The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-12
Our Canadian Correspondence.

he account gave, IN my last, OF the manner
in which The proceedings are conducted in the
gislature here, must have satisfied every reflect. q
person whe perused it, of the absurdty of suppo-
sing that people who are so accustomed to the
etiquette and ceremonial of monarchy, could be-.
all at once, transformed into republicans, or be-
satisfied with republican simplicity. And this feel
ing will be strengthened, when the immense terri
:. is considered, which the annexationists pro.
noss chs pass from under the dominion of Great
Britain. and be .-ome part and parcel of rival
nation.
The bill, which recently failed in the Assembly,
for increasing the repre- sentation of Canada defines
the boundaries of the several counties, Of winch
there are nc less than foI;y four in Lower Canada,
with four cities or towns; and torty-spe countess
with eight cities or towns, In Upper Canada. or
the former, twenty seven counties are on the south
side of the ST. Lawrence; and seven of those on
the other side extend to the remote boundaries Of
the Hudson Bay Company; comprising an extent Of
territory-of the magnitude Of which no one cam
form a conception, who has not referred to the
map of North America-which was wrested from,
the French by the ndomitable perseverance and
energy Of the Anglo Saxon race; and the conquest
Of which was ultimately achieved by the immortal
Wolfe, and his no less gallant companions in arms.
BY the bill alluded to, Ainety-six counties or
rulings, in both sections Of the province, were to
send each two members; and thirty six, including
Bell and Gray, Huron and Bruce, and Baeot and
Montsguais, which. were TO be united for repre-
sentation, were 10 send one member each; Two
cities, Montreal and Quebec, were to send three
members each one city, Toronto, two members;
the cities of Hamilton and Kingston and the towns
of Three Rivers, Sherbrooke, Bytown, London,
Niagara, Brockville, and Cornwall, one member
each making an entire total for both sections of
the province, of one hundred and fifty members.
The chief objections to this bill, were, its per-
petuatng the distinction between the two sections
of the province, and fixing representation Of both
on the basis OF the present population, which,,
however proper the abstract, would not be appca
Die to The future require men;s ct colony, whose
inhabitants in one section of the province are ra-
pidly increasing, while those Of the lower remains
almost stationary; and giving TO its prejudced and
generally ignorant people, that undue control in
the Legislature, as it were in perpetuity, which,
they exercise at present; by which the govern
ment of the day, let il belong to what party il may,
are enabled 10 carry out its measures, be they night
or wrong.
As has already been stated the bill was thrown
out, the union act requiring that twothirds Of the
for any change in the representation, before
a bill to that effect can he passed. This
act, however, does not prevent the better adjust
ment of the present representation and, conse-
quently, bill has already been introduced by the
government, for altering the representation q one
or two countess to meet the wishes and the better
to make known the views of their inhabitants.
There was another restriction imposed by the act
of union, which, while it destroyed many corrupt
practices that prevailed with r. "ee 10 appro-
priating the revenue of the pro fortunately
gives the government the power u. rejecting, ia
limime, any application for mo vs, Of which they
may not approve.
This was exempliied on Friday. In former
letter, gave brief account OF the Welland Canal,
which connects Lake Ontario with Lake Erie,
terminating at Port Dalhousie. Now, this har-
Dor is twelve miles to the W. stward of the mouth
Of Niagara river, and 10 on the opposite side OF
Lake Ontario; and competent judges have esti-
mated the loss, in time and money, by the outlet
~ LA kAn shavA srotA IS
of Niagara river, at $50 ,000 per annum, besides
the risk incurred at present, by dangerous navi-
cation, which would be avoided, were the termi--
nus of the Weland Canal at the latter point; which
might be effected, by constructing branch canal
of about ten miles in length, to connect with the
main canal at Thorald, thus giving another en-
trance.
gress, to the waters Of the two lakes, by
canal through the American territory, owing to
this disadvantage, which would be rendered unne-
cessary were the Weland Canal to connect at Ma
CARA; consequently, desire has become prevalent
that this Improvement should be effected, and a
petition has been presented to the Legislature,
during the present session, signed by SO persons,
representing capital embarked in shipping aud
commerce of at least ten millions Of dollsrs. on
these are residents of the United States-24S mer--
chants, IS2 captains of vessels, lis owners Of
steamers and other vessels, IL representatives Of
insurance companies, and AZ forwarders; and re-
sdents Of Csnada-l54 merchants, 80 captains of
vessels, and representatives OF insurance COM
Pariesn
motion was made in the Assembly, on FridAy
evening, TO refer this petition to select committee
to report upon. But, as it was considered to con-
tam an implied application for provincial aid the
Speaker ruled that the motion could not be enter
tanned being in con,ravenlion of the union act.
and il was consequently Withdrawn. / regret to
say that this application was opposed by the mem
bers OF the government on that ground, although
they expressed every Willingness to grant charter
to any company which might apply for one, with a
The project has again been revived, 10 connect
Toronto with Lake Huron, to which alluded in a
former letter, and towards which, the corporation
of Toronto were expected to take ElOO, 600
IN stock. Nothing daunted by the apathy mani
tested here as respects this undertaking, Mr.. Ca
preo, an enterprisng inhabtant Of Toronto has re-
Gently been to Portland, and returned with letter
from Messrs. John M. Wood g. Co.. Of that city,
extensive railroad contractors, offering, il Gl50000
In reliable stock shall be subscribed by the citizens
OF Toronto and the inhabitants on the line Of the
proposed rarosd Or IL the corporations Of Toronto.
and the Smcoe district-ihe latter Of which prou1pt-
ly agreed to subscribe their quota of Go. 900
would unite with individual subscription. ana
make up 9l50,O00, they would subscribe the re-
naming stock, and complete the road in two years,
$4,000 per mile.
The Finance Committee, to which was referred
the subject Of retrenchment, have not vet made
any report, and expect their labors will be per-
fectly nugatory. | mentioned, some time since
that they had recommended that the Governor
Generals salary should be reduced oae half-that
" to E3,0O0 currency; but during the rast week,
me government, which has a preponderance in
the con mttee, has coDtrived TO have the matter.
referred TO the Colonial Secretary in England who
has already expressed himself opposed to any re-
duction
4, The conductors Of the press met in convention
4 ist week, principally on the subject Of postage
among other reforms, they recommend that there
snail De no postage on papers between this Pro-
vince and the United States, on account of the
short distance they are sent before they reach the
lines. They have also resolved to be less acrimo-
nous IN conducting their journals in failure. The
Earl OF Elgin, with much good feeling, invited tb.,
convention 10 dine with his Excelency; bat they
mo The bad tasie 10 put the invitation 10 vote
which was csnied in the negative. The con,li.
ment was evidently intended for the press of the
country, and may be considerd as paid to the
corps editorial; their declining TO accept IT, there
,ofe, was not only gratuitous insult offered to a
British nobleman-the representative OF fb~ir
sovereign, and an excellent maH--hut was COM
promtiing their brethren Of the profe ssion every
1 hsW. 10 a