North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-08-21
From the Montreal Courier.
THE PRESENT CONDITION or
CANADA COMPARED WITH
THE UNITED STATES.

sboss the wn1k 81 discovering the cause Of
the backward Condition 81 Canada, CON
psfrd with that oF the territories inmcdi-
aiey adjoining: We speak not DOW At the
condition of the United States. a. exhibit
ted along The Atlsallc bordef magnificent
eilsrs ace seen ihrfe, which have been
created by advantages greater, a thousand
fold. Than any ouf courtry possesses but
oil the condition al thai portion ui the I'M.
ted States, in our ueigbborhooj, and, 10
every natural advantage, o. disadvantage
similarly eiFcumkianeed.
As their natural advantages are precisely
the same, it follows, the cause Of the anna
ring difference observable in the condition
81 the two COUNTRIES is artificial, in other
words, that II is attributable 10 olieumstan-
ccs produced, OF brought about, by The
sgency of man. IL is therefore evident,
that the cause is uaceable either, LIST, to
the influences Of the institutions OF the res
pcctiye governments 2nd, 10 the manner
in which the administration ri pubic az
fairs has been conducted in these pFoyin-
ces, under those institutions; or, 3rd, To
the neglect Of the interests oI Canada in
particular. and 10 those interests being
made subservieni TO what is considered to
be the general Imperial interest.
With regard To the first point, we have
already expressed the opinion, that the
difference so apparent IN the condition of
the two counties, does not arise out of the
differing institutions OF Government, for,
Wills, We frankly declare our opinion that
there is, il we may so express ourselves,
more elbow room afforded the human
mind, under Republican form of govern
ment, than under Monarchca that
there is an elasticity, an irrepressibe ac
uyity, communicated to the WHOLE MASS
or MIND, under tie former, which is in
,efered with, in some degree, by certain |
influences under The latter whist we de-
clare this opinion, yet we do not believe
the interference OF these influences, is, by |
any means, such as to prevent this coun-
try, under its ruling Institutions, from III
valing the United States. We see Moth
ing in limited Constitutional monarchy
that would Justify the Republican who
should declare, that the prosperity of the
Canadas had been obsirucIed by British
OF government. We deem it
TO say another word regard
ing the difference OF the institutions of
government, az means Of accounting for
the marked difference in the condition of
the two countries, more than we have de.
clared 10 previous number, namely, that
We did not believe the difference was trace
able TO differing institutions.
We come now, 10 the second point.
namely, the manner in which the admin. $
sira'ion Of public affairs, has been con-
lucIed in these provinces under those in !
,iitutions.
The settlement Of the wild lands. By an /
Industrious population, was the first step ,
or the government execute this task, his q
niy ! No measures were adopted Tor .
etlling the wild lands until within the n
ast twenty-three years, and then upon n
cry small scale, and more as an expert !.
bent than as system on the contrary,
ne government neglected To adopt those O
Measures, and 20 act upon those plans, for /,
heir settlement, necessary 10 attain the 4
beet. The allotment Of every other lot 5,
land, as crown reserve or clergy re- a
rrve, was serious impeachment to their G
sitlemeni, and is TO this hour the poor y,
nan had great difficulty in obtaining a IL n
e To lands, large blocks of land, and, in a.
,me cases, whole townships, were given i,
officials, or those, having interest with ~
meals, either here or TO home "a sys- =.
IN, OF which these are some Of the fea- n,
Tres, need not be further commented on, :,
} shew that the government has not done ~
9 duty In the country. We might I'll b.
oxen columns of our journal with de- h;
'riptions Of the innumerable crimes Of 4;
mission, in the land granting departments 70
the two provinces. Who has not heard o,
the difficulty 10 the way OF obtaining lots -
lsnd even after their selection, by some s.
,'d-hearted yeomsn, who had plunged ~
tn the woods 10 choose for himself He a,
ID been obliged, after this, to perform Il
reraI journies TO Toronto,-ha been r.
'liged TO wait many days at each visit, ~
I'D before he could obtain his patent, or "a
cation ticket, he has often expended his !,
81 shilling, and thereby been prevented -
king possession Of his land until. bv two -
more years OF patient industry, be had Z,
blamed SUFFICIENT 10 enable him TO settle q,
u. Many hundreds, ave, tens of hun =
reds oil immigrants, have been driven &,
way to The United States, by such diff :,
liies. The price too Of lands. has been =,
lgh, compared with the government price !.
lands 10 The States: necessarily. t.ou =
'nds have abandoned Canada for the re. =,
ubiic, Many, If not most OF these. would =,
ave preferred location in this country. =,