d by a state of war had been
continued by the Revenue Act which they had adopted. They had
indemnified such of the citizens whom the love of their king and
country had induced to accept commissions in the provincial corps,
until they should be advantageously enabled to resume their civil
professions, which they had abandoned on the declaration of war. They
had afforded relief to the families of such of their countrymen as had
fallen, and to those whose sufferings for life, from honorable wounds,
furnished living evidence of the zeal which had animated His Majesty's
Canadian subjects, in the defence of the rights of that empire to which
it was their glory to belong. The events of the war had drawn closer
the bonds which connected Great Britain with the Canadas. Although at
the epoch of the declaration of war the country was destitute both of
troops and money, yet from the devotion of a brave and loyal, yet
unjustly calumniated people, resources sufficient for disconcerting the
plans of conquest devised by a foe, at once numerous and elate with
confidence, had been derived. The blood of the sons of Canada had
flowed mingled with that of the brave soldiers sent for its defence,
when re-inforcements were afterwards received. The multiplied proofs of
the efficacious and powerful protection of the mother country and of
the inviolable loyalty of the people of Canada strengthened their claim
to the free exercise and preservation of all the benefits secured to
them by their existing constitution and laws. The pursuits of war were
about to be succeeded by those of peace, and it was by the increase of
population, agriculture and commerce, that the possession of the colony
might become of importance to Great Britain. It was with lively
satisfaction, therefore, that the House heard His Excellency recommend
to their consideration the improvement of internal communications, and
they were only too proud to second His Excellency's enlightened views
by large appropriations to facilitate the opening of a canal from
Montreal to Lachine, to assist in the opening up of new roads, and to
acquire such information as might enable them afterwards to follow up
and extend that plan of improvement.

[26] This was the father of the celebrated Felicia Hemans.

[27] It is here worthy of note that the late Lord Raglan, then
Fitzroy Somerset--sometime between the abdication of Napoleon
and Waterloo, and before his lordship had l