The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-02 00:00:00

BRITISH. NORTH AMER'IC.
TO THE RIGHT HON. SIB, JOHN PAKINGTON,
SECRETAIIY OF STATE THE COLONIEII.
Sir,—One of those periodical political revolutions of
this country—which, whilst they demonstrate
clearly the
elasticity and power, for experiment or pgress, testify
also, at the same time, to the great strength of our
glorious Constitution, proving alike the beauty and har-
mony of all its working machinery—has placed you in
a position the most ambitious might envy, the most
devoted lover of his country be proud to hold.
You are one of a Cabinet, the advent of whose chief
to office is not the appearance upon the stage of a po-
litieal adventurer, eager either for emolument or
patronage, nor of one seizing upon power to carry out
recklessly those measures even which he in his heart.
believes to be the best for the welfare and happinessfu or
t
Britain's sons ; nor has he sought or taken power
party purposes. He asks to have the worth of his policy
iuquired into. If he is right in his idea, ho wishe.s to
carry conviction to the country generally, as to nave
the full sanction of the nation befor he ma
knowkes
that any
serious more. If he is wrong, he wishes to
his opinion has been meet decidedly condemned, not
merely by political opponents, who have, either in or
out of offiee, lived for six long yearn upon an "experi-
ment," but by the intelligent and by the talented, in
short, by the great mass of 17. is fellow countrymen,
before he e.tteuapte to lead or to direct their energies for
future el,erne-ions. has come forward, in short,
serve her elajeety awl the empire; solemnly has
toh elect
ed to be tiled before God and his country, and
such serioue appeal will be listened to with reepect,
but strongly tented by his Lordship's conduct.
After tnis brief preface, Sir, you, who have been se-
lected by Lord Derby to be at the head of our great
colonial empire, at a moment too when we are just
awakening. to lt3 vast importance, will not, I think, be
astonished if I consider it unnecessary to offer any
apology for thus alernptly calling your early attention to
what has been considered by many eminent men, and
what in nay humble opinion it really is—the very key-
stone to our political and commercial existence.
If history had not even taught na how nations rise
and fall, a very little examination into the position and
circumstances of this great empire would show any one
the brink of the precipice upon which we stand—the
rock upon which our vessel may be destroyed. We are,
however, too proud to own our danger, if not too busy
to obsecee it ; we think, too, perhepe, like some foolish
captain of a noble but ill-fated creamer, that England
can approach all danger, and recover herself unharmed;
that we can buck her, ease her, stop her, take a turn
ahead oe a,teru, just as we please. Our prosperity,
since we lost that noble territory, now the United
States, has made us bold in folly, and we thus venture
on and on, until we shall all be astonished some day to
find our vessel split, our crew dispersed. Foreigners,
even Germane, can see our danger, and point out our
wenkn ?ed.
" The whole of England," says M. Ficquelmont,
" seem to imagine in North America a power against
which it can no Leger struggle," and he adds, that to
attempt now to stop the United States in her career of
power, proeperty, tied universal dominion between Eu-
repe and Asia n would be the greatest case of being too
late in the field that would ever have been recorded in
history." This latter paragraph shows our danger as
much as the former one shows our folly. Far be it
from us to attP!pt to stop titter the prosperity or the
potter of the United States; but let us exert ourselves
to keep pace with her, awl universal dominion between
Europe and Ania we can never allow her to obtain.
With the permission of tho editor of The Sun, who
has alweye entertained a high value of our colonial em-
pire, I will make thin attempt, Sir, thus tocell your imme-
diate attention to our North American territories.
Long, too long, indeed, have we neglected that noble
field for Briti:,h enterprise and British capital; too long
have we trifled with loyal hearts and warm feelings to
old England; too long have wo neglected our own inte-
rests in the secondary coneiderarion given to our noble
colonial empire. To bo a colonist has almost become a
term of reproaeh or of contempt. Only a colonist! in-
deed, and yet.we pave men in them as fit to grace our
senate as Rey lord or commoner in the kingdom—men as
tit to fill our bench, be it of bishops or of judges, as
any men wha ever were the apron or the ermine; men
hi to ehren our- militery or naval heroes as any of
those whose hint blood flows beneath our scarlet coats;
men fit for every situurion in life, qual tied for every
duty. But eneuele there they are—colonists—and as
such lit for powv tier plane in England. Such things,
however, cannot any Luger be. The whirligig of time
brings in int revenges, and if we do not rind scope sad
oceneateat lea' tbe talent and the enterprise of our colo-
niel brethren, particularly of North America, they
be aseuradly thread some day to find al outlet
fur thetneeivea; end if we Edo not uirect, aid, and assist
the loyal Britiea ieelieg that yt.t. exists, wofully shall we
rue the day. when indeed it VI be too lute; for should
Luc ISlertn alteencen provinces once ho induced to join
the United States, Engletel'e maritime power, in the
Pacillc co. te.hily, in the Atleetie. probably, is gone, never
to return. Too whole continent of North America
under one euthoray, a protective policy against all our
manufecturts end encouragement to their owe, and
lieglanien priecely mu :chants will soon become merely
pour ehupkeekers, and bar industrious, hard-working
people complete beggars. This is no imaginary picture,
but a stern reality—st least I think so—and have said
enough, I h Sir, to show that lam in earnest. I
reey be wrong, os may the Protectionist or the Free-
trader, but I °tale. equally with them sincerity and the
rig lit to be heard. It we lose oar North American con-
tinent, our noble parts• on the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans, it wilt matter ittle then, in my opinion, who may
rude England, t, r she will inevitably sink into a third
rate. cr therti.-rote enwer; she may struggle on for a time,
but it will be on an ebbing wave, or down a troubled
stream—her• preatige gene—and ultimately to last for
ever—her sre:ems:tea leut.ehetl a', her deg deepieed.
But, Sin do Dot dwell upon sneh things because I
thick ;lain prohehhi cz peesible, but because I believe
the moment has arrived when we rosy give sn impetus
end an energy to the industry tit' this great empire, by
the irumeditte deeelopcient of her lane-bi Len reeourcee-
We may extend her commerce, employ her capital, and
increase her revenue to an extent nut easily to be cal-
culated; end I appeal to you. Sir, to seize with courage
the noble opp,rteuity IION offering to immortalise your
name by a new colonial p :Hey none have yet had the
good zenie to erpreciate nor the boldness to bring for-
ward.
Lot me entreat of you, Sir, to turn your serious
attention to the vast field of wealth contained in
our North American provinces. Let a grand
effort be made f)r tee development of their rich
resources, and for a move beyond Free-traders, and
do y rwa
• with that huge wall of monopoly. the lied
son's
t'-i'lta;PAtl7, ve• h to the disgrace of the Whigs
theyrt ae tXthind.l°.^ territory between the
~ana..a3 and c them,
'w elerlor,:a into which no man can
enter, writ which man
the alatlsou'e C' ca'n'trtele,, unless by leave oe
spring up there, acedu the whole nbeewl sot; tteh that will. territory,speedily
e s
from Lake Sene:ior to the lazitic.
hreltich, will he te,raho,
Briti.ll utaufacaures; ,A)out five degrees
h,
and 'emigraute,auti covereu with
Ilona Haisiss to VIVIZO•Ar/Qt'Avllt"" have
"
ter bs.lence," ant's the editor 4): tand, which would " coun-
easy route
:Awe, all preacrit, and paaitly tanuan'Y'l° M°"4ll :jig +s
la,,t,rzes 0: the i,„„bou,,,
power prospective, else.-
rientic. of America in the

ho language held by Mr. Squires, the Amerie in
his remarks on the etenmereial and pclitleal aspects
the interoceapic canal of Niesragua ought toirbe
enough
f
to arouse the indignation, and the spirit
apathetic Minis,zer, leuuld afford suffitenietirgt:ealtak:e'r.
ttis ebuuity for any, the most solve and `o
sores he might think neetssary to take.
Let mo entreat of you also, Sir, to go a step beyond
Parliamen'esry reform, and let all our colonies in Which
reepensible government has been introduced and is
working well be at once represented in the Imperiel
Parliament; st all events; let the, colonists have the otitr,
end let colonial property be a qualification in, England,
—and do Lot let a coloniet Ley longer suppose that he is
net Considered 113 aa Englishman. Where resnonsib!e
Government has been suecoeshilly established, it would
always be one who represented the then majority of
colonial legislature who would represent it at tome; for
if their Ministry resign, he of coarse would lose bis seat,
as it should always be one of the Cabinet who should be
sent home to represent the colony.
At this momeat, as you arc well sware, Sir, one of
the fire, and present I:.zr.Jers of Canada,Mr. Hinka, is
now , in Eagland, as a delegate, on the subject of the
Great Trunk itailw.4. Last year there was one from
Nova Scotia, Mr. nowt!, who is expected again im-
mediately, as Well as Mr. Chandler, from Now Bruns-
wick. This, depend upon it, will be the last attempt
madi7-tbn last appeal to Britain. It would be melan-
choly, indeed; to Lrr into all the details of the treatment
of the North American coLnies on the subject of their
railways ; year niter year has rolled on, yet nothing
done ; change after change may cern° at the Colonial-
office, still a deaf ear appears to ho turned towards
it—governor alter governor appear: yet no advance is
made, or help given; indeed, worse itian none; and these
magnificent OLZMIi63, hemmed on 4 e aide by the United
Statqs, on the' other by the impenetrable country of the
Jitsciabit's Bay Company---and checked by the obstinacy
or stepisiffy or English tutors in the development of her
re4(,ureee—eremain a blot on our commercial and indus-
trial escutcheon. • All insulted and degraded people, the
men of the north—whO might form a mighty kingdom
to themselves from the Atlantis and Yacdie—are now
scarcely ack"wiedged' neither in name nor iu fact.
Can they consider themselves Englishmen? Yea, Sir,
have a noble field before you—you have the men either
now tn'the'contitil, or who itOoti will be, to give you the
best advice•; bike. I. bold, comprehensive view of the
sa
Whi),, may' nod direct and prosper your
exertion's and your plao,-1 have the honour to remain,
Sir, your most obedient binnble'servant,
AN ENGLISHMAN.

THE
• CRYSTAL PALACE.
On Tuesday
,s. ;ergs me •
ettng was held at one of the
rooms in the northern e
the great refrubmtrauee to the transept, adjoin-
ingtiton,nt
of the
cecorkutteet court, pursuant to an ndter-
itg otjeet the preservation loi('stlk
hour named was twelve o'elock,eoragbarrveisinbguildhinagv.ingTfial
minutoe of that time time ~„ Ind up to within a few
by e few tulnutea atter twelve oel'occal'c'ty attendance, but
wemeolleatetl, tll-o audience being e "out 400 persona!
also of a very
elegant Aloatpany. There were
number of working men.
the chair amidst
'4') Present A large
,Sir Joseph Paxton vr:a called to
loud 'cheers; and with Admiral Sir G.
Mr. Gorton Gryll; Sir H. Webb, Mr, ou,S,artorius,
Evarl, Mr. Lo i•leve Foster, and Dr. hoyies, :',l-Z, Dr.
the **eating' at which a series of resolntiuns we (j".°"'l
_re tahrti. 1
money passed in favour of its views.
The procetclitigs c6hclodod with a vote of thanks to
Sir Joseph Pexton4 who, in acknowledging tho compr
petit, Iptd *Alit if this buildicg wcro demoli- e. d-"
"poste.
tiv a.,41i ::-adigan the: pram,- geitorstioa. The. 4044