The Sun.
London, England, 1838-01-04 00:00:00

SPI LT OPTIIE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Wie know nothing of the arrangements with respect to
tlee meeting at the Crown and Anchor this day. It is, no
doubt, an open one ; and if only persons entertaining opt-
vsions fivourable to the insurgents or rebels in Lower Ca-
nada choose to attend, all we can say is, that they who en-
.tertain different opinions, and do not choose to attend, tkte
wanting in their duty to their countrymen; bath in the
anadas and at home. We confess we do not like the
eeline which has been growing rapidly of late years, of or
lc
- class keeping back from public meetings because they will
not mix with another class. It used to be stated by the
Manchester Guardian some years ago, in order to account
for the proceedings at public meetings in Manchester,
that it had become impossible to induce the more re-
spectable class of inhabitants to attend public meetings.
The S 41114: thing bas been said of Birmingham and
some other !arse towns. We own that we do not
like this ezeinsive spirit, which is, we think, unmanly and
unbeeotoirig. With all submission to our correspon-
dent, Mr. Arber, it would better become him an .l
the tradesmen who share his views, to face the
Working Men's Association at the Crown and Anchor,
than, by holding back, allow that to pass for the opinion of
the City of Westminster, which they say is only the opi-
nion of a body of men at the command of Messrs. Leader,
Roebuck, Grote, Wakley, Molesworth, &c., and who
shift their ground from the Crown and Anchor. to White
Conduit House, and from White Conduit House to the
Yorkshire Stingo, the Nightingale, or the Eyre Arms Ta-
vern, according to the wishes of the gentlemen in question.
When the Duke of Wellington termed a county meeting a
farce, he said no more than is said by those who will not
attend public meetings because certain other parties will
attend. It is intended that the resolutions passed at the
meeting this day should go forth to the Canadians as the
resolutions of the people of Westminster ; and there is net
a doubt, that if the propositions stated in the announce-
ment are passed in the affirmative, they will have the
effect of encouraging the French Canadians to hold
out, and of discouraging the men of British blood in
the Canadas. For our part, we have again and again
said that we are no great admirers of Colonial Go-
vernment, conceiving it to entail a heavy expense
on the parent State, and to labour under the radi-
cal defect of having no means of securing the depend-
ence of the governed but such as almost necessarily
lead to heart-hurnings and discontent. In the case of Bri-
tish colonies there is always one inevitable source of jar-
ring ; the colonists are from the very nature of things de-
mocratically disposed, and the Government of the mother
country being aristocratical, the connections and hangers-
on of the Aristocracy are disposed of in the Colonies. A
strong feeling, we know, is entertained by many Reformers
that the possession of colonies is wily an indirect way of
enabling the Aristocracy to pocket the taxes paid by the
people of England. We remember well the deep impres-
sion made on the people of these kingdoms, some twenty
years ago, by an article in the Edinburgh Review, written
by the roost brilliant of our living writers, in which he vi-
vidly traced the connection between Aristocracy and colo-
nial extension, and observed that no rock in the middle of
the ocean was too insignificant for the English nobility and
gentry, who saw in its occupation a source of income
for their families. The combined feelings of dislike
to Aristocracy, dislike to taxation, supposed to be
greatly increased by Colonies, and dislike to commercial
restraints, with a view to force the consumption of article,'
which would not be bought if commerce were free, are all
at work at present throughout the country. We observe
diet immense pains have been taken by the advocates of
the Canadians in preparing the public mind, as it is called.
We have now before us reprints in the forms of placards
and pamphlets of almost everything that has appeared in
magazines and newspapers in Canada and in England fa-
vourable to the French Canadians, executed no doubt, with
a view to influence public meerings. A long article
which appeared in the Leeds Afercury which reached
town on Monday last, is already printed in a handy form
as a pamphlet. One of the most moderate and influential
of our provincial journals then states—
" We need not inform our readers that we supported the
resolutions proposed by Ministers in the early part of the pre-
sent year, refusing the demands of tho Cauadian House of
Assembly for such a change in their Constitution aswould have
clearly amounted to independence; and authorising the Go-
vernment to take out of the Canadian Exchequer the sums
requisite to pay the judicial and other officers of Go-
vernment, from whom the House of Assembly bad with-
held their salaries for more than three years. Whether
we were right or wrong in supporting this course is of
little consequence. If wrong, we should not hesitate
for a moment to acknowledge it. We acted under the im- 1
pression that the demand of an elective Council (or Upper
House of Legislature) in Canada was a disguised demand of
independence; that it would have deprived her Majesty of all
real support in that country ; and we thought then, and think
still, that it would be far better to release the Canadians en-
tirely from our dominion, than to keep the name and the ex-
pense of sovereignty without the substance. But as inde-
pendence was not then asked for, we thought the demand of
an elective Council fraudulent, and that it ought to be re-
timed. That resistance, however, and the seizing of the
public revenues of the Canadians without the sanction of the
House of Assembly (which sanction is required by the Cana-
dian Constitution given by Parliament in 1791), have led the
people of Lower Canada to take up arms, and to fight openly
for independence, as the only safeguard of their liberties.
Thus the question is changed—the mask is dropped. The
Canadians now demand openly what before they demanded
only in disguise ; and the question is put fairly and broadly
before the British Parliament and people—shall Great
Bri-
tain consent to the independence of Canada? To this ques-
tion we are not prepared to give a negative. We doubt the
right of England to coerce the Canadians. We doubt her
power to do it. We more than doubt the advantage of hold-
ing Canada under military subjugation."
As far as we can understand the responsibility of jour-
nalism, from this specimen of it, we should say it is exceed-
ingly light. First, the French Canadians seek a certain
object by fraud—Ministers are encouraged to resist that
fraud—'ilinisterial resistance affords a pretext for open
violence—and this show of violence settles the question.
" The Tenth never dance." Let it be known that at the
Erst show of violence the arms drop from the grasp of
'England. But, with all due submission to the writer in
the Leeds Mercury, is there not such a thing as implied
faith to the men in Lower Canada, who, trusting to the
resolutions of which you approved, have rallied round those
who represent the English Government ? The property
of those men has been placed in jeopardy by the aid they
have already afforded to the parent State. Already that
property has been offered to the offscourings of the United
States, as an inducement to their taking the field with the
French Canadians against the British. Did not Sir Wil-
liam Molesworth announce in the House of Commons that
the Anne:icon rifLmcu would be paid by the fat meadows of
Beaubarnais, the estate of Mr. E. Ellice? We have no wish
to hold the Canadians in subjection to this country by
military force. But we have an unconquerable objection to
conveying British subjects from their native homes, and in-
ducing them, by grants of lands, to settle in Canada ; to
giving those British subjects the assuranee that they would
be protected against their French neighbours, who from
the first objected to the mode by which they were settled
amongst them ; to inviting these subjects to take arms in i
support of British authority—and on the first attempt of
the French to shake off the authority of Britain, to leaving
these British subjects to the tender mercies of those to
whom they have given cause of deadly offence. Is it to be
understood that British faith and British honour are but a
name ?—that they impose no restraint on promises, but that
the moment those avho rely on such promises are thereby
involved in danger we turn round and laugh at them, and
exclaim. We did nut think you were such fools as to , get
into a scrape on our account, but help yourselves the
best
wee; you can. Morality must have changed with other
things of late ; for we remember the time when it would
have been deemed disgraceful to play the parf now enoily
recommended by some of the most influential of Eng-
lish journals. We once heard a German gentleman,
who had travelled in Greece, tell an anecdote of the
modern Greeks, which would prove (if we bre to take the
Leeds Mercury as a correct expounder of English notions)
that there is some resemblance between them and the
modern Britons. The Philhellenes, who, under General
Neaperg, took the field with the Greeks, were invited to
join the Greek army,
and Oppose the Turks on a field
favourable for resi
s'-dnce. It was agreed that the fight
should be obstinate ; but the honest Germans found that
they were :to sooner engaged than the Greeks took to their
heels,'eaving them in the lurch. The Philhellenes were
cut to pieces, with the exception of a mere handful. And
she Greeks utieil to laugh immoderately at the simplicity of
the Germans, observing, We really did not think that they
tad ;leen such fools as to remain to be cut to pieces. The
sviglith, we suppose, in like manner, will comfort their
British brethren in Canada by telling them, should they be
tubbed and plundered by their neighbours, they did not
think they had been such arrant fools as to place any reli-
ance on British assurances. We wish it to be impressed on
the men who attend the meeting this day—that
whether colonial government be in the abstract good
or bad, the French Canadians have no substantial
grievances to complain of—that the aggrieved party
are the people of England, who pay the expense of
governing and defending the country—that the colony is in
an anomalous state—the French majority being ignorant
and prejudiced almost beyond exception, while the British
minority engross all the trade and shipping, and are im-
measurably superior to the other in enterprise and intelli-
gence—that the use the French Canadians, under the
guidasica of Arne dozen or two of advocates and notaries,
would wake of their liberty would be to give effect to the
most illiberal and narrow views—that knowing this the Bri-
tish minority will never submit to become the slaves of men
only fit for hewers of wood and drawers of water—and
that if the British Government were to withdraw its troops

and say, we wash our bands of Canadians, a civil war of
the most sanguinary nature would be the result. To the
men of peace, who would leave the Canadians to them,
sOves, we would say, you arc only adding tJ the sanguinary
character of the strife. At Vi-esent the war may be easily
put down, and Means may be taken for placing the two
provinr‘e's In such a condition as would -all(?tv
them with honour. At present cur abitridoninelit
be dishonourable and rowardly, and Would tell e‘c4ry tAatio'n
in every part Of the globe 'that the 6oVerbrilint of En ;land
may always be bearded with inipunity. The nam,-.! of
Englishman would become a by-word in every land for all
that is truckling and contemptible.—Moreing
The letter of Mr, Arber. tt transferred from the
Ministerial papers into ettt• journal of yesterday, his, doubt-
less, attracted general notice. Our readers will recollect
that the object of that letter is to denounce Mr. Leader,
the new idol of the Westminster Rump, partly for his ge-
neral conduct since Parliament met, but chiefly for his
treasonable speech in rclertnee to the affairs of C.:n ula :
and whit renders this document the more curious and pun-
gent, is the fact that it emanates from one of the Hon.
Revolutionist's stanchest political supporters, who, knowing
the unscrupulous character of the said Rump, and antici-
pating that their public meeting tociar will be trumpeted
forth as representing the sentiments of the We•tminster
constituency, proposes " that proper persons shall be placed
at:the doors, having in their hands the last registration list,
with instructions not to admit any person whose name is
not there."

" 1 am induced (says the writer) to advise this course for
three very important reasons : first, that the real opiniou of
the electors of Westminster may go forth to Canada; se-
condly, that the Working Men's Association may not pass
resolutions in the name of the electors of Westminster; aed
thirdly, that Mr. Leader may be inform, d of the opinion of
his constituents on his late Parliamentary conduct, more par-
ticularly as to his last speech on the Canadian qnestion."
Such are the sagacious views of this Mr. Arber, who,
having heretofore been a keen and active abettor of Ra-
dical principles, is evidently alarmed and disgusted at the
extremities to which his political associates are galloping.
But the sting of his letter is in its tail, as appears from
the following concluding sentence of it :
" Having been Chairman of Mr. Leader's Committee twice
in this parish ( St. George, Hanover-square), I may be ex-
cused for infirming him, that all those electors with whom I
have hail the pleasure to act, have come to the resolution of
using their best exertions, on the first opportunity, to prevent
him, from misrepresenting Westminster."
Now this announcement, whether viewed in relation to
the sentiments of the Westminster constituency, or to Mr.
Leader's political position, appears to us to possess consi-
derable interest. Taking Mr. Arber's words in the most
restricted sense that can be put upon them, it appears that
the entire Liberal Committee for the largest parish in West-
minster are so sick of their new Member, that they have
determined to get quit of him with as little delay as possi-
ble. Of course this is a resolution which we can do no
otherwise than applaud ; although we must honestly say,
that if Mr. Arber and those electors with whore he acts
had exercised only common circumspection four months
ago, before labouring for Mr. Leader's return, they would
have found that there is really nothing in his recent pro-
cedure which had not been unequivocally indicated by his
speeches and votes in Parliament anterior to the late dis-
solution. In fact, when that green and shallow gentleman
was pleased to set himself up in opposition, first to Sir
Francis Burdett, and afterwards to Sir George Murray,
we pointed out on both occasions the extreme length to I
which he had advanced beyond even' the average liberalism
of the day. In the first of these contests, no doubt, our
warning voice was effectually listened to ; and if at the last
election the Westminster constituency suffered themselves
to be betrayed in Mr. Leader's favour, partly by the unprin-
cipled counsel of Whig journalists, but chiefly by the
prostitution of Treasury influence and Royal patronage
exerted through Mr. Controller Byng, they have only them-
selves to blame for a step the folly of which they are al-
ready beginning to; repent of. Nevertheless, Mr. Ardcr's
letter is symptomatic of an improved state of sentiment
which we would rather encourage than repress. Thet the
feelings which he expresses on behalf of the numerous
Committee over whom he presided are extensively con-
curred in by Mr. Loader's other Committees and suppor-
ters throughout the western city, we see no reason to doubt.
They are determined, he says, to oust him on the first fa-
vourable opportunity. Now that same opportunity, we
humbly submit, :they have it in their power to create. It
is dangerous and disgraceful to have such a popinjay.
perched on such an eminence. They, therefore, owe it to
the country and to their own character to bring him down.
In a word Mr. Arber should play the part of " Dear Mrs
Pouneey," and for consistency's sake should lose no time in
collecting signatures to precisely such a billet-doux as eli-
cited at once Sir Francis Burdett's resignation and Mr.
Leader's applause. For such a patriotic effort at this im-
portant crisis, the Westminster Committee would not only
secure the co-operation of thousands of their fellow electors,
but would win the gratitude of the nation as surely and extena
sivcly as they formerly incurred public animadversion when
' they rashly yoked themselves to Mr. Lender's chariot. At all
events,liameu t. B
the piuttthtehye hreavvueltfailulencainutaoda, ougsuhtfutrofrfuum beingrnishasaa-u
lutery lesson both to themselves and to similar constituen-
cies who have unhappily become the dupes of a contemp-
tible revolutionary clique. With respect to the Hon.
Charioteer himself, if the political folly of Radicalism were
not transcended by its moral obliquity, we should certainly
say that, after the strong opinions he has expressed on a
question affecting the integrity of the realm, he is bound
in all policy and honour, especially if he attach importance
to the sanction of his constituents, to accept the Chiltern
Hundreds without delay, in order to afford them an oppor-
tunity of giving their verdict on his recent Canadian proce
dure. We by no means insinuate that representatives are
bound to do this on ordinary occasions, when they happen
to differ in opinion with the electors who sent them to Par-
ordinary occasion, is happily a rare emergency, involving
the sacrifice or preservation of interests, in regard to which
parties differing on every. other question may fairly be
presumed to agree. On that subject Mr. Leader has
given utterance to opinions on which, independently of
their known hostility to the views of the 2,500 West-
minister voters who supported S.r George Murray, a very
large proportion of his own parochial agency are noto-
riously at variance with him. We hold, therefore, that
with the liberal ideas which he professes to entertain in re-
gard to the servitude and dependence due from a represen-
tative to his constituents, he is at this moment under a
moral obligation to give a practical illustration of his own
principles by resigning his trust, and appealing de novo for
a renewal of it. Moreover, Mr. Leader either possesses
the confidence of his constituents, or he does not. If he
possess their confidence, then a successful appeal to them
in reference to this emergency would arm him with tenfold
power in the assertion and maintenance of his revolutionary
dogmas. On the other. hand, if he have lost their confi-
dence on so important a question as a colonial rebellion,
then to retain, in spite of them the positional influence
which they had invested him with, is a treacherous deser-
tion i f the very principles, the profession of which consti-
tuted one of the inals recommendations that induced them
to return bins to Parliament. On every ground, therefore,
of policy and honour, an upright gentlem in in Mr. Leader's
preseist situation would feel himself pledged to resign. If
he shrink from doing so, he will show that he is one of the
arrantest political hypocrites in existence.—Tinres.
The affairs of Canada—the questions whether that
Colony has been justly or unjustly dealt with by the mo-
ther country—whether its people are to be subdued to a
state of obedience, or whether they have not had just
grounds for rebellion—are now the only matters thought of
or discussed in any rssembly of persons capable of enter-
taining an opinion upon the subject. We have hesitated:
for same time to declare a decided op:nion upon the mattet.
—every investigation of facts into which we entered hav-
ing convinced us that the public was grossly ignorant of
the real affair at issue, and that, in justice to our readers,
we were bound to make ourselves thoroughly masters of
the subject before we compromised ourselves, either upon
the side of the Government, or upon that of the Canadians
who have risen in insurrection and revolt against it. Act-
ing upon this Principle, we have perused every pam-
phlet, document, or other matter bearing upon the sub-
ject ; and after the most mature and unprejudiced view
of the case, we unhesitatingly declare, that there is
no ease of injury, injustice, or oppression, upon the
native inhabitants of Lower Canada to justify them in
having recourse to arms far the redress of the griev-
ances of which they complain. That the inhabitant, of
Lower Canada have some, and just grounds of complaint,
we have allowed in previous numbers of this journal ; but
after a careful perusil of all that have been alleged, we do
not find that all of them collectively would justify them in
having recourse to arms. An excellent and well reasoned
pamphlet is before us, entitled " A few Words on Canada,"
and published by Longman & Co., which would set the
matter at rest in the mind of any impartial person, and which
we recommend to the consideration of all who are desirous
of making themselves thoroughly acquainted with the
subject ; but we take no advantage of its most conclu-
sive statements upon the subject—we direct the atten-
tion of our readers, instead of it, to the following and more
full exposition of the alleged grievances of the Canadians,
as transmitted to us by "The Working Men's Association :
The Canadians complain that nearly every beneficial law which
has been passed in the People's House, has been factiously opposed
by the Legislative Council; and that, therefore, no progress has
been made in improving the condition of their country.
They complain that all the waste land of the Colony, and all the
saleable timber thereon, are disposed of for the advantage of hungry
officials, and for corrupting the representation of the people, in-
stead of being applied to the improvement of their country.
They complain that their Judges are not responsible to the
people, nor can they be impeached for misconduct as English
Judges can by the People's House, and that by this irresponsibility
tke source of justice is poisoned, and cases of the grossest peculation
and delinquency have passed unpunished.
They complain that the whole administration of government is