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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Rare Volume

Report

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Report.

An adjourned meeting of the Paisley Canadian Emigration Society, was held in the Philosophical Hall, on the evening of Monday, the 29th June, 1840.

William Barr, Esq. of Drums, who was unanimously called to the chair, said he was only a subscriber to the fund and that it would have been better had one of the intended emigrants been elected for chairman, but as the meeting wished him to take the chair, he would do so cheerfully. Indeed ho considered it an honour to be called on to preside on such an occasion, for the subject they were met to discuss was one of the very greatest importance to the working classes of this country, and he hoped the discussion would be carried on with calmness and deliberation.

Mr M'Millan rose and said, he could not understand what had put New Zealand into the heads of some of the members of this Society. The object of the Society was to get to Canada—a country they knew something about—but as for New Zealand little was known about it, except that every body who went there was liable to be eaten up by cannibals. The voyage to New Zealand, too, took half-a-year, whereas you can go to Canada in a month. There was some chance of getting back from Canada, but none from New Zealand. He moved, "that the Society, though they cannot obtain their object of emigrating to Canada this season, remain embodied as the Paisley Canadian Emigration Society, and continue their exertions to get out in the spring of 1841."

Mr Cameron seconded the motion. He would warn gentlemen to take care what they were about; they knew nothing of New Zealand, and he held in his hand a newspaper containing an account of the disasters and sufferings of an emigrant from Hull to Central America, which would show the folly of going to a country they are ignorant of. (This letter was read to the meeting.) The expense of getting to Canada was not so great as many wished to represent it, and considering the munificence of the gentlemen who supported them, he did not despair of raising the necessary sum by next spring. He bad called on Sheriff Campbell this morning, and be just laughed when New Zealand was mentioned. He had been in Canada before, and knew something about it, and, for his part, ho would never go to New Zealand. He did not like Emigration Companies either : many of them were mere humbugs, for the purpose of extracting money from poor emigrants.

Mr Wilson said, if be could see where the funds were to come from to take them out to Canada, he would have no objections to page 4 the motion. But from the report of the joint committee who had been appointed to make inquiries on the subject, it would take at the very least L.4 per head, to convey the society out. It consisted of 300, including-wives and children, so that a sum of L.1200 would be necessary. Mr Cameron talked of the munificence of the subscribers. What was their munificence? They had subscribed only L.50 ! In fact, the manufacturers of Paisley, who had been enriched by their labour, did not wish them to emigrate, They wished them kept in the country, knowing the more weavers there were the lower wages would be—the cheaper would be their labour. This was the narrow and selfish view that was taken, and hence the smallness of the subscription. For his part, he could not see how they could get to Canada. But he was glad to tell the meeting, there was a prospect of getting to even a better country than Canada, and that was New Zealand, which was now a British Colony, and which Lord John Russell had declared it to be the intention of Government to colonize on the South Australian or Wake field principles of colonization—that is, by giving free passages out of a fund derived from the sale of lands in New Zealand. New Zealand was an inheritance which, in the good providence of God, had fallen to the unemployed working men of this country, and he wished the meeting to call on the Government to assist them, as a paternal Government ought to do, in taking possession of this inheritance. When there was such a land, and when there were ships to take them out, were they to remain at home here and starve? No; the whole nation to a man would cry out and compel the Government to adopt immediate measures for carrying on emigration, from this part of the country at least, on a scale adequate to the emergency. Where was Government to procure the funds? Where there is a will there is always a way Government is never at a loss for funds for anything warlike, for war is a fashionable amusement. Millions can be raised for the purposes of war. But we will make emigration to New Zealand a fashionable affair—we will get Lord John Russell to regard it as worthy of his encouragement as a British statesman—we will cause him to view the proposed expedition of Paisley labourers and artisans, as one of the most glorious expeditions which ever left the shores of Britain. (Loud cheers.) He concluded by reading a memorial to Lord John Russell, craving free passages to New Zealand, which he proposed for the adoption of the meeting.

Mr Rankine begged to second the motion, and hoped, in addition to a free passage, that Lord John would grant them a small trifle of land, were it only for a cow's grass and a kail-yard. (Cheers.)

A gentleman, whose name we did not learn, said the whole Australian and New Zealand scheme was a plot on the part of the aristocracy of this country to drive away the people of this land, and take them into slavery. The aristocracy alone got the land there, as in this country. Look at Peel's brother, who got a grant of millions of acres. The fact is, until we get the Charter we will never be relieved from distress.

Mr Crawford here explained that the Peel or Swan river settlement, was founded 14 or 13 years ago, and on most erroneous prin- page 5 ciples, and that the Government, at the time, was completely ignorant of those more enlightened views and scientific principles which had led to the establishment of South Australia and New Zealand—which, just in proportion to the sagacity and skill with which they had been carried out, presented the most remarkable instances of success in colonization which were to be found in the history of the world. Schemes which gave free passages did not deserve the epithet of humbugs to take money out of the pockets of poor emigrants. Not a farthing was asked from the emigrants. As to being taken into slavery, the man spoke in the grossest ignorance who said so, and he could refer him to the numerous letters from working men who had gone out, to show the superior comfort and liberty they enjoyed there. The fact is, the South Australian and New Zealand Colonization Scheme just undertook to perform one of the most important functions which Government, in the midst of party strife and contention, had far too long neglected.

The Rev. Dr. Burns rose, and said—Mr Chairman, I feel it a pleasure and an honour to have an opportunity of advocating the cause of emigration, for the first time, at a public meeting in Paisley; and I trust it will not be the last time that we shall discuss a subject of such growing interest to all classes in our community. Hitherto the matter has not been well understood, for it has not undergone the sifting examination to which it is entitled : nay rather, it has had a fool's cap put upon it. The selection of some of the Colonies of Britain as penal settlements has done injury to the cause, by associating the very name of emigration to foreign parts with the commission of crimes against the peace of society; and particular Colonies, such as New South Wales, have thus come to he looked on with peculiar feelings. Colonization, also, has not been conducted on a systematic plan; and due care has Dot been taken in the admission of members into Societies which had emigration in view; and the subject has only of late come to be taken up at all by the Government of the land as one of national importance. I rejoice that better views are now entertained, and that well-arranged and judiciously-conducted associations of intending emigrants are in the course of formation, on sound and enlarged principles. Do not dissolve your Society. I beg of you keep together. The two objects proposed this night are not incompatible, You may prosecute both, and if the one tails, the other may succeed, Did you effect nothing more than the pressing the subject on the public mind, yon would do a great deal. Collect information. Meet from time to time to receive and give such information, It will be honourable to our town to have taken the lead in a cause which must command public attention, and which is allied with the political economy and the real improvement of the British empire. I can never go along with the sentiments of a friend, who has spoken so earnestly, and, according to his views, so pointedly and correctly, against the influence of the aristocracy, in the matter of emigration. So far from looking on this as an evil, I hold it to he One of the very best things that has happened to us. The aristocracy of Great Britain—using the term in its broader sense, and page 6 not as exclusively confined to the peerage—are directing their attention to emigration, And why not? Shall any class of British subjects be laid under a bill of exclusion? Is it not rather among the most hopeful signs of the times, that men of wealth, of family, of influence, in the parent land, are addressing themselves seriously to what has hitherto been looked on in a degrading light, just because it was not so before? Is this really an evil? What have the operative classes to fear from it? Can the aristocracy do without them in the far distant Colonies, any more than at home? Look at Adam Ferguson of Woodhill—a gentleman of the very highest character and respectability in his native land—establishing himself and his family at the head of Lake Ontario, and becoming the father of a most flourishing colony of settlers from Aberdeen, and other parts of Scotland—diffusing around the blessings of peace, plenty, and contentment—and owned as the "lord of the manor," in a far higher sense than any man at home could be so owned. Look at Dudley Sinclair—the son of a most excellent senator, allied to the first families in Scotland, and with the fairest prospects—relinquishing the attachments of kindred, and making common cause with the lately embarked settlers for New Zealand. Is this to he held as a calamity in the annals of emigration? And why should I not mention Glengarry, too, who sailed, with numerous retainers, from the Clyde, a few days ago, for the great South land? Sir, I delight in the very thought that emigration and Christian colonization are henceforth to be associated with the mountains and glens of my native Isle—with the recollections of ancestry—with the records of our national history—with high-born feelings—with a bold, and masculine, and manly independence. (Cheers.) Will all this do you any injury, friends? Is there not also an "aristocracy of nature"—men who may not have the advantages of birth or fortune to boost of, but who may possess Capabilities of mind and soul superior to both—who, it may be, cannot give from their stores what these stores do not contain, but who can contribute to the common weal out of the very hones and sinews of their own bodies? And will that aristocracy become dwarfish, and dwindle away on a Colonial soil? When attended by moral and religious habits, has it ever done so in times past? And why should any man here entertain or express the slightest suspicion that it will do so in time to come? Mr Chairman, I have for fifteen years corresponded with all the British Colonies of America, excepting one, and that is Newfoundland; and the result of my experience is decidedly in favour of colonization, when duly regulated by national patronage and moral guardianship; and I know that the habits of settlers in those lands are highly favourable to a sharpening of the intellect, and a raising of the working classes to a high eminence in the scale. I do feel a deep interest in Canada. I rejoice in the laudable efforts of the Canada Land Company for the Upper Province, and the American Land Company for the Lower. I rejoice, too, to see the Hudson's Bay Company, in their search after badgers and beavers, gallantly and kindly conducting bands of brawny Highlanders, from Perthshire and other districts, to locate them beside the banks of their lakes and rivers, in the far page 7 distant but not at all dreary regions of the north and west; and these men sending home to their old pastors, whom they love, to ask of them the bread of life. Hitherto, emigration to Canada was left greatly to accident and to necessity; it is now on a different footing, while obstacles which have buen referred to by former speakers are in the course of removal. Look at Lord Durham's report. He rightly states the causes of the late rebellion, and he assigns canses which, if they had not been removed, or put in the process of removal, would have ended in the separation of Canada from the mother country. Need I refer to the proud dominancy of what has been long known as "the family compact"—a junto of persons who took care—while they cared for nothing else—to make a monopoly of all the good things going, for themselves and their associates? Need I refer to certain political and religious preferences, which, though they may suit an old country, cannot live in a new one?—or need I allude to the long agitated question of Clergy reserves? By the settlement of such matters, and the adoption of an enlightened and liberal policy, the state of things in Canada has been wonderfully changed to the better; and let us hope that Government will soon adopt measures for facilitating emigration on an extended scale to its shores. But while we thus think favourably of Canada, and the other American Colonies of Great Britain in the west, where is the inconsistency of pleading also in favour of those in another and exactly opposite hemisphere? Is not South Australia a most promising colony? And what shall we say of Port-Philip?—a most rapidly growing settlement, and in physical advantages very abundant. Look at its capital—the city of Melbourne—rising in the space of two years from the midst of the bush, to the condition of a place with 5000 inhabitants—with its wealthy and respectable mercantile firms—its insurance companies—its four flourishing banks—its shipping of wool in one year to upwards of 100,000 lbs.—its two newspapers—its eighteen hotels and ions—its circulating library—and its "common good" of L,20,000 a-year And why not look at New Zealand, though last not least?—an island or islands rather, larger than Great Britain herself—-with the very best of soils, and every advantage of water supplies, and the most salubrious of climates. I have long known about New Zealand, from the records of voyagers and the journals of missionaries, confirmed as these have been by Russian, English, and American navigators; and I have no hesitation in saying, that a nobler field for the settlement of the industrious artisans and labourers from our manufacturing and over-peopled districts there cannot be British law and British influence are now paramount there; and British schools and churches will there find a welcome abode. Let not our friends be so easily perplexed, Mr Chairman. It amazed me to see the impression made by an odd letter from this wonderfully sensitive settler in the "mid regions" of the west—regions of which, by the way, we know wonderfully little as yet. Only recollect, Sir, the letters which were printed in our own Paisley newspapers last year, from some of our own townsmen at Adelaide what a melancholy account they gave of that place—its streams without water—its grass without greenness—its utter sterility—its page 8 absolute uselessness as the habitation of men; and look at the letters printed last week from the same settlers; how changed their tone ! Emigrants perhaps expect too much; or perhaps they do not make due allowances for changes of circumstances; or, it may be, they write before due inquiry, and on first impressions. I call the gentleman a sensitive one; for his tender sensibilities seem to have been awakened by the bite of the musquitoe, and the leap of a snake upon him from the roof of his bed to disturb his repose Don't mind the musquitoes—they are old acquaintances; and as to the snake that was found nicely coiled up in the gentleman's boot : why, observe, Sir, the gentleman had a boot, and that is something, and a good boot too; and I fancy the poor animal would die by the jerk of the gentleman's inserted limb, ere over it awoke to know the horrors of its situation. Moreover, these are, we may suppose, rather rare occurrences. But as for the cannibals! Why, Sir, there is no denying it; there were, and there may be cannibals still, as there were once in an island with which we are better acquainted: but cannibalism ceases, as better modes of living are introduced into a land; and a former speaker (Mr Crawford), to whom we are much indebted for the information he has given us, justly remarked, that the New Zealanders are now beginning to get roast beef and plumb-pudding, and to this they have voted a preference above all other viands. I was pleading with a preacher last year to go out to that land, and he replied, that be did not like "these cannibals." "Why not?" said I "should not we go to civilize and christianize them?" "O," said he, "I am not afraid of their spears, but it is the idea of being eaten that I don't like." "If that is all," I replied, "there is no cause of alarm; keep away from me the spears, and the teeth will not be long enough to reach me; and is it not the most effectual way to put down both the spearing and the eating propensities, to bring these poor but noble aborigines within the reach of British civilization? 'Yes, Sir, the process is going on and New Zealand has already been pushed forward in the march of civilization. Say not it is a far-off land, In the estimate of an enlarged philanthropy—in the prospects of futurity oven as to the globe itself on which we dwell—in the arrangements of a benevolent Providence for helping forward the career of human improvement—distances are nothing. Look at the map of this terrestrial ball, and New Zealand you see in a most central position as to the commerce and relations of the human family. It is the order of Providence—it is the command of Jehovah, that the earth shall be replenished—that the improvements of one race shall be imparted to another—that the loveliest islands of the ocean shall hot forever be condemned to absolute solitude, or to the dominion of savagism—that Scotsmen and Scottish Christians shall go forth to do some real good to the common family who lie beyond the bounds of their own nice little nutshell—that a cold and contracted selfishness shall not always mark the movements of brethren having a common interest—that British capital, British enterprise, and British principle, shall contribute, and contribute effectually, to that most likely of all means of human advancement, a scheme of well-considered, well-arrang- page 9 ed, and benevolently-conducted Christian colonization. (Much cheering.) Again, I say, don't dissolve your Society; keep together; cherish mutual affection, and avoid every appearance of discord or unfriendly feeling. Do not count much as yet on the patronage you may have received from such as are able to help you. It may be "respectable" as to quality, but it is wofully slender in quantity. The public are in a dead sleep upon the subject—there is an absolute apathy; yes, there is rather a determined resistance to every movement. In 1827 we collected in all the Established Churches for the Canadian emigrants and what did we get, Sir? Just the mighty sum of thirteen pounds in all! Yes Mr Chairman, whole thirteen pounds and I wonder if with all our dunning we would get more even now. Go rather and knock at Lord John's door; keep knocking; perseverance will do much Did not the Paisley Reform Society do much by their importunity and determination? And is the present not a cause worthy of the same? I am utterly amassed at the apathy of people on the matter. What are we to do with an industrious but ill requited labouring population? Are they to starve? Are they to be precipitated on the pauper roll? Are you to stop the progress of machinery, in order to keep hand labour? You may as soon stop the planets in their movements. And what are you to do? Don't you see that every new colony that is formed, becomes ere long an outlet for your manufactures? Don't you know that the exports to Britain's Colonial possessions are tenfold beyond our exports to all the world besides? Why not then encourage, on a large scale, a healthful and well-conducted emigration? Why not petition Parliament in its favour? Why not diffuse Information regarding it? Why look on an intending emigrant as an object of pity? That man is to be pitied, whose little soul sees nothing beyond its narrow cell save darkness and gloom. That man is to be pitied, who will rather pine in poverty and dependence at home, than settle in another apartment in the family mansion which the Almighty has provided, and where there is ample space for a comfortable location, and where there is bread enough and to spare, In the artificial and factitious state of society at home, there is much that we deplore and much that we would wish to see altered. But there are difficulties which to human skill seem insuperable; and among all the schemes of improvement that are afloat—many of them patriotic and wise—not a few far otherwise—I see nothing superior to the plan of enlarging our bounds; giving free scope to the energies of our people; multiplying their advantageous means of Colonial settlement; and sending with them the arts, the literature, the religion of that empire on which even now the sun never sets.

The Chairman delivered some most excellent remarks, and after a short reply by Mr Wilson, in support of his amendment and urging the meeting to adopt the memorial, the amendment and motion were respectively put to the vote, when the former was carried by an overwhelming majority.

Thereafter thanks were carried by acclamation to the Chairman, for his conduct in the chair.

page 10
The following is a copy of the Memorial agreed to :—

"Unto the Right Honourable Lord John Russell,
Principal Colonial Secretary,
"The Memorial of the Undersigned, all Working Men in Paisley,

"Humbly Sheweth,

"That for several year, owing to insufficient employment and inadequate remuneration for their labour, the condition of the working population of Paisley has been reduced to the lowest state of destitution; and the Memorialista, speaking for themselves, and according to their own experience are obliged to declare that, with all their industry, and although working sixteen hours, out of the twenty-four, they find it next to impossible to earn even the barest subsistence for themselves and their wives and children.

"That it has been a subject of the deepest and most anxious consideration with the Memorialists what mode to adopt or course to pursue, whereby they might have an opportunity of turning their industry to better account, and improving their condition. That they are satisfied (whatever might be the effect of a repeal of the Corn Laws, or of an extension of political privileges) that amongst the weaving population at least, in consequence of the daily increase of their numbers, and extension of mechanical power and ingenuity, the labour market is greatly over-supplied in proportion to the demand; and the Memorialists can see no immediate, effectual, or practical remedy for the distress existing amongst them, except by transferring their industry to some one or other of our Colonial possessions, where land is cheap and labour dear, and where the most urgent demand for labour exists, and where, by industry and sobriety, they will be sure of a comfortable subsistence for themselves and families, rather than by remaining at borne, inevitably to sink into the condition of paupers, and become dependent on the parish poor's funds for their daily bread.

"That your Memorialists consider the Islands of New Zealand as a most eligible field for emigration—it being exempted from the calamitous droughts to which Australia is periodically subject on the one hand and the long dreary winters of Canada on the other—whose coasts abound with the finest fish—where every sort of European fruit and grain grows luxuriantly—where there is plenty of pork, and where two crops of potatoes can be raised annually. And your Memorialists have learned with the greatest satisfaction that New Zealand has at length been proclaimed a British colony, and that their countrymen who have already gone, and all future settlers, will now enjoy the advantages of British law and protection; and they have also learned with satisfaction, that Captain Hobson has declared it to be the intention of her Majesty's Government to colonize the country with settlers from this country as soon as possible.

"That it is the wish of your Memorialists to emigrate to New Zealand, and they avail themselves of the approval your Lordship lately expressed of the Wakefield System of Emigration, whereby page 11 by selling our Colonial waste lands at a fixed minimum price, a fund can be provided for giving free passage to emigrants from this country, and also of the intimation you have given of your intention to apply these principles to New Zealand—whereon to ground the claim they now respectfully make for free passages for themselves, their wives, and children, to that Colony.

"That your Memorialists cannot anticipate any refusal to this application. In the first place, over and above your Lordship and Captain. Hobson's declarations, inviting the Memorialists, as it were, to make the application, the condition of the Memorialists is such, that some remedy is immediately necessary. In the second place, they conceive their object to be laudable, and every way worthy the encouragement of the British Government. Thirdly, they look on New Zealand as the appanage of the working men of Britain, acquired by and taken possession of by the Crown, in trust for them; and they are entitled to insist that the lands in New Zealand shall be sold, or mortgaged in security in the mean time, and the money applied in giving free passages to all labouring men, and their wives and families, who wish to go and settle there. Fourthly, New Zealand contains 100,000 square miles, or 64,000,000 square acres, which, if rated at L. 1 per acre, will yield an Emigration Fund of sixty-four millions sterling, by means of which, at L. 20 per head, 3,200,000 souls could be carried out to people the country; and, Fifthly, On the faith of future sales of New Zealand lands, twenty millions sterling, if required, could be immediately raised by way of loan. But your Memorialists are not asking twenty millions, nor ten, nor five, nor even one million. Let only the tenth part of a million, or L. 100,000 sterling, be raised and applied in the meantime, and it will take out one thousand families, or 5000 souls. The good this would effect—the relief to the Memorialists, and those who would accompany them—the planting them in a new field of industry, where their labour would he turned to good account—the creation of a colony—of a new market for British goods—the increased employment of shipping—all concur as the strongest reasons to induce your Lordship, on public and patriotic grounds, as well as from benevolent motives, to give a favourable reception and answer to the claim of the Memorialists, and to countenance and encourage them in their enterprise. An advance of public money from the Treasury to Emigrants, is not without precedent. Such advances were made in 1817, and 1825, and 1827, to bodies of Emigrants from Glasgow and Paisley, who were taken out and located in Upper Canada. No part of the public money can possibly be more usefully or benevolently employed.

"For the above reasons, the Memorialists hope your Lordship will give this Memorial your best consideration, and will be pleased to comply therewith, and to order such measures to be taken as will enable the Memorialists, or all who may be preferred to free passages, to embark from the Clyde as soon as possible; and also, that a grant of Land may be assigned to them for their location."

(Signed by above 3000 Memorialists.)