10 



rust, I always speak of it, not in exclusive relation 

 to either of those classes of individuals, but as 

 subordinate to the interest of the public. When I 

 speak of any thing tending to the prosperity or 

 discouragement of our farmers, I mean only in 

 so far as the public interest is concerned in that 

 prosperity or discouragement. When I speak of 

 the propriety or impropriety of granting relief 

 to the colonists, or of the mode of relief at pre- 

 sent suggested, I speak of it, neither with fa- 

 vour nor dislike towards them as a body, but 

 only in as far as it is for the public interest 

 that any relief, or that such relief) should be 

 granted. 



It is further to be attended to, that the mea- 

 sure now in agitation is not merely the free 

 permission of importing sugar, or, what is the 

 same thing, an equalization of the duties on 

 sugar, and on corn, used in distilleries. It will 

 be seen that, according to all the principles on 

 which the following argument is maintained, I 

 not only approve of such free importation as a 

 temporary measure, but as a permanent system. 

 What is proposed in the Report of the Com- 

 mittee, and what I object to, is the monopoly of 

 the distilleries granted to the colonist, and the 

 forcible exclusion of the home grower from the 

 competition. 



