The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-10-27
TO The PEOPLE OF CANADA.

that afiictOur country, and the universal an
increasing depression Of its material inter
ests, call upon all persons animated by
sincere desire for its welfare, to combin
for the purposes Of inquiry and preparation
with a view to the adoption OF such rene
dies as a mature and dispassionate investi
cation may suggest.
Belonging TO all parties, origins, anC
creeds, but yet agreed upon the advantage
of cooperation for the performance OF I
common duty to ourselves and our county
growing out Of common necessity, we
have consented. in view Of brighter anc
happier future, TO merge In oblivion all
past differences, of whatever character, OF
attributable TO whatever source. In ap,
pealing to our Fellow Colonists to unite
with Us in this, our most needful duty, We
solemnly conlure them, as they desire a
successful issue, and the welfare Of their
country, to enter upon the task, at this
momentous crisis, in the same iTaternal
sPint.
The reversal Of the ancient policy Of
Great Britain, whereby she withdrew from
the Colonies their wonled protection in her
markets, mas produced the most disastrous
effects upon Canada. la surveying the
actual condition of the country, what but
ruin or rapid decay meets the eye! Our
Provincial Government and Civic Corpor-
atoms embarrassed; our Banking and other
securities greatly DEPRECATED; our Mercan,
llle and Agricultural interests alike unPros-
porous; real estate scarcely saleable upon
any terms; our unrivaled Rivers, Lakes and
Canals almost unused; while Commerce
abandons our shores, the circulating CAPT.
tai amassed under more favorable system,
is dissipated, with none from any quarter to
replace i'll Thus, without available CAPT.
tai, unable to effect a loan with Foreign
States. or with the Mother Country, al
though offering security greatly superior TO
that which readily obtains money both from
the United States and Great Britain, when
other than Colonists are the applicants
Crippled, therefore, and checked in the full
career Of private and public enterprise, this
possession Of the British CrOwn-our coun.
try-stands before the world in humiliating
contrast with its immediate neighbors, ex.
hibiting every symptom OF nation fast
sinking to decay.
With superintendent water.power and
cheap labor especially in Lower Canada,
We have Yet no domestic manufactures; nor
can the most ssnguine, unless under altered
circumstances, anticipate the home growth,
or advent from foreign parts, Of either CAPT.
tai or enterprise TO embark in this great
source of national wealth. Our institu-
tons, unhappily, have not that impress Of
permanence which can alone impart secu.
nty, and inspire confidence; and the Cana.
dian market is too limited to tempt the TO-.
eign capitalist.
While the adjoining States ere covered
with network Of thriving railways, Can |
ada possesses but three lines, which, togeth-
er, scarcely exceed 80 miles in length, and
the stock in two Of which is held at de- |
probation of from 80 to 50 per cent.-a
fatal symptom Of the torpOr oveTspreading
the land.
Our present form Of Provincial Govern
ment is cumbrous and so expensive as to
be ill-suited to the country; and the neces-
sary reference it demands to a distant Gov
eminent, imperieclly acquainted with Cana
dian affairs, and somewhat Indifferent to
our interests, is anomalous and irksome.-l
Yet, in the event Of rupture between two
Of the most powerful nations OF the world,
Canada would become the battle field and
the sufferer, however little her interests
might be involved in the cause Of quarrel
or the issue OF the contest.
The bitter animoSities OF political parties
and factions in Canada, often leading to
and upon one occasion to civil
war, seem not to have abated with time;
nor is there, at the present moment, any
prospect Of diminution OF accommodation.
The aspect Of parties becomes daily more
toward each other, and under
our existing institutions and relations. little
nope is discernible Of peaceful and pros
porous administration Of our affairs, but diff |
hculties will. to all appearance, accumulate
until Government becomes impracticable.
In this view Of our position, any course
that may promise to effsce existing party |
distinctions and place entirely new issues
before the people, must be fraught with un-
deniable advantages.
Among the Statesmen OF the Mother |
Country-among the sagscious observers Of
the neighboring Republican Canada-snd
all British North America-among all
classes, there is a strong petvading convic-
ton that political revolution in this coun.
try is at hand. Such forebodings cannot
readily be dlspelled, and they have, more
over, tendency to realize the events to
which they point. In the meanwhile, seri-
Gus injury results TO Canada from the effect
OF this anticipation upon the more desira-
Die class Of settlers, who naturally prefer a
country under fixed and permanent forms
Of government to one in state of transi-
ton.
Having thus adverted TO some Of the
causes OF our present evils, We would con-
sIder how Tar the remedies ordinarily pro-
posed possess sound and rational induce
ments to justify their adoption:
/. "The revival OF Protection in the mar
kets oil the United Kingdom"
This, il attainable in sufficient degree,
and guaranteed for long period Of years,
would ameliorate the condition OF many OF
Our chief interests, but the policy Of the
Empire forbids the anticipation. Beside,
1t would be but partial remedy. The
millions Of the Mother Country demand
cheap food; and second change from Pro-