The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-09 00:00:00

NEW i ONs ITUTION FOR THE

CANADAS

The folloving outline of a ti, ,w Carrid'an Constitution;
copied from the January Number of the British and Foreign
Review, and will doubtless be read with much avidity, as
embodying the views of a very popular organ of public opi-
nion, upon a subject of all-engrosing interest. But in pub-
lishing this plan of a Constitution, we are far, very far,
from adopting it. In the first place, we deem its realiza-
ti, by the Legislature next to impossib e ; and in the
next wr are of opinino or ra'her we are perfectly satisfied,
that, if a.l-.uto,!, w,),11d he found ioad•.quate to the preven-
tion of an ,tortn.:l r volutionary movement. Our views.upoo
tliis subject have been frequently and unequivocally expressed
even before the actual breaking nut of the first rebellion ; and
the events that have since taken place have but confirmed
our conviction of their justness. We shall not fail to
repeat them when the time comes for doing so with the rc-
mot..st chance of success :
We would suggest, then, in the first place, the union of
the two provinces, and of the representatives of the two
races in the same Elective Chambers.

We should hesitate, we confess, in giving our assent to any
extensive plan cif confederation of the whole of our North
American provinces if, by such a plan. a separate Elective
Assembly were conferred upon Lower Canada. or any portion
of it. To such an assembly a preponderating French mak,'
rity would inevitably be returned, and it would. as inevitablYr
form the nucleus of a future contest for nationality.
We would surround the King's Representative with anExe-
cutive Council, chosen by the Crown and dismissable at
pleasure. To such a Council, we would call all persons who,
from talents, station, and property, enjoyed in a pre-eminent
degree the confidence of the community in which they lived ;
carefully excluding the judicial power, but freely admitting
Members of the two Legislative Chambers, the heads of de'
partments, and other officers of Government. From this
Council it might be the prerogative of the Governor to sum.
mon, from time to time, such a Cabinet as he should deem
best calculated to assist him in carrying on the ordinary busy'
!less of the Government, and on great emergencies the whole
of its Members might be convened.
It will be inferred from our remarks, that we would mail
the Upper Chamber or Legislative Council elective. 11
would not, however, necessarily follow that it should in all
respects resemble the Lower House ; though it would be d'6"
cult, we confess, in such a community as the Canadian. t 0
very the constituency by which the two Chambers would be
chosen, if both were elected by the people; but if, as we
trust will be the case in any new scheme of Government tbst
may be proposed, elective municipalities be established in the
rural districts, and corporations, popularly chosen, in the
towns, it would deserve consideration, whether the right °,
returning members to the legislative council might not be ad'
yantageously conceded, either altogether or in part, to those
bodies. Other points of difference might also be introduced'
If the Lower Chamber sat for three or four years, the Upper
might sit for six or seven ; and to render it, during the periodd
of its session, independent both of the power of the Crown n°
of the immediate action of the popular will, it might be eon'
stituted a fixed and permanent body, notwithstanding the dig"
solution of the Lower House by the Governor. The posseg,i
sion of a certain amount of property, and a more advance.;
age than twenty-one years, might also be requited a
qualifications in its Members. A Legislative Council
formed would, we believe, be as aristocratic as the countrl
could produce, or as the people would cheerfully submit tOl
and it would, we also believe, be composed of respectable sail
intelligent men. To it, therefore, we would yield the mete
contested right of trying impeachments preferred by t'd
House of Assembly, subject to an appeal to the House
Lords, or to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. L
The only change of importance that would take place in t"e
constitution of the House of Assembly, would be conseque°
upon the union of the two provinces. A numerous Angii°,l
Canadian minority—or it might be an actual majority_wo'
be returned ; and the Executive Government, instead of bell
in open hostility with the Representatives of the people, w°4,
at once be placed in the more advantageous position of hol
ing the scales between two powerful and contending parties.
We would also claim for our NorthAmericanColonies geaue,
rally, that direct representation in the Parliament of t",
United Kingdom, to which their importance justly entitle.;
them. The objection fOrmerly urged by Mr, Burke t°
similar scheme cannot now be maintained. The power 0,
sream has bridged the Atlantic, and the length and uncertsi°
of voj ages to and from America are already matters of hi;
tory. Thus the Member for the district of Toronto, 51°
t eal, Quebec, or Halifax, would require but little more tirad
to reach the capital of the empire than the Representatife.oo
the Orkneys. We believe too that this direct representatl4
would be a powerful link to bind the Colonies to tho pare)
State ; but we should very seriously doubt, whether a fedefgto
union of all the colonies in British America would tentlio
preserve and strengthen the integrity of the empire.
to
qu'stions of international law, if we may be permitted.o
apply the term to such a state of things, which would 101.1
between a Colonial Federal Government and the ImPel;110
Government, would be dangerous and complicated. tt
claim to tax our former colonies was such a question, OTAer
severed the empire. We would rather, therefore, consiver
the Government at home as the central power, presiding
both the United Kingdom and the Colonies ; but by
our American fellow-subjects a voice in the Imperial Leg-ot
lature, and a free system of local government, we would,
er
the same time, protect them against the exercise of that pow
in a manner prejudicial to their interests.

EXTRACTS OF LETTERS FROM

CIRCASSIA.

---....---
PSROMUZ (near Pshat), OCT. 15i. te
The people to the northward have suffered much from Is
torrents of rain, and now suffer from their apprehensions
winter campaign, with which they are threatened by the '4,
neral of the Russian army, which was landed in Semez (re,
called S. udjouk in the maps, and the bay where tbe
was taken) on the 22d or 23d of last month, after a hea
cannonade from a strong fleet for two days, and is now efire
gaged in constructing a fort, and it is said that after that e'n,
is finished, another is to be constructed in the vale of Med
and the country thereafter devastated, and houses burnt, Ob,
flocks and herds plundered, " unless the people wish it t° to
otherwise," that is to say, unless they consent to cornea,
terms. Now this is what the chiefs are resolved to preleb-0
and they have sent to beg of me to stay and aid them in tbii t
endeavour. I believe I am not too sanguine in hoping 00
country will be saved. There appear to me at present 5° b,
strong reasons for that hope, and, firstly, the strength oft/
vital principle here existing, e. g., we have gotten the eet,bo
our oath—the great national oa'h, administered along r
whole line of coast as far as Ghagra ; and, better still, ed
tended by a mission, across the central chain, into the str°,;3
country behind Soukoom-Kale, where it has been adoc",,
with the greatest enthusiasm. It has been adopted in Absq
sak, where, as you know, the Russians have been stooJi
withstood. The thieves and traitors at Adenghoom have be
r
signally punished, and the Russian trading in Shapsook„eo
tirely or nearly suppressed. Finally, the whole country O.
Ghagra to Kenatchai has been excited to the greatest Vitioi
of enthusiasm, and the strongest determination to resist. it
that is wanted here is to sustain through the winter the srAl
of those now invaded, and who have suffered so much an of
long. Secondly, the conviction I feel from the natn,ret 0
things, as well as my private advices from England, Oa ot
crisis nearly approaches, in which this country will not, can°
be abandoned to its fate thus recklessly.
PSEODIUZ, OCT. 16.—Since I last wrote to you the
thing of importance I have learnt is the Russian General Pffie
tending to have a document about this country, to which:
signatures of the Sultan and Emperor are said to be appencicp;
and fir the inspection of which he has invited the Circassilt
to send deputies I have not yet learned its nature, b;1800
have scarce a doubt that it is some fresh attempt at itnpos—
in regard to the cession of the country.
OCT. 19.--I beg to call your attention to the totally alteresoci
tone of the Russian General. The summer before last it '1;,0
unconditional surrender or extermination or slavery ; ;11:0•
it is a remonstrance for a treaty, where advantages are Voi
ingly painted. This gives me hope that a storm is brectigo
elsewhere, and I shall turn it to the best account when

--
north. adi
PSEOMUZ, Nov. s.—There are three forts, I understs of
to be constructed—one great and two little—all on the sit'y
the old fort of Soudjouk- Kale. The document of the g!los
sian General shows what cajolement, bribery, and scductio
the Russians at present put in operation, to have their tresito
of peace, or rather capitulation, acceded to, but, luckilPio
yet without effect; for Indar Oghi Noghai arrived yestered
from the north, to summon the warriors of this neighbour
to take the field, as the Russian General has renewed
offer of the treaty, accompanied with a threat, or rather
nouncement, that, if it be not accepted, be will commence
devastations Within a week.
The Russians have encamped a strong force in three °no
sions among the Arzas, in the neighbourhood of Sota(.°"ol
Kale, in order to force them to give recruits. Your file.oo
(ironice) Zass is encamped on the Laba. A strong divistibe
is now at Aboon, and another on some of the streams to in
eastward of that, and it is feared that these also are to reld
in order to co-operate with the Semez army and the cal°
force in devastating the country.

BIRMINGHAM THEATRE.—This Theatre ope'le:,
on Monday night, under the management of Mr. I‘l°:fris) 5
with a talented company, including Mr. Templeton, '-it
Atkinson, &c. With such attractions we have no (I°ll
that the Manager will command overflowing houses. .
EXTRAORDINARY CI RCLIMSTANG E.—A
fourteen years of age, the daughter of a respectable tradeft
man of this town, felt, a few days since, a pain in her le r
side. Having called her sister to examine the seat of brf
pain, she discovered something of a dark colour P3r,htis,
protruding through the skin immediately below the 1.1'4
which she extracted, and found to be the pointed half 'll
a needle, which, as the sufferer supposed, she had swallowl
about five months ago. The girl, we are glad to learn,
sustained no injurious consequences. The needle has bee
shown to us, and it is quite black.—Preston Chronicle.
PATENT KILLED MEAT.—Mr. Corf and sever;
other butchers slaughtered oxen and sheep on Dr. Civic
patent principle, on Thursday and Friday last ; and tr,c,
process promises to come quickly into general use 01°1
butchers. A company of twelve gentlemen supped,u,l
Thursday night, off a shoulder of Carson mutton : it
been killed by Mr. Corf a week before, and it was Pr;
nounced by all who partook of it as superlatively fine'
Liverpool Albion.