The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-11 00:00:00

CANADA AND THE REPEAL OF
THE CORN-LAWS.
The following is a copy of the address to her Ma-
jesty from the Legislative Assembly of Canada, respect-
ing the admission of foreign corn into the British mar-
kets, which was so frequently alluded to in the last de-
bate upon the subject :
" To THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
" Most Gracious Sovereign,
" We, your Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the
Commons of Canada in Parliament assembled, respect-
fully beg leave to address your Majesty on a subject
of the highest importance to the inhabitants of this
province.
" We assure your Majesty, that while we have seen
with unmingled satisfaction the happiness and prospe-
rity of the people of this colony advancing in steady.
and successful progression under that moderate system
of protection of her staple productions, grain and tim-
ber, which your Majesty and your Imperial Parliament
have hitherto graciously secured to them, we feel that
we should be wanting in our duty, as well to your Ma-
jesty as to our constituents, did we fail earnestly to
represent to your Majesty that we view with serious
apprehension and alarm, as detrimental to the best in-
terests of this colony, the adoption of the proposed prin-
ciple of commercial intercourse now under the consider-
ation of the Imperial Parliament.
" We cannot but fear that the abandonment of this
protective principle, the very basis of the colonial com-
mercial system, is not only calculated materially to re-
tard the agricultural improvement of the country, and
check its hitherto rising prosperity, but seriously to im-
pair our ability to purchase the manufactured goods of
Great Britain ; a result alike prejudicial to this colony
and the parent state.
" We feel truly grateful to your Majesty for enabling
us, by guaranteeing the payment of 1,500,0001., to un-
dertake many valuable public improvements, which are
now approaching to completion, and which under the
existing laws would ultimately prove productive. But
Should the duties on foreign and colonial produce enter-
ing the United Kingdom be assimilated, as at present
proposed by your Majesty's Imperial Government, it is
much to be apprehended that the agriculturists of this
province will be deprived of a fair and remunerative
price for their surplus produce ; and that, consequently,
the increase of our staple products, which was reason-
ably anticipated, was checked to such an extent as mate-
rially to lessen the emiatwhat._Ait...olan_e...i. w.nri ...her
"We respectfully represent to your Majesty that,
situated as Canada is, and with a climate so severe as to
leave barely one-half of the year open for intercourse by
the St. Lawrence with the mother country, the cost of
transporting her products to market is much greater
than is paid by the inhabitants of the United States ;
and that without a measure of protection, or some equi-
valent advantage, we cannot successfully compete with
that country.
"It therefore becomes our duty, as faithful subjects
of your Majesty, to point out what we sincerely believe
must be the result of measures which have for their ob-
jectat esptrheernetpeeanlgaogfed in agriculturalthelaws affording protection to the
secondlyp, pursuits
Export trade. First, it will discourage those
rsiuti ts
willfro from ex-tending their operations ;
pre-
vent the influx of respectable emigrants from
the mother country, who have for many years
past settled
and who,
contributed
in large numbers on the waste lands of the
by
totth thateir rapidmaterially industry
advancement
capital,
0f havethe
country which we have before noticed ; and, lastly, it is
much to be feared that, should the inhabitants of
Canada, from the withdrawal of all protection to their
staple products, find that they cannot successfully. Co-
mpete with their neighbours of the United States in the
only market open to them, they will naturally and of
necessity begin to doubt whether remaining a portion of
the British empire will be of that paramount advantage
which they have hitherto found it to be. These, we
humbly submit, are considerations of grave importance
both to your Majesty and the people of this province ;
and we trust we need not assure your Majesty that any
changes which would tend in the remotest degree to
weaken the ties that have for so many years, and under
trying circumstances, bound the people of Canada to
that land which they are proud to call their mother
country, would be viewed as the greatest misfortune,
which could befal them.
" We would further remind your Majesty that while,
in compliance with the recommendation of the Imperial
Government, we have passed a law repealing all duty on
American produce coming through our country for ex-
portation, no similar advantage is accorded by the Ame-
rican Government to the people of this province, but
that duties, amounting in most cases to prohibition, are
rigorously maintained by that Government on every ar-
ticle of oars entering within their ports. The disadvan-
tage we must labour under in this respect is so apparent,
that we respectfully request your Majesty will be pleased
to cause the necessary steps to be taken for opening a
negotiation with the Government of the United States
for the admission of our produce into their ports, on the
same terms that theirs are admitted into those of Great
Britain and this colony.
"We also humbly request that your Majesty will
favourably consider the justice of admitting the products
of this province generally into the imperial ports free of
duty, as the expense of transportion is in itself all the
protection which our fellow-subjects in the united king-
dom can reasonably expect as respects the imports from
a colony situated at such a distance from the mother
country, and with ports closed to commerce for so large
a portion of the year. And we the more confidently
appeal to your Majesty's justice upon this point as the
relief we seek in this particular is in strict accordance
with the very principles upon which the charges that we
deprecate are based, as well
received through your Majesty' as through the assurance
s Secretary of State, that
it is the desire of your Majesty's Government that the
trade of Canada should in all respects approach as nearly
to perfect freedom as the wishes of the inhabitants and
the exigencies of the public revenue may permit.
" While the subject that we have thus brought under
the notice of your Majesty embraces other points re-
quiring the gravest deliberation, and calling for the most
favourable consideration on the part of the imperial au-
thorities, your Majesty's faithful Commons have felt it
to be their duty to your Majesty, to the Imperial Par-
liament and the mother country, and to their own con-
stituents, to lose no time in at once approaching your
Majesty with the declaration of their views upon that
part of it embraced in their present address, and to
which, renewing their assurance of devoted attachment
to your Majesty's person and Government, they ear-
nestly entreat your Majesty's most gracious and favour-
able consideration.

" Attested,
" W. B. LINDSAY, Clerk of Assembly.
" Legislative Assembly, Tuesday, May 12, 1846."
The following is Mr. Gladstone's reply :
"Downing-street, June 3.
"My Lord,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of
your Lordship's dispatch, No. 54, of the 13th of May,
transmitting to me, for presentation to her Majesty, an
address which has been voted by her Majesty's loyal
subjects the Commons of Canada. In this address it is
set forth that the Assembly of Canada regard the adop-
tion of the principle of commercial intercourse now
under the consideration of the Imperial Parliament with
serious apprehension and alarm, and various grounds
are stated for entertaining such impressions. Her Ma-
jesty has been pleased to receive this address with the
fullest confidence in the loyalty and intelligence of her
1 faithfv.l Commons of Canal,. ; but it is with sincorQ eon-
cern that her Majesty has learned the existence, iu such
a quarter, of anticipations of such a character.
~ I have it in command from her Majesty to address