most likely to attain and fecure these defirable objects. The province of Quebec, from its immense extent, and the manner in which it is fettled, would require an intelligent legeflature, invested with all the powers neneffary to promote, encourage, and secure, the various kinds of industry and commerce that arise from the fisheries, agriculture, and trade with the favages, for which that country, by its climate and internal navigation, is fo particularly well adapted by the bountiful hand of nature*. That extensive country, when ceded to Great Britain at the treaty of peace of 1763, contained no more than 69,000 Chriftian fouls, though 160 years had then elapfed * From Cape St. Charles to the Grand Portage, following the course of the waters, is 2250 miles, and from the Grand Portage to the west coast of America 3000 miles, The fettled part of the country extends from Gafpé to Detroit, and is 1200 miles. + Account taken by Governor Murray in 1765, from The from the time the French first began to fettle in it. But the French Government had other views than the encouragement of industry or commercial pursuits. rapid progrefs which the province has made, during the short period it has been under the British Goverment, in confequence of the fpirit of industry and enterprife which his Majesty's old fubjects, who have reforted to and fettled therein, have raised up and encouraged among the inhabitants, will clearly demonstrate to the British nation, the growing importance of that province. From an account taken by Governor Haldimand, in 1784, we can with confidence affert, that the population of that country confifts now of at least 150,000 Chriftian fouls, of whom about 28,000 are of his Majesty's ancient fubjects who have reforted to that country, and their descendants. The cultivation of the lands and the objects of Commerce have likewise, during that that period, furprisingly encreased and been multiplied. While under the French Government, the province barely fupplied itfelf with provifions, even in the most plentiful years, and furnished, for exportation, fcarcely any thing except a few furrs, and fometimes a few cafks of oil, the whole not producing in any one year, more than forty or fifty thousand pounds; whereas the annual exports from the province may now be fairly estimated to produce nearly four hundred thousand pounds*; and in a few years muft greatly exceed that fum; and this is all in payment of British manufactures. The extensive settlements which the loyal Americans have formed, fince the year 1784, in the upper parts of the province, though the lands are extremely fertile, have not as yet furnished any thing for exportation. * See Appendix, No. 5. Particular Account of Exports year. laft Befides, Belides, the whole trade of those extensive fertile countries, which border on Lake Champlain, now belonging to the states of New York and Vermont, muft, from the natural channel of the water communication being down the river St. Laurence, center in Canada. Immenfe quantities of wheat, hemp, lumber, and other articles may be expected in a few years from all these countries, which will occafion a vast increase both in quantity and value of the exports from Quebec, and a proportional demand for British manufactures. The whole import and export trade of the province is, at present, in the hands of, and depends on, his Majefty's ancient or natural born subjects, and is entirely carried on in British ships, of which a very confiderable number annually arrive with cargoes, and carry away produce*. Such is * About 150 fhips and veffels were loaded in the province in the year 1788. the the province of Quebec a branch of the British empire, though left to ftruggle with all the difficulties of an arbitrary fyftem of government, it has furprisingly increased, fince it was ceded to Great Britain, in population and commercial refources; but this, we affirm, has been entirely owing to the constant hope the people have had of being allowed a free conftitution. And there is no doubt but, under a liberal fyftem of government, that would remove the obftacles which the iron hand of arbitrary power has thrown in the way of improvement, which, by wife, permanent, and wholesome laws, would renovate and give vigour to industry, and afford fecurity to mercantile transactions; that province would increase in its resources and produce; would, in a few years, furnish employment for fome hundreds of British fhips in the carrying trade, and raise up and fupport for the British navy |