Mr. HUME, in his speech on the Army Estimates last
Wednes- day, alluded to the satisfactory state of public feeling in Canada: be said, that in consequence of the wise policy which had lately been adopted for the government of that Colony, four out of the Eve thousand troops now stationed there might be safely recalled. It is well known, that much discontent has prevailed in Upper Canada, in consequence of some arbitrary, and, as the people main- tained, corrupt practices on the part. of the Colonial authorities. In answer to these complaints, Lord GODERICH, on the 8th of November last, transmitted a despatch to Sir JOHN COLBURNE, the Governor of Upper Canada, the contents of which were highly pleasing to the Colonists. He therein states the anxiety of Go- vernment, that the people should be fairly and fully represented in the Colonial Legislature ; that they should be allowed to pay their representatives for their attendance in it ; that no persons should be excluded from any civil rights on account of religious scruples about taking oaths ; that the funds arising from Crown lands should be placed under the control of the Legislature ; that a full disclosure should be made of the mode in which the public funds are disposed of; and that there should be no undue inter- ference with elections, or jobbing and favouritism in the allotment of Crown lands. Lord GODERICH also recommends, that care should be taken to preserve the liberty of the press entire; and declares that to show any undue preference to the Clergy of the Established Church, in any respect, is contrary to the express in- structions and wishes of Government. He strongly urges the Legislature to take the necessary means for securing the inde- pendence of the Judges; and says that the Government at home will wait for the advice of the Colonial Legislature, before taking any steps to endow literary or religious institutions.
These instructions, which gave so much satisfaction to the Co- lonists, enraged the subordinate officers of the Government ; who proposed, in the House of Assembly, to send the despatch back again—to throw it under the table—and not to print a line of it. Of course the House rejected these wise propositions. But we suspect that Ministers will find it necessary to intrust the exe- cution or their politic and wise plans to other hands than those in which it is now placed.
Previous page
