CANADIAN AFFAIRS.* GOYERNOE THO3ISON'S plan of a law for the
permanent government
of Canada, is known to be in the Chops of the Channel. The first change of wind will bring it to band. The state of the ques- tion, therefore, now on the point of being submitted to Parliament, is the most interesting of present Colonial topics. Further reasons for giving it particular attention this week, will appear presently. The act of the Legislature of Upper Canada with respect to the Clergy Reserves must be laid on the table of both Houses of Parliament, and may be rendered null and void by an address of either House praying for its disallowance. This is its probable fate. In consequence of Mr. THOMSON'S attempt to settle this question, it is really submitted to the Bishops in the House of Lords, in the form of a specific measure, to which, as heads of the State Church, they cannot consistently assent. They might have agreed to a general provision for placing the Clergy Reserve question at the disposal of the Legislature of Canada—for making it altogether a provincial question—whereby their point of honour as heads of the Church would have been saved : this they might have done, submitting front motives of policy to put the subject but of their own jurisdiction : but when the question is placed before them as a specific measure of "spoliation," which they are required to ap- prove or emtdemn, it is hardly possible that they should abstain front calling on the House of Lords to stand by the Church. To such an appeal the House of Lords will not be deaf. We fully ex- pect, therefore, that Governor Tuomsox's measure will be disal- lowed. If it should so fitll out, there will be little cause for re- gret. For those must be ignorant indeed of the state of feeling in Canada on this subject, who imagine that the colonists, who ob- jected to one established church, would be content with two. Whatever may happen here, the question is as little settled as ever. Perhaps the best thing that could happen here, would be such a decision on the specific measure as should soonest compel Parlia- ment to place the whole subject in the hands of the Colonial Le- gislature. To that it must come at last, sooner or later; and the sooner the better.
Several classes of intriguers are busy in preparing opposition to the measure for uniting the Provinces. Their designs may be de- feated by exposure only; and we therefore determine to speak very plainly on this subject.
Private information from Quebec, on which we can wholly rely, assures us that the meeting, whose resolutions against the Union we printed last week, was a mere hole-and-corner affair, managed expressly with a view to imposing on the British public. It was generally supposed at the time in Quebec, that the British Queen steamer (which had not quitted England) would leave New York in a few days ; and care was taken by the con- coctors of the meeting to keep their resolutions secret until it would have been too late for the Unionists to send any counters statement by the sante conveyance. The trick would have sue. mead if the steamer had left New York at the appointed time.
The copies of the resolutions, however, having been detained at New York for the sailing-packet, were overtaken by letters which have accompanied them to England, and which frustrate the trick by timely exposure. We learn that the resolutions were passed at a strictly private meeting; that all knowledge of them was withheld from the public at Quebec for several clays; and that they no
sooner became known than the Unionists took steps for sub- mitting counter-resolutions to a public meeting. We shall soon learn, therefore, on which side opinion predotninates at Quebec. But indeed this may be inferred front the composition of the Anti. Union meeting, as displayed by the signatures to the resolu- tions. The meeting, comprising but forty-eight persons in all, con- sisted either of leaders of the French Canadian party, to whom the Union, being directed against the ascendancy of their race, is especially repugnant ; or of ancient officials, whose position depends on the preservation of a distinct executive at Quebec ; or of tlurd. rate lawyers, who fear that their gains may be disturbed. by changing the seat of government ; together with a few subservient dependants of one or other of those classes. Among the whole of this little party, there is but one whose opinion would have any * This paper, transferred from the Cidonial Gazette of last Wednesday, sea written front materials derived from private sources, fills up a gap in the pub- lic accounts from Canada, and seems almost necessary to a correct knowledge of the circumstances under which the Reunion and Clergy Reserves.Bills will be received in England. The republication, however, is more immediately suggested by a question and answer in the louse of Commons last night. weieht with anybody : and those who know Mr. JOHN NEILSON'S character and position, will pay little regard to his opinion on this subject, notwithstanding his acknowledged learning and ingenuity. He is the slave of two passions, both the offspring of vanity—a love of contradiction for its own sake, which makes it part of his nature to swim against the stream of opinion ; and an overweening sense of his own importance, which was wounded to the quick by Lord DURHAM'S neglect, and which revolts at the thought of a change that not only was recommended by Lord DURHAM, but would also inevitably shelve Mr. NEILSON among the antiquities of Canadian politics. This explanation is of course intended for readers in England. Behold another for our readers in Canada. They will be sur- prised to learn that a certain personage here takes the liveliest in- terest just now in their affairs. We do not allude to Lord Baouen Am, but to another ex-Chancellor, who at the close of the session 1838 employed his rare talents in assisting to produce the second Canadian rebellion. Lord LYNDHURST, we are credi- bly informed, is once more busy with Canadian politics. But he does not trust to his own knowledge of the subject—be is said to derive information and counsel from Mr. Ronixsos, Chief Justice of Upper Canada. The conjunction of these two able men bodes no good for Canada : for it is scarcely to be doubted that, however different their motives, they will conspire to defeat the measure of Union to which the Government is pledged. Sup- pose that the sole aim of the English party chief is to annoy the Government, while that of the head of the Family Compact is only to preserve the distinct government of Upper Canada, still they will pursue their different objects by the same means—that is, by fomenting opposition to the Government measure. Nor are they likely to want either secret or avowed coadjutors. It is only in the natural or necessary order of things, that the crreat bulk of English politicians should be ready to sacri- bee any colony to the ends of party warfare at home ; and this may be more especially predicated of every Opposition, be- cause the Opposition, of whatever party, is free from the influence of official responsibility. Even among the merchants connected with Canada who happen to be of Opposition politics, we have heard of several, once strenuous advocates of the Union, who now talk of opposing the Government measure as " untimely and inex- pedient though sound in principle." Nay, it has been whispered into our reluctant car, that Lord SEATON, whose vigour as a mili- tary commander has not prevented him from always hesitating and yielding his own judgment to the stronger will of others in civil affairs, rather inclines to agree with Mr. ROBINSON than with nine-tenths of British Canada on the question of the Union. The Colonial Office contains secret and artful foes of a measure which would enable at least one British colony to manage its own local affairs in its own way without mischievous meddling from Downing Street. So that on the whole, Mr. Roncssort and Lord LYND- HURST will find no deficiency of materials whereof to construct a formidable opposition to the Government measure. How the former is allowed to remain year after year absent from his Colo- nial post, for the purpose of intriguing against the Government, it passes ordinary comprehensions to understand.
Rumours have come home of an event in Upper Canada which calls for the presence of the Chief Justice. It is reported that some of the principal officials, leading opponents of the Union, prompters and abettors of those who will oppose it here, are accused of ex- tensive peculation. If they do not confess the charge, it is to be presumed that' they will insist on a public trial. The Chief Jus- tice, therefore, should resume his duties in the Province without further delay. Be who may the guilty parties, it is, we believe,
certain that Governor THOMSON has come to the knowledge of a large deficiency of public money. Will the tenderness of officials for officials manage to keep this fact a secret ? or is it to be bottled up for the present, and let out in some moment of provocation so as to repel belief by seeming to be the invention of malice ? If the rumour have no foundation, it should be immediately contra- dicted by competent authority. Will nobody question Lord JOHN RussEm. about it in the House of Commons ?
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