180 EARLY IMPRESSIONS. 



cial Legislature. Bounty to agriculture. Improvement of the St 

 John River. Construction of railways. -Their desirableness. Evil 

 done by agitators. European and North American Railway. Emigra 

 tion steamers. Timber-duty grievance. Mr Brown s address to the 

 Legislature. Fiscal protection not required by New Brunswick. 

 Common school education. Improvement of the criminal code. 



I REMAINED at Fredericton for upwards of six weeks, 

 occupied in putting together my notes and impressions 

 of the province, into the form of a report to be presented 

 to the Provincial Legislature. I shall therefore devote 

 the present chapter to a few observations regarding 

 New Brunswick, which will not be unacceptable to those 

 who desire to obtain an accurate general knowledge of 

 its character and capabilities. 



Among the early impressions made upon my mind, 

 on mingling with the provincials, and which was not by 

 any means dispelled when I came among the people of 

 New England, was the want of English frankness and 

 openness of speech, which marks their mutual intercourse, 

 as much even as their conversation with foreigners. There 

 was manifestly a species of reticence, as if, in what he 

 said, the speaker reserved an arriere pensee, in regard to 

 which he did not wish to commit himself, or as if he 

 thought some eaves-dropper were listening to catch his 

 words. 



Another thing which soon arrested my attention was 

 the extensive state and departmental machinery estab 

 lished and sustained among a population of two hundred 

 thousand souls a Governor, Executive Council, Legis 

 lative Council, Assembly, Higher and Lower courts of 

 Justice, Bishop, Chief Justice, Master of the Rolls, Pro 

 vincial Secretary, Attorney and Solicitor Generals, a Sur 

 veyor-General s Department, Colleges, Schools, Roads, 

 Customs Department, &c., &c. a whole host of men and 

 departments, all sustained by this small community. Men 

 with high names I saw which, in England, command 



