North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1841-01-26
Original.
HISTORY or LOWER CANADA.
(cosrIRUEp.)


We shall now dwell a few moments on
the separate despatch OF Lord Goodrich
IN the management Of The crown and
Clergy lands ,9ur readers will bear in mind
ths, one eevenlh part OF al the crown
lands in Lower Canada, is set apart Tor
the support of The established church"
If Englaod. The uuwise and prod eaI
msnarI ia which the Crown lands had
been administered up 10 that period, was
notorious cause ri loss and ruin 10 the
Province. The wasieiui system upon
which that public department was con-
Quoted, was designed TO enrich certain
tsvoti,c class whilst the honest but poor
,arn,rr was unable to settle on those
lan,ls. Blind drvoicdness 10 the will
aud caprice nt The Governors ar oil some
III their cherished nnious, was a sure path
t" The possession Of some thousand acres
81 this property. This gave large estates
intn the haess Of lew individuals whilst
the maSs nf ,te people (bolh The natives
snd the emigtau,s) could scarcely obtain
iand sufficient Tor building lots. Our rea-
tirfs have seen that The House OF Assem-
NV had complained Of the ili-use oi that
public property Ia which every Esgilsh
subject ough, TO have had a tree and un-
embarrassed access, by paying only the
ices inf Surveying and for drawing the IL
ties 81 the property. Lord Goodrich in
1T. despatch after having fully recognized
nIi The evils ia relation 10 the management
al lhe Crown lands, finishes by recon-
amending that they should in future be sold
nj public auction. His avowed object,
make a settlement on these lands, yet he
should have known that poor farmers have
no, slwavs sufficient money in hand to
compete with the rich man at pnblic snc-
isa. The best lots then were to be sold
10 The rich mt whilst the poor were to be
accommodated with the refuse lands, yet
lord Goodrich called this good system for
improving the public lands. Instead Of
following the advice Of the House which
was for projecting the poorer class, the
Colonial minister was for continuing under
another shape the Executive patronage 10
land jobbers and finally The hes, and the
greatest part Of these valuable lands were
given for mere nominal price to q com
pany of land specuators residing in Loa-
don and the poor Frcnch Canadians to-
gether with The honest and enterprising
emigrsnt had before their eyes but the
melancholy prospect OF living as serf' I'M
der those lorGly proprie!ors. We ask
again who after such fsgrant denial OF
Justice can have con6Jeaee in the iniegri-
" Of Colonial minister who never pro-
misrs but to disappoint, or pledges but to
deceive the people.
The Imperial Parliament had dehnliive-
Nv passed law 10 put under the controui
al The House Of Assembly OF Lower Can
ada the monies levied under the British
ACT OF the i4th George 81. chap. IS, and
as we have already been Informed the
act allowing The Coloaisl Legislature 10
regulate the tenure Of the public lands.
As we have said The Legislative Council
composed Of fempsrai Lords could not be
prevailed upon 10 concur in project 30
useful which Mr.. Nelson had originated
10 that effect ia the Lower House. Thus
this valuable measure which would have
res,nrrd confidence and uniformity 10 the
tenure of lands in the Province. was susn-
Rlrd by their Canadian Lordships who de-
lighted 10 injustice, AID were beat on
csratiag 50 sr:stoetscy 10 tht Provinrr.