414 UNITED STATES AND UPPER CANADA. 



The manners and customs of the people, as witnessed in 

 public, are the same in both countries. In all things there is 

 much less refinement in Upper Canada, and the manners of 

 the people are coarse contrasted with those in the States. 

 Morals seem to correspond with the manners. It was, how 

 ever, the unfortunate emigrants from Britain and Ireland 

 who imparted such a character to the population. Many 

 individuals seemed to me conscious of self-debasement, and to 

 have left home for the purpose of indulging their vicious pro 

 pensities without encountering the scorn and censure of their 

 friends and relations. Should it be thought that I have judged 

 harshly of some of my countrymen, let it be remembered I 

 speak only of what was observed in public, and that the bar 

 rooms of Upper Canada exhibited the worst part of British 

 society without a redeeming feature. The domestic manners 

 and morals of the people of either country did not come pro 

 perly within the scope of my observation. I may, however, 

 remark, that I was favourably impressed with the manners of 

 the royalist inhabitants of Canada, and it would be ungrate 

 ful on my part not to acknowledge the uniform civility and 

 kindness which I experienced in private from every class of 

 settlers. 



In the United States the machinery of government is con 

 trolled by the people, who do every thing for the welfare of 

 the country, and political power is invested in worth and 

 talent alone. In Upper Canada government is swayed by an 

 aristocracy, who have never lost sight of their own interest 

 in legislating for the country. A higher and more uniform 

 tone of independence and self-respect pervades the inhabitants 

 in the United States than in Canada. The emigrant who 

 delights in lording over his fellow-mortals, and measures his 

 importance and wealth by the servility and wretchedness of 

 others around him, ought to shun the States. The emigrant 

 who seeks a fair and favourable field for his industry, and 

 aspires to share, in common with his brethren, the just rank 

 and privileges of man, ought to shun Upper Canada. 



The United States are rapidly progressing, and their future 

 prosperity seems illimitable. I ascertained there were eighteen 



