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Mr. LORANGER :—Without retorting accusations for accusations, maintained that every state must have such an amount of physical force at its disposal as would make its authority respected, and if it were now necessary to demand this reorganisation of the militia, it was because Great Britain being about to withdraw her troops, the colony must defend itself, It was in the interest of the colony, and not of Great Britain, and the law must be passed, for no one was prepared to declare more loudiy than himself that the colonial system — the system of the inferiority of Canada — could not remain long. The destiny of the country was plainiy to be independent......(210) ‘

Mr. LABERGE:—.......,....., If the country must one day be independent of English rule, where was the crime of secing in the future incorporation with the United States more elements of greatness, freedom and power than in a state of isolation? What difference was there in the amount of disloyalty between the two ideas, since both looked to a severence of the connection with the CŒOWR Loco c0s0060e Let the country be independent, and there was not a man in the House who would not go for this measure or even for one making still more important provisions for defence; but the great point of the question could not be lost sight of — the question whether it was for a dependent country to maintain an army to fight in wars, that she had no hand in causing or avoiding. History proved that Canada had so far fought only for England. The country had been England's battle-field, and the profit had been to England......(210)

Mr. TURCOTTE :—Would have voted against the bill as it was first introduced, because he thought it absurd for a country to be called upon to pay for the expenses of a war in which it had no part;.................. Did the members for L'Assumption or Iberville believa that even England would dare to dictate,- when Canadians had arms in their hands. No! England must then at least say with sincerity, “Govern yourselves”. To call upon the colony to defend itself was, then, the greatest mark of the confidence reposed in it by Great Britain................ The time might indeed come when Great Britrin, which now behaved to us like a mother, might assume the position of a step-mother, and we should then be in a position to join our brethren.,.,., (210)

Le 4 avril 1855:—

Mr. BROWN :—.,..,...., +... The premier averred that the defence of the province was thrown upon this country by the Imperial Government, and that 100,000 stand of arms would have to be provided at the expense of the province, to be placed in the hands of the militia. But now the honourable Attorney-General told the House that this was not at all necessary — that the Home Government wouli continue as heretofore to defend the province, and that all that was wanted from the House was merely a Police Bill...... 2

Mr. MACDONALD (Attorney-General) :—Said that every force was to a certain extent a police force. At the same time they must bear in mind that this country was left utterly defenceless by the withdrawal of the troops. They might rely on the pledged word of Great Britain that the whole force of the British empire wouid be put forth for the defence of this province, in the event of its being attacked by a hostile force. But, in order to ens'le Great Britain to carry out that pledge, it was necessary that we should have an org; ‘zation, that the Imperial Government might be enabled to arm the militia of Canada. At present we have no organization. A certain number of persons were gazetted as ensigns, captains, and so forth, but that was the whole if it. And all that this bill provided for, was that whenever this province as a dependency of the British empire was engage in war, we should have the companies ready to receive arms from Great Britain and to turn out in defence of the province. The volunteer force again was necessary to guard against either insurrection within our borders, or marauding excursions from without...... (231)

e de Sir Geo Grey à Sir Ed d H - Dépêch gt À r . ead, gouverneur

COPY or DESPATCH from the Right Honourable SIR G. GREY to Governer Sir D.

EDMUND BEA (No. 16).

Downing Street, 13th April, 1855.