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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent etre filmds d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour etre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmd d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants iliustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 |{ E :\i A li K s ON TIIK CONSKQUENCES OF THE ENTIRE CHANGE 111 oru COLOiNlAL POLICY l.N BRITISH NORTH AMERICA. All Ki'ii'i'l ^'11L■- l:i' If -ui.ick- k •puctiU'Ic di ranil.itian iiiaiitifiK tiiriiTe. - 'J'hikus. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH AND LONDON. MDCCCXLVII. I'riiitu.l liv W'li.i.iAM Iin( ivwooK \ Sons, K(liiibiirf;li. REMARKS, &c. In i;iviiii;- a .skctoli dl" the present .situation and prospoot.s of tli(! Jiritisli Nortli American Colonics, it is not my inten- tion to discuss the prini'iples of Free Trade, or to enter on the (questions, a.s to wliether tlie late measures of the IJritish Legislatui'e have heen cautiously and prudently adopted, and the old-fashioned theory of sliips, colonies, and com- merce exploded hy the more eidii^htened views of the present aire; and whether the majority of the memhers of hoth Houses of J'arlianient, unhiassed hy j)arty feeling, has come to the calm and deliherate conviction that, as a great national measure for the general good of the emj)ire, the theory of Free Trade ought to be adhered to, and all pro- tection to the trade of the Jiritish Colonies be withdrawn. It is suflicient for my purpose that the theory of Free Trade has heen adopted; and the question now is, not whether that tln^ory is or is not to be practically carried into eifect, as regards the British North American Colonies; but the plain truth is — and it would be folly to disguise the fact — that if these Colonies are to remain part and portion of the British empire, no other choice is left than to retrace the precipitate measure lately adopted; or, if these Colonies are to onjoy no other privilege than mere military protection, then Free Trade must be carried out to the full extent; not tlie shadow without the reality. It is in vain to expect that mere special j)leading, in the shape -1 • »f ;i coldiiial (k'j^patrli, will coiiviiict! tliu iiitclli^^fiit cctloiiist tluit lit' (lii(,sii()t know his own sitiuitioii, l)iit that ho ciijoy.s .sonic woiulcrl'ul ailvantago and j)ri>'iU'i;o liu is not aware of; while what he looks for as a matter of justice, is aotiial trade and intercourse with foreign countries, e(jnally free and uiisjiackied by all j)rotection in favour of the Rritish nianufactni'ei', and of the Hritish shi[)owner, as that enjoyed hv the United States of Aniei'iea. 'IMie rKjvernor-ireneral of Canada, on 25111 January, iMlf!, pninti'd out in stroni; terms to luM" Majesty's (iovemment the evils that must arise from a sudden change of measures: — "• That the improvement of the internal communication l)v water in Canada was un- del-taken on tlu' streiiirth of the advantaixe of exportinif to England the surplus produce; that the means of the ]>ro- vince to pay the principal and iutci'est on the deht guaran- teed hy England would he diminished, and the general pros|)erity of the province so materially atVected as to render it a |)ossihle case that the guarantee givun to public credi- tors Would have to be resorted to by them for the satisfac- tion of their claims." Mr. liliss, the agent for New Hruns- wick, in a letter to Sir Robert Peel, of 2(Stli January, l.S4b', states, that the eH'ect of these measures would be " to hold out the strono-cst inducement that can arise from commor- cial considerations for these provinces to sej)arate from the mother country and join the United States ;" and tho Leiiislature of Canada, on the I2th Mav, 184(5, in still stronger language, that "It is much to be feared that, should the inhabitants of Canada, from the withdrawal of all protection to their ju'oducts, find that they cannot success- fully compete with their neighbours of the United States, in the only market open to them, they will naturally, and of necessity, begin to doubt whether remaining a portion of the British empire will be of that paramount advantage which they have hitherto found it to b(! ; and that any changes which would tend in the remotest degree to weaken the ties that have for so manv vears, and under trying cir- f'umstaiK'es, bound the p(«ople of Canada to that land whi?h colonist • injoyH /arc of ; ! actiuil illv IVeo Hritisli oiiiovotl piicral of inr terms •ise t'roin oveiiicnt was uu- ortinii; t<) tho ])r()- : i-naran- • ('■(.■neral to render )lic credi- p satistae- V,' Hrinis- ,ry, LS-iG, to hold eoininer- Vom the and tho in still ired that, iwal of all ; suocess- l States, •allv, and -)ortion of id vantage that any to weaken rying cir- md whi di tliey ai'e jiroud to call their mother counti-y, would he viewed as the greatest inisfortuno that could befai them.'" To this, in desjtatches up to ^d June, 181(), Mr. Glad- stone rej)lies, refusing the petitioners, in terms sutlicicMitiy dirt'use, and but little demonstrative, as I shall presently show, and concludes by stating that, " It would indeed bo a sourcoof great pain to her Majesty's Government if they could share in the imj)ression, that the connexion between this countrv and Canada derived its vitality from no other source than from the exchange of comuiercial jireference. If it were so, it might appear to bo a relation consisting in the exchange, not of benefits but of burdens: if it were so, it would suggest the idea that tho connexion itself had reached, or was ^)out to reacli, tho legitimate tertn of its existence." It cannot be denied that such language savours much of an approaching separation of these Colonies from the mother country ; yet it is notorious, th.at at no period was there less disposition on tho part of t!ie Canadian colonist to promote annexation to the United ^Uates, than previous to these Free Trade measures; and even now, taking the public press and the acts of the most influential public bodies as the means bv which the wishes of the i)eoj>h> mav ^ 111 fairly be judged of, it is satisfactory to see that, from one end of that vast country to the other, the newspaper, u em with expressions of loyalty and affection towaivls the iuo- ther country. The Quebec Gazette, in its usual clear and able manner, discusses the subject with calm prudence, and concludes by stating, "but true allegiance, like couunon honesty, never I'aises a question of interest as an excuse for its violation." The Hoards of Trade of (^uel)ec, of Mon- treal, and of Toronto, exj)ress the greatest conlideiice that justice will be done by the mother country; antl the Mon- treal and Upper Canada [)apei's, generally, disavow any wish (»r intention to contend against such measures as may bo deemed ti^ be indispensable for the benefit of the Hriti.sh empire at large; Init what they, one and all. (or neai'ly all,) point out and insist on is. that those Colnni,-.-^ are phved in n u \V(»rso sitii!Vti«)n tlmii the I'iuIlhI StJito.s of Aim lira, in n'^rird to five intercourse Jiiul tnule with toreiirii nations, and at tlie same time arc- ahoiit to he dcjn-ived of all |ii ivileucs whatever as Colonics, hv their trade witli (neat Britain iMjini^jilaeed on an e(|ual footin-wiih that of foi-cimi >.fat(<. liord (Jrev. en ISth May, is rejxnted to have said, — " In onr eohmial emj)ire we possessed friends and allies in every (juarter (»f the globe: svf had thus a lar^e jiopulation in various parts of th(> world, |iossessin;4' i^reat natural I'esoiirccvs, united heart an\ perfectly ill nLiivrd Liul at tin- , wliatcvtM- n»la<'('il I'll (Mil (ii'cy. ir colonial (juavtcr ol •ions ])arts t>s, united n.s in all possession, riccl in tiu; t ami n»<»st f'ai'o t)i' the felt it as a I in liaving At'i" »>t" this ulatcd and anio sj)oeeh it jealousy, )du(-'i'd tliat e extensive is (Mjuall y l)ut sonie- ine-drawn t the very ed hv Lord st may he States, or ethn-al Go- 'orhea ranee ' to expect of all pro- 1 privileq;cs 1 if Canada then, that { peiTeelly *ress, 7'/i>< Timcn^ and «tther papei's, snppoiteis of the pir-cnt Ministry in Mnu'land, in retnarkin',^ on M r. (Jlad^tonr's despatches, havesaid, that '• tlic (iovernmeni coollysaid. tli. I it would not pnr(diase icniote suhjection at the price of rational starvation; that if the Canadas could not he retained hut iiy the m»ldcn ties of monopoly, they were not woi'th keep- in- at all. We think the (Jut what has the result proved to he '. Have the Canadians shown any inclination towards a •• petulant inde|»endencer' On the contrary, the re|»resentatives of the trade of the colony have exj)ressed the \itniost reliance on the Jnstio' of the mother country, and the |)i( ss has declareir«' of North America — in themii;hty lakes and broad rivers — there are resoiirces which will never fail while tile hand of man is .strong, his heart bold, and his indu.strv unlla''<:ini;. Seeini: and recoirni.sinir these irreat advantages, Canada asks to be liberated from tin- thraldom of |»r(»tecti(»n, and. on the fair t<;rms of commercial reci- procity, and .self-r(>gulati(»n, to comj)ete in the markets of th(! ilritish eiiijiire and the world." I shall now endeavour to place in a clear pttint of vi(!W the jU'esent state and pros- pects of Canada, and make a few remarks on the unwar- rantable and extraordinary misrepresentations with regard to the traile of Canada, which have been made us*' of for j)arty purposes in Kniiland ; and although lam very well aware that when start lini: truths are mentioned, and |>Iain langiiage used, doubt is immcdiatrly creat(ul as to the possibility (»f such a state of thinus, I will not be with- heUI from stating distinctly, and f shall endeavour to prove, that if the Jh-itish (Jovernmcnt have not exactly broken faith with the Canadian colonists, somethiuLj ap|)roacliing very near to this has taken place; and as the facts may be easily ascertained bv anv one who chooses to take th(^ trouble, I cannot fancy it possible that any un])rejudiced reasonable man, who does not mix up the (past ion with pai'ty politics in England, will be found to deny that the col(»nists are hardly dealt with, and have reason to com- |)lain, and a right to expect and to demand protection, ortrade with foreign countries equally free and unshackled as the trade enjoyed by the neighbouring States of America. In l!S4i2-JJ various alterations took place in the laws affecting th" Canadas and other Colonies, and, amongst others, renu- lai>./ns with regard to the West India Colonies, which vir- tually did awav with what had nreviouslv been a thiivinping, the Canadas could not enter into comj>etition with the United States of America, in HU|)]>lying the sistej Coloni(\s with beef, pork, kc. k^c ; ''*^ "4^;-., 10 njK I tliis cioatcHl dissatisfaction, iiinsmucli as, wliilo tin ^^o West Imlia Colonics were allowed to supply tlieniselvcs tVoni loreiu'ii countrii'S to tlio (lotrini(>nt of Canada, yt't Canada was not admitted to the sanio j)riviloge in roiiard to till! j)rodne(> of those West India (Ndonies, but duties equal to about 'SO per cent, ad I'dlorent were retained, ami eoutmue so to this moment on sui^ar, rum, oodee, and cocoa — ■ and nearly double this amount of duty on nutlasses, the j)roduce of foreign States, wluMi imported into Canada ; let it 1)0 well understood, not provincial duties foi' the purj)oses ot revenu(\ hut C rown duties, hud on hy the Jiritish Jji'uislature for the purpose of j)roteclion lo the jiritish West India Colonies. Alterations likew'se took plac(,' in the timber duties, which crc>at((d i^reat anxiety ill Canada, and the colonists were uriied to turn their miiuls to aifriculture : and tlu-y were eiieouraued to bidieve that their colonial pr(>duco would enjoy certain privih>ii'es over foreiii'ii ai;ricultural produce when im})orted into Hri- taiii, under the express proviso, however, that the Cana- dian Leiiislature j)asM'd an act, imposinii' a duly on foiungn wheat when iuijiorted into Canada ; and this being imme- diately complied with, the famous Canada Corn 13111 of l84o was passed by tin; British Legislature, whifdi bears its nieaniuL!; and intention on the face of it, — namely, '' That whereas it is recited in the said act (of the [Provin- cial Parliament,) that it was passed in the confidt'Ut belief .md ex])cctation, that upon the imposition of a it was possible to com- plete these works, so as to derive the benefit expected to arise from them, immense exertions were made ; enormous out- lay took place ; and 1 believe 1 ilo not exaggerate in saying, that, in the sprint' of the year 18i7, vessels of several hundred tons burden may load and proceed to sea from a distance of l.^OO to KiOO miles inland; and neither exertion nor expense have been spai-ed to render the St. Lawrence the outlet for the produce of a very extensive, and very line liritish Aiiu'iican country. Under such cii-cumstances, is it at all extraordinary if the Canadian colonists are dis- satisii(Hl to find themselves saddled with a heavy and ruinous debt, which the Governor-general of Caiiada had represented to her Majesty's CovernnuMit that the purposed measures would much decrease their capacity to pay the interest or |)rincipal of, and that, eventually, recourse may be neces- sai'V to the British Government, as haviiiii; uuaranteed the loan. Ts there any thing to be wondered at, if, having ful • tilled their part of the implied 'Miitract, or at least the understandiii2' come to, ere ;he nionev was borrowed and laid out, that they think it paid ; that they tiiiiik it fnu- MWa 12 trary to t(juity and justice to be deprived of the privileges imjdied bv tlie IJritisli Act of l*arliainent (> and 7 Vict., by the guarantee given by the British Government, and by tlie whole proceedings, and that protection to tlieir trade be withdrawn, not from any fault of tlieirs, but from the ter- giversation and want of foresight of liritish statesmen? I will show how little attention such assertions are entitled to as coming from an anonymous scribbler ; but what says Lord Stanley, who had been the British Colonial minister? Ho protests, " Because the removal of diflerential duties in favour of Canada corn is at variance witli the legislative encouragement held out to that colony by Parliament, on the faith of ichich the colonists have laid out large sums upon the improvement of their internal navigation ; and because the removal of protection will divert the traffic of the in- terior from the St. Lawrence, and the British ports of Quebec and Montreal, to the foreign port of New York ; thus throwing out of employment a large amount of Bri- tish sliij)ping — severing the commercial interests of Canada from those of the parent country, and connecting these in- terests most immediatelv with the U)iited States of Ame- rica : Because the adoj)tion of a similar system of com- merce will tend to sever the strongest bonds of union be- tween this country and her Colonies, will deprive the Bri- tish merchant (»f what is now his most certain market, and sap the foundation of that colonial system, to which, com- mercially and politically, this country owes so much of its present greatness." 1 am well convinced that the Canadians would scout and scorn all idea of rej)U(liation ; but if ever there was a case where repudiation could be justified, the Canada loan approaches very near to it. The Canadian colonists are now told to retrace their ste])s, and to take off the alloued to of Ainoi'icn in the British market, for their agricultural produce, and after a short time nothing more ; but that they will bo relieved from the duties exacted by the British Government for the protection of British manufactures, and of British colonial produce. It is all very tine, and very plausible, for embryo statesmen in the House of Connuons to assert, that never was there a time when the Canadians could hud so good a market for their produce all over Europe ; but it i- cruel and intolerable to hear such statements made on authority which may be supposed to have some weight, when the notorious fact was, or ought to have been, known, that it matters little to the colonists what is the state of the market on the continent of Europe. All the exertions they have used, all the money they have expended, are per- fectly unavailing to enable them to reach the markets of the continent of Europe direct from Canada ! The colo- nists are fettered and shackled by protection laws in favour of British interests, and by the British Navigation Laws, from the etlect of which very nearly the whole continent of Europe is shut against their trade direct, and the ships of these foreign countries are prohibited from trading with Canada, because it is a British colony^ And thus, while free trade is talked of, and nominally granted ; while The Times proclaims that " the standard of Free Trade floats on the Castle of Quebec, if not as proudly, yet as hope- fully, as on the Custom-house of Liverpool, or the Ex- change of Manchester," the unfortunate colonists are, in fact, confined almost exclusively to Britain, as the only market in Europe where their produce is permitted to be im- ported direct from Canada : and they are prevented from supplying their wants direct from the cheapest markets in Europe, but are compelled to import the produce and manufactures of foreign countries in Europe by the indirect means of shipment to England, to be there bonded and tran- sliipped by British ships to Canada, liable to all the delay, the innnense difference of expense, and the vexatious ob- struction and deterioration of the value of their property, MM II iVdiii the liritii^li ( 'ustniii-house rcguliitioHH, as 1 sliull |»rc- seiitly prove in detail. A oonsiclorablc i)iircliaso of b'rciKrh iiiamiraoturos was made in Paris, and tlici'o divided, and one- lialftlioreot" was sent to Livt'rjxtol to be tliorotran.sliij)j)od by Hritisb sbips tor Cana(hi, and tbo otlier lialf was sent to Marseilles to bo tlioro slii|)ped for Canada, via Now York ; and the r( suit proved to bo, that tlie oxj)onsps on the half of this |)ureha,so sent to Liverpool, when laid down there, and then liable to further shipping charges, and freight and insurance to Canada, amounted, as nearly as could be, to «louble the amount of the expense incurred on the other half when laid down, freight and charges included, at New York; and while at the liritish Custom-house, although these foreign manufactures W(>rc imported into, and ex- ported from, the bonded warehouse, every article was taken out of every package, to the great injury and deterioration in the value of the property. The other half, shipped via New York, remained intact and uninjured. Otlier ship- ments from tlie continent of Europe met with the same fate, and some descriptions of goods were unpacked and weighed. Thus the indirect trade via Britain is rendered nearly impossible ; and although the direct trade from the Continent is nominally not otherwise interdicted, it is rendered impossible by the IJritish Navigation Laws; and the colonists are, of necessity, driven to the cheapest mode of convey- ance, by American ships via Now York. I am aware that it may be said, that the expense of freight from Britain to Canada may be set oti' against the expense of conveyance from New York to Canada; but, notwithstanding J\L\ Gladstone's doubts on the subject, the expense of transport from New York to Upper Canada does not exceed the expense from Montreal to the same |)lace. The following is an extract from the table of duties levied on foreign manufactures and produce, when imported into the colonies under the British Act of Parliament, 8 >&: 9 Vict. cap. 83, those duties being for the protection of F^ritish manufactures and trade, and are over and above ■■aasuoMumBTS 15 S I sll.'lll J>IO- ase of l-'ri'iu.'h idetl, .111(1 one- i'aiisIiij)()C(l hy If was sent to 5 New York ; OS on the lialf (1 down tliore, nd freight and us could bo, to on the other uded, at New use, altliou'2;h 11 to, and €x- iclo was taken . deterioration f, sliipped via Other slii))- 'itli the same inj)acked and n is rendered rade from the , it is rendered I tlie colonists e of convey- expense of against the 'anada; but, the subject, )per Canada Lo the same hie of duties len imported Parliament, e protection T and above what the same descriptions of liritish niaiiiifacturis and product! are liable to, unless when foreign produce is im- ported fioiii the bonded warehouse in Britain, when iliree- fourths of the extra dutv only is exacted : — Refined sugar 20 per cent. ; glass manufactures, silk manufactures, spermaceti oils, skins, k.c. 1') per cent, ad calorem ; cotton iiianufiictures, linen, woollen, leather, hardware, clocks, tobacco, soap, candles, corks, cordage, oakum, »ls:c., 7 per cent, ad valorem ; and these are a part of the duties which the colonists wish to get rid of, in such away as not to be injurious to the colonial revenue. Hut this is not all : it is in vain to enable the colonists to equalise the duties on foreign manufactures and produce with the duties levied on Jiritish manufactures and pro- duce, while, in fact, the colonists cannot export, even in a liritish ship, tin; j)roducts of Canada direct to the j)orts on the continent of Europe, nor can foreign ships trade with Canada ; and, conse(juently, the colonists must inevitably resort to the British market alone for the sale of their pro- duce, and are com))elled to resort to tin; indirect route via liritain, or via New York, to supj)ly themselves with such foreign manufactures as, under the new state of things, thev find it to be a decided advantage to obtain from foreign countries, in preference to procuring them from Great Britain.* The American Government is well aware of the dilli- culties to which the British colonists are exposed, and the press of the United States ridicules the idea of the Cana- • It may appear somewhat extraordinary, to tho?e who merely listen to all the extravagant representations on the subject of Free Trade, and the monopoly granted to the Colonie^^, that Canada was compelled to retain higher distinctive duties on foreign manufactures and produce, for the pro- tection of British manufactures in her market, than the rate of distinctive duties allowed by the British Tariff in favour of Canadian manufactures in the British market. By the new Tariff of llUti, the duties on the cotton and woollen manufactures of the colony, when imported into Britain, are 5 percent, aii valorem ; and on linen, iron and steel, copper ami brass, hair, and all other manufactures not otherwise enumerated, and paying duty, 10 per cent, being the same as from foreign countries. IG (Jian entering inti» c()Mij)etitiun with tlie route cia New York, wliilo they roniain under the trammels uf Jiritisli proteetion laws in favour of other British interests. Tlio United States Government is usinir every possible means to draw the whole of the trade of the inland British and American country in the direction of New York, for the encouragement of American shipping, and of their own inland communications ; and for this purpose every facility is given, and a Transit Law has been passed, giving great freedom to the foreign trade through the United States territories, the result of which lias proved to be eminently successful, and promises to be more so. The following extract, from the official paper at Wash- ington, will show the object and effect of the United States Transit Acts, on undoubted authority, and more clearly than by any other means within my power : — " We publish this day an important circular of the Treasury department, as regards the law of 8th August, 184G, allowing a transit through our rivers, railroads, and canals, of exports from Canada for foreign countries. The act of the 3d March la.' t, allowing a drawback on foreign imports, exported from certain of our ports to Canada, and also to Santa Fc and Chihuahua in Mexico, has gone to some extent into eliect under regulations prescribed by this department, and is beginning to produce the most happy results, especially in an augmented trade in the supply of foreign exports to Canada from our own ports. Indeed, this law must soon give to us the whole of this valuable trade, during the long period when the St. Lawrence is closed by ice, and a large proportion of it at all seasons. The result would be still more bene- ficial if Canada were allowed tf» carry all her exports to foreign nations, in transit, through our own railroads, rivers, and canals, to be shipped from our own ports. Such a system, while it would secure to us this valu- able trade, would greatly enlarge the business in our rivers, lakes, railroads, and canals, as well as augment 17 fill Nt'w f JJritish interests, possible lI British Vork, for ;hoir own y facility inn; great id States minently it Wasli- ed States '0 clearly r of the August, bads, and OS. The foreign ada, and gone to bed by le most in the m ports. of this the St. >n of it e bene- lorts to lilroads, ports. s valu- in our ugment «»ur conuuerce ; and would soon lead to tho purchase, bj Canada, not only of our foreign exports, but also, in many cases, of our domestic products and fabrics. In this manner our commercial relations with Canada would become more intornal, and more and more of her trade, every year, would be secured to our people." On this subject, the Toronto Colonist remarks, that " It appears to be the desire of the legislators of the United States, to render their canals and public works as extensively serviceable as possible, not only for their own citizens, but for the citizens or subjects of the adjoining countries. " W^liatever changes our neighbours may introduce, there is an evident determination to adhere to tho prin- ciple of protection, which is apjdied by them to their agricultural products as well as to their domestic manu- factures. Whatever advantages our neighbours may be willing to concede to us, there is one which, however anxious we may be to obtain it, they are determined to withhold, viz. free access with our products to their mar- kets, or access upon the payment of a moderate duty ; which would not, in effect, exclude us altogether from them as at present. The high duty, amounting to pro- hibition, levied on colonial wheat and other products sent to the United States, our readers are familiar with." The ultimate results of a Free Trade, such as the Cana- das are fairly entitled to, if they are deprived of protec- tion, may prove to be very different from what is anticipated in England ; and if these Colonies are prevented suppl^'ing themselves direct from the cheapest markets, by protection to more favoured interests, a very large propor- tion of the trade must find its way by the ohegipest mode of conveyance, that of American ships via New York. In Mr. Gladstone's despatch of the 3d June, 1846, it is stated, that " the price which the colonial and foreign exporters of corn respectively will obtain in Great Britain, must always be materially affected by the comparative degrees of facility which may be afforded to the country "n J8 of the one or of the other, for tlio introduction of tlio3o British goods by Avliicli payment of tlie corn must sub- stantially bo made. British goods are admitted into Canada at a very low, and into the American Union, at very high import duties. The etl'ect of this is, not merely to give the British importer a better position in the Canadian market than in that of the United States, but to enable him to givo a better })rice for the commodity he purchases in return, and therefore to give the corn trade of Canada a corresponding advantage, so long as the present Taritl' continues, over that of the United States." But, why stop there ? why prevent the colonist from carrying out, in regard to foreign countries, this theory so anxiously explaine-' as being so beneficial to Great Britain i Is it to be taken as Mr. Gladstone's meaning, that this theory is applicable to the trade of Canada with Great Britain alone? In plain terms it appears to amount to this : the colonists arc told to admit British manufactures at a low rate of duty, and that they will obtain a higher price for tlieir produce when sent to England, than they otherwise would do ; and that they will bo permitted to admit foreign manufactures also at a low rate of duty; but that they must not go to foreign markets with their produce, so as to derive the benefit from havincr reduced the duties on these manufactures ; they must not admit foreign vessels to import the produce of foreign countries into Canada, nor even to export the produce of that colony to Great Britain, for exportation from the bonded warehouse ; they, the colonists, are not to have tlio same privilege a foreign country enjoys, even in this respect. The British Act of Parliament, 8 & 9 V^ict. cap 8S, sect. 22, says, ''That goods of any sort, or the produce of any place not otherwise pro- hibited than by the Law of Navigation herein before con- tained, may be imported into the United Kingdom from any place in a British ship, and from any place, not being a British possession, in a foreign ship of any country, and liowever navigated, to be warehoused for exportation only, under the provisions of any law in force for the time being, ,:-i'4V l# \i) of those list sub- ted into nioii, at t merely I ill the H, but to odity he trade of ) present ," But, carrvini; nxiously Is it to theory is Britain ;his : tlio at a k>w price for thcrwiso o admit but that produce, iluties on vessels ada, nor Britain, |iey, the foreign li Act of I at goods [ise pro- bre con- km from \ot being try, and 111 onlv, le being. made fur the warehon.sing of goods without the payment of duty, upon the first entry thereof."''' But the description of Free Tra(h' wliich the colonists are to be permitted to enjoy, appears to amount to their agricultural pnxhice being admitted into Great Britain hy IJritish ships only, and at the same rates of duty as foreign produce, and nothing more or less ; but they, as colonists, must abide by British protection laws, by whieh they are prevented from going elsewhere than to Britain, and tradinu" with foreign countries direct, on e<(ual terms with their neinhbours of the United States of America; and it is held out that these disadvantages will be counterbalanced by a lower tariff on liritish manufactures when imported into Canada, than that of the United States of America, and l)y advan- tages the colonists are said to possess over the United States. The advantages the Canadian colonists are repre- sented to have over the United States are pointed out in Mr. Gladstone's despatch of 3d March, 184(), — viz. " Further, with regard to corn, I have much satisfaction in reflecting, that if Canada will have to enter into competi- tion with the Western States of America, and to ensfairo in this rivalry when no longer covered by any protective duty, at least she will not be called to make the ctibrt without some advantaires on her side. Amono: them I reckon her light taxation, the assistance she has received from ]Jritish credit and funds in the construction and improvement of her internal communication, her more regular and steady course of trade with this country, lier low tariff — so favourable to improvement, and, on that account, powerfully tending to encourage her reciprocal commerce outwards ; some advantage in point of proximity as compared with the most westerly states of the Union, which are also her most formidable rivals in cheapness of production ; and lastly, the means of conveyance, without transhipment, by the St. Lawrence, which cannot be had by the Erie Canal. She will likewise have this in her favour, that her corn trade will have become a settled one 20 of some tjtandiii'' with all its ariauijeincut.'i matlo, whilo '.-)' a any regular (.'ommeivo in that artit'ic, from tho United States, must be a new ereation, and must go through tho process attending its self-adjustment to circumstances yet untried." And in a despatcli of '.id June, 184(1, that "Her Majesty "'s (jovernment can by no means subscribe to tho opinion, that the com[)arativo dearness of this route, by the St. Lawrence, is an established fact.""* Now, I may be per- mitted to remark, that the iii'itish capitalist knows to his cost, and 1 presume it will not be denied, that tho States of the American Union found no dillicultv in obtaining ample credit and funds for the im])rov(>ment of their inter- nal communication ; and the Canada Loan being guar- anteed by the British Government, is merely a (juestion of a small difference, if any, in the amount of interest of tho debt payable by C'anada. XV^hat is meant by " her more regular and steady course of trades" Heaven only knows ! The United States of America have, for many years, enjoyed a regular and steady trade with Great Britain, and with the whole world, whilo Canada has virtually been confined to trade with Britain only, or nearly so ; has had her trade tampered with at various periods, and now, palpably and evidently, is likely to have her trade with foreign states, and even with Great Britain, placed on a less favourable footing than the trade enjoyed by the United States of America. Lord Monteagle, on 11th August, is reported to liave said, in reference to the Canada trade, that " The whole history of our legislation on this subject, during the last twenty years, had been nothing but a succession of changes ;" so it was absurd to say that the House was " pledged to any thing." As to the low tariff, greater proximity, and cheapness of convey- ance by the St. Lawrence, it is freely admitted that the American tariff is higher than that of Canada, as the revenue of the province is sufficient for the wants of the country, although the expenses of the local government have enormously increased since the L^nion ; and the ;? ^ ?**•'■,« 1 KwtarsaBWiiw^iiap"' liBirJH*-"--"-'*** 21 been ,s had now, trade laced Ijoyed e, on [0 the lation been Ird to s to vey- tlie the the lent the American tariff is, in some degree, of a protective nature, as well as for the purpose of revenue. But the restrictions on the colonial trade, on the one hand, while unprotected, on the other hand, in any market, far more than counter- balanc<' this advantaue ; and, notwithstanding the immense improvement of the inland communi<'ation, notwithstanding that the St. Lawrence is evidently the natural outlet of such a mairniticent country, colonial and American, the disadvantaires and restrictions under whicli the colonists labour are such as to render a competition with their more favoured neiuhbours of the United States, in the trade with the rest of the world, impossible. From the want of more solid argument, Mr. Gladstone may be driven to dwell on the greater proximity of a part of Canada, as compared to the most westerly states of the Union, and to express a doubt as to which is the cheapest route for the conveyance of the produce of these countries to a market in Europe. But plain facts may tend to place the matter in a different light, and in some degree to counteract the impression made by mere speculative ideas. The United States Goviirnment is so intent on securing the carrying trade for American shipping, and the convey- ance of the products of the whole inland country by the American route via New York, and so great facilities have consequently been given by the Transit Act, that even at this moment, when some small difference in the dutv remains in favour of the colonists, on their airricultural produce when imported into Great Britain, the very great disadvantages under which tlie Canadian route labours, has placed, as near as can be, on an equal footing in the Liver- pool market, agricultural produce the growth of Canada, coming via the St. Lawrence, and American produce, the growth of the inland country, which would naturally come ria the St. Lawrence, but is conveyed by the American route via New York. And such being the case at present, it is evident that, when the duties are entirely equalised in Britain, as thev will be, then the Canalian colonist does '>•> nut enter into even-lianded competition, but niust .stru^|;Ie a<;;iinst the wliole til* tlie present f grain and Hour to (iroat Britain from the interior cd' the country ; and although these artitdes coiihl be brought to Montreal at an equally cdicap rate to that at which they could bo convoyed to Now York, he was induced to make his shipments from New York, because he there obtained freight to Liverpool at 5s. a quarter for grain, and KJs. a ton for flour, wliilo at Montreal the freights were about 12s. a quarter for grain, and 4Gs. a ton for liour. And during the present year, up to the end of July 184(), although the comparison at tliis season of the year is far the most favourable to the United States, vet the freii,dits from New York to Liverpool liavc been /)s. iid. to (is. a quarter for grain, and 16s. to 18s. a ton for flour; while at Montreal they have been iOs. to 10s. 6d. a (juarter for grain, and 36s. to ISs. a ton for tlour. The moment the Americans found out that the Britisli Government had the intention to abandon protection to the trade of the liritish Colonies, agents were sent into Upper Canada to contract for the conveyance to, and shipment of flour from New York for Liverpool, to be put on board free of all chai'ges at New York, at precisely the same rate per barrel of flour as it would cost to be convoyed to Mon- treal. And at this moment, in so far as British regulations are concerned, and unless i)revented by the new Free Trade Corn Law, grain may bo imported from Canada into the United States, and there converted into flour, which, being conveyed to New York at a clieaj) rate, (;an be there shipped, by American ships, at a low i-ate of freiglit, to Great Britain, to any nuxrket in Europe, or to any part of the world. But American grain imported into Canada, even when the duty laid on bv desire of the British Government is done awav 23 with, when convcrtoil into flour in ( 'anada, and thon broiit;ht to Montreal, i.s then' mot hy liritish protective) rcstrictiouH, can only be .sliijtped hy liriti:^h shijH to Ciroa. Britain, and is ahno.st totally excluded iidM the coiil incut oi' Eur<»|)e, in either a Hriti.-jh or any other siii(), hecause from Canada, a liriti.sh colony. What, thon, id the British colonist to do under such circumstances f Decrease the cost of con- veyance ! exert his energies, which are said to have heen slumbering under protection! All fine talking, truly; hut it must bo remembered, that although the greatly imj)roved inland communications give greater facilities on the Canada side than hitherto, yet the means of convoyanco on the other side arc equally cheap ; and however much tho colonists may exert their energies to have their produce conveyed at a cheap rate to Montreal, they have to do with chea[)iy constructed means of conveyance on the other side, and with a people equal in energy to themselves ; a people who have a free trade with evory part of the world from New York, and who, in even-handed competition with the British shipowner and British merchant, in tho most hazardous and enterprising trade of the whale fisheries, have swept the British trade from oil' the sea. " Tho standard of Free Trade (says 77(0' Tunes) floats on the castle of (Quebec." Tho true standard of Free Trade floats on the Pacific Ocean : and what is there to be seen, — what is it we see? the flag of the stars and stripes, with a British Union Jack few and far between. A diffe- rent flag floats on the castle of Quebec ; there it floats on the barren rock, fanned by the winter breeze, with the thermometer 40 degrees below zero, an apt emblem of the warmth with which it was sought for ; and the colonist feels that the true standard of Free Trade was left behind when trade was free, when the British shipowner fled from tho Pacific Ocean. What floats on the castle of Quebec is but a tattered shred, false colours to disguise a slave-ship, a deception to protect monopoly. Tho British colonists are gagged and fettered. Are they to be de})rived of protection, 24 confined to the Britisli market, oonipelleJ to the exclusivef use of British shipping, and then tokl to exert their ener- gies, that they enjoy Free Trade ? But such language is foreign to my purpose, and, perhaps, partakes a little too much of the magniloquent effusions of some of the Free Trade papers in England; hut is there any exaggeration of the facts i The Times city article of the 5th of September gives the following : — " We liave been given to understand that only four ships have arrived from the southern whale fishery this year ; the estimated loss by the owners of these four ships will exceed .X^20,0()0, and none of them have been refitted for the service. It is stated that a proposition was made to the Government more than twelve months since, to revive this important branch of shipping, but it does not appear that the application was successful. Manu- facturers and consumers, under these circumstances, must be dependent for the future on the United States of America, for a supj)ly of spermaceti oil." And at another period The Times states : " The last statistical accounts pre- sented to Congress give the following figures as the amount of the mercantile tonnaije of the United States in 1845: total tonnage, 2,41 7,0(>2 tons. From the. United States, on the 1st of April 1845, 691 vessels were engaged in the whale fishery, and the number of seamen and petty officers engaged in this important branch of navigation is not far short of 20,000, because the crews of whalers are unusually large in proportion to the size of the vessel, from the nature of their service, and the necessity of manning the boats so employed in the pursuit of whales. If we turn to tiie last reports of our own whale fisheries, we shall find a vei-y dif- ferent result, the suppression of bounties, and the reduction of duties on vegetable oils, having inipaired the trade to the last degree. In 1821, 822 ships and 12,788 men were en- gaged in the British whale fisheries ; in 1841, these numbers had fallen to 85 ships and 8008 men. It is not easy to discover why a trade which attracts largo and increasing inve.'?tments of American capital, should prove in so decliu- r 1, \i ■ i ; .3 25 ing a condition in British hands. If 20,000 American seamen are at this time engaged in the whale fishery, prin- cipally in the Pacific Ocean, the United States may justly rely on such a body of men as a most excellent nucleus of maritime power. They have all the peculiar qualifications which best fit a seaman for the service of a man of war, whether on board the ships of the commonwealth, or under the flag of a privateer." Thus one link of the chain uf Free Trade appears to have snapped asunder, and now the defeated party stares in aston- ishment and looks for the cause, in the reduction of duties on vegetable oils, and the suppression of bounties ; hints at the revival of the trade by Government measures ; failing wliicli, " the British manufacturer and consumer must depend on the United States of America."''' I have, how- ever, some reason to believe, that T/te Tunes was more unwilling than unable to give another, and probably the true reason for this disastrous defeat of British enterprise ; but, be this as it may, the fact is clearly admitted, that some time or other, the British shipowner has knocked under, and has been completely defeated by a foreign nation on his own element ; and, quoting from the same authority, from which The Times derived its information in part, "The Americans have at least four-fifths of the whale fishery of the world ; and not the less remarkable part of it is, that the oil, when arrived in America, is nearly all exported to England." Is this then an accidental circumstance, or is it, as it has been said to be, owing to the superior energy, order, and temperance to be found on board American shipping I I shall not, however, attempt to discuss this subject further; but I may be permitted to remark, that the British mer- cantile shipping has not increased in proportion to the population, nor in proportion to that of other nations. free conn any open ipeti trade, to which greater encouragement is now to be given, and while the Free Traders are exulting over the rapid 1 20 increase during the last tlirec years, it will be found that somewhat more than the whole increase in the trade ha.s taken place entirely hy foreign shipping. Take the port of London for the first six months of the present year 1846, as com- pared with the year ISio, and it will be found that two- thirds of the increased commerce is by foreign ships. The latest accounts from Odessa report, that out of 150 sail of ships taking freights of corn, only six were British, the others Sardinian and Greek. The latter power shows a striking instance of rapid expansion ; the mercantile ship- ping being now ))retty nearly in proportion as 20,000 now is to oOOO some fifteen or twenty years since. 1 have not, however, the slightest intention to contest the great princi- ples of Free Trade ; on the contrary, 1 am willing to admit Lord Grey's delinition, that Enuland is " the greatest, the most enlightened, and the most civilised country in the face of the earth,''"' and that Free Trade is a very beautiful theory. ^Vhen Mr. lluskisson, the father of Free Trade, some years since proposed a change in the trade of the Canadas, I had occasifai to know the ])rccise terms in which liis views were exj)lained to a deputation of the colonists ; and they were assured, that it was far from being intended to create a revolution in the trade of the Canadas, to the destruction of those who had invested their capital therein ; that they might with entire coniidence rest satis- fied, that their local interests would be carefully and cau- tiously dealt with. JJut, in so far as the Canadas are now concerned, I cannot admit that the British senate has acted up to this declaration of Mr. lluskisson. I cannot admit that the re})resentatives of this great empire have showed any excessive degree of consistency and of wisdom, as apattern for the colonial legislature to follow. I cannot admit that over half a dozen members of either House of Parliament have attempted to explain, and much less to render clear, how this theory of Free Trade is to be carried out to its full extent, without the total subversion of all connexion witli Canada as a British colonv : but I do fi-eelv admit. ••( 27 .1 that tho interests of Canada appear to have been very imperfectly represented, and in some instances very o-rossly misrepresented ; and that the little interest and debate this part of the great question of Free Trade appeared to create in the House of Commons, arose in all human probability from a ver}' great state of ignorance of the subject. All that I pretend to say is, that one of two systems must now be adopted, as, if Great Britain has decided on not giving protection, beyond mere military protection to Canada, " as a garrison of the cheapest kind," and that a nominal Free Trade is to be granted in compensation, by which colonial interests will be placed on the same footing with those of foreign countries, while at the same time pro- tective restrictions are retained in favour of British interests, then the inevitable consequence must be, that the colonies will not long remain such, and had better be given up on amicable terms, as Lord Ashburton, on the 11th August is reported to have said, " The question whether we were to have Colonies at all was involved in the question of Free Trade or Protection. Protection had sometimes been car- ried to a ridiculous extent ; but it was essentially required, and it formed a necessary part of that system under which this country had acquired greater wealth, perhaps, than any other, the results of ships, colonies, and commerce. The principles advocated by the noble earl would involve the loss of the Colonies. The system of reciprocal protec- tion was the system of Colonies, and they would cease to be of any value the moment we deprived them entirely of tho system of protection. Was it intended to give to tho Colonies the power of removing all restriction ? were they to bo at liberty to trade where they pleased, in what bottoms they ])leased, and to have the entire and unre- stricted Free Trade which we claim for ourselves, and which it was said would produce such benefits to every one ? He asked whether we ought to throw down our defences and to let in all the world, and whether any such system could be found in such a oountrv as this to answer? Was evcrv ji 28 body, tlien, to be allowed to carry their manufactures to Jamaica and Canada on tliu same terms as we receive them ourselves ? If that were the case, gentlemen in Manchester, who expected such great benefits from Free Trade, would discover that in their own favourite article of cotton, the monopoly of which tlicy conceived no one could take from them, thev would be defeated in some of the Colonies. It would then be a question whether it would be worth while to keep our Colonies to benefit all the world, at a great expense to the revenue, with a great increase of our esta- blishments, and entailing upon us certain weakness and feebleness, if the time should come when we should bo unfortunately called uj)on to defend ourselves at home. The country would be placed in a false position by this system ; and if the principle teas adopted at all, It must he carried further.'''' And now, as the parties arrive at nearly the same result, although from very difi'erent premises, let us look at the opposite side of the question as taken by The Edinburgh Revleic of July, on the subject of colonial pro- tection : — " And not only do they create the necessity for lari^er militarv and naval establishments in the time of peace, but they involve us in wars to which otherwise we should not be exposed. Beyond the very questionable benefit of apparent power, (which may lead to jealousy as well as fear,) we derive no advantage from the mere supremacy over remote provinces ; from our being able to say that the Queen of England has so many millions of subjects, and that her dominions include so many thousand square miles ; that the sun never sets on the British empire ; that the English language is spoken in every clime, and that the fiag of England tloats in every latitude. That we do, however, in the present state of the world, derive much substantial advantage from our Colonies, can- not be doubted ; but that advantage, it appears to us, con- sists not in the barren attribute of sovereignty, but principally in the facilities which they afford for conmiercial intercourse. Even Napoleon, however accustomed as ho 29 was to look at every tiling as a general, and not as a civil governor, was captivated by the commercial prospects of Colonies ; and constantly associated with them the ideas of a mercantile marine, and an extension of external trade. Tn what, however, do the commercial advantages of colonial possessions consist ? They consist simply, as it seems to us, in the power which the mother country thereby enjoys of securing a fair and open market to her goods. They consist in her power of preventing the colony from exclud- ing her from its markets, by restrictions and discriminating duties, and all the perverse follies which the union of national jealousy with false systems of political economy has eno-cndered. " If the colony were independent, it would, supposing it to understand its true interest, admit the goods of the mother countr}'^ upon the same terms of equality as it does when dependent. It would do voluntarily what it now does under compulsion. But looking to the established errors on the subject of trade, to their general currency, and to the strength and spaciousness of the prejudices with which they are associated, we may be certain that such would not be its conduct. The following is, in few words, a summary of the principles upon which the relation of England to her Colonies, especially with reference to the colonial trade, ought, in our opinion, to be regulated : — It should be constantly borne in mind, that each colony is a separate and distinct community, occupying a territory distant from England, though politically dependent upon the Imperial Government. Owing to this separateness and remoteness, its local and subordinate governnient ought to be conducted as much in accordance with the opinions and wishes of the inhabitants, as is compatible with the condition of political dependence, and the maintenance of the supremacy of the British crown. For the expenses of its military and naval defence, England must not expect any direct compensation. Nor ouf/ht she to subject the trade of the colony to any restrictions for her ovm exclusive advan- 30 SI taae. Mio ought to .issunic no preforcncc in tlio markets {)i the colony, and should rest contcntid ti'lth the esta- Uishmcnt of a perfect Free Trade on both sides. She oiiiiht to permit her coloinj to trade freely irlth all the world, and open her oicn ports to its products. But, on tlio otlicr liand, she ought not to sacrifice hor own interests, by levying at home discriminating duties fm- the su[)posed honelit of the colony ; a system of liscal privilege which excludes cheaper and better foreign goods from her own market, and gives just offence to foreign nations/' Tt appears, then, that the two very opposite authorities I liave (juoted, both of which may be considered as entitled to some weight, have come to the conclusion, that if Free Trade is to be adopted, it cannot stop short at nominal Free Trade, but in fact must be free intercourse and trade with all tlio world. It perhaps, however, may seem to be somewhat pro- blematical, w'hether llie Edinbumk Berieiv has not laboured so Iiard to point out what the use of Colonies would be, when deprived of protection to their trade, as pretty nearly to show, that thev would be of no use at all, but rather an encumbrance. Hut it has been said, that the British colonists will enjoy Free Trade, in as mucli as they may build ships for them- selves, which will be entitled to all the privileges of British bottoms. This, however, is fallacious in more wavs than one : although it is true that the colonists are allowed to build ships and to export their produce to Britain by this means, yet their ships are prevented from direct intercourse with the continent of Europe, because from a British colony ; and nine months have not passed over their heads since the British colonists were threatened with, and had difficulty in preventing, a duty being laid on colonial built ships, for the protection of the British shipowner ! And while it is evident, and the best answer to the absurd misrepresentations that have taken place on the subject, that the trade and conveyance of agricultural produce by the river and gulf of St. Lawrence, requires substantial well built ships, well and sufficiently equipped and 'nanned, arkets ? esta- Her to accomplish so intricate and dangcrouH a navigation, the colonist must labour under all the disadvantages of having: the navigation of the St. Lawrence shut for five months of the year ; thoy must struiinlo against the more open ar.d easy navigation from New York, coupled with the great facilities given by the American Government to that route, and the low rates of freight by American shipping, and their being confined to the British market, while all the world is open to the Americans. In the timber trade, and especially for timber when manufactured into deals, the colonists are under great disadvantages as compared with the British shipowner, and thoy cannot enter into competition with the desciiption of vessels used for the conveyance of deals from some of the northern States of Europe, — absolute baskets, with their crews fed on rusk and stock-fish, — which are so rapidly doing away with the trade in British ships, although those ships have the advantage, not possessed by those of Canada, of being near and at hand, thus benefiting by the short voyage as occa- sion may ofler, when otherwise unemployed. Two great questions will soon be mooted : one is, Shall the entire navigation of the St. Lawrence be thrown open to all nations, or only by sea to (Quebec and Montreal I and the other is. If the British Navigation Laws are retained, shall thov be extended to the lakes of Canada ? But on neither of these questions is it my intention to enter at present. It is evident that the colonists are at this moment paralysed. A sudden, astounding, and complete change of British colonial policy has taken place; they perceive the disadvantages under which they will be placed, yet they are anxious to adhere to such regulations as the British Government may deem to be indispensable for the general good of the empire, and to show their loyalty and aftcction towards the mother country ; they wish to avoid being drawn or driven into a closer connexion with the United States of America, than is consistent with the interests of friendly nations, in civilised countries, bordering on each i: ?,'2 other ; and it does not appoar clear that the colonists have yot had suHiciinit time, calmly and deliberately to conio to a decision on the unparalleled and intricate state in which their inagnilicent country is now to bo placed. The question of the opening of the ottire navigation of tho St. Lawrence to all nations, is of too vast importance to be hastily gone into, as touching chords which, when made to vibrate, may involve the peace, not only of America, but of the whole world ; antl perhaj)s the extension, eventually, of the British Naviiration Laws to the lakes in Canada, would cicato jealousy and difficulty of a nature to be avoided. The navigation of the inland waters, however, can at this moment scarcely be said to be on tho basis of reciprocity, as tho advantages and restrictions are on the American side.* * Free Trade, — from Messrs. Gibson and Ord's circular, Manchester, 22d October, 1 fUG. " A struggle lias been maintained between buyer and seller, the former seeing no prospect of remuneration in the foreign market but from low i>rices, whilst the latter has had to contend with almost daily increased rates for the raw material. A remedy for both can only be found in a reduc- tion of the time of labour, at once giving confidence to the exporter and a check to speculation in cotton. We are happy to say that such a movement is now more than probable, for already several mills in this district have com- menced running short time. A curtailment of the hours of labour neces- sarily increases the cost of production ; and the calculation by our manu- facturers has usually been, and, we know, now is with many, whether the loss, at the ruling prices, is greater than would be the case in running their machinery on reduced time. But we would beg leave to remind them that their calculation should not stop here, but embrace the prejudicial effects produced on foreign markets by a glut of goods, thrown on them by over- production, as was the case in 18li8 and 1842, by which an almost unparal- leled state of depression and suffering was mainly brought on in this district. Our view is, that if a system of four days^ work per week were universally adopted, our home market would at once assume a tone of firmness, and the foreign be so relieved and strengthened, that we would, after the winter months had passed, be enabled to return to full work with brighter prospects. The course we are advocating is greatly strengthened by the position and prospects of the cotton market ; for assuredly, unless some means are taken to decrease consumption, a further enhancement in the value must take place," &c. A circular of this highly respectable firm is, no doubt, excellent authority as to the state of the manufacturing inte- rest in Manchester, and the statement appears fully to be borne out by fflrabinations in a great many of the manufacturing towns in England, It i :]3 No ono well acqiiaintud with Canada will dony that tlieso questions must and will bo mooted ; and I fear there are few such j)crsons, who, if they choose to speak out, will not admit their entire conviction that matters cannot remain as they are ; and that, unless more be done than is at present proposed, the Ihitish North American Colonies will not remain such : they must have protection to some extent, or they niust have Free Trade. The people are loyal and well inclined towards the mother country ; but it is contrary to the natur(! of things that they will lonii rejuain the coerced children of an unnatural mother. I shall now enter into some details, and show the absurdity of some of the misrepresentations with regard to the Canada trade, which have been made use of for party purposes in England ; and that, in many instances, just so the leir lat Fects of lid, nth ned ess in irm ite- by It " does not appear clear how the curtailment of the hours of labour neces- sarily increases the cost of production, in the sense in which the proposed decrease seems about to take place ; as, unless the Manchester manufac- turers mean to pay their workmen for six days, while working only four days, they are pretty much in the same situation as the landowner, who must submit to a decreased rent, or interest of his money, by throwing out of cultivation his laud, if lie finds that he cannot advantageously do other- wise. The fruits of Free Trade were to be, greatly increased consumption of manufactures, abundance of employment for labour, and no decrease in wages. But, in so far as things have gone, it would seem that the manufac- turers have not suiRcieut faith in their own theory to go on manufacturing to meet what was represented by them as to be the inevitable consequences of Free Trade ; but, on the contrary, the system now to be adopted is, to reduce the labour employed in manufactures no less than one-third, that is, to four days in the week. If the British colonists are to have a trade fet- tered with such restrictions as I have pointed out, in favour of British interests, it must be evident that they will feel more rapidly, and in a much greater degree than foreign countries, this combination of the British manufacturers ; in as, much as it must be borne in mind, that although decreased production and increased price of British manufactures will tend to relieve foreign markets at present glutted, it is evident that in the same proportion must foreign manufactures be encouraged in these markets ; thus giving foreign states a palpable and evident advantage over British colonies, where foreign manufactures are not permitted freely to be imported direct, but are liable to the expense, delay, and deterioration in value, aris- ing from indirect communication with foreign countries. D simwmsisgimt :j4 iiiiioli ol the trutli has coino out, a.s to give a false coloiu- iiii;' t(», aiul an crrouoous idea of the faets. First in order conic Sir Robert Peel and Mr. Gladstone ; and tin; former is re])(>rted to Jiave said, amidst tlio uproarious applause of the ihitish senate, " that he was ashamed to read the ship- owner's petition ai^ainst further rash experiments in the reduction of the duties on foreign tinihiH' ;" and to have stated, that these duties were reduced in 1842, yet, that " concurrently with the reductions tiiat have tak(>n place, there has been an enormous increase in the (juantity of Canada timber introduced; and why f And tlien the lionourauie jientleman u'oes on to answer liis own question, by stating- that the reason is, '' The access to the good timber of the lialtic tending to increase manufacturing prosperity, and with it the demand for that Canadian timber, which did not come into competition with the Baltic."' Now, this gratuitous explanation, or rather assertion, as to the reason why the quantity of Canadian timber had increased, may do very well to elicit "Hoar, hear ! and applause."" Yet, is it true I is it an established fact, that such was really the cause of the increased impor- tation of Canadian timber i Is it not a fact that the acci- dental and unforeseen, but enormous extension of railroads and their accessories, has absorbed more than the increased quantities of Canadian and of foreign timber imported ? Even Mr. Gladstone, who labours hard to make out that relaxation in our commei'cial law has had something to do with it, admits, in a despatch of the 3d of June, 1S46, " that the importation of timber from British North America into this country, attained last year to a height which it had never reached under the more protective laws. I do not mean, that the withdrawal of protection was either the exclusive, or the direct cause of this prosperity. Increased demand has, without doubt, been the main and inimediate cause of the increased export of wood from British North America."'' But it lias been well said, that perhaps Mr. Gladstone and Sir llobert Peel would be rather at a loss n5 lloss to sliow, that tlio trade of tlio North Aruorican colouios, and that enjoyed l)y Hritisli sliippini;, would not have had a more rapid increase without the vvitlidrawal of protection, to wiiich tliey refer. 'J'liat increased doniand was the im- mediate cause of increased importation, tiiero can he no question ; but tiiat a tendency to nianufacturiiii; prosperity lias been created to sucli a decree by access to the ijood timber of the l^altio, as to be tiie cause of the increased importation of CanatUan timber, it woiihl be dilHcult to «how a plausible reason for believing ; and the more so, as at the very moment when the minister of the crown was making this assertion, the red pine of Canada, of which the importation is very great, was selling under his very aoso in the London market, at equal, and even higher prices than what could be obtained for the far-famed good timber of the Haltic, so much has been said about. It is not generally known, because few people will take tho trouble to go into the detail, that the real reason of so much being said as to the inferior quality of tho Canadian timber and deals, is, that the British consumer makes use of tho cheapest description of Canada timber, in place of taking the higher-priced and best, which he can also obtain of Canadian growth ; but it would cost him quite as much, and is of equal, if not superior quality to the best IJaltic wood. I very well know, that such an assertion will bo scouted and derided bv those who know little about the matter; and I confess that Sir Robert Peel is powerful authority, seemingly. Nevertheless, the fact is so ! as there certainly is no better quality of pine timber imported from the ]]altic, than the red pine imported from Canada. I cannot describe its quality more completely, than by quoting from a Free Trade writer in T/>e Times. " Tho Baltic produces nothing like it ; it is tough, clean, durable, clear of sap, obtained in any length required, and is more free from defects than any other timber with which I am acquainted." But, while the red pine timber of Canada is so very superior in quality, the white pine timber and [U\ «!pi'Uoo deals of (jaiuula, arc als(» gocxl of tluir kiiu!, hut are of iiiucli less value, aiul not at all calculated for many purposes, to wliicli they are applied in I*jnu;land, because they are cheap; altlioui,di they are 8U()erior to the red pine for vi'ry many purpo>es to whii'h they are suitable. The colonists furnish two descrij)tions of wood, the one cheap, and the other dear, but both i^ood of their kind. They cannot, however, Insist on the liritish consumer not usini; the cheapen' description, for pniposes to which it is not well adapted, nor can they ;^uarantee that no fraud be eommitted in hritain after the wood has quitted their hands ; but what the colonists do, is to put it in the power of every one who imports timber or deals from Canada, to ascertain the quantity and quality of what he j)urchases, if he chooses to do so ; and tliis by the certificates of sworn cutters and measurers, who are under verv strict reixulations under authority of the Canadian legi>lature. iUit the colonists cannot folhnv their tiud)cr to the British market ; they can no more guarantee that white pine shall not b(5 sold under the general name of Canada timber, but for purposes for which it is not at all suitable, than the wine-growers of IJordeaux and of Porto can j)revent the r/'n ordhuiire of France beinn; manufactured and sold in England as claret, or a mixture of logwood and black-strap as genuine port uine.* * Wlien shipping a bottle of good liglit Bordeaux at a cheap rate, the Free Trader dilates with luucli complacency on the great advantages that would arise from an increased intercourse and trade with France, and above all, that the labouring man in England, who now drinks beer and ale, would then enjoy a more wholesome beverage. That an increased trade would be advantageous, there can be no manner of doubt, provided that any thing in the sliape of reciprocity existed, by the admission into France of British products or manufactures; but that the British consumers of beer and ale would be induced to bring into general use in England the execrable trash they would be furnished with, under the name of wine, or that such would prove to be a beverage eciually wholesome as beer or ale, is utterly denied. Let any unprejudiced man visit the north of France, and the whole coast, until he come near to Bordeaux, and he will find, not only that the common wine is execrably bad, but that the numerous British labourers employed on the railroads, in a great degree refuse it, and drink :\7 tlio that and and lased 'ided into iners the e, or ale, mce, , not itish rink Strange as it may aj>|>oar tu he, it is no lens tnic, that whjlo the Uritisli authorities arc thus <'iviii<' an orroncouH idea of the j)ro(lu<'e of the British colonics — and it is even nn'ul that hir<;n contracts have Ixmh !na(h' for the (h'livcrv to brandy, longing for good wholcsonu) alt , And those wlio have resided in the eastorn partn of Fraiifo, well know that Hcrvants, natives of Uritain, aro generally diHcontented with an allowance of the wine of the country. It may, perhaps, be ijuestioned, whether branily distilled from bad wine is pre- ferable to British spiritn, or rum distilled from sugar or grain; and the object of the decrease in the duty on brandy to l.is. sconis not to be very clear, as not likely to diminish smuggling, nor to bring bramly to a price witliin the reach of the poor man. The utter gullibility of John Hull, with regard to wine, i.i absolutely beyond belief; and I am well convinced, that nine-tenths of those who may read what I ;iin about to write, will not believe a word of it, although perfectly true. In England, the palmy days of genuine old port appears to have passed away, and I confess a sympathetic feidiug of regret with those of tlie old school, on this subject. Hut in Knglaud not one in a thousand would believe, were I to state the proportion of brandy they swallow, while ilrinking the port wine of tlic present day. It is in vain to hold up the pellucid liipior, with a slight touch of bees-wing, smack tlie lips, and. Not a drop of brandy in this I There is scarcely such a thing known as unbraiidied port; and the emble port pipes, which are diifcrent from the ca.-ks in which the wines of France and of .Spain arc shiiiped. I have myself seen very large quantities of wine tlius made up, not as port wine, but avowedly and openly as imitation port wine, to suit the British market. It is a notorious fact, that in the United States of America and Great Britain, double the ([uantity of wine is drank as Champagne, than is actually ])roduced in the country, for the supply of the whole world. Genuine claret is yet to be had ; but if any one wishes to ascertain what the reason is of the existence of so much bad claret, and the deterioration in the ((uality of the pleasant light Bordeaux red wines, let him take a trip from Bordeaux to the north of France by the Languedoc canal. And sherry! It would, I am aware, be in vain to attempt to convince the British public that all sherries are brandied, and that an immense proportion of the common sherry im- ported into Britain is manufactured abroad, from other wines : not sherry at all, but doctored with an enormous proportion of brandy, to suit the British market. Some of the most delicious wines are to be found in Sjiain and in I'ortugal ; and I am not aware of their having been fairly tried in Fngland, probably from not bearing doctoring, and being too delicate to bear carriage without it. I dare say many n Briti^ll lillic r can t-peak to the qualities of 3H tJic (jloveniiiiO!it ot" ^'un j^tocks, kx. iVoni tureign couiitiics. wliicli would be obtained of at least equally liood (juality IVoui tlie British Ainericaii Colonies — vet foreiiiu states are inoie alive to the true value of tiie produce of these colonies; t^nd if they are not to retain any degree of protection to their ti'ade, Free Trade may bring' about events at present little dreamt of. A colonial ship, loaded in Canada, cainiot bo aduiitted into any French port without an express order from the French Goi/ernnient ; yet the French Government liavc^ actually resorted to those British North American Colonics, for the description of tind)er which can be got tliere b(!ttei- than any where else ; and there can be no mann(!r of doubt the arsenals of France would be abun- dantly suj)plie(l, if these Colonies had, in fact, Free Trade. 1 now come to the most provoking, as being the most un- C'olares wine, near Cintra, and to otlier wines no less worthy of note. The most wholesome, and certainly the least adulterated, red wines, are those of the south of Spain, which have but little flavour, but considerable body, and which are never exported without from four to eight gallons of brandy to the pipe, but generally with little other adulteration ; and this is very much less than the wines of Portugal generally. I do not mean to say, that the com- mon wines of the west of France are more adulterated and brandied than the other wines 1 have mentioned, — in fact, they are perhaps less so, inas- much as it would be difficult to find any abominable trash of less value, unless mere colouring matter, to adulterate them with ; and let Free Trade and reciprocity take place when it will, there cannot be the slightest chance of the mass of the people of England acquiring so depraved a taste, as to prefer the acid mixture, and thin beverage of this part of France, to good wholesome ale. Now, if tlie British wine-merchant imports fabricated wines, knowing them to be such, and then sells these wines as port, claret, or sherry, at prices for which, in fact, genuine wines cannot be imported, and the British consumer purchases these mixtures under the names of the genuine wines of the countries from whence they are imported, it is clear that the good names of the wines of such countries must sutler ; and it even does not appear at all clear that the extensive wine-dealer in France or in Spain, who sells hundreds of pipes of imitation port wine, openly and avowedly as an imitation, is more mor A\y wrong than the British manufac- turer, who sells hundreds of yards of imitation Brussels lace, or any other such articles. The same reasoning applies, with even greater force, to Canada timber when it comes out of the colonists' hands. There is no deception in tlie description of its quality, but it may be sold in England the one quality in \daceof the other, the cheaper being substituted for the dearer, ^'4^; fewfj&iilSii: 30 I warranted and most uiU'Xjjt'otrd iiiisi'epri'sciitatioiis a.-s to tlic Canada trade, and wliicli arc contained in a speech reported to have been made in the Honse of Commons, hy Mr. 0. Huller. An anonymons writer lias, |)erha|>s, no rii^ht to expect tliat credence which will he i;iven to assci*- tion.s made by a uentleman who may ho snj)j)osed to h;ive possessed a knowledge of what he was talking abont, from his having held an otiicial situation in Canada; hut the facts are open to every body ; and I may mention, that the speech, as reported to have been made by Mr, C. Hnller, was shown to contain utterly incorrect statements as to the trade of Canada, on the authority, amongst many others, of a gentleman of high stamling, who has passed the greater part of his life in C'anada, who is a member of her Majesty's Council there, and whose name was mentioned in the debate in the House of Commons. But the evil was done; the impression was made. Colonial interests are very imperfectly represented in England ; and, when the Avliole truth comes to light, it is oidy from persons in some way or other connected with Canada, who are innnediately set down as interested parties; and notwithstanding the c(»n- tradiction of the statements made by the honourable gentle- man, his speech has been m-.^iaiir^mim:.ixmrm" 40 to Iiavo such assertions made, on sucli autliority, in tlio British House ot Commons, while any one well acquainted with the timber trade in Canada, could have informed Mr. C. Buller, that at least two-tliirds of the timber exported to Britain is from Canada West. It is dilKcult, therefore, to conceive how Canada West is now stated to have " no interest whatever in the question;" and it is an undeniable fact, that at the very moment when Lord Sydenham wrote the despatch, now so eagerly laid hold of, the Mayor of Kingston, the capital of Canada West, from whence it was dated, was very extensively concerned in the trade in timber from Canada West, and a large proportion of tho mercantile population were more or less so. Mr, C. Buller said, " The fact was, in consequence of })rotection, tho Canadians sent all their abominably bad timber to Eng- land ; timber ao bad, that many persons felt the bad effects of it when thoy hoped to lie quietly in bed. Every one who knew anv thini: of the timber trade was well aware, I/O that the Canadians sent all their worst timber to this country, and all their good timber to the United States."" As to the quality of the Canada timber, I have already pointed out, that people who know no more about the matter than Mr. C. Buller appears to do, are apt to believe that every description of Canadian timber is bad, merely because the consumers in England make use of the lowest- priced quality, for purposes for which it is unlit ; and every one who knows any thing of the timber trade, is well aware that the best timber is sent to England, that a heavy duty is levied on the importation of Canadian products into the United States, and that the trade in that direction is in a great degree confined to boards and lumber, The shipping trade, (says Mr. C. Buller,) was a scandal to the country : the ships sent out were old crazy vessels, imper- fectly manned. He had seen the crews of some, consisting of runaway, disorderly seamen." When KiOO or 1700 sail of ships load within six months of the year, and upwards of 20,000 seamen are employed, and rum is cheap from the 41 West Indies, it is nut vcr)' extraorJinury to be able to see Honie (lisui'derly seamen ; but the ships are the same as employed in the coal, the cotton, and the guano trades ; and a very considerable portion of them being i'rom Hull, New- castle, and the northern i)orts, they are generally manned by as hardy and fine a body of seamen as any within the British empire; and it is scarcely necessary for me to re- mark on the absurdity of supposing that the trade of Canada, by the intricate and dangerous navigation of the gulf and river St. Lawrence, which is shut by the ice for five months of the year, could be carried on by shipping a disgrace to the country, old crazy vessels imperfectly manned. The incredulous on this subject may casi'y satisfy their own minds, and will, I doubt not, attain a pretty strong degree of conviction, by an excursion in such a ship, and so manned, up the gulf and river St. Lawrence, in spring or autumn. Mr. C. Buller goes on : " There never was a time in which Canadian timber was more likely to enjoy a good market than that which was now approach- ing. All over the continent of Europe it would bo exten- sively required for the formation of railways ; the soft wood of the United States was nearly exhausted ; Nature herself had provided the Canadians with a prominent market, and therefore the imperial legislature need not pre- vent the people of England getting timber from their neighbours on the shores of the Baltic.'"' But supposing the statement to be true, (and it is not true,) that the whole of the timber is furnished by Lower Canada, and that " Canada West has no interest whatever in the ques- tion," it wduld jHizzle the Canadians to find out in what way their timber is to be conveyed to the United States, the market Nature herself is represented as having pro- vided for them, unless by sea ! The Canada timber may be extensively required for the formation of railways, for foreign dockyards, and other important purposes, all over the continent of Europe, but it is necessary to find out how it is to get there. 42 '^v'SW) ■• , |*«^. I liave already expUiineJ that British North Americau pro- ducts aro in fact virtually shut out from nearly the whole con- tinent of Europe, hy the Gftect of British laws for the pro- tection of more favoured interests. 1 admit, however, that the soft wood or pine timber of the United States is nearly exhausted, and that, notwithstanding the United States territories extend over many hundreds of millions of acres of public land, that the pine timber, to which easy access can be had on such lands, is nearly exhausted. Indeed, I have under my view at this moment a very minute Report on the state of the forests within the American Union, nuide previous to the Ashburton treaty, and wherein it is pointed out that the magniticent and extensive forests in the valleys of the Aroostook and the St. John''s, are far the most valuable of any within the United States. But these forests have been ceded to the commonwealth ; and by the provisions of the same treaty the timber is allowed to be imported into Great Britain on the same terms as Canadian timber ; which rather extraordinary concession has, however, virtually been nullilied, or nearly so, by an Act of the provincial legislature. When the Commissioners, ap- pointed by the British Government, made their Report, statinir that they had found the ranire of hills indicated bv the treaty of 1783, and that the British Government had a clear right to the whole of the territory in dispute, I did all within my power, and made public in various ways, the very great importance of these forests, and of what Sir Robert Peel is rcporlcd to have termed " a few acres of swamp" nearer to the Canada line; and also the great importance of Rouse's Point, as commanding the entrance of the Lake Champlain from Canada, at a very short dis- tance from Montreal ; and that, to give up the whole with the idea of peace at any price, in comparison to the value to Britain of the territory in dispute, would inevitably be considered in America as weakness, and followed by fur- ther difficulty and aggression on the part of the United vStates, and for which the continuance of the line west of 43 the Rocky Mountains would form am pie grounds and excuse, if not settled at the same time as the North East Boundary Line. Some knowledge of the American cha- racter, and of the subject, led to this conclusion, and I do not take any credit to myself for having foreseen what has since occurred. It is amusing and instructive to hear this treaty lauded in England as a most wise and just measure, while in fact numerous British subjects, quietly settled under authority of the British Government, were turned over to the United States of America. But in Great Britain there is but a faint idea of nature, on the grand scale of the broad rivers and magnificent forests of A me- rica. A late writer, some time Governor in Canada, has remarked with much truth, that " however deeply preju- diced an Englishman may be in favour of his own country, yet I think it impossible for him to cross the Atlantic without admitting that, in the New World, nature has not only outlined her works on a large xle, but has painted the whole picture with brighter and more costly colours than she used in delineating and in beautifying the Old World. The heavens of America appear infinitely higher — the sky bluer — the clouds whiter — the air fresher — the cold intenser — the thunder is louder — the lichtning is vivider — the wind is stronger — the rain heavier — the mountains are higher — the rivers larger — tlie forests bio)yAi^tia^ulfc«faS.^bh,«'^sliJfc£l>^M>ta^,.ia.j^ '« ■* ' 45 th Americans liave, as it was easy to foresee iliev would do, voted a lar<^e sum of money for tlie purpose of fortifying House's Point, wliicli was ceded to them, altlioiigli north of the line 45 . lat., fixed by the former treaty. While Canada is thus cramped in every way, her trade confined to Great Britain, and her communication by railroad rendered diffi- cult, even with the other British provinces, by tlie length and expense of the road, and by the large debt incurred for the improvement of her inland communication, her neiiilibours of the United States are in the enioymcnt of pei'fcctly Free Trade by sea with the whole world, and are straining every nerve to draw the whole trade of the inland country, American and Canadian, by means of their canals and railroads, to their own sea-board, to be exported by their own shipping. The Mayor of Boston, in a late address, states, tliat " Five years ago, Boston had comparatively no back country; now, nine hundred miles of Nov/ Enirland railroadscentre here — she is on the high road between Europe and the west. The car tliat leaves our city this morning may deposit its merchandise, in thirty-six hours, on the shores of Lake Erie, five hundred miles from the place of depar- ture ; from thence, inland, seas, navigable for vessels of the largest class, stretch away for hundreds of miles, along sliores fertile for agriculture and rich in minerals ; canals already connect these lakes with the Mississippi and with the naviirable waters of her tributaries, which, extendinc: thousands of miles, conmiunicate with shores of unrivalled fei'tility."' But, to return to my subject. During tlio same debate, in the House of Commons, Mr. Warburton is reported to have said, " It became this country to consider whether it were a wise measure of national policy to drive away the trade of a country having so great a mercantile navy as Norway had, and to prevent her vessels trading to our ports ; could they, by adopting such a course, depend upon securing the services of the Norwegian seamen at the time of danger f — Hear ! hear ! hear ! Now this, although mere clap-trap, has a serious influence 4G oil a siil)jcct of whicli so littlo in undorstooil, aiul aj)j)eaivs to partake in no sinall dosj^reo of the fallacies of the ago wo live in. It assumes, that at the time of danger, these Norwegian seamen certainly are to enter the liritish, and not the French, or the American navy, where they would receive nearly double the amount of pay. Ask the first man you meet with in England how it came about that wo were beat in many naval actions by the Americans during the last war, and the answer invariably will be found to bo, that they had larger ships, and these were manned by British seamen ; yet, in all the discussions as to the pay of our seamen being so much less than that of tho American navy, then, indeed, it is said, liritish seamen will not serve against their country ! * Hut what national feelino; would prevent these Norweirian seamen from serving in the American navy against Great Britain, in case of war? or even if they were to enter the Bi-itish navy as mercenaries, are they preferable to the so-called disorderly Jiritish seamen employed in the timber trade of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, or to the very numerous and hardy race of seamen employed in the coasting trade, and in the JJritish fisheries of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward's Island, Gaske, Labrador, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence I But what is the fact with regard to the * Is not one great cause of the Royal Navy not being a popular service, that the pay of seamen is less than in the merchant service ? Is not every man in Britain eventually liable to serve in the militia, olthongh not his trade or profession ? Would it be an equally great hardship for every sailor to be liable even- tually to serve in the Royal Navy, when, by doing so, he is following his profession and line of life ? Under the new regulations with regard to merchant seamen, would it not be practicable to have of them, as of the militia, a certain portion liable to be called upon to serve eventually in the Royal Navy i If the pay of the seamen in the Royal Navy was equal to that of the merchant service, would there be any great degree of hardship in the contingent being called on, even in time of peace, to serve in the Royal Navy for a certain fixed period I Would not such be a means of inducing many of the men, when well treated, to remain in the Royal Navy, and of doing away with the prejudice, which probably had its origin in the press-gang and compulsory service. %^^^ii]j^3 lialtie ti'ado ? Have Nurwtnian vcesols bt-on provontcd from tradiiii^ to our ports J I believe I am correct in Htatiiig, tliat tlie Jiritish tonnage em|)loye(l in the Baltic trade in the years 18'H, 18'32, and 18:J3, was in proportion as 370 tons of Hriti.sli is to 1000 tons of foreign shipping ; while in 1841, 1842, and 18i3, tlu; British tonnage so emjdoyed had decreased so much in proportion to the foreign shipping, so as only to be as 290 British is to 1000 foreiiiii ; and while the employment of liritish shipping in the Baltic trade has continued to decrease, yet, at the very moment when the honourable member wa.s making those remarks in the House of Commons, an enormous increase had taken place in the number of foreign vessels so employed ; to such an extraordinary extent, indeed, that while little over 600 ships were so employed in 1842, the number of foreign vessels engaged in the Baltic trade to Great Britain in 1845 amounted to about 1900, navigated by about 17,000 foreign seamen. Mr. Warburton is reported to have said, that "the average quantity of European timber imported in 1841 and 1842 was 560,675 loads; in 181-5 it liad in- creased to 675,840 loads; and that in 1841 and 1842 the price of hewn foreign timber was 46s.; in 1845 it was 53s.; and foreign deals were in 1841 and 1842, 57s. 52s. and 55s. as the avera<:e, whilst in 1845 it was 66s. Therefore all the anticipations that were formed by the representatives of the sliipping interest and the colonies when tliis matter was discussed in 1842, had been wholly falsified."" But is this so ? Is it a fact that the anticipations of the shipowners and colonists have been wholly falsified ? I have already showed that not only has the whole of the increased quantity of foreign timber been imported in foreign vessels, but that the number of foreign seamen thus employed has increased from about 6000 in 1842, up to 17,000 in 1845 ; while an actual and continued decrease in British shipping has taken place. But it appears very problematical what benefit the British consumer of Baltic wood has derived from the British ship- owner having thus been driven out of the Baltic trade ; as, 4H acoonlini,' to M r. WarburtoiKs KtiiU'tiicnit, in placo ofar which, after all that lias been said ai»ont it, i.s found to be no better, and not to bear a higher, if so high a price in tiie London market, as the corresponding description of timber imj)ortod from our own Colonies by British ships ; and under these cireuinstances a further encouragement has been given to tliis trade from tlie Baltic. It signifies little what the anticipations of parties were in 1S42. The results in 1(S46 liavo palpably proved to bo, that tlie quantities of foreign timber, and of timber manu- factured into deals, have increased. The Jiritisli consumer has not benefited by a decrease, but has rather liad to pay an increased prico. British shipping liavc very ii(>arly been driven out of the trade; and the extension of British ship- j)iiig, and the emj)loyment of British seamen, has been checked by a class of foreign vessc^ls navigated by foreign seamen, at an expense witli whiidi the British shipowner f'K'bly coi;tends : and it has been proved by the best of all arguments, the actual prico that the timber is worth in the London market, tliat an equally good quality of timber could iiavebeen furnished by our own Colonies, and which would have been imported by British ships. 1 am well aware that when a great principle has been adopted for the general good of the empire at large, there may be great difficulty in carrying it into ^tiect without severely pressing on local interests, and that much of what I have said may at once be set aside on this plea ; and although I believe few people will be tempted to wade through, or give much weight to the details of an anony- mous writer, 1 have been tempted to give the whole truth, not disguising what may not suit my own views of the case, and under the entire conviction in mv own mind, not formed on light grounds, but with some knowledge of the people and of the subject, that if the British North American •..1,. r •iini ■nriitfili i irMiiiMitirflti'l'lf' V 40 I'uth, case, •med :'Oj)lo icaii (Jwloiiie.s aro oonsulorcd to bo a valuable part of the Hritish empire, which it is desirabh' to retain, tlie time lias eoinowlu'ii 2;reat caution and prudence must bo used, or they will cer- tainly bo loHttoGn^at Britain, ('anada, from time to time, hiiH had her dilKculties — arising', I sincerely believe, in the first instance, from a constitutional government having been given to a peoj)lo unaccustomed to it — who did not wish for, nor were they at that time at all j)rej)anMl to receive it ; and out of this mistake arose many of the subsequent evils. But Canada has been a happy country, anart of (^inada, wlien Sir F. Head fearlessly threw himself into the arms of th(» people, to protect their country against rej)ul)licanism and Ameri- can sympathy, they res[)onded nobly to his confidence, and gave the most convinciny- proofs of their attachment to l^ritish institutions and to the mother country. But while the jtopulation of Canada is thus loyal and well-disposed, the curse of that line country has been the change of governors, and the new lino of policy adopted by each being in contradiction to that of his j)redecossor, and not unfrequently accompanied by intrigues of every description, to bring about by such means the new measures of tlu; new men ! The union of the provinces was notoriously thus managed : resj)onsible government was suggested by one govei'nor, rejected by anothei', and held out as a baii, by a third; while LordJohn Russell, in despatch of lith October, 18.39, on tills subject stated, that " I have to instruct you, however, to refuse all ex|)laiiation which may bo interpreted to imply an acquiescence in the petitions and addresses on this subject ;"" and after going on at great length to give the reasons why he " sees insuperable objections to the principle thus stated,"" and showing it to be incompatible with the govermnent of a colony, at least in the year 1846, Canada finds herself on the eve of having once more a new governor, and with a responsible government, which is inter- preted to mean a something, any thing, every thing, and nothing ! Mr. Roebuck is represented to have said in the House of Commons, that the representatives of Lower Canada at a former period liad no desire for protection to the timber trade, and that now, "It was the English, Scotch, !»- ;5iu, iii«»i5^^ t'WJ'' •)! and Irisli morchantH who \un\ cmlxirkrd tlioir caiMtal in a i'avnuniMo trade, Hiin|)()rtt'd as tlii;y Ijelievcd by proti'^tion, an sudden and violent change of policy now adopted towards that country ; but the assertion as to a throat of republicanism and annexation, is merely one of those party effusions so common in Britain, so vexatious to the colonists, and from which their interests have sutiered severely. There are now very many natives of Canada deeply interested in the trade of the colony, and who have large capitals at stake ; and although the representatives of Lower Canada were willing, at a former periijd, to rely more on their agricultural produce, if allowed to be im- ported freely into Britain, and exported to the other parts of the world, let it be borne in mind that this tino country was, some years since, visited by severe and distressing misfortune, and, if I mistake not, Mr. Roebuck himself, in the House of Commons, , and all-powerful nianufactur'mi^ interests, liavo convinced the first minister of tlio liritish Crown, that all he had done hitherto, as regards the Colonies, has been entirely wrong. It appears that the League has been the moving power in obtaining Free Trade in corn to answer their own purposes ; and it has been declared by Mr. Cobden, the head of this jwwerful body, that the pro- sperity the country will enjoy, when the principle of free intercourse is established, will be such as "suffice to drag the world in her wake." Now, it can scarcely be supposed that what has had so powerful an influence on the minister of the Crown of England, shall have no ettect on the colo- nists, whose interests are so deeply concerned, who did not ask for, did not wish for. Free Trade. If they are never- theless to 'k deprived of protection, they have no other alternative 1' i accept of Free Trade, but it must be free intercour^ a trade with the world. May it not be well for the British legislature calmly and deliberately to take into its consideration the state of the Navigation Law, while it is yet time, and ere a new crisis take place ; the hint has already been given by the Manchester manufac- turers, in a memorial to Her Majesty's Treasury on the subject of the Navigation Laws — " That for many years past the impossibility of retaining them against the United States of America, and subsequently against several other nations, was admitted, and specific relaxations decreed by the legislature ; but the wise policy, adopted in the last Session of Parliament, calls, in the opinion of your memo- rialist's, for the immediate reform, or abolition of them, as against all the world." Would it not, then, bo more gracious, would it not be more prudent and just, to grant to the JJritish North American Colonies, what cannot long be withheld from them, if protection be entirely withdrawn from the trade of that portion of the empire ? Nay, in sober sadness, and with deep regret I say, if these Colonies are no longer considered to be a valuable part of the British empire, — 56 if by the purposed measures, as I have endeavoured to sliow, they will be placed in a worse situation in regard to th';ir trade than if they already formed a foreign country, might it not be for the interest and advantage of Great Britain, and of these Colonies, to part on amicable terms, and allow them to attempt to form an Independent Federal Government as Foreign States, rather than to hold them in thraldom for the interests of Britain alone, until separated by violence, the necessary and inevitable consequence of this policy i * * Maize and Wheat — At a time like the present, when want and famine threaten many parts of Europe, it may not he uninteresting to know the ordinary resources of the United States of America ; and I give a statement of the crops of wheat and of Indian corn, (maize,) as estimated on official authority, during last year — 1844— Wheat, 95,607,000 bushels. Corn or maize, 421,.05.'?,000 bushels. 1845— „ 105,548,000 „ Corn or maize, 417,899,000 „ It is absurd, and even wicked, to represent the resources of the United States of America as fabulous, merely because the increased importation of flour from thence up to this time, as compared with the year 1845, has not yet been more than some 700,000 barrels, and the quantities of wheat and of maize are not so great as was expected. Let it be borne in mind, that not one bushel of wheat or of maize was raised, with any idea or expecta- tion of finding a market in Britain, and that the first hint of any such resource was given long after the harvest, when Sir Robert Peel, in the spirit of ignorance, or of disingenuousness, made the discovery, that maize might be imported, as an excellent food for animals. In the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Teiniessee, Missouri, and Alabama, the quantity of maize produced last year was no less than 21(i,709,0()0 bushels, and the quantity in these States, and in all the States of the Union, may be enor- mously and very rapidly increased. The public lands of these six States are no less than 97,347,172 acres, and, while the uncultivated lands of the other States may be said to be almost unlimited in quantity, it may be at least very doubtful, whether the low price of cotton, and the great demand and increased price of maize, may not induce on the cultivated lands, an immense decrease in the cultivation of the one, and increased production of the other. What the consequences may prove to be in Britain, it would be in vain to speculate on, but there may be some hazard in the experiment, if the popu- lation of a country, reduced to feed on the lowest description of food tliey can raise, and being deprived of this food, are to be habitually accustomed to rely on the cheapest description of food that can be found any where, but no part ot which can be raibcd in Britain, owing to the climate. i)i The total amount of grain, on ^vhi(■li ihity uns paid, to 5tli Siptembpr. ]ii4S, was 773,513 qrs. and of meal and flour ^liT,?!;,") cwt. The total amount of grain on which duty was paid to ."ith >epteinl.(-r. lft4G, was 3,043,50,') qrs. and of meal and flour 2,f)05,-25'2 cwt. The total amount of bacon, beef, and hams, in l!i45. <*(;,52(; rwt. In ij!4(i. 1(15,447 cwt. That such is the case, as to the value, there can be no manner of doubt ; indeed, in point of fact, Indian meal, previous to the famine demand, was as near as can be one half the price of oatmeal in Ireland and in Scotland. That is, it was in the Liverpool market 307 per 480 lbs. while oatmeal was 307 per 240 lbs. ; and as this yielded a remunerating price to the exporter from America, it is only owing to the accidental famine price of this descrip- tion of food, that maize has not fallen rather than risen in price ; and it ni;i\ be well to mention, that the produce of an acre of land under maize is out of all kind of proportion infinitely greater than a crop of oats, barley, or rye. rrii'leil iiN Wmi.ia^' 1;i vck^vihui A- Sovs. Ivliiilmi-ji)!