inclinations of others, would not themselves occasionally
profit by the facilities to plunder and peculation,
which the confidence they enjoyed might throw in their
way. That such is, and always has been the case
in this colony, no person at all conversant with its
real state, can have any hesitation in asserting;
and consequently that the substitution of contracts
in the place of the present mode of conducting the
public works, would become a very important source
of economy at the period in question. Article
the seventh, is intended to encourage emigration to
the colony, and to turn to its shores some portion
of the immense numbers who are annually withdrawing
from this country to the United States of America.
It appears almost inexplicable how the government
can look on, and behold the thousands who are propelled
by various causes to quit their native land, and not
make some vigorous efforts, if not to check this strong
tide of emigration, at least to divert it to our colonies,
where in general it is so much required, and might
become of such immense and permanent utility to the
empire. It is true that of those who thus abandon
the land of their forefathers, many are actuated by
political animosities, and could not by any means
be induced to settle in any of our colonies.
But it is not less certain that there are others, and
that the majority are of this class, whom mere distress
and inability to provide for the growing wants of
their families, unalloyed with any political feelings
whatever, most reluctantly drive to seek an asylum
in America, and who deeply lament the necessity of
betaking themselves to a country where they and their
children may one day be compelled to draw their paricidal
swords against the mother that gave them birth.
It cannot indeed be denied that the government to
prevent this horrible alternative, have for a long
time held out considerable encouragements to persons
emigrating to Canada; but besides that the policy
of thus peopling at so considerable an expence a country
which in the natural course of events must become an
integral member of the American union, is at least
questionable, it is well known that three-fourths
of those who are thus induced to settle in Canada,
end by removing to the United States. The intense
severity of the winters, and the unavoidable suspension
of the pursuits of agriculture during six months in
the year, with the habits and language of the Canadians,
so repulsive and annoying to the generality of Englishmen,
sufficiently account for this circumstance, without
taking into computation the superior advantages of
climate and soil which the greater part of the United
States is represented as possessing. If the impolicy,
therefore, of encouraging emigration to Canada be disputed,
still the inefficiency of the means employed to attain
the end contemplated by the government ought to decide
them to try some other expedient to prevent so large
a stock of British industry and capital from thus