The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-08-04
Affairs In CaAnAa.
oUR oUnsaC oOsKssPoNpMoE.


Peace-7M Trade Ce~ye~t,o~- Drum.
sso~l's Stigxisriat BH-Caucus Meeting Of al
7ortes-C awons of Canada- Provincial Libra
sy-Redaction t~ the Price of Cro,cm Lands-Ac.
cidesa on board a Steamer, SC.
The arrival Of Secretary Corwin, coming close
upon tho fiery articles Of some of the American
journals, and the not less warlike datribes Of the
juvenile portion Of the Canadian press, gavo rise to
much speculation, and to not few ingenious, but
incorrect surmises l have reason to believe that
the main theme Of conversation, between Mr.. Cor
win and our Ministry, was tho almost forgotten
scheme OF reciprocity, which the recent fishery dis
pute has again brought under tho serious notice Of
your government. Canada has power, Of course,
to treat with the States respecting the fish
cries; the literal construction which is now being
put upon the treaty of 1918, and tho act Of par
Lament carrying 1T out, is entirely the work Of
the imperial government Whether or not this new
view Of matters be owing to the refusal OF tho
Washington cabinet to consent to tho reciprocity
scheme, ] am not prepared to state 1t would seem
likely enough
eating the senseless cry Of the tgnob,te outgns on
both sides, for war. No one fancies for moment
that any serious results will flow from theso
asinine brayings but, though empty "a the
wind, they still tend to promote Il spirit OF un-
handsome jeal0usy-l mean strife between two
countries whose al lance ought to be like the laws
Of the Modes and Persians-unalterabe. Britain
has everything to lose-her colonies her trade, her
prosperty-apd nothing TO gain in case Of war
and as to tho States engaging in naval conflict
about few miserable barrels Of cod or maokerel,
the thing is absurd Britain could concentrate in
fortnight Mt Halifax, armed vessels than COM
pose the whole American navy ; and ton days after
The first shot was fired, half the seaports in tho
Union would be blOckaded. But, tits charging .
windmill with Quixotic valour to disprove the ar
guments Of the "war men," Mr. Webster and the
officials of Downing street, will settle tho whole
difficulty by u single combat-with goose quilts
The Trade Convention, of which spoke to you in
recent letter. is to BIO held here early in Au-
gust Delegates have now boon chosen from all
the Boards of Trade in the Province l notice
among their number, many, who are openly, and
not few who secretly, in favor Of closer bond
Of union between this country and the American
republic. The American Consul at Quebec is one
of our delegates. What they will do, or whether
they will do anything, remains to be seen. Tho
Montrealers have q fresh panacea for the CONNER
cal ills of Canada every quarter at least; but their
projects are still born Mr.. Gould, some other
clever man, ushers them into existente in brilliant
speech the HERALD pufis their excellence, and they
die, forgotten and unlamented Such meteor was
the British American league-such an ephemeral
career was destined for the Iollverein scheme,
which promised cornecopia to these provinces
In the brief sketch of the programme of the minis
try for the approaching session Of Parliament, con-
tanned in one of my recent letters, / stated
that no pledge had been given that the
seigniorial tenure question would be taken up.
was the less surprised at this seeming omission, as,
in common with many, had all along fanced Mr..
Drummond's bill to be mere electoral manouyre.
find, however, that the ministry have determined
to make bona fdc attempt to pass it, during the
next session single sentence will perhaps suffice
to give you inkling fits tenor. 1t assumes that
all the lands in Lower Canada granted orr GIN
ally to the seignors as trust, and not as free
hold, feudally dependent on the crown; and draws
the terrible inference from these premises that the
sgniors bound, in their turn, to concede these
lands to settlers at fixed, and generally nominal,
rate. Now, vast portion of tho arabic lands
in Lower Canada have been, during the last half
century, sold conceded at rates double triple, and
quadruplc those which Mr.. Drummond's bill assumes
to have been the maximum. The bill deliberately
declares these ssions to be null and void and
by single sentence reduces all tho rents to four
sous u superficial arpent. In other words, the egis-
lature steps in between Peter and Paul, and says
Peter, you had right to sell your land to Paul for
Id an acre. though he was willing to give it,, and
would have given sd rather than lose IL your deed
osale is therefore quashed. and in future you must
bc content with the sum which the law states that
Paul ought to have paid. To point outthe immoral
tendency Of such legislation would be to insult the
understanding of your readers. | doubt very much
whether the bill will pass
a caucus meeting of the conservative members of
Parliament is to be held at sir Allan M'Nab's, in
the beginning OF The month. Few imagine, will
attend The tories may well cry, " lchabod!'' Sir
Allan himself is about TO become an Office holder
under the government Mr.. Cayley has lost his
election, and must seek to console himself for Par
liamentary defeats by forensic tritmphs. Colonel
Gugy, who was not even proposed for any consti-
tuency, has just returned from England, after
unsuccessful attempt to enlist Earl Derby on the
side of the trembling seigniors of Lower Canada
Colonel Prince has gone over, bag and baggage, to
the ministry-as Thoroughbred radical ever
sterped-the sworn friend ofLyon Mackenzie, whom,
three years ago, he actually kicked out of the
library Of the House. as n traitor and a rebel
complete, shows a steady increase in both pro-
vinces For the first time, Upper Canada is
ahead, numbering $4,000 souls; and Lower
Canada, though falling behind, can by no means
complain of its inhabitants having propagatcd their
kind at such a rate to raise heirnumber to 90i,-
Coo Some of the Upper Canadians already
clamoring for change in the representation law,
The Provincial Library begins to present very
respectable appearance. OF the old library, u few
volumes renamed after the fro of 1919. which were
1000 volumes. The number of works is now cst
mated at II 900, Mr.. Varbault, the Assistant Lii.
braran, having spent 81 ,000in England and France
in the purchase Of books during the past winter.
These works are admirably selected the stand
ard authors in almost every department of
human requirement, are to be found in
the list. To those the government Of France was
pleased to add few volumes Of precious works,
chiefly relating to naval service and travels 1t is
expected that before the dissolution Of this Para-
ment, the number Of volumes will exceed 10000;
splendid collection for the capital Of Province.
The library hall is admirably laid out. Recesses
line the hall on either side with tables and chairs
for those who would study the most classic DISPOSE
ton OF the works has been adopted; and, amid the
respectful silence which prevails could almost
fancy oneself in one of the noble libraries Of Eu-
rope.
The Canddien (offcial) states that 100000 is to
be appropriated during the next session of Parlia-
ment, to the opening of roads on the crown lands;
els, 600 to be devoted to each Province The price
of crown lands is to be reduced those in Lower
Canada will be disposed of at 3s, Is. Is I'd. and Is
per acre in Upper Canada tho prices are fixed at
rs Cd. and Is according to the locality
An accident occurred, on Monday on board the
steamer Pilot. The promenade deck gave way and
many persons precipitated on to the main deck
No deaths ensued, but some fourteen or fifteen peo-
pie were severely bruised. STApAcoSA.
OUR TORONTO CORRESPONDENTS.
q