The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-05-03 00:00:00

remains now formed a portion of the soil of his (Sir. A.
Nl`Nab's) native land. (Cheers.) This was not a fitting oc-:

casion to enter upon a lengthened history of the politics of
that interesting colony ; but as he felt that he owed this sig-
nal mark of their approbation to the part he lately took in
its defence, he hoped he should be excused for bringing under
their notice some of the events which occurred previously to
that period, as well as during that important crisis. In 1834,
a member of the imperial parliament, he believed for the first
time in colonial history, ventured to advise the people re-
siding in a British colony to dissever their allegiance from
the parent state. (Hear, hear.) Deriving the information
be possessed from the most corrupt sources, he stated, to the
utter astonishment of the colonists, that the crisis had arrived
which would terminate in their independence, and, as if eager
for the fulfilment of his prophecy, he accordingly advised
them to throw off the " baneful domination of the mother

country"—(loud cries of hear)—and with a view to encourage
them in this rebellion, he recommended them to keep the

,
conduct of the United States and the results ever in view.
Of course, language like this could not fail to produce the
most injurious effects ; nevertheless, it requires not great
discernment to foresee that such were not the sentiments of
the descendants of the loyalists, and of a vast majority of the
people of Upper Canada. Astounded at this treasonable
doctrine, so audaciously recommended by a member of the
British House of Commons, he cheerfully joined his fellow-
subjects in the district of Gore publicly to repudiate these
sentiments, and they had the gratification of proceeding,
more than 1000 in number, 45 miles, to Toronto, to lay be-
fore the lieutenant-governor of the province (now Lord
Seaton), in the form of an address, their firm and solemn re-
solution to uphold the authority of Great Britain—our con-
nexion with the parent state—or perish in the attempt.
(Cheers.) The occasion was too solemn for any hasty mea-
sure—it was the stern dictate of a faithful duty. They

clearly foresaw, then, that if this treasonable advice was no
indignantly rejected by the deople of England, that the ne,

cessity would very shortly arrive for putting the sincerity o

our pledge to the- test. Accordingly. in 1837 this anticipa-
tion was amply fulfilled, during the absence of all military
power in Upper Canada. Mr. Mackenzie, obediently following
the advice of Mr. Hume—(hear)—and thinking the crisis he
had alluded to had arrived, boldly stepped forward, with the
dagger in one hand and Mr. Hume's letter in the other—
(hear)—determined to try by force whether he could not
throw off' what Mr. Hume had termed " the baneful domi-
nation of the mother country." He knew that the lower
province was then in a most fearful condition, and that hosts
of armed American sympathisers were prepared to pour in
from the United States to make Canada a second Texas. He
knew that the province, both in front and rear, was sorely
pressed; but happily for the country its destinies were then
confided to a governor who justly appreciated the sterling
character of the people, and who, being left without a sol-
dier, threw himself for protection on the militia of the pro-
vince ; and the result of his confidence thus reposed, afforded
to the people of Great Britain a solid proof that their fellow-
subjects in Upper Canada were prepared to maintain their
connexion with them, and resist with their lives every at-
tempt made to dissolve it. (Loud cheers.) It was not his
intention to fatigue them with a narrative of events which
then occurred, nor the part which (thanks to the gallant men
that supported him) it was his good fortune to have taken
with regard to them. They secured him the approbation of
his most gracious sovereign, of her majesty's representatives
in both provinces, as well as the approval of all the legislative
bodies in British North America. (Cheers.) These he pre-
sumed were the introductions and the credentials which had
procured for him this mark of their regard, and he trusted
he estimated them as he ought on this his first visit to the
British isles. Having been daring four successive parlia-

ments a member of the Commons House of Assembly—
having been elected speaker of that house with but one dis-
senting voice (the individual who gave that vote being now
an outlawed traitor,) it would not, he hoped, be considered
egotistical in him to claim the right of speaking of that pro-
vince with something like authority. He did so particularly
on this occasion, because it was in the presence of those who
bad always felt a warm interest in the colonies, and a sincere
regard for their fellow-subjects residing therein. When
Upper Canada was first settled, in 1780, by the late la-
mented General Simcoe, he was accompanied to the province
by several of his gallant companions in arms, who had
fought many a hard battle in favour of the British crown
during the revolutionary contest. The names of some of
thoseindividuals could not but be familiar to their ears, as
they bad frequently been stigmatised before the -world as
" the Family Compact." He must confess that, previous
to the unfortunate report of the late Lord Durham, he did
not comprehend who were the "family compact." He re-
garded it as a common-place term, applied by the outs
against the ins; but in that report they were particularly
described as "native-born Canadians, and those who emi-
grated to Canada previous to the last American war ;" they
were then, in fact, the decendants of those veteran soldiers
who gave up extensive and valuable possessions in the United
States rather than forfeit their allegiance to the British
crown—(hear, hear,)—and those who emigrated to that
colony previous to the year 1812. They were, in fact, those
men and their descendants who rallied round General Brock,
and accompanied him to Detroit, and captured that fort with
General Hull and his army, and, in conjunction with the
British troops and the warriors of the six tribes of native
Indians, fought the battle of Queenston, and drove the army
of Americans in the Niagara river. They were, in fact, the
men who (in a great measure) defended the province during
the last American war, when this country was occupied in a
most momentous struggle. They were the men who, in
conjunction with the king's troops, took the whole line of
frontier from the Americans, and who had ever displayed the
warmest affection to the British constitution, and who, if
they were a " family compact," it could not be denied,
were greatly attached to their parent, for whom they have
ever displayed the warmest, the fondest, and most inviolable
attachment. lf, then, this were the " family compact,"
he must here publicly declare that he gloried in being a
member of such a family. (Cheers.) But this cry against the
" family compact" was raised—by whom? Why, by Mr.
Mackenzie and other needy and greedy adventurers, who
sought to deprive the old public servants of the country of
all participation in the patronage of the crown they had de-
fended ; and so successful had been this cry, that at the pre-
sent moment, he regretted to say, but one native Canadian
was in the executive council of the province, while some
honourable gentlemen (who, under the new form of govern-
ment, introduced into the colony by the late governor-gene-
ral, now assisted in administering the government of that
province),. had not been in that country half a dozen years.
(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") Lord Glenelg's dispatch
was founded on principles of justice, the Canadians required
nothing more ; but how far the faith of govetnment pledged
to the people of Canada in that dispatch had been carried
out, reference to the dispatch, the appointments made in the
colony since, and the journals of parliament, would distinctly
show. (Loud and continued cheering.) During the admi-
nistration of the late Lord Sydenham, for the first time in
his life, he (Sir A. M`Nab) found himself in opposition to
the policy of the executive government. He did, he openly
acknowledged, differ materially from the government on se-
veral important questions, viz., the concessions made by the
government through its officers in the house, and now re-
corded on the journals of parliament, in favour of what was
termed " responsible government," but he should offer no
remark upon this eventful concession, because as the govern-
ment had conceded the point, the people of course would now
act upon it—the awful responsibility of this mighty change in
colonial government would rest upon those who made the con-
cession, and not upon the man who, like himself, opposed it in
every. stage. He also, he freely acknowledged, opposed the
district council bill in all its stages. He opposed the general
naturalisation bill. and he gave his hearty and best assistance
to investigate the grave and serious charges connected with the
freedom of election in both provinces. His opposition to those
measures arose from an honest conviction that they were cal-
culated to weaken that connexion of the colony with the mother
country which it had ever been his desire to strengthen. With
these general observations, which, in justice to the part he
took, be bad felt it requisite to make, he left this subject, and
should proceed to what was much more agreeable to his
feelings, as he thought it would prove to theirs, by showing
what the province of Canada really was, and how, in his
humble opinion, it should be estimated by the people of this
country. Their constitution was similar to that of England,
the civil and criminal code was nearly the same in England
and Western Canada. Their soil was not surpassed by any
portion of America. Their climate was certainly equal to
that of England. Their debt was about £1.300,000, not one
sovereign per head of the population. Their revenue was
chiefly derived from duties on imports, the legislature had
made ample provision for the interest, and they had the pledge
of her Majesty's government for £1,500,000 to complete their
public improvements which, when finished, would greatly
augment the provincial revenues. Their debt bad been con-
tracted in the prosecution of public works of great utility,
and, when completed, would not be surpassed on the conti-
nent of America. Their population in Western Canada had
increased in 40 years from 60,000 to 500,000. Within the
last few years the Rideau Canal had been completed, the cost
of which had been upwards of £1,000,000 sterling; the
Welland Canal about half the amount; the St. Lawrence
Canal was in progress, and would soon be completed ; the
Burlington Bay Canal had cost £45,000, and when the Great
Western-road, from the head of Lake Ontario to the foot of
Lake Huron, and from Burlington Bay to Port Dover, on
Lake Erie, was completed, the trade of the great western
world would be thrown into the St. Lawrence by a canal of
sixtyjno miles. (Hear (Hear hear.) The debt of the state of New
York, after all thei;improvements were completed, was four
"into greater than that of Canada ; and those who examine
making respective securities would not hesitate to prefer
foreign
statinvestments in a British province rather than in a

DREADFUL CASE OF INFANTICIDE.-At Everton, near
Bawtry, an inquest was held on the 22nd instant, on the
deceased was the illegitimate body of a new horn male infant child. It appeared that the
itenthuse.
of the Rev. Mr. Snltiltlimate child of Mary Milnes, a servant
had been about two months. of Everton, in whose service she
(Thurday), Dr. Hall, of She being ill on the 21st
once discovered that she hadrd, was sent for, when lie at
recently. The girl persisted at been delivered of a child
afterwards stated that she hadit first in her innocence, but
given birth to a small child,
and she had given it to the do
Dr. Hall discovered that a full grown
child was wrapped up
searching, however,
nethroat mattress
been
e e
nand
dreadfully feather
in a gown, and secreted betweenThthe
bed, on which she was lying.
of
The
child had
presented a most
appalling sight ; for not only had the
girl
cuto
he
rcut, even through the spine, but the mouth
been cut on each side, as if to stop its cries.
sub-
sequently confessed her guilt, and stated that sheha
child's tilroat with a dessert knife, which was found
sink in the back kitchen, partly covered with blood. nVer the
Wilful murder" against Mary Milnes, who was
committed committed by the coroner to take her trial at the next as •
• sizes,
at Nottingham.