The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-14 00:00:00

CANADA.

MESSAGE of his Excellency C. POULETT THOMSON, Go-
vernor. General of British North America, to the legisla-
ture of Upper Canada, recommending the new plan for the
union of the two Canadas, delivered at Toronto on Satur-
day, December 7th, 1839.
HONORABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUN-
CIL, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.—In
pursuance of the intention expressed in his speech from the
throne, the governor-general desires now to bring under the
consideration of the House of Assembly, the subject of the
.re-union of this province with Lower Canada, recommended
by her majesty in her gracious message to both houses of par-
liament, on the 3d of May last.
For several years the condition of the Canadas has occu-
pied a large portion of the attention of parliament. That they
should be contented and prosperous—that the ties which bind
them to the parent state should be strengthened—that their
administration should be conducted in accordance with the
wishes of the people, is the ardent desire of every British
statesman; and the experience of the last few years, amply
testifies that the imperial parliament has been sparing neither
of the time it has devoted to the investigation of their affairs,
nor of the expenditure it has sanctioned for their protection.
The events whi,:h have marked the recent history of Lower
Canada are so familiar to the House of Assembly, that it is
unnecessary for the governor-general further to allude to
them. There the constitution is suspended, but the powers
of the government are inadequate to permit of the enactment
of such permanent laws as are required forthe benefit of the
people.
Within this province the finances are deranged, public im-
provements are suspended, private enterprise is checked, the
tide of emigration, so essential to the prosperity of the coun-
try, and to British connexion, has ceased to flow—while by
many, the general system of government is declared to be
unsatisfactory.
After the most attentive and anxious consideration of the
state of these provinces, and the difficulties under which
they respectively labour, her majesty's advisers came to the
conclusion, that by their re-union alone, could these difficul-
ties be removed. During the last session of the imperial
legislature, they indeed refrained from pressing immediate
legislation, but their hesitation proceeded from, no doubt, as
to the principle of the measure or its necessity. It arose
solely from their desire to ascertain more fully the opinions
of the legislature of Upper Canada, and to collect informa-
tion from which the details might be rendered more satis•
factory to the people of both provinces.
The time then, is now arrived, beyond which a settlement
cannot be postponed. In Lower Canada it is indispensable
to afford a safe and practicable return to a constitutional go-
vernment. And so far as the feelings of the inhabitants can
be there ascertained, the measure of the re-union meets with
their approbation.
In 1.) pper Canada it is no less necessary to enable the pro-
vince to meet her financial embarrassments, and to proceed
in the developments of her natural resources. There are
evidently no means in this province of fulfilling the pecuni-
ary obligations which have been contracted, but by a great
increase in the local revenues. But so long as Lower Canada
remains under her present form of government, neither pro-
vince possess any power over the only source from which that
increase can be drawn, nor, even were it possible to restore a
representative constitution to Lower Canada, unaccompanied
by the re-union, would the position of this province be much
improved, since past experience has shown the difficulty of
procuring assent to any alteration of the customs laws
suggested from home.
This province has engaged in undertakings which reflect
the highest honour on the enterprise and industry of her in-
habitanti. The public works which she has completed or
commenced, have been conceived in a spirit worthy of a suc-
cessful result, but additional means are indispensable to
avert the ruin of some, and secure the completion of others.
Nor will that alone uffice.
Lower Canada holds the key to
s
all those improvements ; without her co-operation, the na-
vigation for which nature has done so much, for which the
province has so deeply hurthened itself, must remain incom-
plete, and a barrier be opposed to the development of these
great natural resources which the hand of Providence has so
lavishly bestowed on this country.
..With a view to remove all these difficulties, to relieve the
financial embarrassments of Upper Canada, to enable her to
coniplete her public works, and develope her agricultural ca-
pabilities, to restore constitutional government to Lower
Canada, to establish a fitm, impartial, and vigorous govern-

ment for both, and to unite the people within the m, in on
common feeling of attachment to British institutions and
British connexions, the union is decreed by her Majesty's
government ; and that measure alone, if based on just prin-
ciples, appears adequate to the occasion.
Those principles in the opinion of her Majesty's advisers
are, a just regard to the claims of either province, in adjust-
ing the terms of the union, the maintenance of the three es-
tates of the provincial legislature, the settlement of a perma-
nent civil list, for securing the independence of the judges—
and to the executive government, that freedom of action
which is necessary for the public. good • and the establish-
ment of a system of local government, adapted to the wants
of the people.
. It was with greatsatisfaction thather Majesty's Govern-
ment learnt that upon the question of the union itself the
House of Assembly had pronounced their decided judgment
during the last session; and it only remains for the Gover-
nor-general now to write their assent to the terms upon
which it is sosuglieto be-effeCted.
That decision was ordered, accompanied with recommenda-
tions, to which the Government could not agree—but the
Governor-general entertains no doubt, that under the altered
circumstances they will no more be revived. It will be for
the Imperial Parliament, guided by their intimate knowledge
of. constitutional .law; and 'free from the bias of local feelings
and interests to arrange the-details of the measure.
The first of the terms of re-union to which the governor-
general desires the assent of the House of Assembly is the
equal representation of each province in the united legisla-
ture. Considering the amount of the population of Lower
Canada, this proposition might deem to place that, province
in a less favourable position than Upper Canada. But under
the circumstances in which this province was placed, with the
increasing population to be expected from emigration, and
having regard to the commercial and agricultural enterprise
of its inhabitants, an equal apportionment of representation
appears desirable.
The second stipulation to be made is the grant of a suffi-
cient civil list. The propriety of rendering the judicial bench
independent alike of the executive and of the legislature, and
of furnishing the means of carrying on the indispensable ser-
vices of the government, admits of no question, and has been
affirmed by the parliament of Upper Canada, in the acts
passed by them for effecting those objects. In determining
the amount of the civil list, the House of Assembly may be
assured that the salaries and expenses to be paid from it will
be calculated from her Majesty's government, with a strict
regard to economy, and the state of the provincial finances.
Thirdly, the kovernor.general is prepared to recommend
to parliament that as mkich of. the existing debt of Upper
Canada as has been contracted for public works of a general
nature, should, after the union, be charged on the joint reve-
nue of the united province. Adverting to the nature of the
works, for which this debt was contracted, and the advantage
which must result from them to Lower Canada, it is not un-
just that that province should bear a proportion of their ex-
pense.

• On these principles the governor-general is of opinion that
a re-union of the two provinces may be effected, equitable
and satisfactory in its terms, and beneficial in its results to
all classes. He submits them to the consideration of the

House of Assembly, in the full conviction of their impor-
tance, and in the hope that they will receive the assent of
the house. Fortified by the expression of their opinion, her
Majesty's government and parliament will be able at once to
apply themselves to the full development of the scheme, and
to the consideration of the provisions by which it may be
carried into effect with the greatest advantage to the people
of both provinces.
If, in the course of their proceedings, the House of As-
sembly should desire any information which it is in the power
of the governor-general to afford, they will find him ready
and anxious to communicate with them frankly and fully,
and to aid,, by all means in his power, that settlement on
which he firmly believes that the future prosperity and ad-
vancement of these colonies mainly depend.