tory of Canadian matters, grievances, and the engagements during the insurrectionary movements; and I would here beg leave to recommend it to the candid perusal of every person who wishes an impartial detail of the causes that led to the revolt, and a relation of facts connected with the unsuccessful struggle.

In respect to the reprehensible conduct of the Earl of Durham, on his first assuming the reins of government, which was so decidedly at variance with the mild and conciliatory policy he subsequently so emphatically urged the British government to pursue towards the North American Colonies, I would remark, that he, in common with most other English noblemen, had suffered his mind to imbibe false impressions of Canada, derogatory to the respectability of the character, honor, education, and intelligence of its inhabitants, by the perusal of such partial statements as we have often found flowing from the pens of the Lieutenant Governor's. For instance, Sir F. B. Head, in an official despatch, describes Canada "as exceeding by only one third, the population of the single parish of Marylebone, in London, and its in comedoes not equal the private fortune of many an English Commoner." "Mechanics, in groups, are seen escaping from it in every direction, as if it were a land of famine and pestilence. Indeed, every expectation for relief from internal industry, is hourly diminishing. She stands like a healthy young tree that has been girdled, with its drooping branches,' &c. &c. Indeed, all the sources through which. Colonial information must proceed, to command credit and attention, had, for many years, been thoroughly poisoned; and all Downing street justice corrupted, to afford opportunity for plundering the Colonial treasures with impunity. For instance, as declared by Lord Ellice, "the trade act imposes duties to an extent quite equal to the amount required for the civil government of both Provinces, without consulting with either of the Provincial Legislatures." Again-"Certainly the Canadians complain with apparent reason, against the conduct of this government. For instance, a Receiver General is appointed in England, with insufficient securitics; the assembly suggest the regulation of his office; but they are told that this is an encroachment on the prerogatives of the crown. The Receiver fails, in debt to the public $400,000; and, forsooth, they, (the assem nst levy fresh

taxes to meet it. In like manner regarding Sheriffs, two of whom have lately become defaulters, one in the sum of $108,000 of suitors money. These are not theoretical, but practical evils, that form just grounds of complaint."

The Colonial office incumbent, as a matter of course, expects to nett a good pay for "his short and arbitrary reign;" consequently their Lieutenant Governors, before despatched, are taught well their "mimic parts," and "play into his hand" without dreading consequences; for it is a sacred truth, that among all the Ex-Governors, they who had tyrannised over the poor Canadians with the most "absolute sway," and were the most deserving of impeachment, were sure, on their arrival in England, to have passed in their favor, an act of indemnity, screening them from the errors of their misgovernment. Through these excessively corrupted mediums alone, all credible information must come to the people of England, and all applications to Her Majesty, or they will be indignantly rejected. Hence the unaccountable irregularity and prevarication, apparent in all the public accounts, and the governor's positive refusal to lay before the parliament, the books containing them.

We cannot, then, be surprised, to find Lord Durham, arriving from England, in an unfavorable bias of judgment, armed with dictatorial powers, engage in a series of arbitrary acts not at all consistent with equity; yet not altogether illiberal, and in no measure sanguinary, if we rightly consider the political disorder reigning paramount in the country at the time. His first and correct impressions are emphatically developed in the following short extract from his first despatches to the Colonial Minister:

"My sole purpose is, to impress upon your lordship my own conviction, which has been formed by personal experience, that even the best informed persons in England can hardly conceive the disorder or disorganization, which, to a careful enquirer on the spot, is manifest in all things pertaining to government in these Colonies; such words scarcely express the whole truth, not government, merely, but society itself seems to be dissolved. The vessel of state is not in great danger, only, but looks like a complete wreck."

The policy this nobleman recommended in his excellent report, is now being pursued in the Canadas with considerable eclat and satisfaction to the people.

But I beg the reader's pardon, as these remarks are growing too lengthy. I will, therefore, at once, introduce him to the consecutive evidences I have before mentioned, which must form the introduction.

1

INTRODUCTION.

Previous to entering upon the incontestable evidence I proposed in the prefaratory pages, to deduce from authentic documents, I would answer the question so frequently asked, viz: "of what did Canada complain?” and then proceed.

Canada complained of the absence of all security for life and property-of taxation without representation-of the destruction of the liberty of the press-of packed juries-of a judiciary bribed by, and entirely dependent upon the crown-of the profligate waste of the public revenues among swarms of foreign officials-of an illegal distribution of the public lands among herds of foreign stock-jobbers, to the injury and degradation of the industrious agriculturists and immigrant of education for the rich and none for the poor-of a dominant government established churchof an annihilation of the Colonial constitution—of a total want of responsibility in the government party. In a word-of the existence of an arbitrary, arrogant, vindictive, and fraudulent oligarchy, which is now happily exchanged for a more liberal and responsible experiment.

EXTRACTS

FROM CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY DOCUMENTS.

The seventh report of the "Committee on Grievances," to the honorable the Commons the House of Assembly, in April, of 1835, says that, “In 1828 a select committee of the House of Commons enquired into the causes of these embarrassments and discontents, which had for many years prevailed in the Canadas. This committee conclude their report by stating their anxiety to record their complete conviction, that neither the suggestions they have presumed to make, nor any other improvement in the laws and institutions of the Canadas, will be attended with the desired effect, unless an impartial, conciliatory, and constitutional form of government be observed in those loyal and important Colonies.'

"The almost unlimited extent of the patronage of the Crown, or rather, of the Colonial Minister, for the time being, and his advisers here, together with the abuse of that patronage, are the chief sources of Colonial discontent. Such is the patronage of the Colonial Office, that the granting or withholding of supplies is of no political importance, unless as an indication of the opinion of the country concerning the character of the government, which is conducted upon a system that admits its officers to take and apply the funds of the Colonists without any legislative

vote whatever.

"This patronage, as now exercised in the Province, includes the payment of gifts, salaries, pensions, and