Munro to Lytton

In the course of last session of the Imperial parliament I sent
your lordship a letter through my friend Lord Goderich which I
trust you duly received. In that letter I informed you that I was
resident in York, connected with the public press, and in my
literary labours I wrote prize essays in connection with the
working Men's essay on the Sabbath question, and to better my
family, left England in October 1854, so that I am now resident in
this country now nearly four years.

Ever since my entrance into Canada I have ever taken a deep
interest in the opening up of the Hudson's Bay Territories, and
have exerted myself in placing information before the public mind
of England and also in high quarters where I believed it would be
acceptable. Since you were honoured with being Colonial Secretary,
I have
weekly sent you copies of the Globe newspaper, the most
reliable deliverer of information in Canada in covering all matters
relating to the welfare of this Province—it is in fact the most
energetic and reliable paper on this con=tinentcontinent, even in the most
simple and trivial matters.

Believe me, Sir, my heart is with you in the great and good work in
opening up the Hudson Bay Territory and I am glad to find that to
you has been Providentially granted the important enterprise of
founding a new colony in the distant part of Her Majesty's dominions
and that all that has already been done has met a world-wide approval,
thus showing that literary habits do not disqualify any gentleman
from grasping great and mighty schemes for the welfare of mankind.

In my letter to you, I expressed a wish and determination to locate
in some part or other of Vancouver's Island, or British Columbia,
or in the Sascatchawan Valley. I wish to know the terms of
settlement and price of land in British Columbia. As a British
subject—and a son of a father who fought nearly 33 years in the
battles of his country—and as the father of a son now in the
100th Regiment in Thorncliff Camp—I feel that the terms of
settlement is one important item in the establishment of a colony,
and every way bearing on its peace and general prosperity. I told
you that the great cause why hundreds and thousands of emigrants
as soon as they land at Montreal and Toronto and elsewhere pass
quickly on to the Western States of America, is owing to the heavy
price of land in Canada and the great toil, hardships, and length
of time before they can get a comfortable and good return for all
their pains.

My mind would be much satisfied if you could also inform me as to
what is to be done with the Sascatchawan Valley. The Imperial
Parliament Committee decided that it should be reserved for
colonization. Do you propose to speedily act upon it in the same
manner as you are now doing with British Columbia, making every
effort to open it for settlement? Myself and many others would be
willing to go up and settle there, if assurance could be given that
no molestations from Hudson's Bay Company or others would be
experienced. Do you purpose to send a portion of British soldiers
and other preventive means to assist in the settlement of the
Sascatchawan Valley? No doubt hundreds of loyal British subjects
would be willing to go up from here to the Sascatchawan for
perpetual residence and as your humble servant I shall be most
happy to harmonize in any scheme which your judgment may decide.

If you can inform me by return of an early English mail, you would
be doing me and many others a good service.

I shall continue to send you Canadian newspapers of the most
reliable stamp, which I trust will be acceptable to you.

I am well known in England to Sir W.M.E. Milner, Bart; Ald Meek,
York; Ald Jas Meek, jun, York; Ald. Evers, York; and hundreds
others. To satisfy you, I send one of my latest literary
productions, cast up in my leisure moments, which I trust will not
be overlooked by you, a gentleman of good taste and feeling.