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 1 2 3 
 
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 4 5 6 
 
^' 
 
 FUOin THE inOx^TRi: 
 
 
 \ 
 
 i 
 
 RELATIVE 
 
 THE LETTER OF DISSENT 
 
 OP 
 
 ^ r^ Si Q^ 
 
 'TWALYE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRA3^,i) ^ ~t 
 
 FROM THE 
 
 PETITION OF THE BOARD TO THE QUEEN, 
 
 For a Duty of rive ShiUlnga per ^uart^r 
 
 \ 
 
 ON 
 
 / 
 
 CANADA WHEAT. 
 
 V 
 
 -/ 
 
 MONTREAL : 
 
 UrCnteK at the "JHonttral ©faiette" ®«ce. 
 
 
M 
 
 The recBHt 
 the MoiitfeaJ 
 Petition to th 
 the C<»nncil » 
 proteolive du 
 tiacla Wheat, 
 
 It is with i 
 selves, as Men 
 the necessity o 
 Our Uiacious 
 the nth install 
 Board. AgaJ7 
 consisting of el 
 were present o 
 to protest, bein 
 have been cal 
 (Council and ii 
 not submitted 
 not, in strict p 
 it been delibe 
 lull discussion 
 ; mitted to it as 
 , onder exi-ting 
 to state, that 
 principles whi 
 whicii are at 
 facts. — and sei 
 our conviction 
 
 W'h beliov 
 
 oil of the Boi 
 
 the whole be 
 
 tlie framing 
 
 business cou 
 
 body, if ii3 e 
 
 pelled to as.s 
 
 bate upon t 
 
 papers oce 
 
 ; the manage 
 
 I interest. A 
 
 members o 
 
 Council, or 
 
 I present gen 
 
 I of the bod; 
 
 generous, 
 
EXTRACTS, ETC. 
 
 •J 
 
 Tho recent proteftt oF twelve M«mb»rB«f 
 the MotikeaJ Board of Trade against the 
 Petition to the Queen, lately drawn up by 
 the Council of <hat body, in favor of a fixed 
 protective duty in England in favor of Ca- 
 tiiidii Wheat, commences thus :— 
 
 It is with extreme regret that we find our- 
 ; selves, as Members of the Board of Trade, under 
 ; the necessity of taking exception to a Petition to 
 : Our Gracious Sovereign the Queen, adopted on 
 i the 1 Ith instant, by the Council in the name of the 
 Board Agahist that Act of the Council (a body 
 consisting of eleven membei 8, six of whom only 
 were present on the occasion) we beg respectfully 
 to protest, being ol opinion that the Petition shoTild 
 have been called what it really is, that of the 
 Council and not the Board, inasmuch as it was 
 not .submitted to the latter, and consequently can- 
 not, in strict propriety, be caliea its Petition. Had 
 ■ it been deliberately adopted by tlie Board after 
 lull discussion, we should have cheerfully sub- 
 mitted to it as the opinion of the majority, but, | 
 . onder exi-ting circumstances, we beg respectfully i 
 to state, that we dissent from it as contajrang I 
 principles which we cannot acquiesce in,- details ! 
 which aie at vuiiaiice -with our knowledge of 
 facts.— and sentiments which arc consistent with | 
 mir convictions. 
 
 We beliove it i.s not nsu;»l for the Comi- 
 ciloflho Board to cull general meetings of 
 the whole body, to discufis such questions as 
 the framing of a petition. In fact, little 
 business could be transacted by any public 
 body, if its e.xecutive department were com- 
 pelled to as.semble their constituents to de- 
 bate upon the letters, memorials, or other 
 papers ecessaiy to be drawn iip by them,in 
 the management of affairs for the general 
 interest. All that cadi be expected bylhe 
 members of any association, is that its 
 Council, or Executive Committee, shall re- 
 present generally the opinion of the majority 
 Mf the body. To expect more would be 
 generous, and would prevent men of talent 
 
 and indepenilence from giving either time or 
 trouble to such bodies. It it, therefore, 
 somewhat unreasonable in the protesting 
 gentlemen, by the above extract to seem to 
 be willing to yield to the majority of the 
 Board, while they look for a direct expres- 
 sion of the opinion of that majority, before 
 they admit the propriety of the Council tak- 
 ing it upon them to represent it. 
 
 From the mode of expression— which 
 might have been supposed accidental, were 
 it not for the italics— adopted in the protest, 
 a common reader would be indiced to infer, 
 that a large proportion of the Council, and a 
 still larger of the general members of the 
 Board of Trade, were opposed to the views 
 of the Council, and particularly so to the 
 Petition itself. So stfong is the presump- 
 I tion of such ati inference that one newspa- 
 { per— the Journal nnd Kxpress, of Hamilton 
 —calls the letter of the dissentient gentle- 
 men, ** the address qf the Montreal Board of 
 
 Trade to their PresidetU," This is a reading 
 of the letter of diuwMU, which the gentlemen 
 who signed it oug^it so to have guarded 
 against, as to have left nothing to the sup- 
 position of readers generally, to whom the 
 real state of the matter is unknown. 
 
 While, therefore, we set this matter in 
 a proper light, we alsoconsider it necessary, 
 from the importance of the subject, to show 
 that they stand almost alone, as members of 
 the Board of Trade, in the views they enter- 
 tain respecting the Petition. 
 
 This will be seen from the following docu- 
 ment, which has been addressed by other 
 members of the Board to the President, ex- 
 pressing their entire .concurrence in thfi 
 prayer of the Petition. 
 
4 
 
 To the Honorable Peter McGUl, President of 
 the Montreal Board of Ti-ade. 
 
 We, the undersigned members of the Corpora- 
 tion of the Montreal Board of Trade, having 
 perused a document signed by thirteen mem- 
 bers of the said Corporation, (one of whom 
 has since withdrawn his name,) and published 
 in the newspapers of the city, dissenting from 
 the petition recently adopted by the Coun- 
 cil of the Board of Trade, praying that the Im- 
 pel ial Government may be pleased to continue 
 protection to Canadian Grain, and lor other ob- 
 jects, deem it due to the Executive of the Corpo- 
 ration, as well as to ourselves, publicly to stale 
 that we fully join in the prayers contained in the 
 Petition, firmly believing that their beinj; acted 
 upon, would restore prosperity to the country, 
 and cement it indissoliibly to the Parent State. 
 We regret that any members of the Board o( 
 Trade should have fell it incumbent ujwn them to 
 pursue a course, in tht^ premises, calcululrd to 
 weaken the representation of the Council, al- 
 though the views and opinions enunciated by thf 
 Council, are those entertained by a huge majority 
 of the Corporation. 
 
 Hew Ramsay 
 Jas llervey 
 Jas L iVlaihie»on 
 Henry Vennor 
 C W White 
 J Bethune, Jr 
 G D Watson 
 C J Dunlop 
 Wm Carter 
 D Davidson 
 Jas Scott 
 
 John Frothingham 
 J G Mackenzie 
 Thos Ure 
 T h Hall 
 Wm Rodden 
 R Corse 
 Wm Watsou 
 Jas K Major 
 !S P Tilton 
 D Murray 
 R-obert Esdaile 
 John Kay 
 Jas Porteous 
 Wm Bradbury 
 R Latham 
 David Twiname 
 Thomas Wilson 
 
 Jas Gilmour 
 David Torrance 
 C S Boss 
 Wm Murray 
 Hugh Allan 
 J Glennon 
 G Moffatt 
 Alex Bryson 
 Jas Logan 
 R D Collis 
 H E Montgomerie 
 John Molson, junr 
 J H Birss 
 John Speirs 
 WmDow 
 J B Smith 
 E S Renaud 
 H H Whitney 
 Ed Way 
 T M Taylor 
 And. H Armour 
 Jas Breckanridge 
 And. McGill 
 John Birss 
 Jas Cuthbertson 
 John Armour 
 H Fowler 
 Chas Geddes 
 Augustus Heward 
 
 Montreal, 16th .Tan,, 1849. 
 
 We have also taken some pains to ascer- 
 tain llie opinions ot the whole of tlie mem- 
 bers of the Board, upon this question, it 
 being a matter of no sm-ail moinent to the 
 Colony, that the Brili.sh i>ublie shouKl not be 
 under any miftapprehension, nor under any 
 idea that the commercial coinniuniiy of 
 M^Jiitreal do not entirely uiiile with die 
 
 Council of the Board of Trade, in the object 
 they wish to attain. 
 
 Total number of Members of Board of 
 
 Trade 103 
 
 Members of Council 11 
 
 Signers of the above Letter 57 
 
 Absent from City 13 
 
 Rafused to sign without definite rea- 
 son 3 
 
 PefiJsed on the ground of consistency 
 
 wi local protectionists 5 
 
 Refused, desiring anne.xatton to U. 
 
 States 1 
 
 Remaining on Protest 12 
 
 Withdrawn 1 
 
 — 13 
 — 103 
 
 Of the gentlemen absent we have every 
 reason to say, from their known sentiments, 
 that ten would approve of the Petition, aud 
 three are doubtful, vrhile the five who de- 
 clined on the ground of consistency as local 
 protectionists, unanimously approve of it 
 also. Allowing the whole of the others to 
 I'avor the protesters, the real numbers, if 
 officially recorded, would Mand thus: — 
 
 For the Petition 87 
 
 Against it 16 
 
 INIajority 71 
 
 A majority which conclusively condemns 
 the proceediniis of the protesters, even en 
 the principle ennunciated by them in their 
 protest. 
 
 [The following letter, over the signature 
 " Montreal," from a merchant of this City 
 (who for many years has been largely in- 
 terested in thT trade of the country) while 
 passing- thronj2;h New York on his way 
 to England, was published in the Gazette 
 of the 17th instant, and its statements are 
 supported by the mercantile community. — 
 Ed. Mont. Gaz.] 
 to the editor of the montreal gazette. 
 New York, 9th January, 1849. 
 Sir,— Having been absent from Montreal for 
 some weeks, it was only the other day that I hap- 
 pened to see the Herald of the 30th ult. The pe- 
 tition of the Board of Trade to the Imperial Go- 
 vernment, asking for the exaction of a duty of 5s. 
 per quarter on Foreign Wheat imported into Great 
 Britain^ and the free admission of Canadian Wheat 
 
 ^ 
 
 f 
 
1 
 
 lias not perhaps provoked more discussion than 
 might have been expected, considering the impor- 
 tant interests involved; but that there were more 
 than three people in Montreal who could have op- 
 posed the petition 1 did not believe. It seems 
 however that there are thirteen,— the Editor of 
 the Montreal Herald, and the trifling minority of 
 twelve of the Board of Trade. The former has 
 favored his readers with two columns of fair edi- 
 torial matter on the subject, and the latter have 
 favored the public with a long protest full of bold 
 assertions, and notoriously incorrect statistics. No 
 particular exception can be taken to the remarks 
 of the Herald, they merely convey the opinions of 
 the Editor, who informs us that there is no reac- 
 tion in public opinion in England on the subject of 
 Sir Robert Peel's Policy, and that there is no 
 chance of the petition of the Board being favor- 
 ably responded to. People may, perhaps, so (av 
 fairly differ on the subject. I, however, with 
 many others, dissent from the Herald's opinion ; 
 and believe that there is a most important reaction 
 in the public mind throughout the United King- 
 dom, and that the chances in favor of the prayer 
 of the petition being granted sooner or later, are 
 daily increasing. 
 
 I would here most particularly beg to call atten- 
 tion to the fact, that neither the Herald nor the 
 protesting parties pretend to deny that the attain- 
 ment of the object petitioned for, would promote to 
 an incalculable degree the prosperity of the Pro- 
 vince at large. Considering that the petition in 
 no way interferes with any other measure at all 
 likely to advance the interests of Canada, while 
 the attainment of its prayer would most etfectually 
 do so, and undeniably secure its prosperity, it is 
 difficult to avoid the conclusion that the protesting 
 parties have ulterior views — views very different 
 from the prosperity of Montreal and of the Pro- 
 vince of Canada. It is probably difficult to say 
 what these views are ; but I believe those who 
 were mainly instrumental in promoting the pro- 
 test, to be actuated by views of i political cha- 
 racter. 
 
 Having stated that the protest is full of bold as- 
 sertions and notoriously erroneous statistics, I 
 shall endeavour to prove this to be the case. 
 
 The protesting parties take exception to the pe- 
 tition, being considered that of the Board of Trade, 
 aiid say, that it should have been called the peti- 
 tion of the Council ; they also say that they would 
 have cheerfully submitted to it as the opinion of 
 the Board, had it been adopted after a full discus- 
 sion. As it may not be generally known, I may 
 state that the Council is annually chosen by the 
 
 majority of the Board, whose views it ia but fur 
 to suppose it represents, and in styling the petition 
 that of the Board of Trade, the Council acted in 
 the customary, and in the only correct manner. 
 It will be observed that the protesting parties do 
 not openly deny that the petition represents the 
 opinion of the majority of the Board ; that they 
 could not do ; and had they not been borne down 
 by the conviction that it does harmonize with the 
 views of the majority — aye, and of an overwhelm- 
 ing majority, it is clear as noon-day, that they 
 would have availed themselves of the right which 
 every twelve members of the Board possess — the 
 right of directing the President to call a general 
 meeting, by means of which the petition, if incon- 
 sistent and at variance with the opinions of the 
 majority, would have been disavowed and con- 
 demned. It must be manifest that this mode of 
 procedure would have most effectually establish- 
 ed, or destroyed, the first position of the protesting 
 parties, and would have spared them the necessity 
 of making many unfounded assertions and fallaci- 
 ous assumptions. The course which they have 
 chosen must be regarded as conclusive with res- 
 pect to what they felt assured would be the cer- 
 tain result of a general meeting, they knew that it 
 would be to reject their views, and thereby to de- 
 prive them of any pretext whatever of appearing 
 before the public, a consummation they were no 
 doubt anxious to avoid, because it would neither 
 have suited their purpose, nor led to the gratifica- 
 tion of their vanity. The following I extract from 
 the petition of the Board of Trade :— 
 
 " That the most prominent of the changes re- 
 ferred to, is a growing commercial intercourse 
 with the United States, giving rise to an opinion, 
 which is daily gaining ground on both sides of the 
 boundary line, that the interests of the two cr i- 
 tries under the changed policy of the Imperial ., - 
 vernment are german to each other, and under thai 
 system, must sooner or later be politically inter- 
 woven." 
 
 The protesting parties remark on this as fol- 
 lows : — 
 
 " Now, whilst we admit the growing in- 
 terests of the two countries to be " german" to 
 each other, wo dissent entirely from the conclusion 
 which the Council seems to draw therefrom, and 
 to imply that the country participates in viz^ 
 That it must precipitate a political connexion be- 
 tween this Colony and the United States," 
 
 Now, this is merely a round about way of stat- 
 ing that mankind are not influenced by their in- 
 terest, in rejecting or adopting the Government 
 under which they live ; which is nonsense, and 
 any farther remarks on the subject may be viewed 
 as superfluous. Notwithstanding this, let me ask — 
 
6 
 
 if mankind are not urged by their intereats to 
 adopter reject particular forms of Government; 
 what is the cause of the revolutions by which 
 Europe is now convulsed, and why did the old 
 •colonies of any of the European States shake off 
 their allegiance, and seek at enormous temporary 
 sacrifices a change of Government 1 I quote the 
 following from the Protest:—" We trust the loyal- 
 ty of the Province depends on something loftier 
 than a mercenary motive." This is, no doubt, re- 
 markably fine, and an admirable sneer at the loy- 
 alty of the majorily of the Board of Trade. It 
 seems to me, however, that such sneers ill be- 
 come some of the members of the protesting party ; 
 I think I see amonc;st them those whose loyalty 
 is, perhaps, little more to be depended upon than 
 their statistics, I should like to see the desire of 
 the protesting party to perpetuate the unity of the 
 Empire, based on something more solid than an 
 idea. Loyalty, while nourished by interest, its 
 indispensible accompaniment, will, no doubt, 
 flourish like a vigorous evergreen, unless the soil 
 in which it is planted is abominably bad ; but 
 withdraw the accompaniment, and you may trem- 
 ble for the fate of loyalty. What man of common 
 sense can view the relative position of Canada 
 and the United Kingdom, and suppose for a mo- 
 ment they can remain any length of time connect- 
 ed by a tie so unreal as loyalty ,weakened by the 
 opposition of actual interests. 
 
 The following quotation from the petition of 
 the Board, embodies the points which occupy 
 most fully the attention of the protesting parties : — 
 
 Firstly. — The result of a total cessation ot the 
 differential duty on grain in England, will be to 
 make New York the port of shipment for the 
 great bulk of the produce of Canada, in conse- 
 quence of the greater cheapness in forwarding it 
 to the markets of England by way of the United 
 States, than by the former route of the St. Law- 
 rence. This IS a statement which in the opinion 
 of your Petitioners cannot be refuted, whether 
 with reference to our past experience, or to any 
 future probable changes in the cost of forwarding 
 by either route. 
 
 Secondly, — The port which is found to be the 
 mosteiijiibie for the exports, will also be found 
 to be the best suited for the imports of a country, 
 for one reason, among many others in this case, 
 tliat inward freight cheapens outward freight, 
 and vice versa; accordingly Aew York must ine- 
 vitably become the Port o! Import for Canada to 
 the serious i)ijury of the Trade oi the St. Law- 
 rence, 
 
 Thirdly,— TiM Bonding ayatam introducad by 
 the American Government, by means of which 
 British and Foreign manufactures may be pur- 
 chased in New York on much the aame terma a* 
 in Montreal, must have the effect of attracting 
 the merchants of Canada to New York for the 
 purchase of their supplies, if that city shall 
 becomethe Port of Import and Export for Canada, 
 and thus the ruin of the Trade of the St. Law- 
 rence, of so much importance to Great Britain 
 and this Colony in a national point of view, can- 
 not fail to be consummated. 
 
 The protesting parlies deny that the route via 
 New York, is the cheapest by which the producta 
 of the West can be sent to Europe; they assert 
 that the route by the St. Lawrence is cheaper,and 
 sum up what they assert and assume In support 
 of their opinions, in the following statistics, whirh 
 I copy from the protest : — 
 
 Downward Freights by way of the Erie Canal. 
 
 cents. 
 
 Erom Cleveland to Buffalo, 16 
 
 From Buffalo to Albany, 77 
 
 From Albany to New York 8 
 
 101 
 
 Downward Freights by way of the St. Lawrence. 
 
 cents. 
 Average of 1848 from Cleveland to Quebec, 60 
 
 Leaving a balance in favour of the St. Law- 
 rence route of 41 cents per Barrel. 
 
 No. 2— Upward Freight by way of the Erie 
 Canal for 100 lbs of Merchandize :. . 
 
 cents. 
 
 From New York to Albany, 4 
 
 From Albany to Buffalo 45 
 
 From Buffalo to Cleveland, , . 15 
 
 64 
 
 Ditto by way of the St. Lawrence: — 
 
 cents. 
 From Quebec to Cleveland, 30 
 
 Leaving a balance in favour of the St. Law- 
 rence route of ?i cents per 100 lbs of Merchan- 
 dize. 
 
 Now, these statistics are totally illusory and 
 incorrect, they have no relation whatever to the 
 present state of things, and have, in fact, no better 
 foundation than the imagination of those who 
 submit them. Two or perhaps three of these 
 parties should know this to be the case ; the other 
 nine or ten. from the nature of their vocations 
 can have little, if any, practical knowledge of the 
 matter, and cannot be expected to know whether 
 they are right or wrong. 
 
 The ilatistici 
 been obtained fr 
 Forwarding Hoi 
 he regarded ai e 
 the average rate 
 York via the i 
 The following s 
 rage rate of frei 
 during each moi 
 from the records 
 the Houses refei 
 
 Kay, the areraj 
 June, do 
 
 July, do 
 
 August, do 
 September, do 
 October, do 
 Novamber, do 
 
 Making the i 
 of 85, as quoted 
 New York, 'i 
 Cleveland to 
 to avoid all di: 
 which will sho 
 from Clevelan 
 have been 77ic 
 Bible to say, w 
 but at present 
 per barrel, fro 
 entire of that si 
 red, that the 
 exceed that of 
 from New Yor 
 I take the foil 
 which was pri 
 rewarding H 
 course exhibi 
 goods. 
 
 Frei 
 
 Pig Iron 
 
 Frei 
 
 Sugar, Moll 
 
 Coffee, Bar 
 
 Steel, Naila 
 
 Crockery. . . 
 
 As a rule, pi 
 to New York, 
 somewhat chei 
 names of the p 
 have been obta 
 
introduced by 
 eans of which 
 I may be pur- 
 ■ame terms m 
 t of attracting 
 V York for the 
 that city shall 
 )ort for Canada, 
 f the St. Law- 
 ) Great Britain 
 t of Yiew, can- 
 
 at the rout? via 
 ch the products 
 e; they assert 
 I is cheaper,and 
 me in support 
 tatistics, which 
 
 the Erie Canal, 
 cents. 
 
 16 
 
 77 
 
 8 
 
 101 
 J St. Lawrence. 
 
 cents. 
 ) Quebec, 60 
 ■ the St. Law- 
 ay of the Erie 
 
 cents. 
 
 4 
 
 45 
 
 15 
 
 64 
 
 ice: — 
 
 cents. 
 
 30 
 
 j{ the St. Law- 
 s of Merchan- 
 
 ily illusory and 
 ihatever to the 
 n fact, no better 
 1 of those who 
 
 three of these 
 case ; the other 
 
 their vocations 
 lovvledge of the 
 I know whether 
 
 I'he italistici which I now submit, have just The ii'x' siil'jfcl <• li ch i ff. r»il«( If f. r c luideaii'm- 
 been obtained from some of tlic most respt'cluble is, that of the rale of fffiintii, which the proieitiiig 
 
 Forwarding Houses in this city, and will no doubt 
 be regarded as entirely conclusive, with respect to 
 the aTerage rate of freight from Cleveland to New 
 York via the Erie Canal, during the past year. 
 The following statement which exhibits the ave- 
 rage rate of freight from Buffalo to New York, 
 during each month of the past season, was taken 
 from the records of the actual transactions of one 
 the Houses referred to. 
 
 Freight. Canal Toll. Total. 
 
 IVT ay, the average was 38i 31 J 
 
 June, do 24i 31 i 
 
 July, do 241 31 i 
 
 August, do 24 j 3U 
 
 September, do 28i 311 
 
 October, do 431 311 
 
 November, do 50} 311 
 
 70 
 56 
 56 
 56 
 60 
 75 
 82 
 
 455 
 
 Making the average rate of freight 65c, instead 
 of 85, as quoted by the protesters from Buffalo to 
 New York. The average rate of freight from 
 Cleveland to Buffalo, was about lOc, but 
 to avoid all disputes, let it be assumed at 121c., 
 which will show the actual average rate of freight 
 from Cleveland to New York, during 1848, to 
 have been 771c. per barrel. It is ofcourse impos- 
 sible to say, what the average of 1849 will be ; 
 but at present contracts could be made at 871c. 
 per barrel, from Cleveland to New York, for the 
 entire of that season, from which it may be infei- 
 red, that the actual average is not expected to 
 exceed that of 1848. With reference to freight 
 from New York to Cleveland via the Erie Canal, 
 I take the following from the Tariff" for 1848, 
 which was printed and circulated by the different 
 Fowarding Houses in this city, and which of 
 course exhibited the highest rate paid for such 
 goods. 
 
 Freight per 2000 lbs. Canal Toll. Total 
 
 Pig Iron $3,50 $2,80 .. $6,30 
 
 Freight per 100 lbs. Canal Toll. Total. 
 Sugar, Molasses, 
 
 Coffee, Bar Iron, 
 
 Steel, Nails and 
 
 parties aasuine, from Quebec tu Clevehnil, viz., 30 
 cents per 100 lbs. If (his is intended lobe the rale of 
 freight for Pig Iron, it i", perhaps, not over 5 cents 
 under the mark ; but if it is intended tu convey the 
 idea that 30 cents pir 100 Ibii. is ti.e rule of freight 
 for general merchandize, it is a very wild and illu- 
 sory supposition. In the first place, no traffic in 
 general merciiandize has been carried on between 
 Quebec, or Montreal, and Cleveland, and any rata 
 stai ed must be suppusititious; we have,hotvcvcr,had & 
 considerable trade between Montreal and Port Stan- 
 ley, to which place goods can, wilhuut doubt, be sent 
 at as low a rate of freight from New York or Montreal 
 us to Cleveland, the one port being nearly opposite 
 to the other on Lake Erie. The average rate of 
 freight from M ntreal to Port Stanley prior to 1848 
 was not less than 60 cents per 100 lbs. On the con- 
 trary, I think those who choose to investigate the 
 matter will find it to have been considerably more. 
 In consequence of the opening of the St. Lawrence 
 Canals, and the very limited amount of business 
 done, the average rate from Montreal to Port Stan- 
 ley during 1848 was reduced to what Forwarders 
 call the ruinously low figure of 40 cents per 100 lbs. 
 The rate from Quebec would, of course, be at the 
 very least 5 cents more, making the actual rate from 
 Quebec to Cleveland during 1 848 45 cts. per 1 00 lbs. 
 in place of 30 cents, unreasonably and fallaciously 
 assumed by the protesting parties. 
 
 I will now recapitulate the foregoing facts by 
 which the gross incorrectness ot the statistics, sub- 
 mitted by the protesting parliei), will be made more 
 glaringly manifest. 
 
 Jdual average rate of freight of Flour per barrel 
 from Cleveland to New York during 1848, 771 cents. 
 I will give the protesting parties the benefit ol the 
 rate vik' ^i they assume to be the average during the 
 same i ii,J from Cleveland to Quebec, and which 
 we may safely suppose they did not think too much- 
 say 60 cents. This shows that a barrel of Flour 
 can be carried on the average from Cleveland to 
 Quebec for 17^ cents less than from Cleveland to 
 New York, leaving a difference of only 171 cents in 
 place of 41 cents in favor of the St. Lawrence. But 
 even this presents much too favorable a view of the 
 St. Lawrence route. It must be borne in mind 
 
 Crockery $0,24 $0,18 .. $0,62 ; that while the Slate of New York is deriving an 
 
 As a rule, property can be carried from Cleveland annual gross revenue of about $2,813,839,19 for 
 to New York, and vice v€«o, by way of Oswego 'the year 1848 from the Erie and Oswego Canals, 
 
 somewhat cheaper than by way of Buffalo. The 
 names of the parties from whom the foregoing facts 
 
 that Canada, for the purpose of allowing goods to be 
 carried at the low rate stated, scarcely exacts tolls 
 
 have been obtained can be furnished if necessary.— sufficient, if sufficient, to keep her Canals in repair. 
 
8 
 
 and to pay lh«t ex|)enii q( (uperinli mliMue, and that 
 the country is heuvily taxed to pay llio siinual in- 
 terest on llie muney by inems ol wiijch the Canals 
 were constructed. Whatever sum is cxneted from 
 the country for this purpose is nuihing more or less 
 than so much additional freight on property passing 
 up and down the St. Lawrence. If it is not paid by 
 the owners of the property, it is paid by the people 
 of Canada, and in that consists the only difl'erence 
 between it and ordinary freight. To show the 
 actual cost of freight by the two routes, the revenue, 
 or profit, which the State of New York derives from 
 Flour passing through her Canals shcuM be deducted 
 from the amount of freight from Cleveland to New 
 York ; while the loss sustained by ilie Province of 
 Canada, in consequence of the insufficiency of the 
 tolli levied on her Cannls, should be iidded to the 
 average rate of freight fruni Cleveland to Quebec. 
 The revtnue derived by (he Slate of New York from 
 Flour passing through her CanaU is, perhaps, equal 
 to 15 cents per barrel, while, on the other hand, the 
 Province of Canada loses, perhaps, 10 cents on 
 eTery barrel of Flour whicii pisses down the St. 
 Lawrence. Let us assume this to be so, and carry 
 the statement to its ultimate consiquence, not 
 that the object in view r< quires it to be done, but 
 for the purpose of inducing consideration on the part 
 of those who have not given tlie matter thought. — 
 The merits of the two routes will under tliis vi-^w 
 stand thus : — 
 Average rate of Freight from Cleveland to New 
 
 York, during 1848, per barrel 75 cents 
 
 Less profit on this sum, received by the 
 
 State of New York as revenue 15 cents 
 
 Actual ccst of forwarding a barrel of 
 Flour from Cleveland to New York 
 during; 1848 60 cents 
 
 Average Freight ofa barrel of Flour from 
 Cleveland to Quebec, as assumed by 
 the protesting parties 60 cents 
 
 Add Freight paid bj the Province of Ca- 
 nada, in the shape of interest, &c., 
 not included in this sura 10 cents 
 
 70 cents 
 So that when we approximate towards the actual 
 uost of business, the difference appears to be 1 cents 
 per barrel against the St. Lawrence, in place uf 41 
 cents in its favor ! The delusive statements of the 
 protesting parties do not stop with the exhibition of 
 41 cents in favor of the St. Lawrence ; they carry 
 them out most consistantly as they nroceed to extend 
 
 their comparison of rates from New York and Que- 
 bec to Liverpool respectively— which '.hey do as 
 follows ;— 
 Freight of a barrel of Flour from Cleveland to New 
 
 York, via the Erie Canal lOt citnts 
 
 Freight from New York to Liverpool. ... 48 cents 
 
 Total 1 49 cenU 
 
 Freight from Cleveland to Que- 
 bec 00 cents 
 
 Freight Trom Quebec to Liver- 
 pool 72 cents 
 
 Extra Insurance from Quebec 
 
 to Liverpool 7^ cents 
 
 — r<9i cuts 
 
 91 cnts 
 After all their ridiculous nssumptions and allow- 
 ances, they only succeed in making out a differe'ice 
 of 9i cents, or about 4id. Sterling per barrel in fa- 
 vor uf the St. Lpwrence, which amounts to a con- 
 demnation of their position. Adopting their ratei 
 of Ocean Freight and difference of Insurance, which 
 I shall by and by show to be erroneous, the actual 
 facts, as they affect owners of property, would stand 
 thus : — 
 
 Actual average Freight of a barrel of Flour from 
 Cleveland to New York during 1848. 77} cents 
 Ocean Freight assumed by the protest- 
 ing parties 48 cents 
 
 Total freight from Cleveland to Liver- 
 pool via New York 125} cent* 
 
 Rate of Freight from Cleveland to Que- 
 bec, assumed by the protesting par- 
 ties 60 ce^ts 
 
 Ocean Freight assumed by ditto. . ..... 72 cents 
 
 Difference of Insurance in favor of New 
 York 7} cents 
 
 139} cents 
 Showing 14} cents in favor of New York. 
 
 But the rate of Ocean freight and difference of 
 Insurance assumed by the protesting parties is at 
 variance with all existing facts. They say that the 
 Council of the Board of Trade, of 1846, published 
 a statement showing the average rate of freight from 
 New York to Liverpool to be 28. Id. Sterling per 
 barrel j they take good care, however, not to say 
 that the same statement also shows that the average 
 rate nf freight from Quebec to Liverpool, during the 
 same period, was 4s. Id. or 4s. 6d. Sterling per 
 barrel, I forget which ; but, to keep within the 
 mark, say 4s. Id., thereby showing an average dif- 
 ference of 2s. Sterling, or 50 cents per barrel, 
 avninst the St, Lawrencn. After sunpresging mr^t 
 
 4 
 
9 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 liiiingenuouily Ihii important fii«l,tlie]r proceed to forirArding from ''JereltnJ to I.iTer|.oo hj lh« 
 inj^iee mtlallow 3s. Sterling iohtihecortf pond' ^ruptetiro rouui or Ihfl Erie Cintl and Iha Ht. 
 ing rate from Quebec. We will allow ! but tThy ' Lawrence :— 
 
 " w* mil allow " when tliere are admitted facti Actual arerage Freight of a barrel bulic from 
 gathered from experience. VVhy, becauie facta at | Clereland to New Yoric during 1848. 77^ cent* 
 once condemn, and ctfeelually destroy the merits of Average Freight from Nttv York to Li- 
 the tvildly iiuppooititiout ease on which they rest verpool ?a. Id. Sterling, or 50 centi 
 
 their conclusion. But, when allowing, why not ; — — 
 
 •ay 2$. in place of 3i. One erroneous rale can be , °''' ^^71 cent* 
 
 little more exceptionable than another, and boking ««l« o< freight from Cleveland to Que- 
 to the f"ure carried forward, 2.. would hare shown ''"' " "'"'"«'' ^t '''« P'olcliog 
 
 a handsome amount in favour of the St. Lawrence, 
 in place of the trifling one of 9^ cents, or about 4id. 
 Sterling per barrel, which is the miserable rtsult of 
 all their fallacious assumptions. 
 
 Facts derived from experience prove, as already 
 shown, that the average rate of freight from New 
 York to Liverpool is 2s. Sterling or 50 cents per 
 barrel less than from the St. Lawrence. However, 
 to give the St. Lawrence every chance, let us, to 
 cover all contingencies, and to prevent captious ex- 
 ceptions, suppose that the established average can 
 be reduced by 15 cents, which is, I believe, more 
 than ever will be realized — this <7ill reduce the 
 average against the St. Lawrence to 35 cents per 
 barrel. 
 
 Tiie followi.ig will show the average rate of 
 Insurance from New York and Quebec to Liverpool, 
 respectively :— 
 
 From New York, From Montreal. 
 
 parlies 60 cenis 
 
 The average difference of freight 
 to Liverpool in favor of New 
 York has been shown to be 
 50 cents per barrel, but to 
 cover all anticipations and 
 contingencies we assume that 
 the difference can be reduced 
 to 35 cents, which sum being 
 added to tlie rate of freight 
 from New York to Liverpool 
 will show the rate from the 
 St. Lawrence to Liverpool to 
 
 be 85 cents 
 
 Txtra insurance from Quebec 
 to Liverpool IJ per cent., 
 which, on 25s., is 8) cents 
 
 May li 
 
 June 1| 
 
 July H 
 
 August 11 
 
 Septemer U 
 
 October li 
 
 November 11 
 
 81 
 
 H 
 
 . li 
 . U 
 
 . n 
 
 . li 
 
 . 5 
 
 . 7i 
 
 21i 
 3 
 
 153] centa 
 
 It, therefore, appears that 1 } per cent, is the 
 average in favour of New York and against the St. 
 Lawrence. This, however, represents the case of 
 the St. Lawrence in too favorable a light, the 
 average being reduced by the low rates of August 
 and September, when in reality no shipments of con- 
 sequence are made, while the whole Fall Trade is 
 subject to the very high rates of October and 
 November. From New York, the rate being uni- 
 form throughout the season, the same objection does 
 not apply. 
 
 The following, which sums up the foregoing facts, the Board of Trade, from the rannification uf the 
 cxhibitfl, as nearly as possible, the relative cost of business in which they are respectively engaged, and 
 
 li 
 
 Showing against the St. Lawrence. ... 25^ cents 
 The relative merits of the New York and Quebec 
 or Montreal markets form a subject about which 
 something, perhaps not partic il'irly favorable to the 
 latter, might be said ; time, however, will not permit 
 me to refer further to it at present. 
 
 I would beg attention to the following extract 
 from the Protest:— 
 
 " We have already stated that we do net think the 
 country generally participate with the Council of the 
 Board of Trade in such sentiments, and we are at a 
 loss to know on what evidence they found their as- 
 sertion. Moreover, we consider it but little calcu- 
 lation, to raise the Board of Trade or the people ot 
 Canada in the opinion of our Most Gracious Sove- 
 reign the Queen and tlie people of the Mother Coun- 
 try, to allow the sentiments to go foi th uncontradict- 
 ed, that our loyalty to the Queen, and our sltach* 
 ment to British Institutions and connexion depend on 
 the Mother Country taking what we would consider 
 a retrograde step in the development of her new com- 
 mercial poliey. We trust the loyalty of the Province 
 depends on something loftier than a mercenary mo- 
 tive." 
 
 On the last sentence of this paragraph I have al- 
 ready remarked. The Members of the Council of 
 
10 
 
 the ttUndsd correspondence and frequent inter- 
 -course with parties in all secdons o( the ProWnce, 
 which necessarily arises therefrom, undoubtedly 
 "potsess superior opportunities of gaining informa- 
 tion regarding the ? lews generatly entertained with 
 re«pect to the consequence to Canada 1 kely to flow 
 from the newly adopted and anti- Colonial policy of 
 the Imperial GoTernment. I do not believe that 
 any man, who is at all well informed on the sub- 
 j I'Ct, will differ from the opinion expressed in the 
 Petition of ihe Board of Trade. The protesting par- 
 ties are, perhaps, indifferently informed, if ',iot ig- 
 norant, on the subject. I think this likely, and I 
 do not think that the somewhat qualified contradic- 
 tion which they renture to give to the opinion ex- 
 pressed by the majority of the Board can receive, or 
 is entitled to, any consideration. Ignorance of a 
 fact cannot be regarded a<t a proof of its non- 
 ■cxistence. The Board of Trade, believing, as it 
 does, that the anti-Colonial and destructive policy 
 of Sir R. Peel will, unless changed, be fatal to the 
 unity of the British Empire, would have acted the 
 :parl of traitors to their country had they not stated 
 as they have done to Her Most Gracious Majesty 
 ihe alarm which they entertained. 
 
 Those who belieye that the unity of the Empire is 
 not endangered by the policy in question, are, of 
 course, entitled to their opinions, which,being sincere, 
 deserve respect, whatever may be thought of their 
 judgment. There may, perhaps, be those who be- 
 lieve that the unity of the Empire is endangered by 
 the policy in question, while they express a contrary 
 opinion. If the.e are such, they are traitors to their 
 country, and deserve to have the finger of scorn 
 pointed at them ty all honest men. 
 
 The following from the Petition of the Board, next 
 and lastly, engages the attention of the protesting 
 parties :— 
 
 " Firstly.— ll would be no violation of the new 
 " fiical principles of the EngHsh Government, inas- 
 "much as such a duty as ihat prayed for would 
 " simply be a tax for Revenue, and Your Peiition- 
 *'ers see no reason why Grain should not be raode- 
 •'* rately taxed as well as any other commodity. 
 
 " Seconrf^.— Vour Petiiioners are of opinion, 
 "from practical observation, that such a duty would 
 *' not come out of the pocket of the consumer, but 
 "out of that of the pro<",ucer, that it would not in the 
 " general course of things add to the mice of Bread- 
 " Stuffs in the markets of Foreign countries. 
 
 " Thirdly.— Such a moderate fixed duly on Fo- 
 "reign Grain would increase the Reyenue of the 
 " country, on the average, by about a million Ster- 
 ling, which, as it would not come out of the pocket 
 " of the consumer, would be a great national gain, 
 ^^ combining a jnost seasonable relief to the country in 
 *' its present Snaiiciai position, with other advan- 
 togee of, perhspi, even paramount consideration. 
 
 *• Fourthly.- A duly cf this kind in fator of Ck^ 
 "nada would preserve the trade of the St. Law- 
 " rence, add to the Revenue derivable from the Pro- 
 " vincial Canals^ diffuse universal satisfactioh 
 " throughout the Colony, and, what, in the opinion 
 " of your Petiiioners, is all important, would continue 
 " to attach Canada to the Mother Country, thus 
 " per^ietuating the present connection, and preserving 
 " inviolate the British Dominions." 
 
 The only part of the remarks on the above whith 
 require any notice is the following :— 
 
 " We are at variance with the Council respecting 
 the doctrine, • that such a duty would not come 
 out of the pocket of the consumer, but ont of that of 
 the producer; that it would not, in the general 
 course of things, add to the price of Bread-Stuffs in 
 England, but would reduce the price of Bread-Stufi^ 
 in the markets of Foreign countries.' Such reasor- 
 ing we hold to be utterly fallacious and unfounded. 
 \Ve hold that no principle is better founded than that, 
 ' in the general course of things,' (admitting of, we 
 may allow, occasional temporary exceptions,) such 
 duty would add to the price of Bread-Stuffs in Eng- 
 land, insteao of reducing it in the markets of 
 Foreign countries." 
 
 It will be noticed that the protesting parties do 
 not deny that the principles which they hold has 
 exceptions. These exceptions are manifest with 
 respect to all articles of which a country produces 
 nearly sufficient Vt satisfy its wants, and more espe- 
 cially 80 when the duty imposed is such as will not 
 absorb the profit of the foreign producer. Now this 
 is particularly the case with respect to Wheat. 
 England produces the great bulk of what she re- 
 quires of that tirticle, and the abundance or scarcity 
 of the crop in that country is the great element in 
 establishing the price of th9 article in every foreign 
 export market. 
 
 The iniposition of a duty by England of 6s. per 
 quarter on Foreign Wheat would not diminish the 
 production of the article ih Foreign countries, be- 
 cause we find that under a much higher duty they 
 produced largely for export. These arguments are 
 strongly supported by facts gathered from experi- 
 ence. During past years the duty on Foreign Wheat 
 imported into England has undergone occasional 
 and important reductions j according to the opinion 
 of the protesting parties, the price in England should 
 have diminhbed by the full extent of the duty takeH 
 off, while the price in those Foreign markets from 
 whence England draws supplies should have in no 
 degree advanced. That this is not the fact is noto- 
 rious } on the contrary, the effect has been to enhance 
 Ihe price of tvheat in Foreign markets to a mueli 
 greater extent than it has reduced it in England. 
 What was the effect produced on prices in Britaitt 
 ai'icr ihe ist of March last, by the duty which came 
 into effisct on that day, and which for some tiiBl 
 
 > 
 
 t 
 
 t 
 
n 
 
 preyiouily had been luipended. "Were prices in 
 Eagland tdranced by the extent of that duty 1 
 certainly not. They did not advance a farlhitig, 
 while tlie prices in Foreign countries— or in other 
 words the prices of Foreign Wheat in bond — at once 
 went down to the full extint of the duly, thereby 
 showing most distinctly, and beyond all equivoca- 
 tion, that the duty then imposed wus paid by the 
 Foreign grower. That we shall have a forlher de- 
 monstration of the fact on the first of February 
 next, wiien the present duly expires, I feel confident. 
 The fact that the Foreign Wheat now arriving in 
 England 's being lield in bond until it can be entered 
 for consumption at a nominal duty, manifestly shows 
 that the holders of it expect to gain in price what 
 the British revenue will lose by the abolition of the 
 duty. All who carefully consider these facta will, 
 1 have no doubt, be satisfied that the opinion assert- 
 ed by the protesting parties is utterly fallacious and 
 -unfounded. The protesling parties say, that to im- 
 ipose a duty of 5». per quarter on Foreign Grain 
 
 would be to violate the n(!w fiscal principles of (he 
 British Government ; this assertion is, I think, in- 
 correct. Tliese principles do not preclude taxation 
 for purposes of revenue, and tl.ere is no reason why 
 Foreign labour in the shape of Grain should not be 
 taxed for that purpose, as well as Foreign labour in 
 any other shape. If that policy, however, is to lead 
 to the dismemberment of the Empire, and require! 
 the sacrifice of British for the benefit o( Foreign 
 industry, which I believe; the sooner it is violated 
 the better. The assertion that Canadianp have no 
 right to ask for the imposition of the duty in ques* 
 tion, is puerile and unworthy of the transcendental- 
 ists who make it. Canadians will do themselves 
 great injustice if they do not look after their own 
 interests ; and so long as they are British subjects 
 they have a perfect right to offer any suggeitioDs 
 which to them may appear essential to the promotion 
 of the general interests of the Empire. 
 
 MONTRIAX. 
 
 t