186 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



inhabitants of Lower Canada, and he would feel no longer as a poor colonist, 

 but as one of a million of meoi, sppeaking the same language, animajted by 

 the same hojies, parfcioirating In kindred asplTOtions. Let him see the noble 

 St. Lawrence and the lakes that He beyond ; let him survey the whole of 

 tfliis magniflcL-nit country thajt God haa given to his race, and to mine on 

 this tdde of the Atlantic, and he would come back to meet, without a blush 

 for her capacity, or a fear for her fortunes, an Englishman, an Irishman, 

 a Scctchman, a German, a Frenchman or even a republican, from across the 

 border. OversiKread the Culoniies with railways and I care not what you have, 

 —a united Congress or nothing. The people of British America will then be 

 united, and will soon assert the position wliich they will feel their capacity 

 to maintain. 



Pinderirg on these theonee, sir, my mind ever turns to an old states- 

 man, who has gone I trust to Heaven, but whose name will be dug up, and 

 whose wilting will be road with interest in years to coone, on bath sides of 

 the Atlantic — I mean old Governor PouTiaJl. Looking throug'h the strife and 

 jiasaion which preceded tihe Amen-ica.n Revolution, through the fire and smoke 

 of it, at the stupid prejudices and blundeirs which it engendered and hajs 

 entailed, it is curious to see ho^' a cajlm mind and sagacious Intellect pene- 

 trated into tihe philosophy of a great controversy, and iMOuld have laid the 

 foundations of the empire in mutual confidence and respect. What was his 

 advice when the rebels of the Colonies were preparing their muskets and 

 the statesmen of England were de:af and blind ? He said : — " You are one 

 faonily — ithe ocean divides you ; you must have different forms of govea^n- 

 ment, but that is no reason 'why you should not be a united family ; arbitrate 

 on dl.'^puted points ; keep the peace ; have distiniot forms of government, 

 if you pleas;', but establish a zolverein, and let there be perpetual amity and 

 free tiade between the British races on both sides of the Atlantic." Had his 

 advice been taken, the revolution would never have occurred ; we should have 

 been spared the second war ; and the paJtry jealousies which any sneering 

 scribbler or unprincipled politician may now blow into a flame, would never 

 have existed. 



Let us, as far as we can, lend ourselves to the realization of this grand 

 idea. I feel now as I felt yesterdaj^, that every word which dropped from 

 the meml>er for Annapolis was pregrianit with meaning, and full of interest. 

 Let us suppose, sir, tihait our railroads were finished, and that we had the 

 rapidity of intercourse necessary for union. Are there, then, no difficulties 

 in the way ? Fiist, the French Canadians may not favotir a union. I fihould 

 like to be assured tihat they did ; buit certain facils have given me a con- 

 trary impression. Upper Canada favours a union, because the people there 

 think it would tend to keep the French Canaddan influence dotwm. That 

 View of the matter has been propagated in Lower Canada, lanid iit has raised 

 prejud'CLS which canno-t, perhaps, be easily overcome. The Lower Provinces 

 would never sanction inequaliity or injustice of any kind ; but yet the French 

 Canadian-^ may have their fear.«. My honourable friend from Clare migliit, 

 indeed, be sent up as a missionary, to convince hiis bivthren that we would 

 not be less just to them thaai "we are to him ; that Nova Scotians treat those 

 of French descent as breithren, who are never permitted to feel any political, 

 religious or social distinctions. The prejudice may be overcome, but it exists 

 in Canada, and may be futmd a difficulty in the way of a union of the 

 Colonies. 



There are other difficulties. If a project of union is to be discussed, let 

 the proposition come from the otJier Pro\inc^es. For various reasons, I have 

 but little desire to reopen intercolonial negotiations about anything just now. 

 The seat of government would be a knotty que-slion ; the large debts tjliat 

 Canada has conit-racted, another. The New Brunswick papers invite the 

 Lower Provinces to form a union, wiUh Amhierst or Sackville for a capital. 



