best criterion of the possession of the pro-ther he would put himself to the trouble perty qualifying a man to vote as a free- and expense of going through the ordeal holder. For these reasons, and for others of this bill but not otherwise. He obwith which he would not detain the House, jected to the enormous expense and inhe would move, that the second reading convenience which the complicated probe postponed for six months.

visions of the bill would impose upon the
Sir James Graham denied that he had constituent body. To the principle of
ever treated committees with contempt. the bill he was favourable. He was satis-
He thought no measure could be rendered fied of the intention of the noble lord
perfect without the labours of a com- to accomplish a practical good; and, if
mittee. The noble lord had referred to it were divested of the cumbrous machi-
the evidence of an eminent solicitor. nery with which it was at present em-
Now, he knew that solicitor to be a gen- barrassed, he should be glad to co-ope-
tleman of unimpeachable veracity, and rate with the noble lord in the object he
he had said, that one third of the votes had in view. The practice of serving a
that went to the assessor in the contest summons on non-resident voters, the power
at Glocester arose out of the land-tax. which the bill proposed to invest in un
At Westmoreland, that gentleman bad der-sheriffs, and the various and intricate
said that one out of eleven were ob- modes proposed for procuring the re-
jected to on the same score. He must quisite tests of qualification, as free-
contend that this bill was much less com- holders, constituted the objectionable parts
plicated than the present law. Serjeant of the bill.
Heywood, a good authority, had said, that Lord Althorp maintained that the bill,
the land-tax bill had raised more doubts by lessening the duration of the poll at
upon the law of election than all the county elections, would materially lessen
other enactments put together. The no- their expense. This was a result no
ble lord had expressed the most fastidious less desirable to voters than to candidates,
jealousy lest this bill should increase the for at present the enormous expense of
expense of election. He was bound to standing for a county often left the free-
believe the noble lord sincere, but he was holders scarcely any choice as to their re-
quite sure he was wrong. His noble friend, presentative.
the member for York, had expended After a few observations from colonel
120,0001., without polling a single vote. Wood, Mr. Dickenson, Mr. Marshall, and
As to the effect which the noble lord con- Mr. Hobhouse, the House divided :-For
tended the bill would have, of throwing the amendment 17; against it 32 ; Ma-
the influence into the hands of powerful jority 15. The bill was then read a
families, and excluding the 40s. voters, he second time.
was sure that no such principle would be
listened to by that House. The effect of

II OUSE OF COMMONS.
the bill would be to give extension to the
elective franchise.

Thursday, March 27.
The Attorney-General objected to the Canada COMPANY.] Mr. Alderman
bill, though he admitted it was strongly Waithman rose to submit a motion for
recommended, as coming from the noble information regarding the Canada Com-
lord. But the principle was, that the pany, but begged to be distinctly under-
constituent body should not be exposed stood, as not meaning to cast any reflec-
to expense and litigation in defence of tion either upon the company collectively,
their rights. He admitted that, if any or upon the individuals composing it.
steps for that purpose could be taken pre- His object was, merely that the House
liminary to an election, much might be should be in possession of all the know-
done to reduce expenses; but this bill ledge it could acquire, before it came to
did not profess any such intention. It any decision on the subject of emigration.
established an operose course of inquiry He believed that when the company was
into the validity of voters, which was to formed, the House was not at all aware of
be repeated every year. No person was the terms: an act was passed to enable
to be allowed to vote, unless his name the government to grant charter, but
was in the register. If à priori, any parliament was not made acquainted with
elector could know whether a contest the extent of the capital, or with any
would take place, he might decide whe- the conditions. In the Prospectus, it

1

of

was proposed that a capital of one mil. the public, but he saw no reason why lion should be raised; and with such government was to obtain no profit upon a sum it was natural to suppose that this grant of a million of acres, which was emigration to a considerable extent would to be so advantageous to the company, be promoted. The fact, however, was, Besides, having sold the land, how could that only 100,0001. had been obtained, the government with fairness send out and it had been stipulated that 50,0001. other emigrants to enter into competition only should be laid out on the land, and with the company? He believed, howthe rest paid to government. The grantever, that the whole project was fallacious, seemed to have been most improvident; and that it would end to the advantage of for the money was to be paid by instal- nobody concerned in it. With a view to ments, and those instalments were spread | putting the House in possession of all over sixteen years. He could understand necessary information regarding the confrom experience--and the best of all ex-tract and the progress of the undertaking, perience, because he had paid for it, he moved that there be laid before the that it was utterly impossible that the in- House “an Account of the quantity of dividuals concerned in the speculation land in Upper Canada sold to the Canada could obtain any remuneration; for it was Company, stating the terms and conditions idle to suppose that persons who emigrated of such sale; the sum of money paid in would be in a condition to pay for the conformity thereto; the number of persons land. If the parties entitled were upon sent out to Canada by the company; the the spot, they might, indeed, in two or times when they were sent out; the three years, be paid in produce, but other- quantity of land appropriated to them, wise it was out of the question. There with the price paid or to be paid for the was one essential point to be considered. same.” When it was proposed to send persons Mr. Wilmot Horton said, that as he was out to Canada, it was quite clear, from connected with the Colonial Department papers before the House, that it could not at the date of this transaction, he would be done with respect to mere paupers, merely say a few words, leaving it to the who would be worse off there than in this Secretary of State either to give or withcountry, and it would cost an immense hold the account required. He might, sum for government, at the rate of 501. indeed, incidentally mention, that the or 601. each person, to send out even House was already in possession of half those who had a small capital : that plan the information the hon. alderman wished was neither prudent nor practicable. He to obtain : the terms of the contract with should also like to know how and on what the company had been printed, and in terms government could grant the land to the hands of members for some years. the company

It had been granted at | As to what the Canada Company had the rate of 3s. and 3s. 6d. per acre, and done, he did not know what power the the company proposed to sell it to indi- House possessed to compel that body to viduals, to whom they did not advance disclose in what manner its business had 6d. to enable them to emigrate, at the been conducted. He had that morning rate of 10s. per acre, while for what were read over four closely-printed folio pages called town-lots the company was to of a Prospectus, detailing all the proceedreceive for every quarter of an acre, in ings of the company, from its creation to some cases 20s., in others 30s., and in the present hour, and from thence, he others 40s. This appeared a most en- thought, the hon. alderman might have ormous profit, and if it were to be had, obtained all he desired on the second he saw no reason why government should branch of his inquiry. The consistency not have obtained it. At one period, the of the argument of the hon. alderman he shares of the company, which were origin- could not understand ; first, he had conally 101., advanced to a premium above tended, that the Canada Company had the cost price of 361., and even afterwards, obtained an enormous profit, which ought when many relinquished their shares, to have come into the hands of governowing to the revocation of the original ment; and next he had insisted that the grant by government, the shares were still whole project was fallacious, and that the sold at a profit of 8l. upon 101. He did loss to the individuals engaged in it would not charge the company with having be enormous. With respect to the high taken any undue means to impose upon premium on the shares, it was quite cer tain that no person connected with the the preliminary steps necessary to a setColonial Department bad participated in tlement. They did all that could be any of the advantages thus acquired. The done by limited capital; and which must price of the land sold had been settled by be done before the land could be availcommissioners after they had taken the able for any profitable purpose. Such was utmost pains, with every facility, to arrive the object of the company, and they inat a just conclusion. He hoped that the vited the closest scrutiny of the manner in undertaking would be ultiinately beneficial which they had proceeded in the attainto the company, because he was sure that ment of that object. all the ingredients of wealth were to be Mr. Warburton insisted, that the House found in the cultivation of that land, and had a right to ascertain whether or not in the encouragement of colonization. It the company had fulfilled its part of the was in the power of any hon. member to contract. investigate whether government had or Mr. W. Horton admitted the right, but had not made an improvident bargain; denied the power, of the House to inspect but neither he nor the House had a right all the private accounts of the company. to interfere with the private details and Mr. Warburton called upon government affairs of the company,

to watch the proceedings of the company Mr. Bright hoped that the members of with jealousy ; although he had no doubt, the company would make fortunes, but from the candid statement of the hon. recommended the government to take care gentleman, that at present there was nothat the terms of the bargain were exactly thing to be complained of. fulfilled. It was of the utmost conse- Mr. Stanley, in justice to the company, quence, that from time to time, the House felt bound to state, that during the short should make itself acquainted with the time he had been in the Colonial Office, proceedings of the company; especially he had found that body ready to enter with a view to the general question of into the fullest explanations government emigration. He, therefore, hoped that no had a right to demand. He believed that technical objection would be thrown in the whole of the terms of the contract had the way of the production of the account been definitively settled. Some misapprerequired. In Canada there was a pro- hension might arise out of the expressions portion of land, called Crown and Clergy used that night : the contract at one time Reserves, and as they most injuriously was called a grant, at another a sale, and interfered with the prosperity of the co- at a third, a bargain ; but whatever it was, lony, by preventing communication be- he was satisfied that no favour had been tween one part and another, he wished to shown to the company, but that it had know whether any of those Reserves had obtained a certain portion of land, that it been extirpated.

might be put into a state capable of culMr. W. Horton replied, that there was tivation. The payments were made by already before the House a bill, which had annual instalments, and no title was given for its object the progressive abolition of to the company until they had fulfilled all the Clergy Reserves. The Crown Re- the preliminary parts of the engagement: serves were also in a course of extinction.

when the money was paid the title was Mr. Easthope assured the House, on given, and not till then. He did not behalf of the Canada Company, that it mean to use the words in an opprobrious had not the slightest objection to the full- sense ; but the fact certainly was, that the est investigation of its concerns. The hon. company was a body of land-jobbers. If alderman had spoken of the enormous the proprietors ever derived any profits profits of the company.

He could inform from the scheme, it could only be at a the House, that the shares were at that very remote period, and they must lay moment at fifty per cent discount. No- out of their money for many years. In the thing could be further from the intentions mean time, heavy expenses must be inof the company than a desire to avoid the curred; and, before it would be taken by bargain into which they had entered. It settlers, the company must confer on the was not the purpose of the Canada Com- land a value that could only be given to pany to do more than to place the lands it by the disbursement of a large capital. purchased from government at the dis- As one part of the motion was already posal of such persons as might be inclined satisfied, and another could not be comto take them. The company went through plied with, he wished it to be withdrawn.

9

Mr. Hume said, that, being one of those , money, while it had to look to a remote who were anxious to promote emigration, period for the return of the capital so he was far from viewing this company with embarked. The hon. member for Bristol a jealous eye, or from reproaching go- had talked as if this company had been vernment with the contracts they had turned loose in Canada, to select for itself entered into with it. On the contrary, he any favourite spot it might fancy. But should like to see similar bargains made what was the fact? The company had with a dozen other companies, on the first contracted for two millions of acres, same terms and with the same objects. consisting of clergy and crown reserves. This company had purchased a million Some difficulty arose as to the clergy reor two of acres at a certain price, and as serves which could not be overcome, and this sum was received, it was to be applied the result was that they did not form part to defray the expenses of those colonies, of the contract, and the company received which had been hitherto paid by that in lieu of them a million of acres, situated House. The company assisted emigrants on the banks of Lake Huron, lying in one who found their way across the Atlantic, lot together. The company obtained no with the means of removing themselves to title to those lands but as they were prothe place where they were to be located; gressively settled, and the purchase-money and it supplied them, besides, with pro- paid. As the company in succession revisions for a year or a year and a half

. ceived the titles, the public would receive Thus the company forwarded emigration an annual sum in aid of the burthen which in the best possible manner, without the colonies brought on this country in calling on the government for any assist- maintaining their civil establishments. ance. By its exertions large tracts of soil, Government had not been so improvident which would otherwise remain barren, as to leave out of their view public inihad been brought under cultivation. He provements in these colonies. It had was sure, if other companies could be in- been stipulated, that one third of the duced to employ their capital in the same money from the company should be exway, they would be amply repaid in six pended in building bridges, making roads, or seven years, and would render great and other public purposes of convenience benefit to the public, by finding employ- and benefit. A more judicious appropriament in the colonies for multitudes of tion of the land could not have been depeople who could find none in their own vised. The company had no desire to country.

conceal its proceedings. The best way Mr. Secretary Huskisson said, that the in which its prosperity

could be proinoted hon. gentleman had taken a correct view was by making known all its proceedings, of the utility of these companies to the and inviting, rather than shunning, invescountry. In other parts of the world tigation. He knew nothing as to the there were immense tracts of wild land profits of the company; but he believed which were totally unproductive; and if, the directors did not regard its affairs as by any company, they could be brought likely to excite either jealousy or envy. under cultivation, so as to make a return He trusted that the great mass of papers to the parties employed upon them, the already before the House would satisfy result would be, not only beneficial to the the hon. alderman, without adding to colony, but to the general interests of this them these returns; more especially as country. He was glad that he could the hon, alderman had, on the point in state, that companies on the same prin- question, already obtained explanation. ciple had been formed in New South He hoped, therefore, that the hon, alderman Wales and at Van Diemen's Land. He would not press his motion, but be contrusted they would be all successful; for tented with applying to the directors; any to the extent in which they reclaimed one of whom could give him the informalands from the state of nature, they con- tion he required. He agreed with his hon. tributed essentially to the increase of the friend, the member for Preston, that this was power and resources of this country. By a question which claimed the attention of the contract with the Colonial Depart- government, involving, as it did, so many ment, the Canada Company had given for interests connected with the permanent what it had purchased the full rate at welfare and general prosperity of that imwhich land was selling in the market. portant part of the king's dominions, and The company was paying down ready I particularly as it concerned the constitu