It is now no secret that the Governorship of Canada
has been offered to Sir Charles Metcalfe. Whether he has accepted the office or not, we do not know ; the Times this morning says that he is " appointed." The nomination reflects the highest credit on Sir Robert Peel. As Governor-General of Jamaica, Sir Charles Metcalfe's success in healing the dissensions with which that island was torn was most remarkable : he may be said to have obliterated the Anti-Negro sentiments of the once Slaveholding Planters ; and to have united all—with the ex- ception of the most bigoted section of the Anti-Slavery class, whose object it has seemed to make the West Indies nothing but a fool's paradise for the Blacks—in seeking the common advantage of all classes. In him the Negroes found a mild and judicious friend ; the Planters a calm, firm ruler, ready to give due credit to all. Wheo he left Jamaica to return to England for the benefit of his health, addresses couched in the most reverential, affectionate, and grateful terms, showered upon him : we have a volume of sixty-five closely-printed pages filled with such addresses and the replies. The difficulties of the West Indies were social and economical, rather than what is usually understood by the term political : whether Sir Charles has the peculiar qualifications for coping with the political difficulties of Canada, remains to be seen ; but his administration would be re- garded with strong hopes. The French Canadians would expect in him a statesman to whom the human family is equally the object of solicitude without distinction of races; the Ultra-" British " or Tories, a man who is not betrayed by the bigotry into which Liberal senti- ments sometimes degenerate to regard any class as inherently bad or as his enemies. In short, all parties would expect an impartial rule for the good of the colony at large, without invidious preferences or post- ponements. We should anticipate much advantage from having Met- calfe to follow up the work of Begot : possibly he might do even more good than if the other were to remain.
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