g
them to the British? Papineau, their press, and other authorities, are
constantly dinning this into their ears, so no wonder they believe it.

Again, our mercantile and commercial classes are thoroughly disgusted
and lukewarm in their allegiance. You know enough of colonies to
appreciate the tendency which they always exhibit to charge their
misfortunes upon the mother-country, no matter from what source they
flow. And indeed it is easy to show that, as matters now stand, the
faithful subject of Her Majesty in Canada is placed on a worse
footing, as regards trade with the mother-country, than the rebel
'over the 'lines.'

The same man who, when you canvass him at an English borough election,
says, 'Why, sir, I voted Red all my life, and I never got anything by
it: this time I intend to vote Blue,'--addresses you in Canada with 'I
have been all along one of the steadiest supporters of the British
Government, but really, if claims such as mine are not more thought
of, I shall begin to consider whether other institutions are not
preferable to ours.' What to do under these circumstances of anxiety
and discouragement is the question.

As to any aggressions from without, I shall throw the responsibility
of repelling them upon Her Majesty's troops in the first instance. And
I shall be disappointed, indeed, if the military here do not give a
very good account of all American and Irish marauders.

With respect to internal commotions, I should like to devolve the duty
of quelling them as much as possible upon the citizens. I very much
doubt whether any class of them, however great their indifference or
disloyalty, fancy the taste of Celtic pikes, or the rule of Irish mob
law.

Happily the dangers which there seemed so much reason to apprehend were
dispelled by the policy at once firm and conciliatory of the Governor:
mainly, as he himself was never wearied of asserting, owing to the healthy
and loyal feeling engendered in the province by his frank adoption and
consistent maintenance of Lord Durham's principle of responsible
government. It was one of the occasions, not unfrequent in Lord Elgin's
life, that recall the words in which Lord Melbourne pronounced the
crowning eulogy of another celebrated diplomatist:--'My Lords, you can
never fully appreciate the merits of that great man. You can appreciate
the great acts w