ng before that
date.

In the same way he had foreseen the need of Canada for Imperial
assistance, both in her public works, and in her finance. Assistance
in the former of these matters was peculiarly important. Colonists,
more especially in the Upper Province, had undertaken the development
of Canadian natural resources, but poverty had called a halt {99}
before the development was complete, or, by preventing necessary
additions and improvements, had rendered useless what had already been
done. Conspicuous among such imperfect works were the canals; and
Sydenham realized the strange dilemma into which provincial enterprise
seemed doomed to run. The province, he told Russell, was sinking under
the weight of engagements which it could only meet by fresh outlay,
whilst that outlay the condition of its credit preventing it from
making.[30] He was therefore prepared to come before the United
Parliament with a proposal, backed by the British Ministry, for a great
loan of L1,500,000 to be negotiated by the home government, and to be
utilized, partly in redeeming the credit of the province, and partly in
completing its public works. "It will therefore be absolutely
necessary that Her Majesty's government should enable the governor of
the province of Canada to afford this relief when the Union is
completed, and the financial statement takes place; and I know of no
better means than those originally proposed--of guaranteeing a loan
which would remove a considerable charge arising from the high rate of
interest payable by the province on the debt already contracted, or
{100} which it would have to pay for raising fresh loans which may be
required hereafter for great local improvements."[31]

There remained now the last and greatest of Sydenham's labours before
his stewardship could be honourably accounted for and surrendered, the
summoning, meeting, and managing, of a parliament representative of
that Canada, English and French, which he had restored and irritated.
His reputation must depend the more on this political adventure,
because he had already determined that 1841 should be his last year in
Canada--he would not stay, he said, though they made him Duke of Canada
and Prince of Regiopolis. And indeed the Parliament of 1841, in all
its circumstances, still remains one of the salient points in modern
Canadian history.

The Union came into force on the tenth of February, but long before
that time all the diverse poli