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The following diegrame illuatrata tha method: Lea cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent dtre filme* A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche. 11 est filmA A partir de Tangle supirieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de heut en baa, en prenant le nombre d'images neceaaaire. Las dlagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 %^^tm^m^mmm^i^mm^mt r^^^m^mmm^f^^^^^i^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^— ^— 1 2 3 .^.^^HMWB^^—^^^H ManW*«^a^MMMM«M»« — — WiP" M l ■■ I 4 5 6 ^.-\(-./ s X^'^ « 9 CANADA, AND CORN-LAWS, OB NO CORN-LAWS, NO CANADA. BY ROBERT GOURLAY, Esq., now ROBERT FLEMING GOURLAY. " We tliottlJ luok to that gr<»it area cultivated by oar ooDotryroen in oar cotonttl poHMdons in Nortli America— a cnuntrf to wlilch «r« are united bjr tha clowat reiattondilp —•country to Knd can>lant emiiloynu'nl f»r nur iurpliis lafwarers-a country wliicb IooIm to Ebftland wllh ffclinipi n( afTvction— a country wliUh nffers a market for oar maooCao. tnicd gniHla—a country- (utijert to nohin(r-'Whi«b improTca the couditlua of our fellow caiiritr}'ni«n— a country which wo may iiold with ■ignal benrllt In oiirt«lvea> but ii> wMi h «e > aimot maintain our tupretoacy ?nltai «• an cemented to her by the rIoM-ji bond* of affection aa wvll ai luterett," LoBD SranutT (now the iUit or DKeei), to M« Houh . \ I ( 90 Princes Street, Edinburgh, Nor?. 17, 1852. Mr Gourlay presents his compliments to Mr • (umc, aad, along with this, sends liim back, as tlcsired, a copy of his letter. Mr Humo misconceives Mr (lourlay's object in pullishintythat there should bo * no limit to steilt.'' That was to indicate reliance on the good -sense and gentlemanly conduct of his old fricnd«--- their sons and grandsons, — believing them superior to the swinish multitudo who must be bound by pledges to fo.cgo Qc-X^s benefits. Mr Humo errs more seriously as to the * bravest r.f rehck^ seeing that his principle would have cheered Catiline, Guy Fawkos, and Thistlcwood, to the eternal dijconititure of economy. ^Ir Gourlay has this day received a second letter- from Mr Mackenzie since he was seated in the parliament of United Canada, acknowledging receipt of the printed paper, which Mr liume advises should bo sent to him ; and which, in fact, was sent not only to him, but to Lord Elgin, and dozens of the Legislature. Denominated, as he has been by Mr Gourlay, Mackenzie writes in the most respectful manner, and it is to bo hoped that he is sensible of his flagrant crimes, which may God pardon. 2. long that tnce aiab ek: kos, Mr kda, ime not jre. ites ) is PETITION AND CORRESPONDENCE. To the Might Honourable the Lords, Spiritual and Tem- poral, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled, The PETITION of Robert Fleming Gourlay, Humbly Sheweth, That your Petitioner has owned lands in Upper Canada, now Canada SVest, the last forty-three years. That his lands were purchased from the Colonial Government more than fifty years a?o, in confidence that the richness of the soil, conjoined with the excel- lence ol the situation, would ensure profit. That, never- theless, front a variety of causes, these lands have vielded nothing, and would not sell for a fifth part of the price which nild land in the State of Now York would bring* neither better in quality nor situation. ^ That, at this moment, the British Government may, simply by leoislation, not only enhance the value of Colonial land but benefit the nation at large, viz., by imposing a fixed duty, say of Is. a bushel, on corn im- ported from tho United States of America* while that from British America was received duty free. That your Petitioner, through a long life, has been friendly to free trade nnd hostile to corn-laws, but he distinguishes hotn-cen free trade and folly; particularly now that the United States Government* refuses to re- ciprocate with the Government of this country. That, with free trade guaranteed to Bri'tish North America, and duties imposed on imports from the United States, an immense increase of trade with Canada would ensue, to the advantage of our shi{)ping. Canals made with British capital would be sustained without burden* ing Colonial land ; a large revenue would be raised, so as to admit of many taxes, which press on the British cultivator, being abandoned, wliilc the home consumer of com would be constantly supplied at steady and moderate prices. Your Petitioner, therefore, entreats that these premises may be fairly considered, and opportunity afforded him personally to prove what is here above advanced. And he will ever pray. 90 Prmcea Strtetf Edinburgh, July 23, 1851. Rob. F. Gourlay. CORRESPONDENCE. No. 1. 90 Princci Street, Edlnhurffh^ July 23, 1861. Mr Gourlay presents his complitnenti* to* tl.o I^rl of Derby. Should the accompanying petition tully with his Lonlship^g opinions, Mr Gourlay will bo ^].itl to have it presented to the House of Peers ; otherwise, he begs th.it it may bo returned to him in course. (Not'repUed to, nor returned.) No. 2. 90 Prittcee Street, Edinburgh, yw/ySa, 1851. Sir — Some three years ago I read in a MontroHe newspaper an excellent letter Addressed to you by your father.* That, together * To the Bight Hooounible Wilu&m Ewast GitmTONc, M.P. Fiff'jut, r,!h JuM 1848. Mj dear ton Willikm — I.srt evening I had read to mc the speech you delivered in the House of Common!! on Friday last in favour of the repeal of the Navij^ntioa Laws. 1 think jour facts are fairly stated, but your conclusions drawn from them I cannot admit to be generally just in principle or well founded. It appear* to me that in your attempt to justify and defend a general principle founded on the modern notions of Free Trade,— which implies a desire to concede existing ris^btfl, because it is in the present day called liberal to do so,~.yoa work yourself into a labyrinth, (hna wuch joo can onlj escape bjr the nodae sacrifice of certain with asaurance of your being well vened in colonial afiaira, induces me to oflTer you the accoinpanyin<; petition for penual. (The same as tliat printed above, but addressed to the Honourable the ripiits and pri-ilpgcs which arc pntaesscd by and belong to lu, and for which, if given u]), I cannot dincovcr that wc arc to rei-eive in n-tiirn any due and lu«t Conra(iun. Hitherto thr i1isrus:>ion of thenc ictcrcst* ha* bt-t-a conlintd to national treaties, and Uwsc founded on reciprocity, whvre there wa» « ro quo, to bo the |irinci|)1e tliat an r juitable consideration was conceded to Ui in lieu of it ; but you propos*' to abandon ri>>;hts which liavc bcon proved by cxp^-rifnce to b« natural, and iiaticnally important and valuable. When the Gorernmeut* of two countrleii meet to cU'cide these iuterestin;; subjects, the one propose* to the other to relin(iui>h certaia branches of their trade by layinjj them open under treaty, with the umlerstaudins that those with whom they treat posses* lirailar advantage!* which they are to relin({uish. Thus, let us supoose that the United States propuxr, that if we wil' consent to admit the produce ot >e Brazils or of France to be imported into this country in American bottoms, subject on!y to such condition* as are reijuired when these import.itions are made in liriiish bottoms, to make to ua in return »imilar concessions in favour of British sliipping .^niphycd in carry < ^ on a similar trade Itetween the Brazils and France and the ports of the Loited States. Here there is a clear principle of re<-iprocity adopted, a ijuiJ pro »/««^ which, being acted upon, draws nearer and into closer intercourse and connexioa those countries that agree to make such conce^sioiis to each other, and i« therefore likely to prove for their mutual benefit ; but such concessions can only be special, and foumk'd on treaty— they cannot, without the risk of great sacritices, be admitted or acted upon ui\dcr such general principles and practice as vou propose to adopt. Thus, for instance, we have very extensive Colonies and foreign possessjor,* (many of them earnt'd at tlie cost of British blood and treasure, and thus con- sidered to be achieved by conijuesl, though now, I lament to think, likely to be rendered valueless to u« by the present measures ol our rulers), with which aa intimate and constant intercourse is maintained and carried on in British shipping, proiluctite of important advantages to 'iritain and r>ritish ship-owners I! I undcrst:ind you right, you propose to lav open this rarrying trade to the ghipping of other countries — for instance, to the I'nited States. Now, it does happen that tile United !»tates possess neither colonies nor foreign possessions, anti, thereiore^ haifc no t^ch privileges to offer to us in return or to concede; it therefore fol- lows there can be no reciprocity in such a course of conduct, no quid pro qito, but all the advantages, whatever they may b<^, are to be given up by us without a consideration. Vou contend that, in such a case, our colonists having a choice of conveyances, some of them, perhaps, on lower terms than by British shipping, are willing to adopt them, and would reap the advantage. If this principle is to be recognised and acted upon, do you not at once lay the axe to the root of the tree out of which have grown the sources of our commerce, our wealth, and our maritime greatness 1 By laying them open, you propose to abandon to others the sources which support the superiority we have hitherto possessed in our ships, our colonies, and commerce, the sources of envy and jealousy to other countries. You say that, if you do so, in return we shall confer advantages on our colonies; as, for instance, you suppose a German ship carries emigrants 4rom Germany to Australia, and on her arrival there the colonists should have the |)owrr of loading their wool, or other produce, and through such a foreign channel conveying it to a British market. If such a concession were to be made, the beneiit to the colonist woulil oidy be incidental and unimportant. But whilst the transport of their produce is restricted to British shi))ping, the certainty of their finding employment secures the nei essary supply on which the colonist may depend ; but if laiu e<{ually open to the ioreigner, who, with such competition, can have no depend* ence on iinding employment — thus between the two stools, whilst you propose to benefit the colonist, you risk his being left without the means of sending his wool to market. But this is only a secondary contuderatiun. We have, at a great expense, established and settled «ar colonies ; we have given thea privileges, 6 Commont.) Should your opinions tally with mine, AxpreMed in the petition, I shall be glad to have it presented to the House of Commons. Otherwise, be so good as to return it mo. — Your obedient servant, Rob. F. Goublay. I%0 Righi Bon. Sir WiUiam Gladttone. {Not replied tc --mitearried.) protection, and admiMion to our markt'tt cf coMumpiion for thf Ir produce on conditon«ad»a«,t!,p.«u»toih.-in-.^.i.tesMon. ait caLulaiml to promote a union and lnt«r«orM.ahkt-tHw.ficiaU.. both, but which, umier rour pr,>i„Hiimn», re to hf> abana..n,a .od thrown op.n tndi- ture. tnd consumpao.v Th,.so «r* wholly ioo:.», and d.pend •iiH>n our-eUeg; wluirt you prn,«>s*, with a hand of vast .-.n.l lih.ral profusion, lo lav op^n every ■oure^ we possess, or advanta-e we enjoy, t., tli, fre" and open romiKiilion oT Others, who. a« lar a« I *a;» -lisiovtr. whil« we :.r.< lo part with wbstaniial eocd, have mrth.n- to jrivo «r cvtn lo otr.r to u* in nturn. If I understand v„u risht! you are als,. d»*,.oscd to lay np^-n our oor-tin- trade to th^ forei-ner, w"hik of misundersiandins. Hut come nearer home, and let u^ siipp..se that Ibo MceM oi ^hippui- belon-.n- to tlic p,.rt* of Hamburgh and Itmnen, built and mtwl eijually well with Hntisb shipi.iu-, tliou-h at a much lower cost, na^iffatod and provisioned on more favourable terras and now sj.rea.: over the ocean and advaiita-e,,u>!y cinpluyed in the commerce of the world, which seems rather a Uvour.tu object of yourn— I say that if these bottoms from th« op- posito coa»t were to bo employed in our c.astiii- trade— let -s MippoNC that great branch of it carryin- the supply of coals from Newcastle and its neldi- bonrhood to supply ihe consumption of fuel bv near two millions of luir hopn- laiion resiuin:; in London and its vicinity, ?mployin.,' many hundred sail of IJrl- ttob ships and many thousands of British seamen-suppose tlii^- trade laid equally ojwn to the siiippiii- of Hambur-h and Krcmen, what have they to iHr- 0!i in return ? I answer novhing, literally nothing ; for they have neither ciaat nor coasting trade A any kind or description. Vet in this mania of lil.erality ton with others appear disj>osed to make such vast and uncalled for s;ierilice». Vou nj?.y say that what we give up is to be occupied by others, and that the ceneral trade and commerce of the world is to be extended and increased b" U That may be true, but the concessions and sacrifices arc to be oHric— the -a'ins and ad- »fcntage» are to Im! gi-eii to others, whiUt this countrv, raised to power and emi- nence by tU.' advantages of situation united with well regulated libcralitv in our Intercourse with otliers. but with a due regard to our own interests, sui-.mrted by the wisdom o» our laws and institutions, has gained a pre-eminence in the atfaii^ ot the world which these newfangled doctrines and theories are calculated to un- dermme, and ultimately to break ,Iown an<; overthrow, but which I would fain un^an^ed**^*'""^ * '''*""^'* **' '****'' "'*'" '"** "»*a»"f". "»»> »»« preser>.;d to us These novel theories and dangerous experiments, with which our lezi«hUon now teems, bring to my recollection a fevourite toast of a rery old and respected No. 3> 90 M'rittMt Sh^utt Augntt 2, 1851. Sir— Some three yeu* ago I read in a Montrose newipaper » letter addresseii bv you to your ion WilHam, ao full of good miim that I kept the efipc A tbrtnight back I sent him a petition to E resent to the Horn of Commons, but what has become of it I now not, having; icccived noacknowIcdjErmont. nor seen any thing of itin newBpapeiA. I accompany this with a duplicate bc^^ing of you to pcrueti the tame, and Kliould you 8cc proper, send it to your Non with remafka. Excuse tbia me respectfully yours, — -> GkuUtone^ Eiq.y Ftuqtm, liberty, Rob. F. and believe Gocblat. No. 4. HapUj^, Stourbridge, Aurmri 8, 1851. Sir — Your letter of August* 2d. intended apparently for Sir John Gladstor^ haa been transmitted by him tu inc. Thto petition tc which you refer in i^ as transmitted to me sometime Ago did not reach my hands, or I Mould iiave presented it to the House of Commons. 1 would have done the like with the duplicate, according ♦« your wish, had it come to me in time, but you uro probably aware th.it the proroLfation oi Parliament stood for ycbterday. — 1 am, Sir, your obedient servant, W. Gladstone. R. F. GourIa^\ Esq. but a too liberal friend of mine, now no miir», >Tr Thomas Booth, a well known m«rid mode of recastinjf and literali/in;; ' ur Navij^ation Laws I tLink I «ec an attempt to introduce and act upon such impracticable doctrines. God, in his wisdom, instilled into tiie breast of man self-preservation as the first law in lti» nature, but our ruler* in the present day seem disposed to ijivo it only the st-cond place. Once lay open our colonial possession and coastin;.' trade to the sliippinR and seamen of other powers, I ask where is your boasted nursery that has hitherto manned your navy and protected your shores i If they are to be laid open, and j.assed into ilie hands of forei;;ners, who, in place of being our fHcnds, may prove to be our inveterate enemies, and if we shall thus be cultivate big and promotin;^ the means and engines for our future destruction, what then is to becumo of your justly boasted wooden walls ? You are aware that I am at present confined by indisposition, and that I dictate this letter from my bed by the pen of a third party. I am conscious you will tind it abounds with errors and imperfections, yet, notwithstandins^, now in my eiKhty- foarth yrar, as a laat duty and perhaps tribute to the interests of my country, I give it to the public, and send it for that purpose to the columns of the Montrose SHandanl, from whence it may perhaps tind its way to more general circulation.— I aTcr am, your affectionate (ather, (Signed) .T(»ll\ (iLADSTONE. No- 5. 90 Princes Street, Edinburgh, yhWMMS, isr.l. Sir — I have received your letter of'Stli iiist.iiit, ;u-kii(nvlc(l<,'inu receipt of tiiy petition, niA as my oljject was to re^'ister my wish, as a proprietor ot' Canada land, it will pKaso mo to iiavo it pre- sented when Parliament next meets; and at samo time to havo it stated l)y him who i)res( n(s it, that in case the prayer of the petition was not ;;ranted, then (iovernment oupht to lihcrato North A!iiericaii colonics. ()h!i<,'c me with two lines sayin" if you will attend to this. — Vour ohedient servant, Ron. F. (ioURLAY. The llUjht Honourable Sir William Gladstone. No. G. //"//A//, Auffrnt 1.*}, 1 «."),. Sir — I have received your Icitor of the I'^th, and I he;; to ac- (p.iaint you in reply that memhers of the House of Conmions when jiresentin;,' petitions are precluded by the rules of the llouttu from making,' observations upon them. — I remain, Sir, your oho- dient servant, W. (Ji.adsto.ve. ] ou;,dit to add that I do not concur in the opin'on that the duty i'or which you pray ou<,dit to bo imposed. It. F. O'ourlai/, L'sq. No. 7. March 20, 1852. My Lord The accompanying: petition was put under cover and dispatched to your Lordship last .July, but not acknowledged. It was soon after announcod in nc-wspapers that your Lordship was in ill health, which may have caused this. .Vl;iy I now be^j that your Lordship will i)resent it to 'he J louse of Lords. — I have the honour to be your Lordship's obedient serv.ant, J{oit. F. CiounrAV, 90 Princes Street, Edinburgh. The Earl of Derby. No. 8. March -12, \h:,2 Sir John — This is accompanied with a petition to the Housa of Commons, and correspondence on the subject. (Cvrc.i/wndrnce with Sir WiUiani Glad.i' your letter, incloHin;; a jjictition to bo prcHeiitcd to the House of l/iniH. Ills Lurdsiiip rr(|ii<>stM tlhtt you will pl.ico it in tfio b.indR of ftonio uilicr person to prcNciit. — ! have the lionour to 'le, Sir, your oltcdii'iit Horvniit, W. 1*. TamiOT. To Hubert (iourUitj^ hj$q. No. 10. 90 Prineeg StrM, Ktllnhurph, April:*, I.sri2. My Lord - rrnsmtinpiny prtition, wliirli your Lordship ciuscd to he r. tumid to lue, w.is of Iittl»r eoiisi'«|uonce ; its ehicf object bein^X to in:ii»e my opiu'oiis known to your Lordship. I presume t)i:it Sir .John I'akiii^'ton eomminiic.tted with you on the sut>jei-t, riiid th.-it you Moter lihirttftd. — I have the honour to be, my Linl, your LordNhip''n ohi'ditiit servant. Hon. V. fioriii.AY. The Karl of Ihrhff. •No. 11. 90 Princes Street EilinhurffU, ./urn 19, l-S.-J^. My dear Chici'-Iu^ticc — This is nreompauied with a I'ctition to the llousi! of Lords : lirst sent to the Ivirlof i)erl)y, and lately returned with desire that I fthould '' idace it in the. hatnit of tnmt ' ollii r j>rr.-<c Corn IJill of 1814 was first petitioned for by the IJath and West of f^ngland Ajfri- cuhur;d Society, of which 1 was a uiciuber. This procecdinc, so foreign to the purpose of our institution, induced me to with- draw my name from the society ; and after doing so, I exposed itH mischievous deed in a placard. The society, indignant, pa/med a vote of ex])ulsion against me for this ; while, in fact, it was I who expelled the society, and I have ever since gloried in my act. Under (K) you will find a letter to my friend Lord Camp- bell, advising a fixed duty of Is. per husliel on import* from America, saving Quebec, &c. ; and hero let mc remark, that a tixed duty in no way interferes with free trade, as did the sUdinff scale, which was every way mischievous— -checking foreign culti- vation, while at sametimc it caused continual uncertainty at home. Four months after writing to Lord Campbell, I was on mjr passngc to England ; and, on landing, heard that Com Laws were entirely set aside — all but a duty of Is. per bushel. Gentlemen. Sir Uobert I'cel has been honoured for this, bat not by me. To me the unt^ualified repeal of Corn Laws has ever appeared unprincipled, unfeeling, and unjust. In fact, that repeal took from Krici.sh cultivatun* many millions of money, as uniairly as would highway robbery ; and it was the less ex- cusable, ax a simple act, to enable rents payable in money to be regulated by the price of com, would have made all right. ■^-m 1