The Sun.
London, England, 1836-07-29 00:00:00

THE STATE OF POLITICS AND

PARTIES IN UPPER CANADA.

No. I

The time canaot ha far distant when it will become in•
cumbent on the British Government and people to bestow
a degree of attention upon the affairs of this province, of
which they have never yet been deemed worthy. Within
the period of a very few years, the Canadians, from being
among the most faithful and contented of his Mak sty's sub-
jects, have become the most discontented and impracticable.
It may not yet be too late to restore the bonds of amity and
friendly feeling which once subsisted ; but a little longer delay
in .acceding to their just demands, and the breach which has
already begun will be irreparable. It is frequently said
that with it rich and abundant soil, and a good climate, and
freedom from taxation, what can they want ?—what
actual grievances can they be under? Had the Ca-
nadians been differently situated—had they not been in
the immediate neighbourhood of a flourishing commu-
nity governed by themselves—it is probable' that many
sources of complaint now existing would never have
been thought of. But the Canadians are many of them c-
tizens of the United States—many of them the descendants
and relations of Americans—along the entire frontier a
constant interchange and communication is going on
between the Canadians and the Americans—and it is
impossible that the former should entirely close their eyes
to the differences of Government among themselves and
the neighbouring States. Many of the grievances
of which the Canadians complain grow out of the
neighbourhood in which they happen to be placed, and
spring . froo the contrast between their own condition and
that of others, living under forms of government more suited
to their wants. If they had not had placed before eyes so
remarkable an ins:once of the effects of a cheap, home-
made Government, they might for centuries have remained
content under the domiDion of Downing-street.
In considering the state of political feeling in this pro-
vince, it should always be borne in mind, that it was settled
in the first instance chiefly by subjects of the former Ame-
rican colonies who remained faithful to the British Crown
during the revolution, commonly called U. E. Loyalists,
and subsequently for many years chiefly by emigrants from
the United States—a body of men who have furnished the
best farmers now to be found in the province. This is one
of the most influential classes of Canadians, and it is easy
to imagine what would be the current of their political
opinions.

The Government of Upper Canada is carried on in form by
the Governor, assisted by an Executive Council, analogous
in its functions to the Privy Council ; and by the Colonial
Parliament, consisting of the Legislative Council and the
House of Assembly. The House of Assembly, which would
be powerful if it had the control over all the revenues of the
province, is in point of fact powerless, because there are
large revenues over which it has no control, and be-
cause it has no means of enforcing a practical res-
ponsibility on the different public officers of the Colony.
The Legislative Councii are nominated by the Crown, and
entirely under its influence, and the Executive Council are
never consulted in matters of importance—so that, in point
of fact, the Canadian Government, divested of the unsub-
stantial constitutional guarantees with which it is surrounded,
redaces itself to the person of the Governor, acting accord-
ing to instructions issuing from the Colonial-office. In short,
the Government is very nearly absolute in one individual—
the Governor for the time being—the Colonists themselves
having, practically, very little controul over it.
Now this is the master-grievance of the Canadians—no
matter how free they may be from taxes, no matter how
mild the sway of the mother country ; the irresponsibility
of the Government—it' total freedom from the control of
the people on whose behalf it acts—is the great evil, the
substratum of all the grievaoces of which they complain.
Nor is it to be Apposed that this irresponsibility does
not produce its natural fruit in Sobbing, in corrupt patron-
age, and in extravagant and inconsiderate expenditure of
the public revenues.

Such is the patronage of the Colonia?-office, that the
granting or withholding of Supplies is of no political im-
portance, except as an indication of public opinion concern-
ing the Government of the country, which is conducted
upon a system which permits its officers to take and apply
the funds of the Colonists without any Legislative vote
whatever.*

The patronage of the Crown arising from civil and judi-
cial offices and places withi its gift in the colony, extends
to at least 50,000/. a year, exclusive of clergy grants, the
whole being raised from the people themselves. The
patronage of the Crown is almost unbounded—it in-
cludes the payments of the gifts, &Jades, pensions, and
retired allowances to the Clergy of the Methodist, Pres-
byterian, Protestant, Episcopal, and Ronan Catholic or-
ders—the pay and appointment of nearly the whole of the
civil officers of the Government, from the JuiLges of the
Court of King's Bench, down to Collectors of Customs
and Excise, Justices of the Peace, and Commissioner:3 of
the Court of Requests, almost all of whom hold office du-
ring the pleasure of the Crown—it has the nomination of one
branch of the Legislature—the selection of the officers of
the House of. Assembly—the selection of the Members of
the Executive Council—the uncontrolled management of
Millions of acres of public lands, and the proceeds of their
sales—the appointment of fifteen hundred commissioned
military officers—the Post-office Department, with about
a hundred deputy Post-masters, all contracts being made,
and appointments held, during its pleasure, the surplus reve-
nue being transmitted to England. The Crown also controls
the expenditure of a large annual amount of local taxation,
by its power of appointing the district magistracy during its
pleasure. The Justices thus appointed select the district
Treasurers, and a large number of subordinate officers, and
exercise varied and extensive civil and cr;'minal jurisdiction.
Magisterial peculation is known to exist to a great extent ;
but ell attempts of the House of Assembly to enquire into the
receipt and expenditure of these local taxes and revenues
have been thwarted.
Within the last eight or nine years there has been paid to eight
individuals upwards of 30,000/. in pensions, drawn entirely
from the revenues of the provinces without the consent of the
Legislature, upon ehich the Committee on Grievances ob-
serve," Had this sum been applied under a frugal Govern-
ment to the improvement of roads and bridges, it would
have done a great deal of' good. The civil pensions of the
United States amounted in 1821 to 1,500 dollars ; in 1825
to 2,100 dollars ; and in 1827 to 2,000 dollars. This is
the effect of having the management of their own money?'
11' there be any one thing which more than another excites
the resentment of the Canadians, it is the covert attempts
which from time to time have been made by the Govern-
ment to establish a dominant religion. There is still, and
always has been, a desire to give an undue influence and
power to the Established Church of England. Between
the years 1789 and 1833, 23,905 acres of public lands
were set apart by the Crown as glebes to clergymen. Of
these there were given to the Church of England 00,345
acres, to the Scotch Church 1,160 acres, to the Roman
Catholics 400, and to all Ether denominations none at all.
Since Sir Francis Head becarue Governor, between 50 and
GO new rectories have been estaUshed ; for this act, odious
and offensive as it is to the populaCmn of Upper Canada,
the present Governor is not to be blamed. In esta-
blshing these, he merely carried into effeci arrangements
which had been made by his predecessor, Sir John Col-
borne. The act itself has created a feeling of deep dis-
trust and dissatisfaction among the population of Upper
Canada, and 'lathing could have been devised more calcu-
lated to darken the feelings of discontent which are now so
generally pre:•alent.
It has been already observed, that the Legislative As-
sembly is nominated by the Crown. Its subserviency to the
Government is notor:on3. Mr. Elinsley, a member of the
Legislative Council, and the son of a late Chief Justice

of the province, formerly a member of the Executive
Council, and now again re-appointed by Sir Francis Head,
retired two or three years ago from his seat in the Legisla-
tive Council, and advertised in the public newspapers that
be could not retain his seat and act independently. This state
of dependence is strikingly manifested by some facts,t stated
before a Select Committee of the House of Assembly,
during a late Parliament. Several legislative Councillors

bad objected to a measure strongly urged by the Executive,
and its failure was inevitable. To insure its passing, coer-

ireport from the Committee on Grievances ordered to be
printed by the House of Assembly, 10th April, 1835.
App, radix to Journals of the House of Assembly, 1828,
on Assessn. 'Cat Laws.

4nd anise Members who
cive measures were resorted to ;
citlici• to vote
were dependent on the Government were
directly contrary to the opinions they had pul.:/kIY
pressed, or be dismissed from their offices. Much surp.'se
was, of course, felt at the sudden, unexpected, and unex-
plained change, which ensued in the conduct of several
members, and when this surprise was expressed to the late
James B-, (who at the time was also the senior
member of the Executive Counsel) he shed tears at his
humiliation, and only exclaimed, " My children ! my chil-
dren !" The late Chief Justice replied to a similar expres-
sion of surprise, " I have received a new light within the
last ten minutes."

PIIICF.S OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOLIk.
Bank Stock. "Lim 13', 1 i idia Stock
pet Cent. 3,; oi.N% I Ism) Bonds
3 per Cent. Cont.,- 111 1,5 !,, 14 ' South Sea Stock —
:11/, per Cent sOT4, N ; Old Anninties
Ditto lied—. -
New 33.,j p.t Cent '''')V2l4 ! 3 per Cent. Annuities, 1751 —
New 3 per Cent .. --1 Exch. Bills, .1: I ,0n0„.....10 9 II pm.
Itaiik. Long Annuitiesto expire !Ditto illi. II 9!I pm.
.lan. 5, !Sill IS' 1:1-;fli !Ditto Small ll tI I I pin
Oct. 91, 1,350 l5 9-16: Ditto Commercial — 3 pm.
Jan, 5, I slit' ls', 7-16 i Ditto Advertised — 11.
Jan. 5, l'ktid.... - Bank Stock for Acc0unt.........
Ain it 5, 18:40 — India Stock for Account °s9l!,
Jan. 5, 1370 .... Consols for Account
Omnium

.. ~~m.

pinC.FS OF FOREIGN FUNDS TI-ti:: DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK
Austrian :.1'°11,13 —lPertivian r..1.-:-.'.ls -
Belgian Bonds.
Ditto Account .
Brazllian Bonds —l Ditto Accoli:it -
Ditto Account —l Ditto New Bonds
Buenos Ayres Bonds — ! Ditto Account 79 6N
Ditto Account —l Ditto, 3 per cent. 4844 9N 9
Cnillian Bonds —lPrussian Bonds —
Ditto Account —llussian Bonds, MI —
Colitniblan Bonds —l Ditto Account —
Mho Account
Columbian Ponds, :821 9.9l.Spanish Bonds —
Ditto Account 95% 9%1 Ditto Account —
D.inish Bonds
Ditto Account
Greek Bonds —' French, 5 per cent.......... 109:. 25z.
Ditto Bonds, 1.1.25
Ditto Account
Mexican Bonds, 5 per cent.... —l Exchange 2sf. sO'
Ditto Account Dutch, '2,:,, per cent. 55% 6
Ditto, ti per cent ....,.
IGtto Account Ditto, 5 per cent 104% 4
Neapolitan —l Ditto Account