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American Colonies, I have felt it my duty to transmit to your Lordship the accompanying copy of the reply which I have this day forwarded to his Excellency.

I have, &c.

(Signed) II. V. HUNTLEY, Lieutenant-Governor.

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he have conveniently lived in England. In short, it will have the effect of rendering these Provinces more like England, and less like the United States, a change that will do more than anything else to induce a large and respectable emigration to them, and through such means confer an incalculable benefit upon the mother-country.

I have, &c.

Inclosure in No. 8.

(Private and Secret.) Sir,

Sir H. Huntley to Sir C. Metcalfe.

Government House, Prince Edward Island,

June 12, 1844.

I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's despatch of the 22nd of May last, marked Private and Secret, having reference to the proposed institu- tion of an Order for the North American Colonies of Great Britain, that subject having been brought under your Excellency's notice, by a private despatch from the Right Honourable the Lord Stanley, bearing date the 15th of March last, and of which despatch your Excellency is aware I am in possession of a copy.

I concur entirely with your Excellency, in thinking that this measure will be very efficacious in rendering more durable the attachment of the British North American Colonies to the mother-country, and I have the honour, in compliance with your Excel- lency's directions, to submit some reasons in support of my opinions.

1. I conceive that the well-disposed will regard such a measure with great satisfaction, because by rewarding really good services, they will become more conspicuous, and more likely to be attempted by others; also, amongst many who may be now merely passive in their good feelings, that desire of distinction, so common to our nature, will very probably be awakened, and render them active supporters of Imperial and Colonial connection; I am aware that in this last case the cause of action is placed upon a low standard, but if I am right in supposing that the number of those who exert themselves upon principle without looking for reward, as compared with that of those who adopt a principle in the hope of reward, will bear no proportion, it is very fair to calculate upon the advantages likely to result from it.

2. Those who have shown themselves, and continue to be either openly or clandestinely hostile to the connection with the mother-country, will find in this measure an additional obstacle to the completion of their views; they will have to guard against an increased inducement to loyalty on the part of their opponents, as well as against the fear of defec- tion amongst those who previously gave a ready support to the wish for separation; because, although that support was given when no reward of personal distinction was held out for a contrary course, yet it by no means follows, that the same support will be continued when by its withdrawal a reward may be obtained.

3. The institution of the projected Order tends directly to the establishment of an aristocracy, founded upon the exercise of talent in conjunction with sound principles and integrity, and I cannot see what can be more likely to lead people to prosperity and social happiness than such a system. Indisputably the greatest care and firmness must be exhibited in conferring the distinction, more especially as throughout these Colonies so great a proportion may be found who are prepared to oppose anything having a tendency to destroy, what they are pleased to term "equality," against which the institution of an Order will naturally operate; should it therefore, in any instance by inadvertence, or other causes, be unworthily or even injudiciously conferred, a clamour and ridicule will be excited, the more difficult to be encountered because fact will have rendered the position tenable.

4. There is another direction in which the subject appears to me to be worthy of much consideration; the institution of the proposed Order I think likely to have a very beneficial influence upon emigration from the mother-country; much more desirable settlers will pro- bably adopt these Colonies than at present are found here with sufficient frequency; now, where a gentleman settles in there he finds it next to impossible to hold any position at all similar to that which he left in England; but it was the retention of that position which he sought to effect when he made the change, and adopted a country where the pecuniary demands upon him were less heavy; he fears that a retrograde movement will be sustained by his young family; this fear originates, I apprehend, to a great extent in the absence of those institutions now under the contemplation of Her Majesty's Government, to which either he himself, or his sons, might under circumstances have had access, could

(Signed)

H. V. HUNTLEY, Lieutenant-Governor.

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