THEIR REMOVAL NO GRIEVANCE. 211 



hedge about him and about his house, and about all that 

 he hath on every side ? thou hast blessed the work of his 

 hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But 

 put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, 

 and he will curse thee to thy face. Your boasted 

 loyalty to your Queen was not for naught ; and now, 

 when the hand is laid but lightly upon your goods, 

 you curse her to her face !&quot; 



Two important facts in regard to these duties throw 

 much light upon the true state of the matter as a griev 

 ance against the mother country, and upon the true 

 cause of the recent stagnation and losses in the lumber 

 trade. The first is, that when, on a former occasion, 

 about fifteen years ago, a proposal to equalise the timber 

 duties was in agitation, it was represented to the Home 

 Government that so much capital had been invested in 

 the North American provinces in saw-mills, and for other 

 purposes connected with the trade, that very extensive 

 ruin would follow the immedirtte removal of protection ; 

 and that some notice should be given, and time allowed, 

 gradually to withdraw this capital. The measure, there 

 fore, was not pressed at the time, but the colonies were 

 warned to prepare themselves, as the duties would cer 

 tainly be repealed at no distant date. The second fact 

 is, that, so far from withdrawing their capital in conse 

 quence of this notice, fresh capital was poured into the 

 trade, numerous new mills were built, speculation and 

 competition advanced to an unprecedented height, and 

 the prices of lumber were reduced in consequence of this 

 competition, and the consequent over-supply of the home- 

 markets, much lower than the removal of the duty would 

 have depressed them. One of the most extensive lumber- 

 merchants in the province owned to me, that mutual 

 competition had done far more to injure the trade and 

 the traders than the equalisation of the duties had done. 



But, whether it be so or not, why should you New 



