North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1841-02-18

10 the extraordinary pfeiensiohs OF tue
Legislature OF the sister Province. That
body had in q petition TO the King OF Eng
land represented its pretended false geo.
graphical position < as being deprived oil
sea port and was moderately asking from
the English government that Lower Can
ada should be robbed Of the whole County
Of Vaudreul and the Island of Montreal,
for the purpose of being annexed to The
Upper Province. An energetic protest
was entered upon the journals oi The
House OF Assembly of Lower Canada a.
gainsi these unlounded pretensions OF the
sister Colony and an address TO the King
was voted on this subject.
Whilst Upper Canada was seeking for
portion Of the territory Of the Lower Pro-
vince, New Brunswick was also demand
ing her share Of the spoiIs. The District
OF Gaspe was coveted by the people of
New Brunswick and petitions got up and
signed by the diseontented supporters Of
| the SO often expelled member Mr.. Christie,
were sent TO England to that effect. But
the House of Assembly again remonstra-
ced against this malicious and wiliu! at
tempt to rob the Province of Lower Can
ada which had already since the English
conquest lost too much Of its territory.
But all these hostile demonstrations were
but the prelude Of the shameful drama
which was 10 be enacted eight years alter
wards, the passage Of the Union bill.
Let US now turn our eyes from these
open violations OF the privileges OF the re-
preventative body and from these avarici-
Gus encroachments upon the territorial
rights Of the Province, and let US call the
attention OF our readers to the proceedings
of the House OF Assembly on the compost
ton Of the second branch of the Legisla-
ture. Those who have read attentvely
the constitutional act Of 1871 must be ac-
quainted with the fact that the nonina-
ton of the Legislative Councillors was
entirely left to the crown, thus giving 10
the King the power Of naming two bran
ches OF the local government, whilst the
people were allowed but the simple cleo
ton Of the members of the lower branch. |
Experience had evidently demonstrated
that this anomaly in British North Amer
lea was deep source OF aggravated misery
to the Colonies which enjoyed such sys-
TEN Of government. While The United
States were yet under the English depen-
dency, some Of the Colonies had been al
lowed 10 name two branches of their Lee
gislature and these Colonies so favored
were among the lasl to consent TO a separ-
alton from Great Britain. 1t is reasonable
TO suppose that the greater the lat
ltude of liberty given to the people, the
greater will be the attachment of that peo-
pie to the source from which emanates the
liberty which they enjoy. For then from
calling revolutionary the idea OF introduc-
ing the elective principle into the second
branch of the Lower Canadian Legisla-
ture, the Imperial government ought to
have viewed it in more propitious light
and as calculated to strengthen the bonds =
between Great Britain and the Colony +,
blessed with such a reform. The report /,
Of the committee Of the House of Com
mons in England on the grievances of ,
Canada, had set forth the well founded
doctrine that the Canadians ought not to
have any cause to envy any thing in the !,
government of their American neighbours.
One Of the deputies of l.. Canada sent to
England in 1923 had said before that same
committee tina, if simple reform in the
Legislative Council did not answer the an
icipa;ed result, it would then be proper to
ender that body elective. 1t was after
he frui,less and unavailing attempts made I
Turing the four years preceding, that the I
House of Assembly came to the determine t
tlon that nothing short of the introduce a
ion Of the elective principle in the con- s
tuition Of the Legislative Council, could l.
estore peace and harmonv ia the Colonv n