|9 ftnmpi of ifM^ Jvliieb pfoM>lj fl«6«pf jiii fighth #f tip;! wnki6e, me pot MiQ enuliM^ ,; jofii Upitime«f of, iIk^i buibels Mr^qro oeQvr; thd netr Yorkt in Up^' CaiM«i OM! ^fi^^pl ^lilMb ijfvfhftKt ware t^m^frim a tiiffgje aen,^. hill^4\»:^itMwh^iim Mo miied 8iiM4ii|ifff£ ^ ^r Wi^ 9i<^ Miceoieiiti to thfi ciiltifttioQ of t^^ioil, Itj etbiH)il)9 woilderid tt tbtt tgriciiltora hM taken tbel««4o|i all Qtber peciijiatioDi, tnd tbtt the proportion odbi| pfiople a|> C(|i|Ada» 608^(94 in •griciUtor«»^^ ■hoold be gresper than in^ odier epnnf^'iet. TbM pcoportfop, I baifQ AlM|(iy itaed« •IPOiii^ to to per centof onr entire pppiplatipi^^,^, ; « .^;»a3 Afiotbsr large itei^ of the prodontive pof<|eof Ginadi^^^^^ ne<^ f^rcely add, ii Nr fpreatar-ftlmoet bouii^dlo*! W a^?.!. tontp-and promieing for ageato be ji ponrce of urealtlitQ ^/ inbabitints. It baa^een the praotiee of il ^itnin, eiaaacof oar p^liticai economista to nndertaljie this branell^ pC jCfRi^;*;, merpe. In^y opinion it ylel^a to none in importanoe*, JPhtv bi^^y li|pl>ejtm|in b^^ indeed,^ been the pioneer of ci|^i|fi'%|» tic^ i,1|mjDd ail other elaaies lie baa cootribnted to deirfi<^C tbf J^pnenttfral capiLbilitiea of diflRireiit pprtiopa of tbe epii|M,j^ try, Tbe J^mber Trade it, in mai^ reapeeU^ paftlenlaf)]^ adf|ntegeoai lei a coontiy aitniUed aa ia Canada. J^enly |hi^ wbole ^ne of the article couiata in the,^labpnr bNtopridL Upon lit in i|i||iia^fa<tnre, and Itf transport to tl^e ||^i^|»fng niarltot: tbe i^in<punt ^ nioney capita^, in proportio9.,m j^i amount of laboar, jnveate^ In it fa, therefore* conipftniMlfliij limited. Tbe impetoa to onr foreign commerce whicb iillij|^^ trpde baa gifen I need not deioribe : the lboaaiu|i4 Uitgfi abipa wiiicb annually ▼lait Quebec for their Timber ca^ieiifK and tbe gtowing trade with onr neigbboura in the Unitod B^atea, an tl^eoi^ly exemplification neeeaiaiy. TdtM Qtber priii^ipal producChAiB of Canada are ber aebe^^j ani thf prodnpe of her fiabei iea ; tbe latter ba?e never bMH^ ciitivttted to any thing liJiLe t6eir fnll extmit, from the eanae, U ii.to be preanmH that other tmpUiymenta bave bMPi fonrfin^Jf^iative^ mji«Uc. 1L.I .[l 1 18 These have vp to this period formed the prinoipal exports of Cantdft, and they have inoreaaed in a ratio far beyond the inereaae of ii" population, until they now amoant to opwards of two miil. 4 and a half ponndi currency. Tbia is the sorplna weiiUh which Canada annually produces, beyond her annual consumption ; and this forms the measure of her pro* ductiveness. Now, comparing Canada with certainly the two greatest commercial nations in the world— ^reat Britain and the United States—it is apparent that she is scarcely, if at all, inferior to either of them in this respect. From Canada the exports in 1848 amounted as follows :— From Montreal and Qaebeo, to - -'- - - £1,749,167 . Inland Ports 772^132 Total £2,521,599 t^r equal to jSl ISs. 4d. or 96f for each individual of our pbpulation. Now that was a year of unexampled depression occasioned by the losses of 1847 ; there is no doubt that this year the total value will be about 3 millions ; equal to £2 cur- rency per head. All this export consists of articles the pro- duce of Canada. In the United States, the value of the exports for 1848, was : — Native Products - - '-• -• - $132,904,121 Foreign do. ........ 21,132,315 Total - $154,036,438 $6 1-3 per head of native produce, or |^7 1-3 if foreign pro- duce be included. In Great Britain, the export of 1848 was £46,407,939 sterling, jSl lOs. 7d.. per head, equal to about $7i per indi- vidual. Thus it appears that Canada— notwithstanding the sombre accounts with which curlpapers have l(l)oly teemed, equals in productiveness the mist prosperous nations of the earth- in other words, that she has a surplus of her producta annn- ally to dispose of, equal, in, proportion to the number of her population, to the surplus produce of any other country. How Canada can be in the deplorable condition In which die has been depicted, I leave to abler c&suists to determine. Of coarse the measure of the exports of a cbuntry is that of her imports ; and as Canada exports largely she must in- port to a similar extent. The one trade iny^li^ .|Jie o\l^. a u Aporber point on wbfeh the eoromereial pro«pdrity of a eovntrjr nvit be mdmitted mainly to depend, is iti geOgrtpbi- eal position witb regard to otber nationt, and tbe nttnre of ita internal and external eommnnibationi. In tbese reapeets Canada may justly claim a pre-eminenoe Ofer many countries, and an equality witb tbe most favored oatiotti. Witb one main cbannel of commnn ation, tbe St. Lawrence, stretcbing from tbe entrance of ber territory, fifteeo bandred miles into tbe interior, navigable during tbe wbole of tbat distance by ships of bnllc and dimensions, soitabie to brave tbe stormiest oceans: with inland seas, capable of bearing on their bosoms thousands of ships ; with innumerable lakes dotting ber surface ; with rivers traversing -the donntry in^evi^ry direction, and thus connecting the interior witb tbe banks of the main stream ; commerce with every part of bis own country, and with foreign nations, may emphatically be said to be brought to every man's door in Canada. Again, with regard to her neighbors, tbe United States, Canada pos- sesses an advantage conce<led perhaps to no other country* She possesses the most convenient, tbe speediest, and the cheapest channel of transport to and from the Western States, whether in their trade with the United States, or witb foreign countries ; and she holds in her own hands the key of this channel, and can at ber o«m pleasure seal itp and dose tbe embouchure. With regard to her sister cok>nieaof North America, Canada is equally favorably situated ; whether they require Canadian produce or the produce of the Western States, the Canadian waters are the direct medium of con- veyance, and the Canadian revenue must be enriched by the tolls on tbe transport. Nature provided for Canada tbe means of securing tbese ad|rantage8, but the energies of her inhabitants were required to give them full efficacy. To remove tbe obstacles which lay in the way of tbe navigatiou of our inland wateta, re* quired exertions and sacrifices, sudh as the oldest countries liiigM have shrunk from. But the priae was worthy of tb^ eff>rti and we cannot but feel a pride, now tbat tbe object blM been virtually accomplished— that Statesmen hive been finind, even in Canada, with minds capable of (gaping in anticipation the great advantlges which would flow to the eoonmeroe of the conntry from tbe construction of public wo^ks of la magnitodj^ adapted ta fbe tfiniport of the ph)duce, not cnly of our owi^ coniitrjr, but of Uie wfaola Westeiiof Suies. t \ i *.- In the cone^pUoo of tbaM great worki, Canada took iba pracadenee of bar iiai^;i;bbonra« Taking into contidaratlon the graarer weajtb and largar population of tba United Stataa, It would have bean no dieparaganBent to oar Canadian cbar- acter for entarpriaa, bad we kggttd behind in the race of rifalry. Bot ii waa not ao ; Canada actually outstripped her rival, and in conneotiqg the watera of Lake Erie with Ontario, actaally aecompliabed a great work, from which the United Statea with all their ** applianeea and means to boot** ahrnnk almoat from contemplating. Volames ha?e been written, landing our neighbonra of the United States for their great nndertaking, the Erie Canal, and we cordially join in the jnit tribute paid to the geniua which conceived, and the industry and energy which completed that mighty work. It waa dictated by the aonndeat policy, and baa produced the moat beneficial reaulta^ by bringing into oloae proximity the Western Statea^with the seaboard, and thua consolidating that Union amongst the different aections of that great nation, which it ia alike the deaire of their emi- nent statesmen, and the intereat of the world ahould be main* tained inviolate. But whilat tbna paying deserved homage to our neighbours, let us not forget the gratitude that ia due to thoae amongst us, who, amidst difficulties such aa would have deterred leaa ardent lovera of Improvement, have persevered nntil they have aecompliabed a line of Canale^ before which that Ibaeted Erie Caniil sinki into Insignificance. The Erie Canal is doubtless a costly undertaking ; the original outlay waa about eleven mlUioaa of dollara— but beaide our Canal it ia a mere ditch* An immei^ outlay baa been expended on it ; and before it ia completed to the full dimen- sions contemplated, the additional expendhure will have amounted to twenty-three miliiona dollars. But during the whule of the time that baa elapaed aince the coa pletion on the original scale, immenae revenuea have been derived from it, and the additional outlay may well be spared out of the increasing tolls. The wealth of the State of New York, moreover, being taken into consideration, the burthen of such an outlay ia inconsiderable. Bnt in Canada it ia altogether different. Our population ia not one-fourth of the number of thoae interested iti the Erie Canal ; and yet they have had the pnblic spirit to expend apwarda of eleven millions of doU lara in the Wetland and St. Lawrence Canals. Canada may YfpW boaat pf thoae works aa unequalled in the world, 99 'srs^ :si£ijti=;^aeb.-- u Thtt thow CaDtlfl ara detCined to prove the key-itone of the ereh of our comnereial emhieoee, no one now^ I believe, will deny. It li on tiieir •aecejt ei public nndertakingi, in drawing to them the bnlk of the transport of prodnce to and from the Western States, and to the tolls derived from that prudnoe, with that on oor Upper Canadian trade, that the immense outlay on them is expected to be reirnhnrsed, and that nltim'itely a large revenoe to the country is expected to accrue. It becomes, therefore, in considering the resources of Canada, necessary to examine what is the extent of that trade Arom which so large an increase is expected to be derived. With regard to Canada, I have already referred to lire increased value of our exports ; and the progressive increase on our tolls is a pleasing omen of what is to follow. The following is the rate at which they have hitherto advanced :^ They were in 1842 £24,232 ** 1843 34,604 " 1844 ^ 44,250 " 1849 « 41,030 ** 1846 61,486 ** 1847 ••••.. 83^33 " 1848 ....aboat 75,000 The aeconnte for 1849 are not made up, but> I believe, they will display a considerable increase. To this time our revenue has been nearly entirely derived from Canadian produce, with the exception of that through the Welland Canal, which is in part drawn from the United States vessels and produce. At the ratio of increase of the past years, and Gonsidermg the rapid extension of agriculture and commerce in Western Canada, we may fairly anticipate that that trade will almost immediately suffice to pay the interest of the money invested in the Canalf , and that all the tolls derived from foreigners will be so much profit to the country. Let U8, then, briefly consider what will be the extent of foreign commerce which may be expected to pass through our territory. The Western States to which I have alluded, are Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin. They have all burst into eiistence as but of yesterday. la 1800, there were not in these States fifty thousanu inhabitants; now they number about five millions. Sn^h an advance is nnparalleled in history; nor is its march stopped. In all appearance the population and the productions of those coun- tries will go on increasing with equal rapidity. That produce ir i IT !t 11 QMMt b9 iMriytvM tbrovfh eor wftttrt: tto Brie €anil bii Doi th« eapaeity for itt trantport Theie Statitiifre tlw greit gnuiary of the United StatMf theioareeiwheneethederifee tboee immenw lujipliei reqoiiite for the ttiihtetiiifioe of her mtDe&ctoriDif popnlttion in the Eestern Stetee, and for her eiport tnde with Great Britain and the reel of the world. . I hftte pet heen »ble to procure itatiitical information of the aoonnt of produce annually chipped from the whole of theae Statea; hut there ia not the leaat doubt that the great bulk of the produce— probably 7-8thi of the amotiot which paaaea down the Erie Canal — ia from that country. In 1848, , it amounted to upwarda of three miiliona barrela of flour, aeveii miilipoa bi^bela of grain, twenty-three milliooe ponnda ofbutter^fdrty-tbtee miiliona pounda of ebeeae, ene hundred aitd fiffcy thburahd barrela of proviaiona, wiih diher artidlea, aa the catalogue describes, too numerous to mention. . From Michigan alone, in 1847, one pillion barrela of flour, one millloD bushels of wheat, with other articles, were exported : the total value of her exporta for that year being upwards of $7,000,000. :>Now, the advantages which our line of communication ' ofi^ers over the Erie Cariali are nnque^tidnablit. On this aiib- ject, I shall quote an extract from the Report of the Com« lussioners of Public ^^erks of Cfmada. for the year 1848, which places this matter in a clear point of view :— Transport of a barrel of Flour from Buffitlo to Albany, paid in 1849:^ Tolls on the Canal. 31 cents. Freightonthe Canal 46 '* Total 77 cents. yj ti /i. \ti oaf. ' : . > Whereas by ^ 8t. Lawrence route, from Fort Maitland to Montreal, there was paid in the same year on a barrel of Floor:— Fortolls IScents. Forfireights ...20 ** ' J <4ivv,u,;.'- .' : Total. ......... 35 cents. • Leaviag a proflt in fltvor of our navigation of 42 cents, or nearly 2s. lid. on eaoh barrel of Flour. New, as to the freight upwards, we have the following result:— b8 18 On *aeh 100 Ibt. of goods ftoin Albanv to Bnflklo thoio wit r> piudml847— For toll* 94 cent!. Forikeight 19 « Total 39 oontf , or $7|80 oentt per ton. '' Dnring the same yeari on the river St. Lawrence, from Mont* real to dke EriOi there was paid— For tolls, 6d 10 cents. Forfreight, 3d S ** , Total 19 cents, or $3 per ton. Thus we haye $4,80 cents per ton in faTOnr of the River St. Lawrence, without inolnding the storage and transhipment at Albany and Buffalo, nor the freight from New Tork to Albany. Another means of comparison also, perhaps even more im- portant than that of money, and which has not been so much appreciated, and is only just now beginning to be thought of, is that of time. If we establish the point of departure at Chi- cago, the distance to Quebec is 1600 miles. Of this long route, which is now navigable throughout, seventy miles only are by means of canals. Steamers capable of carrying 300 tons, can, and really have run from Chicago to Quebec, and vice vena, with facility, in ten days, that is, six days from Chicago to Port Maitland, and four days from that Port to Quebec. From Chicago to New York, the distance is also 1600 miles, but the distance which the boats have to run through the canals, is 364 miles, and the tonnage of these boats, being only one- fifth of that of the vessels ushig the Canadian route, a vessel of 300 tons burthen arriving from Chicago at Bufialo, in six days, will be obliged to divide her cargo among five boats, nearly the halfofwhich will go straight to New York, and the other half will tranship their cargoes at Albany, into vessels of heavier burthen. Thus, the proportion of transhipments by the Ame- rican route, as compared with ours, will be as 2h: 1. . Now, the time required for the transport of a cargo from Chicago to New York being 18 days, whereof 12 are spent in going through the canals, we shall have a saving of eight days, nearly one-half of the time, in favor of the St. Lawrence, which will save us 8 days expenses on the charges of the vessels, and secure us a profit of 8 days interest, on the value of the cargo; all of which •are great advantages, and, with- the -heavier freight and tolls on Lake Erie, must more than counterbalance the inconveniencies of the remamder of our navigation, fVom Quebec to the Gulf. ,It is roaoifestiy impossible to estimate correctly the amount of revenue that may bo expected to be derived from this for- eign use of our iiitemal comiiiunicatioos, but some idea of its magnitude may be formed when we reflect, that the nett re- yeaue derived from the Poblle Canals, of the State of New « % } : -ss 19 le ilf 8 a sh )ii M If. Its t "' *\\ Ynrk, tmoQiited, last yetr, to $9,848,000. Soraly, to iofare iA0 conversion of such a trade, or any considerable portion of it, tooor Canals, is deserving of tlie most streonoas ezeriloo b) onr Legislators and Ministry. Wlien we consider tiie immense proportion of the phnlae- lions of the Western Country that is intended for the British Mariiet, it cannot be doubted that if once it were elearly shewn that such produce can arrive more expeditiously, more cheaply, and in belter order, at its destinatiou, via the St. Lawrence than by the Erie Canal, great part of that pro- duce would take this route. That such produce can be brought to Montreal or Qtiebec far cheaper, and more ex- peditiously, than to New York, we have already shewn — the difibrence between Montreal and New York, in favour of the former, being about Ss. l}d. per barrel, in Flour, and other articles, of course, in proporiion. It may, therefore, fairly be presumed that the St. Lawrence route will be preferred, pro- vided freights can be procured from Canada to Great Britain at rates nearly equivalent to those from New York. The recent change in the Imperial Navigation Laws will, I think, establish that equality in freights that we to much des!re» and which is so essential to our trade. Under our old sys- tem, although foreign vessels could trade up the St. Law- rence to Quebec, they were virtually excluded from our com- merce— being prohibited from carrying British Colonial pro- duce to the British dominions. If, therefore, they shrived with immigrants or cargo, they could get no cargo back. The consequence, of course, was, a foreign vessel never en- tered onr ports, except on the temporary suspension of the British Navigation Laws in 1847. But, all this is changed by the new policy of England. We are no longer compelled to use a British vessel for the transport of our Colonial produce, but can select our ships in the cheapest market ; there can, therefore, be no longer that disparity in freights between Canada and New York which formerly existed. Some idea may be formed of the tax which the British Navigation Laws have constantly, imposed on our coinmeroe, when I state that in the freights from New York and Montreal res- pectively to Liverpool, there was an average difference, for four years— from 1844 to 1847— of three shillings sterling per barrel. Now, taking into consideration the comparative length and expenses of the two voyages, from Is. to Is. 6d. la the utmost extent of the difibrence that should have existed; That oar tgrieallvrist wm regolarlj taztd 5 to 7| per ceot., on hit prodoee, for tbo benofit of the British Ship- owner. Sometimet when there was a icareitj of shipping in oor porta the diftrenee of freight between Montreal and New York was as much as 6i. per barrel, or abont eqasl to 96 per cent, or one-foorth of the cost of the produce. Fortunately for our future commerce this burden is re- mofed, and our chance of success in the race of competition with New York is thereby greatly enhanced. We can now ship our own produce, or that of any other nation, to any part of the world in ships belonging to any nation. Some of the e|bcts of the new system it may.be well to describe. Formerly, there being little outward freight from Britain to Canada, more than three-fourths of the vessels came out in ballast, being chartered for a return cargo of timber. The profit on the return voyage must then of necessity be sufficient to repay the cost of the voyages out and hence. In other words, had it been possible to secure cargoes both ways, the freights might have been reduced nearly one half, and paid the shipowners equally well. This, In part, explains the difference in freights between New York and Montreal. To New York, ships generally arrive with cargoes-^to Canada, in ballast. With the extension of our commerce with the West, this will no longer be the case. In the first place, the opening of the trade with the Western country, will lead the inhabitants to appreciate the superior cheapness and expedition of our route over* the Erie Canal, and the Western merchant will order his supplies via the Sr. Law- rence. This will give outward freights to our ships, and thus reduce, as I before showed, homeward freights. But there is another trade now about to open upon ue, which must infallibly equaliie the freights between Canada and New York. I allude to the transport of immigrants from the continent of Europe to the Western States. About two hundred sail arrive annually in the Port of New York loaded with immigrants, to seek a home in the far West. That the balk of these immigrants will hereafter pass through Canada to their destination, seems no longer a matter of doubt. Arrived aC Montreal, they can at once be forwarded on their upward route, in capacious steamers capable of accommo- dating four or five hundred passengers, and pass up to the hesd of Lake Ontario in four days, instead of being cooped up in small Canal boats in the heat of the summer, daring a ^1 tedtoni journey of tImMt as many weeks, throagh the Eriei Canal to BoflTalo. The cost alone of providing for their avi- tenance by the latter route, is probably greater than the whole fare upwards by our Upper Canada ateamera or pro- pellers. This advantage, atone, must suffice, I am eonvineed, to bring nearly the whole amount of the German emigration this way. It affords me much pleasure to state, that I am aware that houses largely engaged in the forwarding trade, are now making arrangements for the reception by this rontet uf a large number of foreign immigrants ; and I believe that there is reHsmi to hope that Governmental regulations will be made to relirve the transient immigrants of a part of the tax- ation, to which, under our present fiscal laws, he would bo liable. With so great an Increase to the immigration to Canada, the tax imposed on immigrants may well bo reduced one half. Now there cannot be the least doubt that if from 100 to 200 vessels of the description which visited ns in 1847, during the temporary suspension of the Navigation Laws, should come to Quebec and Montreal, our outward freights would be reduced at least to the same ratea aa those in New York; and that with this stimulus the Canadian ronte must engross that portion of the Western produce which is in- tended for the British markets. Another trade, in which we can now defy competition fron\ New York, is that in agricultural productions with our North American Provinces. There cannot be the least doubt that Provisions, Flour, &c., can be landed at any port in the Lower Provinces at least as cheap as in New York or Boston, and of course those markets must be supertseded in thia branch of their tiade. These are some of the fruits that most immediately spring, partly from the cotnpletion of our public works, and partly from the repeal of the British Navigation Laws. The power that is given to our Legislature, in like man- ner, to open our coasting trade to foreigners, if acted on in a truly liberal and enlightened spirit, will produce similar re- duction in river freights, and will extend our commercial Intercourse with our neighbours. Whilst thus enumerating some of the new trades that are only now bursting on us, I must not omit to refer to that with the States of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, snd New York. It is but of yesterday, yet it has already become n of taeb imporUoMt that the proprietji nty» the abfolnte ne- etnlty, of MMtrMtiDf ■ Ctnal toeooMot tbt St. Ltwreneo with Lakf Cbanplaio, hit of ltt«, ai you aro all aware, oc- evpied a largo aharo of pnbllc altootion. In a Roport of tbe Proeeedinga of a Coo? aotloo recently held at Saratoga, for tbo porpoee of fnrtberlog tblt nnder- taking, macli faloable information on tbe aubjeot of thia trade ia pnbliabed. It appeara that et on under the preaent eoatly mode of tninait onr eiporta to tbe United Statea are rapidly increaiing. In 1847 they amonnted tu $200,000; in 1848 they had inereaied ten-fold, being $2,600,000. (See Report of Proceeding!, &c., p. 18.) From tbe information there collected, it ia et ident that tbe Canal in qneation conid not fail to prove a highly profitable ioveatment ; and forming, aa it will, another link in onr great chain of national internal commanicationt, I can only ex- preaa my aincere hope, that the Government may tbemieltea undertake tbe work. I belie? e that it would be safer in their hande than in thoae of any prirate indiVidaala; that the public would be better served ; and that there would be lose fear either of tbe trade of the country being embarrassed, or of aectional interests being subserved at the expense of the general good. The whole coet of the work would not ex- ceed JS0OO,OOO, and the returna from it would far exceed the annual interea^ on the capital invested. This measure is not called for to promote any sectional inte- rest ; every district, each section of the Province is alike in- terested in the completion of a work which would open a trade, of tbe amount of which we can only form a faint con- ception. The produce of the coal mines of the Lower Pro- viiices ; tbe gypsum of Nova Scotia ; the lumber alike of the Ottawa and of the country below Quebec ; bulky articles, Buch as iron and salt, from Great Britain ; the Agricultural produce of Western Canada, and of the Western States, must flow through this channel to an enormous amount. Another subject to which I cannot omit alluding, is the Portland Railroad; which, through the energy and public apirit of a few individuals— and especially of two gentlemen, whose names the public voice baa inseparably associated with the success of the measure — has now been placed on such R footing as to become no longer a matter of speculation, but a certainty. In less than three years, the journey be- tween Montreal and tbe seaboard of the State of Maine, will - ts '^ ill be teoomplithed in t few hoori. No loogtr will ovr Wett* •ro prodaet be hermetically seeled ■pdoring a whole winter. No longer will the Western merchant, whether of the Statee or Canada, fear to eend his prodnee to Montrealj lest it shoold arrif e after the close of the navigation, or ao late aa to be enlijjeeted to enormodi freight or f nsnranoe. If not shipped at Montreal, it can be forwarded to Portltnd. Snppliee for oar merchants can then be received daring the wMe winter, and goods for the Western coontry stored in Montreal to await the firat opening of oor navigation, then to be forwarded to their destination. As oar Canals ordinarily open at leaat a fortnight before the Erie Canal, and as the traoeport opwarda to a point at the head of Lake Ontario ctn be eActed in two or three days, whilst from New York it takes almost ae many weeke— can it be doubted that that trade is almost at oor own commtnd 7 Such are a few of the reflections which spring vp in oor minds when reflecting on the futare commercial condition of Canada. I am sensible that in entering into all these details I must have fatigued your attention ; but they are eisentiii to the discussion of the subject, and its importance mnst plead my joetiflcstion. My object has been to shew that Canada la not yet plunged in that state of utter mieery and despair In which she is described by some : that she haa powers and resources within heraelf, end at her own command, which ehe has only rightly to put forth in order to elevate her to a high pitch of commercial prosperity. Tt has, of late, been too much the practice to decry Canada, and to depreciate the character of her people. She is represented aa devoid of energy, and weighed down with difficulties, '< checked in the full career of private and public enterprise," and ** standing before the world in humiliating contrast with our neighbours." I need not eay, that, were this true, to publish it is neither consistent with patriotism ror sound policy. Nattons, like individuals, have their honest pride, and to stimulate them to noble actions the wisest course is surely not to degrade them in their own estimation. Une pairie d^hier, tCaura pat it lendenuUn: the country that cannot look back with pride to the paat, is not likely to look forward with hope to the futare. It ie the glorious reminiscences of past actione that form the meet powerful itimalas to fotare ezertlona. 24^ But, I deny that Canada deservea the reproach of slug- gishness, with which some of her sons have unworthily ae- sailed her— for reproach it is on her national character, to allege that whilst all around has been rapid progress, she alone has retrograded or remained stationary. On the con- trary, I contend, and, I believe, I have proved the truth of my assertion, that her progress has been at least — taking into consideration the paucity of her population and the migrating character of a portion of them — as rapid as that of her enter- prizing neighbours, whom I certainly would be the last to depreciate. Looking back on the difficulties which she has surmounted, the wonder is not that so much has been left undone, but that so much has been effected. If any one doubt the truth of this assertion j let him only compare our public works and public buildings with those of other coun- tries of equally recent origin, and we cannot doubt the result. In thus hopefully, as T have done this evening, expressing my opinion of our future commercial prospects, I have been led to do so under the conviction that I entertain of our popu- lation, as second to none in all the qualifications that conduce to national greatness. It is not — and history abundantly proves the fact — in proportion to the natural advantages of a country, that her material interests are at all times elevated. It would almost appear that the advancement of nations has been in an inverse ratio to their natural capabilities. Whilst those countries peculiarly favoured by soil and climate have languished, never emerging from obscurity, oth^^rs, destitute of equal natural advantages, have reached the summit of national elevation. Holland affords a striking illustration. It h»i8 been observed of her, that without arable land her cities became the granaries of Europe ; without possessing any of the materials for shipbuilding, she built ncvies that swept the ocean ; without possessing either stone or timber, she constructed spacious cities and superb edifices. The country itself was in constant danger of being submerged, and it required all the skill of its inhabitants to protect it against sudden inundations. Yet the mind of man triumphed over these obstacles ; and that people, with every physical difficulty to encounter, rose to be one of the first and most pawerful nations of Europe. Great Britain also— our father-land— presents the nA>Bt memorable instance of the victory of mind. Little could the £5 T L RooMUB poet— when be deieribed the Britbh ai ent off ffom eommonication with the whole world— imagine that the na- tion whom he thns despised was to attain to an eminenee « above all Greek, above all Roman fame ;" to eitend her away over regions nnknown to Rome,— the so-called mistress of the world,— to plant her flag, and spread civiliiation, and diffose Christianity in every quarter of the world— and not her least glory to plant Colonies in distant lands, whose prondest boast will Over be that they are not unworthy of their parentage ! Why do I make these observations ? hot that I wonld impress this troth for onr practical government— that the commercial prosperity of a country depends opon the mental and moral character of the inhabitants. All the advantages of nature may be rendered nugatory by man. It is equally in the power of a people to transform fertile plains into a bowling wilderness, or <*to plant a garden in the desert waste.*' The same causes which act on individual act on the national welfare. It is by honesty, by indnstry, by prudence, by frogallty, and by perseverance that individuals thrive. The aggregate of these qualities in a people, joined to public spirit, form the basis of natidaal prosperity. I would not have you confound, however, party spirit with public spirit. Their effects are as different as are their objects. Whilst party spirit Is exercised in the furtherance of private or Indi- vidual advancement, or in seeking to obtain an ascendancy of one part of the population over the remainder, public spirit is engaged in the promotion of the general welfare. One is sometimes mistaken for the other, but on a careful analysis it will be discovered that the one is pure gold, the other merely a gilded counterfeit. Well does the poet say, with reference to what constitutes the real strength of a country : — What constitutes a State ? Not hiffh-ralsed battlement or labored mound, Thick wall or moated gate ; Not cities proud with spires and turrets crown'd , Not bays and broad-armed ports, Where, laushing at the storm, rich navies ride ; But Mkm, high-minded Mem. 19 : fuaH !.' .>l'i^jb Uii evodc •* .'(II ^ !0 ^}iti'jjiJ*i ail) Ofcuiiib i > S V''^-^ n!>gai> ?'.d BOLLO CAHPfiELLy FBINTBB* i iv