RÉGIME DE L'UNION

Dépêche de Lord John Russell, Ministre des Colonies, à Lord Sydenham, Gouverneur-Général du Canada (1) (Extraits)

No. 369. Û

Copy of a Despatch from Lord John RUSSELL to the Right Hon. Lord SYDENHAM Downing Street, 3rd May, 1841.

My Lord,

The Despatches which 1 have received from you on the general state of the Province of Canada, the reports with which you have furnished me on several important subjects, and the approaching meeting of the Council and Assembly of the United Province have induced me to explain to you at this time the views which Her Majesty’s Government entertain on the topics most interesting to the welfare of Canada.

In any measures that may be adopted it must be taken for granted that Her Majesty persists in the determination to maintain at all hazards Her Royal authority in Canada, Neither the honour of Her Majesty’s Crown, nor the support due to Her loyal subjects in British NorthiAmerica, nor the provident care of the interests of the empire at large would permit any deviation from this fixed principle of British polices.

At the same time, Her Majesty’s advisers are not insensible to the difficulties imposed upon them in carrying into execution the purpose of the Crown. A province: bordered by an open frontier of more than a thousand miles, approached with ease n! all times by the citizens of a neighbouring and powerful state, separated from England not only by the ocean but by the rigours of climate and season, must be maitained by a judicious preparation for defence in time of peace, and a vigourous exertion of the resources of the empire in tiine of war — or not at all. To trifle with the fortunes of men whose lives and properties are freely devoted to the service of England, or to encourage foreign aggression by neglect or apathy, would be far worse than the spontaneous surrender of these important possessions of the Crown. The Canadians might in such a case incur nos risk, no blood need be shed, and the treasures of the empire might be spared. The other course would be cruel to a brave people, and unbecoming the character of the country. \

But, as I have already said, we have no alternative. We bave only to consider the means of binding Canada more firmly to this country, of developing her resources and of strengthening her British population, of defending her territory, and of supportiny and encoureging the loyal spirit of her people.

In this spirit, then, I shall touch upon the principal topies connected with these views :—