The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-11

river st. Lawrence should be conceded to foreign
bottoms, and there be doubt that the British
minister at Washington will be authorized by the
imperial government, at an early day, to commu-
nicate this decision to the American Government
is 70 DC regretted that meddling persons in Mon
treal and elsewhere. who are entirely ignorant Of
the real state OF public opinion in the United States
are doing all in their power to embarrass the gov
eminent, and prevent the passage of the Recipro.
city BILL by advocating schemes which are utterly
impracticable and which can hive no othor ten
dency than to delude portion of the public in
both countries 4"
The last sentence is a repetition of the old
story with which Mr.. Inspector General HINcKs
contrved TO ward off the troublesome inquiries
OF inqulslive members during the last session
of Parliament. That gentleman has always
been, or iegned to be, convinced that he sue
ceeded in frightening Congress by the threats
held out during his mission to Washington last
year; and the paragraph of the Quebec Gazette
is proof that he still regards reciprocity as all
but accomplished 1t We're cruel to disturb a
belief 50 harmless yet so soothing.
Surprising the desires of the Canadian gov
| eminent to be of the nature indicated in regard
to the navigation of the St. Lawrence, there is
strong probability, amounting almost to Ger
talnty, that they have been completely thwarted
by the ministerial somerset that has just occur
red in England. Further commercial conces-
sons are the last thing to be expected from
Lord DERBY, or from the inexperienced ba-
ronet to whom he has entrusted the manage
ment Of colonial affairs. Sir John PAKING-
TON will make Canada feel that she is less free
than she supposes herself to be--that the St
Lawrence is not quite at her own dsposal-and
that the reinforcement Of differential duties is
vastly more likely than any such measure as
that promised by Mr.. HINcKs.
The Gaseiie'S allusion to ''meddling persons
in MONTREAL has reference, we presume, to a
scheme lately introduced before the Board Of
Trade of that city by Mr.. GOULD, mer-
chant of American birth. Mr.. GoULD's pro-
posal was, in substance, to establish com
mercial union between this country and Ca
NADIA. based upon reciprocal free trade and the
adoption by the province of the American tariff
of duties on all importations from the sea
When promulgated some time ago in Boston
journal, we took occasion to point ont the i'm
possibility of reconciling the scheme with the
relations subsisting between colony and the
parent State; and the Montreal merchants APP
pear TO have been Of the same opinion, as
only four votes were recorded in Mr. GoULD's
support.
Another embryo project of the Canadian gov
eminent is the establishment of a semi monthly
line of screw steamers, running from Liver
pool to the St. Lawrence In summer, and from
Liverpool to Halifax or Portland during the
winter months. Mr.. MERRITT, whose name
is honorably associated with the construction of
the Welland canal, connecting Lakes Erie and
Ontario, moved in this matter during the last
session Of Parliament, without any appearance
Of success. 1t is now, however, taken up by the
government, who have advertised for tenders
for the establishment of the line, no doubt with
the intention of proposing corresponding grant
to the Parliament that will assemble in the ap-
preaching summer. The object is to divert
the current of emigration from New York and
Boston, together with the bulk of the seagoing
traffic both of Canada and the northwestern
States.