The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation. Volume 1Roger, Charles
History
The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation. Volume 1
Roger, Charles
Canada -- History
They stood upon the exceedingly
inconvenient "_Coutume de Paris_." Canada, unlike the West Indies, was
a growing country. It did not consist of only a few white inhabitants
and a large number of slaves. It was a country increasing in
population, likely still more to increase, and capable of enjoying as
much political freedom, in its utmost extent, as any other country on
the face of the globe. It was situated near a country ready to receive,
with open arms, into a participation of her democratic privileges,
every person belonging to Great Britain. It was material that a colony,
capable of freedom, and capable of a great increase of people, should
have nothing to look to among their neighbours to excite their envy.
Canada should be preserved to Great Britain by the choice of her
inhabitants, and there was nothing else to look to. The Legislative
Councils ought to be totally free, and repeatedly chosen, in a manner
as much independent of the Governor as the nature of a colony would
admit. He was perfectly desirous of establishing a permanent provision
for the clergy, but could not think of making for them a provision so
considerable as was unknown in any country of Europe, where the species
of religion to be provided for prevailed.
It is impossible to do other than admire the farsightedness of that
great statesman, Charles Fox, with his blue coat and yellow waistcoat,
in this manly, sensible, and telling address. Time has nearly brought
round the state of things that he desired to see, and if disembodied
spirits can take an interest in things earthly, it will be no small
addition to his present state of bliss to discover almost the
realization of suggestions made sixty years ago, before the Browns of
this period were conceived, and while the Rolphs were puling infants.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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