TOPICS OF THE DAY.

CANADA BETWEEN THE PARTIES AT HOME.

IT appears to be settled that Parliament will assemble about the middle of January—a fortnight earlier than usual. The first question, being one of privilege, will be the case of STOCKDALE V. HANSARD. The Address and arrangements for the Royal Marriage come next. Ani then, according to present appear- ances, Canada will occupy much of the time of the House of Commons. The subject of the future government of Canada must be entertained by Parliament. The Cabinet are in various ways pledged to propose a measure, and will probably an- nounce their purpose m the Queen's Speech. What sort of a measure it may be, should depend, by all accounts, on the "further information" to be furnished by Mr. POULETT THOMSON'S mission. We shall suppose the Government desirous in the first place of legislating so as to satisfy the Colonists ; and secondly, of giving the Colonists a fair opportunity to express their wishes. We shall further conclude, judging from all the evidence which has reached this country during the present year, that the great majority of the Colonists will express a wish for two things in particular as essential to any settlement of' their affairs,—first, the union of the Provinces under one Legislature and Executive, the object of this measure being to put an end to the separate nationality of French Canada ; secondly, provisions for that "measure of measures,"* the local responsibility of the local executive officers as to all matters of merely local interest, without which representation is worse than a mockery, being a source of constant and violent disputes between the executive officers and the representative body. Assuming, then, that no measure can be satisfactory to the Colonists which does not embrace these two points, and that Lord JOHN RUSSELL intends to propose a measure likely to be permanent because satis- factory to the Colonists, we have now to consider how such a pro- posal will fare in the strife of home party politics.

Last year, the Tories and the Whigs were equally afraid of touching the Canada question ; and Lord DunitAx himself seems to have been infected with their timidity. This point was clearly stated in the Colonial Gazette of August the 7th-

46 it sometimes suits the purpose of contending parties in England to fight on foreign ground ; sometimes not to fight at all, or not in that field ; and they consult their own advantage in the matter with little or no regard to the interests directly at stake. The party exploit of last year in respect to Ca-

nada has left all parties in England with very disagreeable recollections of the subject. They have all been afraid of it. One might say, indeed, that the

subject was concluded for this year by Lord DURHAM'S Despatches and Report.

Since the publication of these documents, English parties have not ventured even to reproach each other for the past, or to delimd themselve front Lord

DURHAM'S reproaches. Lord DURHAM, who returned to England as the

organ of the injured Colonists, appears to have been content with a personal triumph, or may have thought it vain to contend single-handed against the general disinclination to Canadian politics. The subject has been dropped through fear and disgust. The very urgency of the question for Canada has led to its postponement in England."

But this question can Ise postponed no longer. The Govern- ment must act ; and the Opposition must either concur with them or take an active part against them. Which course is it probable that the Opposition will pursue ?

There are not wanting indications of the approach of a bitter dispute between parties at home on the subject of Canada. The Times, the leading organ of the Opposition, has "broken ground" against Governor THOMSON, on the score of his supposed intention to give the inhabitants of Upper Canada an opportunity of ex- pressing in the most legitimate way their wishes as to a measure for their future government. He intends, says the 7'imes, to ask their opinion on the subject, by assuming the Government of the Province, dissolving the present Assembly, and, what we call in this free country, " appealing to the people :" and for this he is denounced as a revolutionist or a madman. What would the Tory party at home have him do ? Would they have him adopt as the opinion of Canada the opinion of the present House of Assembly, which expires next year—which would have expired on the last de- mise of the Crown if' it had not prolonged its own existence by a revolutionary act—and which is loudly accused at all events, not less by great numbers of the Colonists than by an officer of the Crown sent out on purpose to report on the state of the Province, of having been returned by gross official interference at the elec- tions? But suppose that it truly represents a majority of the electors ; then why object to letting that be proved, by letting the electors choose another Parliament of similar dispositions ? This question brings us to the truth—which is, that the present House of Assembly does not represent the electors, and that a new election, as the Times and its party very well know, would return Parliament of widely different, if not opposite dispositions. The Times, therefore, representing the Opposition at home, sides with the Family Compact faction in Upper Canada, of' which the present House of Assembly is the creature. The Opposition at home protests against settling the Canada question on the basis of an opinion legitimately expressed by the electors of the Province. What object can they have but, for home party purposes, to thwart the Government to which they are opposed? If any one has it * So called in a very remarkable paper on the political condition and pros- pects of British North America contained in the last ber, just received, of the North American Review. This journal represents the least Democratic party in the United States. The article to which we refer consists of a most able but wholly dispassionate examination of the Canada question, which no one will neglect to read who wishes to be master of the subject. t " Immediately after our last publication accounts were received of Governor THOMSON'S reception at Montreal. It appears to have been most encouraging,

and almost excites surprise when compared with the pelting of the pitiless storm in the midst of which Mr. Tnosisos took his departure from England. The first levee of a Governor-General in Canada is supposed to indicate, by the

numbers present at it, the degree of his popularity. Mr. THOMSON'S, it is said, was more numerously attended than that of Lord DURHAM, which had been crowded beyond previous example. For some days all the English press spoke of him in respectful, not to say friendly terms. Nor was there in any quarter,

during those few days, the slightest public intimation of towards him. Upon the whole, we venture to say that no Governor ever met with a more sa- tisfactory welcome.

" However unaccountable the fact may seem to those who recollect only the universal expression here of dissatisfaction at Mr. THOMSON'S appointment, it was sufficiently explained in our remarks of last week on his reception at Quebec. A foreknowledge of his views and purposes as Governor-General of Canada, had disposed all parties among the English race to greet him res- pectfully ; and the French seem to have been overawed, as it was well they should be, by learning beforehand that he had no notion of restoring their na- tionality, and that his mind was made up against that course of yacallation be - tween the two races which every Governor down to Lord De /LRAM has pursued under orders from the Colonial Office. Mr. THOMSON is deeply indebted to our proclamation of his policy. " It has not escaped our notice, however, that this proclamation gave great offence to certain persons in England to whose orders the Governor of Canada is subject, and who, not perceiving the expediency of applying a desperate re- medy to a desperate case, felt hurt at the disclosure by a newspaper of such important official secrets. Every kind of publicity, however useful or neces- sary, is hateful to the Colonial Office, whose chief means of misgoverning is systematic mystery. So hopes have been expressed that Mr. THOMSON may not verify our predictions. We are not sure but that he has received orders to that effect. Does nature contain the atom small enough to compare with such statesmanship ?

doubt on this point, let him recollect the proceedings of the Oppo- sition last year as to Canada, which being, tamely or treacherously

towards Lord DURHAM, submitted to by the Government, produced

the second rebellion in the Lower Province, caused blood to flow profusely in the field and on the scaffold, and has cost this country about two millions of money. The Opposition, it seems, intends to play the same game over again next year. But this time their selfish disregard of Canada, their reckless eagerness to damage the

Government, will be fully exposed. Well, if they prefer remaining for ever in Opposition, let them go on cultivating la BRADSHAW the popular hatred, which alone for the last three years has kept their party out of power !

We have now to convey a piece of news to those loyal British of Lower Canada who have called themselves "Tories" by way of distinction from the so-called "Radical" French. What they de- sire above all things is the immediate union of the Provinces. They know already that the bulk of the Canada merchants in Lon- don belong to the Opposition party at home : will they believe that amongst these merchants and others of the Opposition party in London, it is now commonly whispered that "the time for a union of the Provinces is gone by ?" To propose the union at least, the Government is deeply pledged : the Opposition arc beginning to find reasons for thwarting the Government. even on this point. Thus are Colonial interests postponed and utterly sacrificed to the interest of parties at home.

It is, we hear, in contemplation to give "a grand dinner" to Sir JOHN COLBORNE. Is this to be a mere party affair ? If not, all parties should concur in doing honour to the Ex-Governor of Canada, whose bravery and humanity all admire; though some may have no great opinion of his statesmanship, and many wholly dis- agree with him in English politics. We say, let the dinner go on : it will to some extent show whether the Canada question is to be dealt with on its own merits next session, or to be treated as a mere party question in English politics. We reprint below some remarks on Governor Tnomsox's mis- sion, which appeared in the last number of the Colonial Gazette.t And as intelligence has since reached us from which it may be concluded that the new Governor-General is now at Toronto, we were on the point of defending hint against what seemed the un- founded suspicions of the Colonial Gazette, when our hand was stopped by the following announcement in the Ministerial Globe of yesterday- " It is necessary, at least occasionally, to 'lie like truth :' hence the circum- stantiality which accompanies the veriest falsehoods found in the Tory journals.

" Be it understood that we speak with no confidence on this point. It may be that Mr. THOMSON has been left free to exercise his own judgment according to the circumstances with which he has to deal. But even supposing that to be the case, the last accounts from Montreal are by no means satisfactory. It appears that the uew Governor has at least wavered about proceeding to Upper Canada and acting as Governor there. This was a cardinal point in his de- clared policy—a step absolutely essential to his success: and the events which have occurred in the Upper Province since he quitted England, render his im- mediate presence at Toronto more than ever necessary in order to prevent a disastrous termination of his mission. No pains will have been spared by Sir Gnonor. ARTHUR to persuade or scare him into remaining at Montreal. Though still hoping for the best, we feel bound to tell those who have confided ill 113, that if Mr. THOMSON does not assume the government of Upper Canada, it will be idle to place the least dependence on any resolve of his. In that case, we shall only have to remind our Canadian readers of the extreme care with which we have guarded every assertion of his intentions with expressions of doubt as to his constancy of purpose. At the worst, we shall neither have de- ceived them nor been ourselves deceived. It is now, and has been all the way through, very unpleasant to speak thus of one to whose career we heartily wish success; but the first care of a public writer is to guard against misleading others when he is not himself misled. And, happily, in the present instance our distrust of Mr. Tuomsou cannot affect him one way or the other. Before this paper reaches Canada, he must have fulfilled or utterly disappointed our imie of his pursuing a wise and vigorous policy. In the former case, we shall rejoice to support him here without qualification ; in the latter, we shall only have taken care of the character of this journal by now repeating the distrust- ful qualifications with which we have hitherto always spoken of Governor Tnossox's intentions."—Colonial Gazette, Nov. 27. ?or is it possible at the moment to disprove what is so gravely and positively i asserted. Time is requisite for the necessary references; and n the interim, unless received with caution, the falsehood is working its designed effects.

"The 'Times of yesterday attacked Air. Poulett lhomson on two grounds. One, that he is about to dissolve the House of Assembly in tipper Canada; the other, that he is going to declare himself in favour of responsible govern- anent.

" "We are able to state most distinctly that these assertions of the Times, Although made with the characteristic boldness of that journal, have not the nlightest claim to truth. They derive their existence solely from the active imagination of the writer of the article ; and are met by the fullest a,surance on our part, founded on knotehtlye derired plan sources in which the failtd con- Afoul. may be plae. It, that -lir. The 'imam ?as 7111hileiltiOn Win!) tither the cenrses asserhd in the article we hare rVerred to, "The Timis might have sparcd the indignation and vituperation expende4 on the Covernor-tleneral of Canada, had the necessary inquiry to ascertain the truth been previously instituted. It is, however, too notorious to admit of question, that in the management of the Times the time is never deemed mis- spent, nor the labour ill-bestowed, which is employed in the fabrication of a falsehood, lam a pull cal opponent is the subject of its details, and Ins Cii(u)i1C/u 1 Ia he maliym,l, or his nets misrepresented, hy its publication."

11 the Ciao speaks llte opinion of the Cabinet, in saying that Governor Tnomsox's "character is maligned" by the supposition that he intends to take in case of need the most effectual means of gaining the illf01111litiOlt Nvhich he was sent to procure in Upper Canada, by "appealing to the people " through a general election, then indeed the proceedings of the next session as to Canada will probably resemble those of the last. The agreement of the G/ohe with the Times is at knit ominous of Whig submission to every Tory assault.