The Sun.
London, England, 1837-12-23 00:00:00

those fatal and wicked resolutions, which the Noble Lord, un-
happily for his future fame as a statesman, still more unhappily
for his renown, as a consistent supporter of liberal opinions,
had submitted last Session to the consideration of the House

of Y Commons. for which measures it was likewise the Noble
Lord's misfortune to obtain the assent of this portion of the
Legislature, and the eager and cordial approbation of the
House of Peers. —(Cheers.) Those resolutions marked both
a determination on the part of the Government to disregard
the grievances and wishes of the Canadian pecple, and
an intention to violate the first and the most important
principles of a free Constitution, in the defence of which not
only was rebellion justifiable, but resistance became the sa-
cred and imperious duty of freemen—a duty which all who
belonged to our race, whether on this or on the other side
of the Atlantic—all in whose veins English blood had
circulated, had never failed to fulfil.—(Cheers.) Nor,
though of different origin, had the Canadians as yet
appeared less determined to maintain their rights than
other portions of the British empire. For as soon as
the nature of these resolutions was known in their pro-
vince the indignation of the people was aroused, and
they hastened to take the steps which would in future
frustrate the effects of similar measures. The chief object
of the resolutions was to enable the Government of Lower
Canada to appropriate the monies of the people without the
consent of the Canadian Legislature. In order to prevent
similar acts of tyranny, the Canadians had resolved that in
future there should be no monies for the Government to ap-
propriLte. With this object in view, they determined not
to consume the articles upon which the customs of the
province were levied. The greatest portions of the revenues
of the province consisted of duties on rum and brandy, of the
former of which articles a million gallons were annually con-
sumed, paying a duty of is. a gallon; of the latter 250,000
gallons, paying a duty of ls. 6d. per gallon. Instead of these
taxed liquors the Canadians had determined to drink whisky
and beer ; instead of tea they had substituted a beverage
made from roasted barley, beans, or bread crust; instead
of the sugar of the sugar-cane, they would use the sugar
of the maple ; but in addition to this course, which they
had adopted for the purpose of diminishing the revenues of
the province, they had resolved to be entirely independent of
this country, and not to consume the productions of a people
whose representatives had treated them with such cruel injus-
tice. Instead, therefore, of the cloths and the woollens, in-
stead of the cottons and the linens of our manufacture, they
would be clad in their own homespun, in the coarse products:
of their own looms. Now, this was a most serious considera-
tion, for of these fabrics this country annually exported to
British North America a quantity amounting in value to
nearly one million pounds' worth—in another year this
sum would be considerably diminished. The consequence
would be, that our manufacturers, who were suffering se-
vering already from the want of a market for these
articles, as he ( Sir W. Molesworth) could unfortunately
testify but too well, as representative of one of the largest
manufacturing communities in this empire—our manufactures,
he said, and what was still worse, the labourers dependent
upon them, would suffer still more severely than they now did,
by a still further contraction of the market, and by the dimi-
nution of employment consequent thereon. Great additional
misery, therefore, would be occasioned to this portion of the
community by a quarrel with Canada. Nor let it be supposed
that when these turmoils were over this country would, as a
matter of course, again supply the markets of British North
America ; for if the present disputes should end, as was most
probable, in a civil war, and if that civil war should terminate
as was still more probable, in the separation of the two coun-
tries, a considerable period must elapse ere commercial in-
tercourse would be recommenced; meanwhile the wants of
the Canadians would give rise to rival fabrics in British
North America, supplying the same articles as we were
wont to supply ; the manufacturers would form an interest
hostile to our trade ; they would expect, they would demand,
protection:for their produce, and in a certain degree they would
appear justified in to doing, and in claiming a recompense
for services rendered during a period of war. Thus this
country would not only be deprived of its present trade to
the Canadian provinces, but be cut off from that future ex-
tension of it which must take place to an enormous degree
if this country were to continue to supply the markets of that
great and flourishing province, a portion of the world which
was now most rapidly increasing in a population fitted by
taste and habits to consume our manufactures, and whose in-
habitants this country could supply with the unrivalled pro-
duce of its manufacturing skill at the cheapest possible rate.
He must beg pardon of the House for having dwelt somewhat
at length on the possible consequences of a struggle with
Canada, but he felt it a duty which he owed to the constituents
who had so kindly placed him in his present distinguished po-
sition ; and he trusted that the representatives of the other
great manufacturing emporiums of Birmingham, Sheffield,
and Manchester, would equally feel it their duty to protest
against a course of policy• which would inevitably raise up
rival manufacturing interests in the north of America, and
which would cause' the exclusion of our manufactures for a
long time at least, to a great extent, probably for ever, from
the markets of a nation which already annually consumed
two millions of the productions of this country—he must pro-
test against a line of conduct which would make the Cana-
dian nation view us with detestation, and induce them on
the first occasion, and most justifiably, to give the sanc-
tion of the law to that non-intercourse which they had
already proclaimed against this country.—( Hear, hear.)
But, to return to the conduct pursued by the Canadians in
consequence of the arbitrary measures of the Government, for
the purpose of enforcing the system of non-intercourse. In
many of the counties public meetings were held, which were
attended by the magistrates, the officers of militia, and other
individuals of weight and importance. At these meetings re-
solutions were passed prohibiting the consumption of the ob-
noxious articles, and denouncing as enemies to the patriotic
cause those who dared to disregard these injunctions ; resolu-
tions likewise were agreed to encouraging smuggling, as the
easiest means of diminishing the public revenues, and of
frustrating the views of the public enemies ; at the same time
a general plan of organization was adopted and put in force
throughout the country. Committees of vigilance were ap-
pointed in each parish and in each county to communicate with
the Central Committee at Montreal. The object of the Com-
mittees of vigilance was to enforce the regulations of the non-
intercourse system, to which even the country traders had
sworn obedience. The few persons who had acted in opposi-
tion to the popular feeling were admonished by the Commit-
tees to be more patriotic in future, and in some cases the
offenders were punished by the destruction of their property ;
but in general these Committees bad had but little occupation,
so strong was the public opinion on the subject—so wifling
were the people to obey, and to follow their leaders. Lord
Gosford was, it would appear, alarmed by this conduct of the
popular party ; on the 15th of June be issued a proclamation,
in which he denounced as seditious and unlawful all meetings
of a description similar to thuse just mentioned ; he com-
manded all magistrates, militia officers, and peace officers, to
prevent these assemblages by every means in their power.
This proclamation produced no effect ; meetings continued to
be held, magistrates and other functionaries continued to at-
tend, and one occasion, it was said, the magistrates them-
selves tore to pieces the proclamation, in the presence and
amidst the cheers of the assembled multitude. Militia officers
were said to have acted in the same manner before their com-
panies, to whom they were ordered to read the proclamation.
Lord Gosford then proceeded to take the step of dismissing
every magistrate and militia officer who he was informed bad
attended any of these meetings. He (Sir W. Molesworth)
would not say that Lord Gosford was to be condemned for
this conduct, but he would say that the persons dismissed
considered themselves to be honoured by this act of the Go-
vernment ; and a number of magistrates, who found that a
similar distinction was not conferred upon themselves, has-
tened to resign their commissions. In the county of Two
Mountains, sixty commissions were said to have been returned
at once. The functionaries who were dismissed or resigned
on all occasions received the public thanks of the Committees
of their counties. In consequence of these dismissals and re-
signations some of the counties were without acting Magis-
trates ; the people hastened to supply the want by appointing
Magistrates of their own. The following was the account he
had received of the mode in which this was effected in the ex-
tensive county of Two Mountains :—On the 15th of October,
there was a general meeting of the freeholders of that county,
at which " sundry wise and discreet persons were chosen by
each parish to fill the office of Justice of the Peace and Paci-
ficator." The duty of these Justices was "to conciliate the
differences and difficulties which may hereafter arise between
the Reformers of their localities, with power to judge and de-
termine all complaints which shall be brought bvfore them."
From the decision of the Justice-pacificator an appeal was in-
stituted to the permanent Committee of the county. To en-
force these regulations, " Reformers were declared bound in
honour to bring their cases before the Justice-pacificator in
preference to the Queen's Courts." Reformers who refused to
acknowledge the authority of the said Justices, or who carried
their complaints before the Queen's courts in preference to those
of honour and conciliation now established, &c.' were to be " de-
prived of their votes at any public meetings," and " not to be
elected by Reformers to any office ; were to be " censured
publicly, which censure was to be exposed on the church
doors." With regard to the militia, it was resolved—
" That the Reformers who began to drill should form them-
selves in each parish into volunteer companies of militia, un-
der the command of officers elected by the militiamen, and
shall be drilled in the management of fire-arms, and in light
infantry evolutions and movements." It was resolved likewise
that officers who had been dismissed be re-elected by the
militiamen. Its the midst of these events, on the 17th of
August, the • House of Assembly was called together. The
governor, in his speech, officially communicated the yesolu-
tions which had been agreed to by the Imperial Parliament,
informed the House of Assembly that the demise of the
Crown would make no alteration in the councils of the
Ministry, and concluded by asking for a vote of money
to pay the salaries of the officials. The Assembly, in reply,
maintained all its former positions, and refused to grant any
money till the grievances complained of were redressed.
The House of Assembly likewise in its address to the Go-
vernor very properly commented in the strongest and most
indignant terms on the resolutions in question. The House
of Assembly said, " It is our duty to tell the mother country
that if she carries the spirit of these resolutions into effect in
the government of British America, and of this province par-
ticularly, her supremacy therein will no longer depend on the
feelings of affection, of duty, and of material interest, which
would best secure it, but on physical and material force."—
(Cheers. ) These plain words ought to make the deepest
impression on our minds, and ought to convince us what would
be the conduct of the Canadian people if we did not hasten
to do them justice. The tone of the debate in the House of
Assembly on the address was similar to that held at the public
meetings throughout the country. The proclamation of the
Governor against these meetings was denounced, the conduct
of the magistrates and others in attending them was highly
approved of, and the people were exhorted to adhere to the
system cf non-intercourse, and to carry it out to its fullest ex-