COLONIAL POLICY. 309 



trate is appointed by the king. Those persons who now form the 

 legislative councillors, would in reality be of more use to the crown 

 in occupying seats in the other house, to counteract any democratic 

 tendency existing there. By the present mode, the colony is deprived 

 of many useful servants. 



As a proof of the inutility of the legislative council, I may refer 

 the reader to the political state of Lower Canada. Has the council 

 been able to counteract the proceedings of the Lower House ? On the 

 contrary, one of the grievances complained of by that assembly, is the 

 mode of appointment by the council.* The House of Assembly pro- 

 pose that it should be elective : I see many reasons to disagree upon 

 the propriety of such a measure. Let it be entirely done away with, 

 and the machinery of government will be much easier to manage. I 

 would suggest that the members of the Assembly should be elected by 

 farmers occupying fifty acres of land (the smallest quantity sold by 

 the crown.) As regards the county members, and the members of 

 towns corporated, by householders paying a certain annual tax towards 

 the expenses of the town. Corporated towns should only be allowed 

 to return members. By this arrangement, I think there would be no 

 fear of a democratic preponderance in the House of Assembly. 



Whilst upon the subject of the internal government of colonies, I 

 may be allowed to say a few words upon the mode of carrying on the 

 general government of our numerous colonies under the sole manage- 

 ment of a minister of the cabinet. Is it probable that a gentleman 

 appointed to that office, who possibly may never have left the British 

 shore, should all at once thoroughly comprehend the various inte- 

 rests, the feelings, and habits of men dwelling in regions, the climate 

 and natural resources of which are as widely different as the two 

 poles are asunder ? To prove that this is deeply felt in the colonies, 

 I may be excused from quoting a sentiment to that effect, expessed by 

 Mr. Andrew Stuart, a most eloquent member of the late House of 

 Assembly in Lower Canada, on the occasion of a dinner being given to 

 him by his political friends at Quebec, on the 17th of November last.t 

 In adverting to the unhappy existing differences between the Lower 

 House and his Majesty's Government, Mr. Stuart says, in reference 

 to the proceedings of that party, " It is true, with a certain class of 

 politicians in this country, the names of the British isles are used as 



* In reference to the poltitical differences existing in Lower Canada, I maybe 

 permitted to suggest the immediate reunion of the Upper and Lower Provinces, 

 the capital of which should be placed in a central position. By town, on the 

 Ottawa river, presents a favourable situation, being at some distance from the 

 frontier line. These provinces never should have been disunited ; the free na- 

 vigation of the St. Lawrence river being equally necessary to both, their separa- 

 ration was only laying the foundation of future disputes. 



It would appear that the statesman who carried into effect this measure, had 

 in contemplation to transplant to the western hemisphere a cause for a system of 

 protocol upon protocol, which the discussion upon the free navigation of the 

 Scheldt, has originated in this quarter of the globe. 



f- I am indebted to Mr. Andrew Stuart for much valuable information upon 

 colonial policy, gathered during the many agreeable hours I have passed in his 

 society at Quebec, and I flatter myself not unprofitably. If that highly talented 

 gentleman should ever peruse these pages, I hope he will forgive the freedom 

 I have taken in mentioning his name on this side of the Atlantic. 



