, 1854-10-28

| /. sets out with stating that the sgner
had landed property, or, as a saving clause
seeing that if they kept this specification
there would be lamentably small number
or arc otherwise interested in the colony
What then? Are there no landed pro
prietors who approve of the former address
/ Are none Of those who signed or sympa
thize with it interested in the welfare o
the colony Are those only who live il
state Of concubinage with the savage In
dians interested in the welfare Of the colo
ny ?-and those whO are decently attired
who have civilized wives of whom they art
not ashamed, who can read and write theil
own names, who have families, not half In
dian and consequently unsettled and prone
to wander, but settled, domeSticated anC
civilized Are these last not interested il
the welfare of that colony which they have
made their home? The framer of thi.
foolish and illogical petition, in fact found
himself in a dilemma. He had a bad
cause to advocate, and he is not clever
enough by long way-though we know
he is inscriptions enough to have the de-
sire to make it appear q good one. Thus
he argued We wish TO show that all
the landed proprietors are on our side, and
that we shall contrast very favorably with
the opposite party in that respect but
then in every bad cause there is always
an awkward bit then y, we shall be too
few, so to let in the tag rag and bob tai,
we must insert this clause, cor otherwise
interested in the welfare Of the coloDyv-
DO you think, sir, there is any force in this
description? Well then, you foolish man,
do you not perceive that it applies to all
who signed the remonstrancc which galds
you SO much 7 Are they not all at least
" interested in the welfare Of the colony p
Was not this the rery reason rhy they
signed it 2 Oh, then, shallow blockhead,
go to Whately-but yet he will not pro-
vide thee with a head. His logic will not
furnish thy empty scull with understanding,
therefore for the future thou hadst better
stick slavishly to thy chains and let politics
and dialectics alone.
III. This clause states that all the sub
scribers have the same belief Now, deny
this altogether. Many of them have no
belief, as indeed any idea at all upon the
subject. What does Francois Cantail, for
know about who has property and
who has not, upon the Island; man whose
residence is at Fort Simpson, who came
here with Chief Trader w. ii. Mcneil and
is going back with himI As to persons
being instgated TO sign it, call those who
assert, calumniators those on our side,
those only are free,-it is only those who
serve the II, b. Co. who must sign any
thing their masters think proper 10 pre-
scribe. Let them prove the instigation -
Poor cowardly wretehes may be frighted
to recant TO their own bane, but instiga-
tion | must distinctly deny. With regard
to those who signed not having any real
grievances TO complain Of, they themselves
must be allowed TO be the best Judges Of
that ! Or do they mean to say that no.
body has a right to complain when injus-
tice is done, except the very person who is
the immediate sufferer Is it the duty Of
men in society to stand by and quietly see
their neighbors oppressed and uljustly
treated, and because they themselves are
not the victims, not to raise their voice
in his defence This, il the whole passage,
if the particular word real are to have any
meaning at all, is the monstrOus principle
here laid down Men, you are not to
complain of injustice until you yourselves
suffer, and if you stick to this, aud com
plain only of your individual wrongs when
they happen, your oppressors will not much
regard 1t. These petitioners do not seem
to have heard Of a body polite Men
joined together under one government form
a body polite, and every individual is q
member thereof. Now it is in this body as
in all bodies: when one member suffers, ei-
ther from individual dfiection or from ex-
ternal violence, all the members suffer
along with it. An injury done to one man
as a member Of human society, as a sub
ject of the laws, is an injury done to ALL
A violation of the laws which guarantee
the security Of all, aud form their only
protection, is a common wrong, and every
member Of the body polite not only has a
right, but is bound by the imperative duty
Of doing his utmost. to get redress and pre-
vent repetition. l am proud to enter so
minutely into the examination of this prin-
ciple, because these enlightened petitioners
seem to stand in need of yet little fur
ther information which they would do well
to obtain for their own and their cause's
credit, before they sign another document
Of a pablic or political nature. Before
they put their names to paper treating on
matters Of civil polity, they would do as
well to learn few of the principles and
the elements of legislation and political phi
losophy. With regard to the charge Of
not few being unacquainted with the sub
stance Of what they signed, l think they
were a very few indeed who were so, and
if it is proved that there were any of that
class, why l am sure you will be very glad
that such chaff should be sifted out from
US, and blown over to help cover r4he ma
keduess Of the other heap. Many con-
gratulations to them upon their noble ac-
QUESTION. say such men had better
sign nothing. Their names are not worth