Canada and the StatesWatkin, E. W. (Edward William), Sir
History
Canada and the States
Watkin, E. W. (Edward William), Sir
Canada -- Description and travel; Canada -- History; United States -- Description and travel
"Should the Hudson's Bay Company be compelled, then, to continue to
govern the whole territory, the first essential, as before said, is a
military force. That force may consist partly of regular troops, partly
of mounted irregulars or militia, and it need not, in their hands, be
large. The population is suited to military pursuits, and the half-
breeds mounted would make an excellent irregular cavalry. And the next
essential would be a convention and treaty with the United States, as
to boundary and transit through the United States and Hudson's Bay
territory respectively, for purposes of travel, and commerce, and of
postage, and the telegraph.
"Then the limits of colonization must be defined, and it must be
maturely considered at the outset, and decided as to how far, and in
what form, and how soon, the principle of self-government shall be
introduced. It is assumed that a thriving and expanding colony of white
men neither can nor ought to be taxed and governed without their own
consent, obtained in some form or other; and that it would be both
unwise and unjust to attempt a permanently autocratic government. This
is a most serious question, and the Act 31st George III., under which
Canada was governed until 1841, would appear to solve the difficulty.
The general scheme of government of that Act might operate so soon as
the new Colony had a population of (say) 50,000, and its provisions
might be elaborated into a constitution, to be voted by the Colony in
general assembly, so soon as the population reached (say) 300,000.
"The grand basis of all successful settlement--the land--presents fewer
difficulties than might have been imagined, because the admirable model
of the land system of the United States is before us, and no better can
be devised to enable a country to grow up side by side with the
Republic. Reliable surveys and plans, cheap and unclogged titles to the
land in fee, a limited upset price of not exceeding $1-25/100 an acre;
division of the land saleable into regular sections; the issue of land
warrants and regulations as to location, which will prevent, as far as
may be, monopolies of land in the hands of speculators--are all
essential conditions, and whatever power governs, they must be equally
observed.
"Again,--reserves of land, on a liberal scale, must be made to support
schools and churches, and to assist roads and other public works
conducted by the Government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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