"I Observe That The Committee Consider The Lateness Of The Season Will
Preclude Me From Doing More Than Procure Such Information As Will
Enable Them To Commence Further Inquiries At The Opening Of The Next
Season.
"In consequence of verbal communications received before leaving
England, and suggestions unofficially received from members of the new
Committee,
I have deemed it my duty, though unofficially, to
communicate with the Canadian Government, and with those gentlemen
likely to form the Government of Canada, should any change of ministry
take place on the opening of Parliament, so as, as far as possible
(unauthorized as I was), to prevent antagonism to the operations of the
new organization pending official communication and explanations from
the Governor and Committee.
"No one can be better aware of the state and views of parties in Canada
than yourself. The leader of the present Government expresses a strong
opinion in favour of the settlement of a separate Crown Colony in the
Hudson's Bay district, and this also is the view taken by Mr. Cartier
and Mr. J. A. Macdonald, and is strongly concurred in by Mr. Cazeau,
the Vicar-General, who, as you are aware, leads the Catholic party in
Lower Canada. On the other hand, the feeling of Mr. Geo. Brown and the
'Grits,' as heretofore expressed, has been in favour of annexing the
Hudson's Bay territory to Canada, thereby securing that preponderance
which would practically settle the question of the future government of
the whole country.
"The views of the Duke of Newcastle, and also, so far as I understand
them, the views of yourself and your colleagues, being in favour of the
establishment of a separate colony unconnected with Canada, I consider
the discussions which have taken place have now put the question in its
right position here; but at the same time I shall endeavour to see Mr.
George Brown, and give such explanations, unofficially, as may at all
events prevent his considering that he has not been consulted in this
important transaction.
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