the magnificent
prisons now built are considered "unjust to the labouring poor, whose
humble dwelling, with coarse and scanty food, is mocked by the grandeur
and beauty of the prison, as well as by the idle and comfortable
entertainment within its wall;" and it has been remarked by a public
journal in a warning voice, "to make prisons palaces is the way to turn
palaces into prisons."[see Note 34] But enough has been said on this
subject at present, and we will now consider again the working out of
this great undertaking. We will suppose, in the first place, active,
intelligent, and scientific young men to be sent to the Rocky
Mountains,[see Note 49] to ascertain the best spot at which to cross
them, and the best port (if the mouth of Frazer's River will not
answer), on the western shore of North America, within, of course, the
Hudson's Bay Company's territory, for a great commercial harbour and
railway terminus. Then let a grand line of Railway be marked out from
Halifax to that spot, and let all local towns or districts that have
sufficient capital and labour to undertake any part of that Line, have
the benefit of the profits of the whole Line, in proportion to the parts
they may finish. No convict labour need interfere with them. But in such
districts as are at present so thinly inhabited as to have no working
population, and no capital to expend, let the work be commenced by
England, by her capital, and her convicts;[see Note 23] and let
government encourage and facilitate the formation of a great Atlantic
and Pacific Railway Company, by obtaining from parliament a national
guarantee for the completion of the work;[see Note 51] first, of course,
having entered into arrangements with the Hudson's Bay Company, and her
North American provinces, for the security of such sums of money as may
be advanced by way of loan from Great Britain.

To Englishmen we would say then, in the words of the Rev. C. G.
Nicolay, "We have at home a superabundant population,[see Note 24]
subject to a very rapid increase on any reduction of the price, if but
of the necessaries of life,--how can it be better employed than in
seeking, with its own advance in social position, and means of
acquiring its comforts, if not its luxuries, the spread of our free
institutions--equal laws--and holy religion. We desire an enlarged
sphere for commercial enterprise. New markets for our manufactures;
these every fresh colony supplies in its measure. If then t