The Sun.
London, England, 1858-08-10 00:00:00

The following -se ry sensible remarks were made
by the Hon. Mr. Harwood, a gentleman who
is allied to a French-Canadian heiress, and enjoys
in consequence the title of Seigneur of Vaudreuil."
Mr. Harwood contended that " the people of Canada
had contributed their fair share towards developing the
greatness of the united province, Lower Canada had
greater territory than Upper Canada, he believed it
had at least an equal population, and it had posses-
sion of the sea-board. In these respects Lower
Canada stood in a position of' equality with Upper
Canada. It had been demonstrated that the St!
Lawrence was the best inlet into the heart of the
continent, and he thought it not at all improbable
that 50 years hence Montreal or Quebec would be
the largest port in America. He thought the two
provinces could get on harmoniously. They had
made immense progress in material wealth shine the
union, and their best interests, he conceived, would
be injured by a severance." The debate on the im-
portant change contemplated by the motion was ad-
journed; but it is hardly probable that the question will
again engage the consideration of the house during
the present session. Everybody well knows that
differences exist between the two sections of the pro-
vince, and that without mutual concessions and
careful action, disruption of the union is not impos-
sible ; at the same time, there are few people indeed
who are so deluded as to believe that a severance of
the tie would be productive of advantage to either
Upper or Lower Canada ; and therefore the question
arises—Has the time arrived when a great constitu-
tional change has become necessary ? The answer
will be given during the interval between the present
and the next session of the Legislature, and it is
believed it will be in the affirmative, and that
a general federation of the British North
American provinces is the one great thing needful--
by the agency of which the British possessions in
North America are sure to march proudly onward
to greatness until they will become the governing
power of this continent.
The Ministry experienced their first real defeat of
the whole house during the past week. This occurred
when the motion for the third reading of the Cus-
toms and Excise Bill came on. The proposal to levy
duties on vessels entering the St. Lawrence was the
item which occasioned some defections in the ranks of
the Government supporters. Of course the tax
upon shipping was distasteful to the Quebec
tonnage duty was declared impolitic by a mem-
bers, and it was chiefly by their votes that the
majo-
ritypro-
posed
of two. It is thought the Government are not
sorry that the item should have been struck out of
the bill, although thereby some £17,000 per annum
will be lost to the revenue; but the policy of impo-
sition of a tax upon the shipping, even of an insigni-
ficant nature as regards amount, does not appear ad-
visable, especially when is is recollected that millionS
have been expended with a view to offer greater faci-
lities toshipping entering the ma'n artery of this
continent, and that to make the St. Lawrence the
great highway to the west has been the object of
much of our legislation and the ambition of most of
our prominent statesmen. The bill, as amended, has
since passed, and will no doubt come up in the
Upper House this day. With the success of the sub-
stantial portion of the new Tariff Bill, and probably
the passage of strong resolutions on the subject of
the Hudson's Bay territory, the session will be brought
to a close.
It would appear that some noise has been made
in the English journals about the expense incurred
by the raising of the 100th Regiment in this country.
It is well known here, however, that there are no
good grounds for complaint in regard to this matter.
The raising of such a spgiment in the first place was
quite an experiment, .and if the cost was somewhat
greater than might have been the case had the corps
been erbodied elsewhere, which is emphatically
denied here, there would have been no cause for
grumbling. But the l'act is the principal expense
tell upon the officers of the 100th, who had to raise
the men, and it is asserted that the Government
bounty allowed to reernts was smaller in amount
than that granted in similar cases in Britain.
At any rate, a despatch was received from the home
authorities highly laudatory of the efforts made by
parties here to raise the regiment, and of the rapidity
with which the same was embodied. It is to be
hoped that no stupid jealousy will prevail on the
subject of the Royal Canadian Regiment, the creation
of which everybody on this side of the Atlantic looks
upon as being a master-stroke of policy and well
worth double the amount of money f xpended on the
experiment.
The rumour that Sir E. L. B. Lytton intends to
submit the charter of the Hudson's 33ay CenaPan.
to the l; gal test has been received with much ,___
se,ths,T Pn:oo3 t
bill
reserved
satis-
faction. Already the new Colonial Secretary has
e
acquired a degree of popularity here
well for the future.
which augurs
has been considered
West Transportation Company,
fully
in committee, when a debate took ,
Mr. Dawson's bill, to incorporate the North-
to the lludson's Bay territory. On the occasion one
efforts, of course, wilt
shadowing forth the feeling of the, house in regard
of the most prominent Oppositic es members called.
rttiOtubbist
obeutd,
the
gettinghu
for the signification of her Majesty's " pleasure; but
battling
it is hoped the Government -
braSsi-erlyGfoer°.thSeincOPZetalnsi,s. Ilia
Governor-General will be no and, at any rate, tk.e
ir"el3ctoettlhtsoi:veasrdosf
party to , such a we,ve-
malt.
Accounts of the crops• are conflic ng. le many
destru
localities the weevil has been ti
give ; u c others
great expectations of a good harvest are enti stained.
* Our correspondent mentioned tl ,e fact of tittle
existence lo a letter written about this t ijue last r sta.