1822.] 
consequence of freedom, as ignorance is 
of arbitrary government. It is an odd 
idea to instruct men in their political 
interests by removing them from all 
concern in the management of them ; 
but the question if proved is too abstract 
for practical results. I believe it was 
started by the variety of merchants 
ambitious of exclusive empire in the 
colony. 
2. The solution of this question 
would go far to determine the first ; for 
an indifference to freedom seems to ar- 
gue an unfitness for it; but how is this 
indifference manifested? As often as the 
house has been dissolved the opposition 
members have been pertinaciously re- 
turned. It isa well-known fact, that go- 
vernment cannot influence the return of 
asingle member, and I have hearda Seig- 
neur complain, that his own tenantry 
would not support him against a popu- 
lar candidate. Now let all this prove 
what it may it will never prove in- 
difference. 
3. I have already hinted in what 
manner this objection is urged, and 
have partly admitted the fact: it is the 
necessary consequence of the present 
system. What man of considerable 
property or eminence in society will 
aspire to a situation which leads neither 
to honour nor profit? Certainly not 
the members of the two councils, who 
are already in the exclusive possession 
of both: nor will men of business, 
English merchants, undergo the trouble 
of attendance, the daily drudgery of 
committees, the tedious detail of public 
business, for the sake of a people they 
despise, and all this without a chance of 
remuneration? Accordingly the seats 
fall to the lot of the only two classes of 
people likely to aspire to them. Cana- 
dian tradesmen or lawyers, who thus 
gratify a petty ambition, and introduce 
themselves to the knowledge and fa- 
vour of those classes of society on whom 
they depend for custom; and secondly, 
a few men of talents, who from motives 
of disgust, or ambition, seek to make 
the House subservient to their views by 
wielding it against the government. 
The only ground for astonishment un- 
der these circumstances is, that the 
House is so well composed, that it con- 
tains in the aggregate so much talent 
both for business and debate. I should 
think it more than dubious if the joint 
wisdom of the two councils could pro- 
duce as much—witness their memorable 
and long-winded protest against the 
right of impeachment claimed by the 
Politics of Lower Canada, 
197 
House; their address to the Prince Re- 
gent, &c. &c. 
4, It is not very extraordinary that 
when one party has a monopoly of all 
the honours and emoluments of govern- 
ment, and another party endeavours to 
procure ashare in it, the former should 
not only call, but really think the latter 
the most factious set of people upon 
earth. Candour, however, will observe 
that the motives of public men are ge- 
nerally of a mixed nature, and that it 
is quite as probable that one party 
should conscientiously believe that 
their accession to power would serve 
the public, as that the other should 
hold the same opinion of their exclu- 
sion from it. Political ambition is sel- 
doma passion wholly selfish. Perhaps 
in order to judge of a man’s political 
motives it is safe to take his private 
character into the question. It is not 
often that a man, correct in private life, 
isa great Jacobin in politics ; moreover 
when party can fix no precise stigma on 
the private character of its opponents, 
but contents itself with such yague 
terms of reproach as misanthrope, it is 
pretty safe to conclude they have no- 
thing more particular to object. I have 
heard this term repeatedly applied to 
the two leading opposition men, Mr. 
Stewart, and Judge Bedar. The first 
of whom is known by his acquaintances 
to be remarkably social, and the latter 
with as much kind-hearted simplicity 
as a child, but united with an extreme 
degree of bashful aukwardness derived 
from his secluded literary habits. Yet 
there are many men, and those not in- 
fimi ordinis, who look upon these two 
gentlemen as acouple of Timons, plot- 
ting in their cells the destruction of the 
whole human race. By the bye, mésan- 
thropes are not likely to trouble them- 
selves much about the common weal, 
either to mar or mend it. I have fre- 
quently heard this question put ina 
manner which seemed to consider the 
roposition undeniable: Would it not 
he much better if these men, instead of 
factiously embarrassing government, 
would. apply themselves to the com- 
mon-place business and improvement 
of the province? I say undoubtedly 
it would; but it is to be ignorant of hu- 
man nature and the ordinary motives 
of public exertion, to suppose men of 
talents and ambition will devote them- 
selves to a perpetual round of unho- 
noured drudgery, with no prospect of 
remuneration beyond the applause of 
their own consciences: a system which 
supposes 
