The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-05 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

MONDAY EVENING, DEC. 3, 1838.
Slit,--I trust the sentiments expressed in your leading ar-
ticle of this evening, relative to the fresh outbreak in the Ca-
nadas, will be re-echoed not only by the press generally, but
by the British public throughout the three kingdoms. With-
out intending to question the use of the words liberal and
liberality, as opposed to all that is exclusive, bigotted, and
monopolizing, whether in religion, politics, or commerce, I
humbly submit, with all due deference to certain modern
feelosofers (as Cobbett would designate them), that we
may go to the other extreme, and sacrifice, under errone-
ous notions of modern political economy, or intimidated by
freebooting invasions, first one colonial dependency and then
another, until, shorn of her territorial outposts, Great Bri-
tain may possibly descend to the rank of a third-rate power,
with a numerous pauper population, and but a limited range
of country for their support.
I am more particularly induced to advert to the question
of colonial possessions, from the little value in which they
are held by numbers, who, from their station and presumed
knowledge, ought to form a better estimate of the import-
ance of " ships, colonies, and commerce" to a country like
Great Britain, feared for her prowess, and envied for her
wealth—alike by the Liberal and Despotic Powers of con-
tinental Europe.
Having been a resident in Upper Canada, and enabled
from personal observation to form an opinion of the re-
sources of that magnificent province, it has been
with feelings of regret and indignation that I
have read the recommendations of several of our
political Journalists and Members of Parliament, who, des-
titute of foresight, and, I may add, patriotism, have advo-
cated the surrender of our North American possessions,
without a struggle, and to sacrifice on the altar of econo-
mical expediency, not only the vast sums expended in their
conquest and subsequent protection, but likewise the sources

from which we may yet obtain remuneration for the outlay
incurred during their political nonage.
But were it even true that, financially considered, they
contribute not a beggarly denier to our national revenues,
the prestige alone which attaches to the extent and population
of a State, ought to prevent so suicidal a proposition.
While Russia is silently working her traverses for the
ultimate assault of our Indian empire, while France,
having conquered Algeria, is meditating the subju-
gation of Mexico, and the petty province of Maine
is disposed to contend, vi et armis, for the possession
of a portion of the province of New Brunswick, Eng-
land is calmly to surrender her dependencies at every petty
outbreak, prompted by misrule, or actuated by the frothy
ambition of would-be Washingtons and Franklins !
That our colonies are misgoverned, and that they have
been a burden to the mother country, is doubtless true ;
but it were a poor remedy for past errors to throw them
up altogether ; rather (to use a homely phrase) turn over
a new leaf, and develop their resources by salutary reforms,
which, while they remove every pretext or shadow for re-
bellion, may have the effect of rendering them integrally as
essential a part of England as Kent or the Isle of Wight.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
4G, Whitcombe-street, Pall-mall-East. W. C.