New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-02-03
CANADA.

Prom Our Own Correspondent
Toronto Tuesday Jan. 30, 1855.
The arr,Deemen, regarding the Juegeshp Pc ia
Lower Caoada 10 tbis: Mr.. jas tee ROLAND re-
sius ,be Chief Justcesbip Of the District of Que
bee, and ia succeeded by Mr.. Justice Duva', one
Of The juDier judges; Mr.. Badgley takes Mr.. Du-
walls place. and Mr. MOria succeeds the late MI.
Justice Psuet. Whenever judgeship Of the
Superior Court falls, the appointment belongs by
right Of ussge 70 the Attorney General; aud, on
the resignation Of Chef Justice ROLAND Mr. A.
torney- General Drummond would have been en-
titled to have his claim to the appointment recog-
nized if he had though t proper to press it, or he
could have claimed to succs ed Mr.. Panel; but of
cOurse, when there was choice, any claimant
would prefer the Cbef-Justiceship. Mr..
Drummond, however, has taken neither
a fact which proves that not all our public
men are mere Oiiice-seekers. The Hon. MIR.
Baldwin, late Attorney General for Upper Canada,
recently refused the Chief usticeship of the Court
OF Common Pleas, in Upper Canada, when offered
to him. He had previously refused two other
Judecships: and people said he was waiting for the
ChiefJusticesbip: but the event proved that the
reflection was unjust. The Enthusiastically OF
Common Pleas, in Upper Canada, must soon find
new Occupant-Mr. Justice Macauay only hold
ing it till bis successor can be appolnted; and
when that takes place, he will retire on the Gus
tOmary judicial pension amounting TO some
two-thirds Of the regular salary attached to the
Office.
The trade returns for the past year have only
been published in part but the returns from the
chiefports of Quebec Montreal, Toronto and Ham
ilton, leave no doubt that the impOrtations were
unprece lentedly large. The excess of duties col
lected at these ports over the previous year, was
nearly 100000. This fact would not, OF itself
be very strkrg hut when it is considered that
in Montreal, the value of the imports rose from
G231l AL, in 1859 to Ga, C55,251 in 1854; that
in Toronto the value of the imports rose from
1888, el7 in 1852 IT, Gas, l6S in 1Soi, having
more than doubled in two years; that the value
Of the goods imported at Quebec rose from El,-
I76 $40 in 1853 TO fi,9 s 532 in 1854; that at
Hamilton there was an equally great increase OF
importation, the duties collected having risen from
Gl29, 69I in 1853, to fI69, 1919 in IS5i-when all
this is considered, and moreover, when it is taken
into account that there has been great falling
off in the exports from Montreal last year
the decline being in value from f745,76l In
1853 10 f45s, 4l0 in lS55-there can be no
doubt that we have been Overtrading. In fact, we
have been living very fast. Our municipalities
have been increasing their obligations to very
great extent, principally for railway purposes; TIL
the pressure in the money market rendered loans
difficult to negotiate. Our enormous railway ex-
peDdures have suffered sudden check, but not
n
has been prostrated and the ship-building interest
is in TO better condition. Still, in spite of AL
these untoward circumstances nothing like
serious crisis has come There have been some
few failures Of no very great importance.
The banks have been prudently holding up;
and there has been sOue muttering OF tight
times. Along with al this, however there
was an abundant harvest in Upper Canada
last year. with unprs cedenedly high prices for all
tie products Of the farm. Our farmers were new
er so well off as al the present time; but the CON-
nercial class may have Overtraded nOtwithstand-
ing. The birth of our railroad system occasloned
an almost universal speculation in land OF every
description farming lands. cleared and IN bush,
the sites of imaginary villages, and lots In actual
villages, towns and cities. At all the railway sta
tons new villages. on paper, have changed hands
in tie shape of building and park lots The spec
ulation has been general; though only sometimes
imprudent and il must be admitted that ma
joriiy Of the spectators appear to have made
money. owing to the great and constant rise
in the value Of property all over the coun-
try. As these transactions are mostly on
time. very large number of persons have got
into debts n state at things that must increase the
chance of embarrassment. With all this, how
ever, there is uDquestionably very large amount
ofprosperity in Upper Canada; and any tempo
rary embarrassment that may now exist is likely
10 be cured in the spring by the din inished I'M
portaticn that will take place; il being well under
stood ihst the orders sent some for spring goods
are on scale suited To- the present plethOrc condi-
ton of the import trade of the Province.
Tie allowing are the number and tunnage OF
to 1854, inclusive:
Nfef