with saying, that it would not be their interest to
act thus; nor did he think that the United States would be anxious to
seek a quarrel on this question. Mr. Robinson supported and Mr. Charles
Buller opposed the resolution. Mr. Roebuck again spoke in reply, and
complained that Lord John Russell was doing all in his power to insult
and vilify the people of Canada. He doubted, if Sir Robert Peel was in
power, that with his wary prudence and caution, he would carry out these
resolutions. The right honourable baronet and his friends, he said, were
silent on certain questions; they no doubt acted so that they might
come into office with clean hands. Sir Robert Peel said that he did not
desire to withhold his sentiments on this subject. In his speech,
the right honourable baronet took the same view of the policy of the
government that had been expressed by Lord Stanley. He observed, that if
no other, interests but those of the French Canadians were involved
in the question, and if the continuation of British connexion were
unpalatable to them, he would say, "God forbid that we should force it
upon them." In that case he should think it more for our interest than
theirs that the connexion should be dissolved. But he-doubted, if he
were to make the people of Lower Canada an offer of establishing their
own government, that they would be disposed to accept it. At any
rate the question could only be considered in reference to the French
Canadians: there was a British population in the province, which had a
right to look up to this country for a continuance of the connexion and
protection on the faith of which they had established themselves in it.
On a division the resolution was carried by a majority of two hundred
and sixty-nine against forty-six.

On the 21st of April Mr. Leader moved the postponement of the further
consideration of the resolutions, in order to give time to the Canadian
people to state whether or not they agreed to Mr. Roebuck's scheme for
the settlement of the existing differences between the province and the
mother country. This motion was negatived by a large majority; and the
house then went into committee on the sixth resolution, which declared
the necessity of maintaining inviolate the privileges conferred by an
act of parliament on the North American Loan Company. Mr. Roebuck moved
as an amendment, deferring all resolutions on the subject of the
land company "until an inquiry shall have been instituted