The Minister is now said to be employed in drawing up two plans, which will give rise to very warm debates in Parliament : one is for settling a commercial arrangement between Great Britain and Ireland ; the other for giving a constitution to Canada. In feeling the former, the Minister will have to contend with strong commercial prejudices; in the latter, he will have to encounter religious principles. The British settlers in Canada are comparatively few in number. The great bulk of the Canadians are the descendants of French, and are Roman Catholics. The former are Protestants.

Fleaury in france, and Walpole in England, were not fonder of peace than Mr. Pitt. Conquests may be made by war, but consequence and wealth can only be obtained by a pacific system, if the first commercial nation in the world.

Besides these considerations, the grand secret has been discovered since the present Minister came into power, that the best riddance England ever had, was of her American Colonies ; because by this means, she becomes thoroughly collected at home, to oppose every foreign power, without the expence and blood of supporting the Americans, at the same time that they cannot do without BRitish manufactures in one line or another.

Thus, they are under the necessity of protecting themselves, at the same time, that, like the rest of Europe, they are obliged to resort to our superior mercantile market.

Application has been lately made to the Lords of the Treasury for an order on the Bank to issue some of the new silver coin, in aid of the present want of silver for circulation, the scarcity of which is much felt by retail traders in particular.


Citation: Glasgow Advertiser (Glasgow, United Kingdom), 18 December 1789, available at the Scissors and Paste Database, http://www.scissorsandpaste.net/48.