The Sun.
London, England, 1839-11-19 00:00:00

Merchants ourselves, and representing the mercan.

tile community of this city, it is, we assure your Excel-
lency, with no small degree of pride and satisfaction that
we see the Government of the country entrusted to one
who himself has been a merchant, and notwithstanding
that the opinions understood to have been entertained
by your Excellency in regard to a most important
branch of the trade of this country, differ very materially
from ours, we have never doubted but that from the
moment of your undertaking the Government of these
Colonies, your strenuous and unbiassed efforts would
be directed to the promotion of their interests, commer-
cial as well as political. We are fully persuaded that
the withdrawing of that protection hitherto afforded to
the timber trade of the British North American colo-
nies, would be, not only fatal to their prosperity, by de-
stroying their great staple trade, and weakening the
bonds that now happily unite them to the mother
country, but also highly injurious to the empire at
large. We therefore confidently hope that when
your Excellency's mind shall have been more parti-
cularly applied to this subject, you will be satisfied
that it involves the question of supporting or aban-
doning those important elements of national strength
and greatness, " Ships, Colonies, and Commerce."
This is the first thrust, and we must admit tha
Mr. THOMSON has shown some adroitness in par-
rying it. In his answer to the address he replies,
with a diplomatic caution which even Count NES-.
SEL RODE might envy, as follows :
You may rely upon my attention to the great inte-
rests you represent.—Whatever acquaintance with
commercial subjects I may have acquired by my early
pursuits, or through my later duties, will be earnestly
and zealously devoted to the consideration of all that re-
lates to the trade of these colonies, and with an honest
endeavour to promote their prosperity as connected with
that of the British empire.

Mr. TrwmsoN's early pursuits, and not his po-
litical opinions, have obtained for him the confi-
dence of the mercantile classes in Lower Canada,
and it is but too apparent that if he attempt to break
down the timber monopoly, so injurious to Great
Britain and to the Provinces, he will have them as
fiercely opposed to him as he already has the mush-
room aristocracy of North America on account of
his plebeian origin. Yet this is one of the Great
Reforms which this country expects from the new
Governor-General. To substitute the sound and
cheap timber of the Baltic for the dear and rotten
growth of the woods of Canada—to free the Pro-
vinces in return from the absurd commercial restric-
tions which confine their industry to lumbering,
sawing, and fishing—are among the great improve-
rnents which we expect, and are justified in expect-
lug, from the Governor-Generalship of an intelli
gent British merchant with the ample experience
derived from having filled the office of President of
the British Board of Trade.

Our readers will find in another part of The Sun,
under the head " Secret Societies of Germany,"
the substance of a Report made to the- German
Diet, by the Central Committee of that august
body, on the progress of revolutionary ideas and
clubs in Germany since the downfall of the French
empire, though dating only from the French re-