IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 =y= 1.25 Ui |2.8 |2.5 u& m III "^ 140 IIIII2.0 12.2 1.4 1^ 1.6 m ^ m y 7 ^ ip7 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian institute for Historical IVIicroreproductions institut Canadian de microreproductions liistoriques 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. Coloured covers/ Couvertures de couleur L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. 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The original copy was borrowed from, and filmed with, the Icind consent of the following institution: National Library of Canada Maps or plates too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper l«ft hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les images suivantes ont At4 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet« de I'exemplaire film«, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la der- nldre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas- le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". L'exemplaire filmd fut reproduit grdce A la g6n6rosit6 de l'6tablissement prdteur suivant : Bibliothdque nationale du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour dtre reproduites en un seul clich6 sont film^es A partir de I'angle sup6rieure gauche, de gauche d droite et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Le diagramme suivant illustre la mdthode : 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 « >' M LECTURE h?. 1 ' '1 ON lei IDECBjyCBER,, 1888, BY ^ I^. DOBEIiL. '•^" ■ li^'^: "•X l\ j*. — i>-<>- QUEBEC : PI^INOIBD BY DAWSOM^ 60. 1888. - #; y>m ^4 :'=,'■ r '_ ): ?^^;'^ . f > >« ^J'.?^*- .'.-,■•. J»- i^-;4 i. A.\ 1 < i< ?*• ••* -If, .A~to bV',^ ■'■•;■« •,"■.-■ t. A m^^^" ^w K^p^ LECTURE ON 15 E O E l»d: B E II, 1888. BY Y{. 1^. DOBELL. QUEBEC : PI^INOTKD BY DAWSOISI tion originated in (^anada, received the unanimous approval ol' the Dominion ])Oard ol'Tradc! ; and from that time the expressed desire for closer trade relations l)etween the Colonies and Great Britain has grown more earnest ; and every new ellort is better di- rected to lead to practical results. In i'urther answer to the charge that we have no programme, that we are merely following a vaiiue dream, 1 cannot do better than quote an extract IVoin a late paper by Dr. .Tessop in the Nine- teenth Century Magazine which reads as follows : "It is quite sufficient to condemn any men or any opinion to pronounce them vague — why! since the be- ginning of the world no great forward movement, no great social or political reform has ever achieved its object and gone on its victorious course conquering and to (Conquer which did not pass through its early stage of vagueness. The leaders were prolbundly conscious of an evil, though they did not see what the proper manner of setting to woriv was." Now this was written with reference tocpiite another subject, but to some extent it expresses what the position of the League is to-day, viz : That recognizing the neces- sity of a change in the present relations between the Mother country and the Colonies, both politically and commercially, they are endeavoring by obtaining the 8 opinions ol tlu' colonists, and hy holding' conri'iviicos Ibr discussing- tlu'in, to lind a sale ooursc to adoi>l lor the uttainuient ol' a i-losi'V and more lasting- union : and 1 hope belbre the el()S(> of tin; evening- to conviuc-e you that we an^ not drcauicrs, but have an objet-t to work lor which Lord Kosebeny, the President ol' our Leag'ue, in his late speech at Slidlield, said : — "was a cause lor which anyone niig-ht be content to live, it was a cause, lor which, if needs be, anyone might be content to die " Two years ago I could only draw attention to the progress that tiie i)rin(;iples oi' Imperial I'ederation was making-. At that time it had not received the (*ounteiiance of any ol' tlu' leading statesmen of J*]ngland, and if could not be said to have entered into the; domain of j)ractical politics. The conference which I, at that time alluded to as about to be convened was held; and it would be impossible to exaggerate its impoitance. It was ])resided over by the Kt. lion. Sir II. Holland, (now Lord Ivnutslbrd,) Colonial Secretary, and attended by the leaders of both sidi's of polities in Eng-hind, besides the al)lest represent- atives from the several colonies. The n-sult oi that con- ference was to establish and inaugurate the lirst steps to Imperial defence, Australia taking- tlu' lead in colonial history by Joining- the mother country, in providing- special and extraordinary means for the protection of Australasia. The principle of Federation for the purj)oses of mutual defence was approved of unanimously — the prevailing sentiment at the conference being in complete unison with what our well known chief The lit. Hon. Sir John A. MacDonald expressed at the iirst confederation (■onfcnMico hold in London in 188'). 11*^ s;iid : "lio believed that the whole policy ol" Groat-Hriliiin wns opposed to aggressive war, and in any other war tiie people ol' Canada would be ready to take their share ol tho resp()nsil)iliiy." Is there one here to-night who would wish he had said loss ? I hope not. I believe there is not one trre Canadian who would not endorse that statement. Belbre closing this lecture, I shall add one or two other details of the meeting. The League received a gri-at impetus aT'er this con- lerence. IJranches were established in almost every town iu Great Britain, and in most of the large towns in the Colonies : and it is now conceded to be tlie most important question, not ibr Great Britain alone, bin ibr the whole British Empire — how to Irame such measures as will draw the various component parts oi' the Empire into one indi- visible coufederacy. I cannot relVain here from a passing tribute to the man who first deiined what the possibilities and future benelits of this Imperial l^'ederation might be. I refer to the late Ut. Hon. W. E. Forster. I think if those who have passed hasty hostile opinions on tlie League were endowed with some little of his prolbund judgment, his extended knowledge, his independent and unsellish spirit, they would pause before they called it a phantasy of vi- sionary enthusiasts. I will not detain you to-night by going over at great length the reasons why a closer union is desirable, as that (lil >'reat that is <'on<'«Hl(ul l)y nearly all without rcicTtMicc to any party politics. I ("annol do Ix'ttcr llian give you tln' views Mr. Forstor rorcslijuloAi'd in liis iirst paper advocatnii^' its objcH'ts. By his death the Lea«^ue have lost a leader whom they call never replace, l)Ut he has lejt us the henelil of his matured Avisdoui. He laid great stress on the ad- vantages to bo derived i'roin :i council composed not only of the statesmen oi'Oreat Ihilain, hut ol'delegates IVomall the Colonies He ariiUed "that in limes when there m;iy be dangei' of internal disunion, such a council, would in i'act be a tribunal which would j^ass juduineni on selli>h, impulsive, and unreasonable proposals," aiul he (juoted from Lord Grey's words, in adding what the inlluence W'ould be in Great Britain " that when the lMigli>h beyond the seas were unanimous in opposing her policy there would bo a lair presumption that we were in the wronu-." In matters relating to Colonial and Foreign dilliculties, he admits that "they could not bo salely solved without regard to colonial feeling and deference to colonial opinion." In rendingthis M'e cannot help reilecting had such a voice been raised when the first British Colonists on this Con- tinent lelt aggrieved and wronged, how diU'ereiit would have been tin* history of the last hundrtnl years. Fortu- nately to-day we profit by the lessons taught both Great Britain and ihe Colonies by the painful issue then fought out. We can now meet and discuss not only what is best for our own particular and immediate interests, but what is best lor a great Empire, which \v(i did not make, but which it should be our first duty to consolidate and strengthen. May I not enlist on behalf of this movement 6 a litllo of tlie leisure oi' the loyal citizens ol" Quebec ? We ask you Ibryour co-operation and assistance It advocates no narrow policy lor the beneiil of any distinct nation- ality : it will not enrich the g'reat by oj)pressing the poor. It will widen our Held ol' active operations, extend our in- terest and sympathy to all our sister colonies, and above all give each one a claim not only in the past but in the luture history of the British Empire. 1 will now i'ndeavor to g'ive you a bric^f historical sketch of how the colonies of Oreat-Britain were obtained and how they I'xist to-day ; and it will be desirable to draw youi' attention to the extent of the countries and people that we propose to confederate ; and also to consider the variety of produce and climate that would be embraced ill it. ^lurh that I may state has been r.'corded before ])y others; and i will take occasion to luention tiiat many of the Jit>'urcs which 1 shall ijfive you, and the diagrams, aif borrowed iroin the very abh^ address delivered before thn Statistical Society by iSir Rawson W. Rawson K.C.M.G. After the consideration of these details I hope to make a few practical suggestions as to the feasibility of bringing about linpeiial Federation. I w-ill challenge some of the objections that have been olfered, and I shall be more than gratihed if at the close of this lecture I may number many here present as members. The Colonies of Great Britain consist of (irst, the Indian Empire, which is governed under distinct and Tin special provisions and ruled ever by a Viceroy. Secondly those known as Crown Colonies and to which responsible government has not yet been extended but which are ])resided over by an executive, chielly nominated by the Crown : and thirdly, those dependencies ibrmiiig- by far the most important portion of the Empire and to which have been given almost entire freedom of action. I have assumed that it will not b(^ uninterestino- to refer in passing to the date and manner of their acquisition by the British Crown. I propose also to give with (>qual brevity a sket('h of the Colonies of the other i«rcMl European States, comparing those of Grreat Britain with theirs, and drawing attention to the difference in the races which people them, the various systems adopted for their government, and showing the advantages which almost without exception appertain to the dependencies of Great Britain. As also it is not an unimportant point to esta- blish the necessity of some common agreement as to the tiscal policy to be adopted by Crreat Britain and by our several Colonies, 1 have taken statistics showing the relative volume of trade between the mother country and her Colonies, and comparing the same with the trade betw(»en other ibreign countries and their colonies Of these colonies we place the Dominion of Canada first, as she has been iustly called the brio-htest o-era in the Imperial Crown. You are all conversant with the records of our history. While C'olumbus was urgina- Ferdinand and Isabella to fit out an expedition in 1490 to 1492 for the discovery of land further South than this, the 8 ramily of the Cabots, lather and three sons, at their own charge were granted a charter by Henry VII on March 14th, 14tMJ, to set up the Royal banner in territories dis- coven-d by them as the King's vassals. They landed in Newi'oundland and returned to England with less cause lor congratulation than those fortunate discoverers ol the more Southern parts of the Continent and the Islands adjacent thereto. In the second voyage JSebastian CaV)ot reached Labrador ami Hudson's Bay. It was then that ail the CrowiU'd heads of J*]urope displayed iner»'ase(J zeal for ext>'nding their sway into unknown lands. 8pain and Portugal made great strides, supported by Topci Alexander VI, who drew a line down the middle of the Atlantic, and published a bull giving all that was luist of the line to Portugal, and Westward to Spain, the aim of both countries being not so much to colonis<^ as to gather ;i j)orti()n of the untold wealth which glistiMied in the minds of some of their avaricious and uncontrolled ad- venturers. I can stay here but for a moment to glance at the meteor like enterprises which shot around the world. Spain loaded her heavy galleons with the spoils of Peru and Mexico, and the weight of riches then acquired sunk her so deep in luxury that she could not hold the continents she had conquered; and she is only now awakening to realize that " a nation's as a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things she possesseth." Chivalrous France, burning with zeal, cared more to plant the standard of the cross where it had never been known before, than to gain wealth, or to retain by patient enterprise per- manent possession of the lands she had run over. 9 lot in alrous ndard , than 3 poT- , In ir);j4, Jacques-Cartier ast^ended the St. Lavviu'iice, and C'iiamphiin in 1G03 iounded Now h'rance ; and it was not long alter that that they chiim, as Trof. Gallorel has hitely written, that the French were masters of all North America, excepting" the coast of the Atlantic. The heroism displayed by many of her pioneers Avas of the highest order. Their progress was not marked by rapiin^ and plnnder; and if the Government of France at that time had not been wholly given to phnisure, the history of this continent might have been such, as never to have given us an opi)ortunity of including it in a British Conlederacy. In iSouth America the Spaniards had made themselves masters of all that country now known as the Republic of Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador, with Peru, the Island ot Cuba, Porto llico, and Mexico — Portugal forming the iirst permanent colony in Brazil and other settlements in the country now called the Argentine Republic. In the East great conquests had been made Portugal, Denmark, and Holland were the first to break into the then unknown Eastern world, but with the exception of the Portuguese few attempts were made by any country to plant real bona-iide colonies until England began to acquire a footing as a conquering nation. It would take not one lecture, but a winter's course to trace the various changes which followed each other in rapid succession until early in this century. In every fresh war islands and continents which had been in no w^ay near the scene of action w^ere signed away by treaty. Clive and Hastings II 10 wrasted India from the power of France Wolfe by the battle of the Plains and the apathy of the French Court gave into British control this vast continent And then it was that England was blest not only with the power to conquer but was imbued with the desire to do justly and rule wisely. No nobler example in dealing with her conquered countries has history to record than has been shown to the world by the impeach- ment for high crimes and misdemeanors of the triumphant General, Warren Plastings. What he had done was nothing to the ruthless slaughter of some of the other conquerors, but England knew that to hold an empire the bonds must not be of welded iron but of threads of silk, so this mos\ victorious of generals had to stand before his peers to be tried. Happily, the charges were not sus- tained, but the integrity of the law was vindicated, and India knew that the sceptre had fallen into th(^ hands of a country whose banner insured justice to the oppressed. Without following the details of each new conquest, 1 must ask you to glance at the map and s^e the various islands and continents which are comprised in what we proudly call the British Empire. There are the great areas conquered by arms or settled by treaty or colonization, Canada, Newfoundland, India, The Cape of Grood Hope, West India Islands, Barbadoes, Bermuda, Leeward, Baha- mas, Gambia, St. Helena, Gold Coast, Gibraltar, British Honduras, Penang, Sierra Leone, Ceylon, Trinidad, Malta, British Guiana, Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Heligoland, Mauritius, Ascension, Falkland, Aden, Perim, by the 1 Court it only ith the xample tory to ipeach- Tiphant le was e other pire the of silk, fore his lot siis- ed, and lands oJ" vessed. quest, 1 various ^^hat we ■at areas lization, i Hope, 1, Baha- British , Malta, ,nd, and I, Perim, Portuguese Colon IKS, 705,778 sq. m DUTCH COLONIES 682,792 sq. m. FRENCH COLONIEH, 382,706 sq. m SPANISH COLONIES, 165.734 sq. m. DANISH COLONIES, 87.124 sq. m. UNITED KINGDOM. 120.757 sq.m. The entire Figure represents the area of the BRITISH COLONIES 7 938,422 sq. m. Territory in India of Feudatory Princes 509,284 sq. m. HOLLAND 12,648 sq. m. DENMARK 13,784 sq. m. | PORTUGAL 34 499 sq. m. SPAIN 192.959 sq. m FRANCE 204,092 sq. m 12 J long Kong, Labuan, Lagos, Fiji, Cyprus, Tliosf* col- lectively, representing an area of nearly eight million square miles, and a population of 208,000,000 controlled by Great Britain, with a population of 35 million, living within an area of 120,757 square milos. At a glance, if yon reler to the diagram you will see tii( relative area of the Ih'itish Colonies as compared with tliose of the Euro- pean States, and in diagram 2 you will realize the relative population. The chief colonies belonging to other countries are principally within the tropics, as say, Cuba, Porto-Rico. Phillipine Islands, Canary Islands, Ladrone, Caroline, and Pellew Islands, Fernando Po, San Juan, belonging to Spain ; Algeria, St. Pierre Miquelon, Cruadaloupe, Marti- nique, French G-uiana, Senegal, Kennion, Cochin-China, Tahiti, Tunis, to France ; Moluccas, Java, Nuda Ceram, Celebes, Sumat i, Surinam, Borneo, ( W. C), New Guinea to Holland ; Madeira, Azores, Guinea, Serafuca, Timor, and settlements near the Congo to Portugal, and these are inhabited chielly by half civilized races, who are kept under by a large military force : and to live amongst them is nothing less than social banishment. In addition to this striking preponderance of both area and population in favour of the British Colonies, think of the greater advantages possessed by them in their being the homes of a happy, enlightened and free people. What other country can boast of such an offspring as Australia, New Zealand, or Canada, the former having sent over four hundred millions of gold to pay for articles of import consisting chiefly of the necessaries and comforts of life. I 'hese col- t million ontrolled »n, livinir ^luiice, if 'e arort of he p]uro- L' relative itries arc rto-Rico, line, and nging to s, Marti- u-China, I Ceram, ' Guinea mor, and hese are are kepi g^st them dition to pulation 3 greater e homes at other ia, New rer four f import of life. I)UT(Mf (;OL()NIK!S. 26.841,597. !^ 52 yA < lO CO V-t H o tf CO O t FRENCH C0L0NIB:8, 8,722,857. HPANIHH COLONIES, 8,175,467. I'ortiigiU'si' Coloiiios, 3,723,967. The entire Figure represents the Population of the BRITISH EMPIRE, 213,918,000. FEUDATORY STATES OF INDIA, 55,000,000. O Cf5 cm" fn CO UNITED KINGDOJVI, 35,153,780. FKANCK. 37,672.048. 14 Look at the position of the Cape oi" Grood Hope. Not- withstanding all the mistakes with which the British Clovernment are charged m the administration ol' that colony, compare it with any ol' the Dutch or French settle- ments where the inhabitants are held in with military severity, and w'here Constitutional Law is unk)iown. Canada I need hardly name as an illustration: lor it is familiar to us all, still in the history of nations will you lind an example equal to that set by Great Britain in dealing with this country at the time of federation of the several Provinces into a Dominion ? Did she exact any return for all the expenditure made during the previous years of her rule V Was not her entire aim to make us unitod, free, and strong "^ The .lortresses. Crown Lauds and Crovernment buildings were transferred without pay- ing the cost of the parchment which embodied the title, and the only pledge exacted was that we should in our commercial and fiscal policy put her on no worse footing than we did any other country. This brings us down to the present day. Is it so very strange that the colonists from Australia, Canada, or the Cape, appreciating what Great Britain has done for them, viewing it from our ow^n stand point — for t believe the future can be defined in clearer outline here than can be obtained in viewing it from Great Britain herself — they perceive the advantages of all the colonies being connected and the mother country drawn nearer and strengthened so that no strain can part them. There are difficulties. Well, is it not the duty of all statesmen to try and over- come them ? W hat are men endowed with brain, leisure "M»MiM 15 Not- British L»r that sottlo- lilitiiry )»own. )!• it is ill you tain in 1 of the. ict any revious ake us Lauds ut pay- le title, iu our looting so very or the r them, ive the can be [—they mected thened :julties. i over- leisure and opportunity for, if it is not to encounter dilHculties ? Our dilHculties in Canada have been largely increased by the proximity of a powerful neighbor, '.vho would be only too glad, if she could to carry to its bitter end the Monroe doctrine, and claim our fair Dominion as her own. There are also dilliculties and dangers arising from the sophist rv of leaders, who would allure us by the glowing pictures they draw of the wealth and magniliceiK.-e of thest; United States, and by the advantages which they claim would accrue to Canada if she would only part with her birth- right and join hands with them. One who still claims to be a Canadian but not resident here, who has the ambition, if not the ability, to be a leader, has ur<''ed us to follow his guidance into a commercial union witii the United States. Fortunately, the eagerness whi(;h he evinced in advising us of the tempting bait being prepared for us in Washington revealed the snare that was being laid for us. Another and a much more dangerous counsellor is one who po.ses in an attitude of exalted isolation, and who, although not a (-anadian is resident amongst us. who beguiles us by the perlect style and beauty of his essays, and who characterizes this movement as the fantastic dream of a few enthusiasts. In a late paper which he has written on A.mericau statesmen he concludes a chapter of some interest with the following paragraph : " If England, on her side, will be content to give up the illusory hope of being a political power on the American Continent, and cease to interfere in the internal relations 16 j: hi and alFairs ol' the communities which inherit it, a moral ve-union of the lilngliwh spcaicinj? race is, not only a possibility but almost a certainty of the near future. Kven an Anglo-Saxon franchise maybe practicable though Imperial Federation is not." If anything could be said to cheer one who believes in Imperial Federation it is the opinion herein expressed; because although possessing great command of our mother tongue, the writer has over failed in his prognostications of the political course of any country. Perhaps at this point it would not be out of place to bear testimony to the wonderful progress and prosper- ity of the United States ; and it Would not be wise lor us to leave unchallenged the apparent desirability of a clo.ser union with them. The benefit to be derived from such a union no doubt would be immediate in its action, and speaking as a Quebecer, our real estate would probably be augmented in value. We would certainly have an inilnx i)f Ameri(;an traders which would stimulate our trade: but would the advantages be as lasting or as great as those which would flow from Imperial Federation ? I think decidedly not ; and in proof I would refer you to the liffures on the diac^rams, which show that w^ere a close fiscal policy adopted by Grreat Britain and her colonies, it would open for Canada markets more varied, countries more populous and wealthy, and diversities of require- ments more multiplied than we could obtain by union with the United States. To show how little we at present participate in this trade, I may state that the total trade ,^.AJ!i^Ll2^X^:it;^^ii^J^ V^MdU t, n moral lot only a ar I'ulure. lie th(jun:h PERCENTAGE OF TRADE OF ALL THE COLONIAL POSSESSIONS WITH IJNITFn KINnnOM 3 believes expressed ; ur mother ).stications : of" place d prosper- /ise for us 3f a closer Dm such a ction, and robably be an iiiilnx )ur trade : it as those ' I think ou to the 're a close '-olonies. it countries if require- by union at present :otal trade u PERCENTAGE OF TRADE OF ALL THC COLONIAL POSSESSIONS WITH UNITED KINGDOM. INDIA 45 p.c. AUSTRALASIA 29.7 p.c. t NORtH AMERICA <) 4 p.c. AFRICA 6 8 p.D. ASIA '5 7 p.c. SOUTH AMRRICA 1 WEST INDIES 2 1 p iv WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES. INDIA 44.7 P.O. ASIA ao.o p.c. NORTH AMERICA aO p.c. AUSTRALASIA 10 p.c. WEST INDIES 4.8 p.c. SOUTH AMERICA 0.3 p.c. AFRICA O.a p.c. WITH COLONIES. AUSTRALASIA 40. a p c. INDIA a9 p.o. ASIA ie.8 p.c. NORTH AMERICA a p.c. WEST INDIES 1.4 p.c. AFRICA l.a p.c 1 South America 0.4 £^ 17 betwuHMi the Douiiuion of Canada and the other depen- dencies of Great 15ritain only amounts to two per cent, while Australia controls forty-nine per cent, and India tw.'nty-nine pi'r cent. With loreign countries our trade amounts to ten per cent against Australia's twenty-eight ])er cent — showing clearly that the trade of Canada wnth the other coli^ni's and foreign countries is capable of considerable development. This prosperity of the United States has been owing, I believe, to no small extent to tin; perfect free trade ex. isting between their several sovereign states, and although they have a prohibitive tarilF against other countries, and especially (ireat IJritain, she has never ceased to t'xtei'.d to them all the advantagci,. of her open ports. I claim that if the United States had been challenged twenty years ago when they put on their prohibitive tarilf, a retaliatory policy being pursued not only by Great Britain but by all her colonies, the United States could never have main- tained their tarilf. I am satisfied that the United States have grown rich by the one sided free trade given to them by Great Britain and the equal freedom they enjoyed for trading with any of her colonies. It w^ould be misleading to speculate that Great Britain w^ould at present entertain any departure from her one sided free trade. The old warriors who fought in the battle against monopolies and extreme protection will not even allow the question to be raised. They almost ex- emplifv the proverb that right held to too rigidly hardens into wrong. The heroes against oppression at one time, FRANCE £21,056,000. HOLLAND £8,008,000. SPAIN £5,152 000. J DENMARK £590,000. PORTUGAL £317,000. The entire Figure represents the Trade of the UNITED KINGDOM with its Colonies. £186.358.000. 19 have bocome tyrants. All who dilTor from them thoy call idiots ; and thoy bolievo in no policy that will not help them to feed their operatives cheaply, and reduce the cost of everything to the lowest point. We think if they would leave England and look more closely into what is taking- place in that great federation of states across our border, they would pause before deciding that the panacea for all evils in trade had been found in her ultra Free Trade policy. But Mr. Bright threw out a darker menace and showed his entin; want of sympathy towards Canada and the other colonies in speaking of the Fisheries dispute. He said if Canada wtn'e an indei)eiident state the dispute would soon be settled; for she would yield to the argu- ments of her neighbor.' Evidently, from this, lie thinks that might, not right, should settle the fishery question. I need not say more: ijt shows how^ men of ability may give way to prejudice, and whenever the colonies are nauK^d Mr. Bright loses his better judgment. How mu(^h more patriotic and independent are the views of Mr. Forster which he expresses in his pamphlet on Fed- eration, the spirit which should animate all He says : "Are we the fellow countrymen of our kinsmen in the colonies ? Are we and they determined to continue to be fellow countrymen V Do we and they love our country and strive lor its welfare ^ Ho we ;ind they believe that this welfare depends on the innintenance of the Union; and are we and they determined to maintain it ? " This sounds more like the appeal of that noble Ivoman who asked his fellow countrymen if there was one of them so rude as would not be a Roman, iSo to-night 1 may say if 20 thero is any one horo who would not roply to Mv Forster and say that we are determined to (ontinuc to be fellow countrymen and to maintain the Union, we do not wish him to join our Lea2^ue. With reference to rhe fiscal policy, we h;>.ve to admit that England has been the t'hampionof that ultra [Vei> trade policy which has been di'fcnded rjy the abh^st statcsmiMi and political economists of the d;iy. it is even now almost c(]ual to hiuh treason, or re<)'ardtHl as an evidence of Iu'lp- less imbecility to question the perfect correc^tness of the theory that no matter what hostile tariliaiiy country raises against Clreat liritain her best interests are sei vi'd l)y keep- ing her ports open alike to friend and fot\ Until the adoption of the N. P., this country endeavored to follow the principles of Free Trad(^ and we all know how ad- versely we seemed to be all'ected by the action of the United States, who imposed duties on a scale that were almost prohibitory ; and in addition to (his, she iiidinn'tly discriminated against Great Britain, for instance in her tea duties. Canada at that time, before the adoption of the N.P was charging I'rom iiiteeii to seventeen per cent on certain articles other imports, the average duty not being over seven to eight per cent, and the United States was imposing as high as fifty to sixty The Reciprocity Treaty between Canada and the United States was at an end. The States declined to renew it, and we then found ourselves engaged in an unequal contest, receiving the surplus of their produce and manufactures, the former free, and only charging them from fifteen to seventeen per cent on the latter, while the United States charged us on every bushel FRANCE £425.460,0C1^, o o 00 en 00 a o o CD < < o o. «f3 5° Z O) cii The entire Figure represents the Total General Trade of the UNITED KINGDOM £715,371,000. 22 ofo-iaiu. (til every head ol'livo stoek, and put on almost a proliibitive duty on our nianulactured articles, our lumber and oui' auricultural implements. It Avas at this time that (Ireat llritain might hav(M'halleno"ed the liostile taiill' of ihe United States. As it was, she remaiiu'd neutral, as it' she had no interest, extending no greater advantages to Canaila or tlie \W'st Indies which at that time were sulfer- iiig in common with us, aiul are still to-day sull'ei'ing. Well. y(Hi all know, Caiuula at that time adopted the National Pidiey. a system pure and simple ol' protection, I believe il'it had been possibl<\ Canada would have had the eouiage ol' initiating a retaliatory policy, but owing to the treaty obligations made bv Crreat Kritain not only on h r own account but binding her dependemdes, that was not practicable, and would have clashed with treaties granting what is known as " the most favored nation clause " We therelore framed our fiscal poli. y as far as was j)0ssible, as we thought best for our own interests, and the manufacturers and free traders of Kngland com- plained bitterly of the action then taken. II Great Britain liad even then made any overt ur(\s to h(>r c(donics, I believe they would have fallen in with any general Iree trade policy, and would have taken in all other countries that would have extended reci})rocal rights. While it is impossible for many of the colonies to have complete. Free Trade, at least for some tmn*, as certain duties have to bt> raised for revenue purposes, it may be stated with- out dispute that each year that a (country follows a protective tariff, the more dilUcult it is lor her to abandon it, and the more will her manufaciurers be dependent 28 upon it. To-day Clivat Britain boasts thai .she raises i,„ revenue on any nianuiiu-tured arii.'i,> or product' of the «oil that can be raised at home Now, I cannot see thai li'a eertain portion of revenue must be rais.-d by duties, why Ihese duties should not be {)hiced on arti.-leson which Ibreign countries would be likely to pay porlion of if not all. Why should Chvat nvitain put a tax on coir.'c aj.d cocoa goino- jVom the West Indies, or on tea ;ind coHlv i'rom Ceylon and India, at tiic same iim,> admittini.- Iree all the surplus produ.-ts and manulactures lioni the United estates and other Ibreign couniriesthat will noi allow reciprocal advantag-es. II" we canjiot just now induce Great Britain to chang,' her policy, we might try to have closer trade relations wit^Ji our sister colonies. With this in view I hope that we will before long appoint agents to represent our commercial interests in Australia and the other colonies. They may be able to have some of the barriers that now exist removed . and with countries which exact a hen vvduty on our lumlMr and products of the soil we should try to have these duties lowered or removed entirely by reciprocating in some articles they export. Jn this way I believe our industries would nourish, our manuiactories would open up new markets, and hr. on a sounder basis, and we should be moving towards the more enlightened poln.-y of Free Trade, not free imports with barriers erected against us in almost every other country in the world ; but by an intellig.mt use of the advantages we possess to induce our sister colonies lirst to join in a closer ilscal union, and by stimulating freer exchange of the natural products of our 24 several cli.natoN. Thou wo should bo imxious to deloiid our mutual Inido. Tho dolouco of tho Empire would follow, and oach i>ortioii would bo glad to contribute a quota, and c;ould allbrd to do so bocause of the prosperity that would be tho result ol this policy. To show how little wo do at present with tho other colonies 1 call your attention to the diagram of our trade with them. Another important feature which i)resents itself in dealing with this liscal policy, is what attraction does such system oiler to tho immigrant. Tho argument is used in Great Britain that the cost of living in the United States is so high that the wages <-f the laboring classes are are not equal to a seemingly much lower scale of rates that prevails in other countries. Well, what is tho result? Notwithstanding the increased cost of living, the poor immigrant evidently iiuds that the United States hitherto has proved the most attractive field for labor. Glance at tho returns of the aliens in the United States in 1880 also at the number of immigrants who entered tho States in 1888. rt is gratifing to find that the past year or two has proved that a change in this current has begun to show Itself, (^anada is receiving a larger share of tho immigrants arriving from Europe, and J believe fewer are leaving their homos here to find employment in tho United States. Of course a large proportion of the seventy-nine thousand who are on the list of 1882 must have boon immigrants who merely passed through Canada always having the States STATEMENT of the Trade of the UNITED KINGDOM with each of its princinal Colonies, showing- the Annual Averat^e Value of Imports and Exports in each of I he Tri- ennial Periods, 1874-76 and 1881-83. ISTI-Tli. Chaiuiel Islands '' t;(;7s.(HH) nn'oHTKO. Avfiii','1' 111' AviTHtrt' of (iibraltiir MiiUa ^\'^'^l AlVican Sell li niciils 'Ihe (H'ld (ua-I ( 'ii|U' 111' ( HMiil I li.|.r ;ill(l Nalill Mauiit ins S 1 ,( l( II ) •_'l tjinn I'.llrOOO lssi-s:i. ;;:;.( 1(10 1.')'.t.(l(lO KXroUTKl). A vci'dLTi' <>r A viiMtru of l«"l-7(>. issi.,s:i. £8K;,000 I €7'.i'.),0(K) I,1S4.(M)(I SO'.l.oiio ".'"l'.OHO I,1<',-_'.(M)0 •Jl'::.( ; | .( ii n) N.iMh Aniciican Cniunics 1 l.d.'i-J.OOO ,ll,:;:-'8.n(i0 W'csl India Islands A' (Iniana. I>riti>li llnndma,- Biitisli India :^triiits Scttlciiicnls ( 'cyldii. 1 IdiiU' ICohl; Anstralasia ( )tlnT P(iss('ssinll> 6,803,000 200,000 r),704,(i(H) ;'.o,4,jr),ooo 07,144,000 L\7'.ni.(i(io -1. .">:'.( '..0(10 ;;.iwJ.oo(i I'.L'; ;'.».( II 10 .",.",( 1,1 H i( I 17:'.. OHO 4.'.iiL',0(io t'.,'.iL':!.(ii'u l.";),ooo ; .");;(. OM I ',i,:',Oii,(i(iO i(i,(t:;;!,uoo :!,.".;',(i,o(io ;'..:'.7;'.,( 00 111,000 127,000 i .'4,002,000 :; 1, 072,000 2.:'.21.ooo 2,( .77.000 ] , ! r,'. 1,1 iro 7'.t;!,000 j.osc.ooo 1.20i'.,on(i , ;!.( ■,7(1.1101 1 ;',. i,00() .'o.:;ri(;,o(i() 2(;,o;;r),ooii ':.'o,i,".r>.ooii lh;. 424,000 ;',or),ooo 4i('..ooo :'.74,000 :;o:),000 8;U);5'.)Ooo 'oo.rMo.ooo !7i.'.'oi.o(0 so.soi;.ooo 2(1 !is ilh'iv goal, iiiid wt'ic not our own |)oi)iil;ili()n leaving— al least not to thai exlcnt. in this nuittci' I think GrtMit Britain has hecn supine in her eosniopolitan s{)irit. She has shown indilKuvnce as to where her mi mi grants went ; a)i(l at one time woalcl coldly eiKjuire what difrerenc did it nialv.' where the people went to. Jlapj)ily the (Irrnians havesliewn Oruat Britain the great advantages that slu' possesses hv having suchcolonies, and we have all marked the sti-ennous ellbrts made by liismark ol'late years to seiuire an outlet Tor their emigrants wlu're tlu-y still wonid he under (Jerinan protection. The tal)les of statist ies sho\Y,uig the imports and ex- ports ol iht; United States with (ireat iiritain are interest- ing as thoy sliow the great iiicreasi' ol the one and the relative decrease ol' the other. You will note also that althouiih Clreat l>ritain inipovts IVoin the [Inilcd Slates £St!,0'IO,0()0, she only sends nianulactures in exchanii'e to tlie extent olM*.']0.()uO,0(M). In oj her words slw has to pay the United States cither in cash or exchanLi'c an annual amount ol' al)out £50,000,000 or £52,000,000. This, no dtnibt, is covered to a large extent hy interest due on loans uuide by Great Ih'itain in former years. 1 will repeat what 1 claim, that il the United States had been challenged twt>nty y(>ars ai>'o when thev put on the prohibitive tarill", and a retaliatory poliev pursued not only by Great Britain, but also by all her colonies, the United States could not have maintained their tariff, and I am satisfied the United States have iMMi(.i!.\Ti(t.\ riioM (;i;i:.\T himtain and iuki.and to I iiitcil Shilcs..! 11(1,(1(1(1 I ('anjidii ! l<;.(i(M) Aiistialiii. 1S,(I(MI I SSI IK '),(!( to Ls,( 1(1(1 |i;.ii(i(i lss:i iss;5 .");;.( 10(1 M4.000 ;; 1,(1(11) :;7,(io(l ;;().( 1(10 (;i,0('<' Total lM.M(iii;.\Ms inih Inr r.s. 47,(>(((> , (')'. 1,000 S( 1,0(10 7L',(IO(t ('.•_', 000 •_'."),! 100 f\ NADA. l.sSO .. s ".,000 issl. ..11 ",(100 ISSI'. ..1".': 5,0(10 iss;',. ..-(•• 'i.OOO issL ..ICt '.,( M H » 1«.S."). ..10.' >,000 Im.\0(;i;ation To U.S. up to iSL:o...-jr)0,(loo Is-JI ((> IM'.O...].", 1.000: Anni'm, Avi;i!\(;k \>^'.\\ to is 10 ....")'.l', 1,0(10 .V.MIOO ISH to ls.",o .iTl.O'io IS.'il to ISCO -J.'.',!,!)!)!) IS('>1 to 1S70 ' -Jl'.t.ooo 1S7I to isso I -j'.tKooo hssi to JSbo i (;;'.'.i,ooo LAi;(ij:sT ^^r^rI(;RATIo\ To L'mtki) Statks 1s,S2. (ifl'lll:OI,V -jrjO.ooo I'nilcil KiiiL'iloiu i7s,o lo ( 'an.ula 70.ooo Noi\va,v mill ^wimIch Ol.ooo Ollici- Counlr'u's 1 io,ooo 7J|,ooo K8TJMATKi) M MlU-lll OF AJJKNS LN I'MTEl) 8TATKS AND TIIK COrXTinKS OF TITKIR OiUCTX IN IRSO. United Kingdom Gkkmany Canada NoiiWAY AND SWICDKN Other Countries . 2,700,000 i,i)(jr),ooo 717,000 ^570,000 700,0(10 28 i^-row 11 rich hy \ho one sided l-'i Tf;id(' uiviMi lo them hv (Irciil llritiiiii. Now, do yoti not I Iiiiik I hat the colouial iiii'iiihi'i's ol' ;i comunl sitting' ill London mi'^ht l)rinn' soni'* inlhiciici' to hear on (his (juoslion f* 'rhfrd'ort' hi'lieviiii^, this is why I ( II 1,000 i'Ml'Jimmv'i'" L'.".i,n(i(i.(MMi ; I,') .000 000, s 1 ,11 1( 1.000 .S.s,;!( i:!.000 s,-),4i » i,t h m ' •j(»s,ooi',ooo L'( It 1.000,000 i7r),()0(),(i(i(i irvt.ooo.ouo X;{.S'.t,-J.SO,000 Xy70,iKM»,()(l(l|i X-JlMi.OtKJ.OOOl £:i70,4<>0,0(M) Aiiiiiisil luipoi-r.s into ;it lirihiiii, Vrvr <»( Diit.N Iroiii I'oiM'i;?!! CoiiiilrU's, uvtirayc i»l K) yrars. WooiJiENS Cottons ('lIEMICALS Clocks Copper . (Jl.vss (r LOVES . Le.-vtiiei; ■ Sugar . .-€10,000.000 7.000,000 . 2,000,000 1,000,000 . 1,000,000 3,000,000 . 2,000,000 2,000,000 8,000.000 4.000.00O Avcratio «>I the Annual TraiW' of tli<' Unlt«' coneluded that they eonld liave no higher aim than the advancement of some petty trade i)rivileo-es. He received tlic deputation with saiirieal politeness and told them a worn out story of some French candh* nianu- faeturerri who waited on their Finance Minister to have the ami's light obseured that it might increase the con- sumption ot'their randies. One of the .Vu^traliim dcl...vate^ replied that before many years \^.-oiild have passed, tho question would command tlie attention of the iJritish Faiiiamcnt. and that Jler :\lajestv's ministers would be then forced to give it consideration. Compare this with the n'ception which theconftn-ence to whicli 1 have alluded receivec'i in April hist-— not only countenanced by the Government but held at the Forei'ni OfRce. and ^resided over by Sir Henry Holland (iiow^ Lord Knutslbrd), Colonial Secretary. There were present tVie Prime Minister, the Marquis of Salisbury, the Earl of Cadogan, and First Lord of the Treasury the leader o| Her Majesty's Government, W. H, Smith, h't. Hon. E Stanhope, Foreign Secretary, Lord George Hamilton, Earl Granville, Earl ol' Onslow, >Lirquis of Norman by, Sir George Bowen, Sir Henry Buckley, and many others who had been resident in the colonies or who were directly 31 conncrtiHl with thorn, Lord Halisl)UiT spo]a» thfiioflhc causo as " our great aspiration," and pointed out that there was no gulf fix(Hl Ix'tvveen the !is]:)iration and the a.'tnal undertaking. He drew a couiparsiou ])i'twi'eii the case of the Grorman Empire and our own, and stated that though not immediately practif^ahle a custom's union "is not in the nature of thinti'.s impossihlc" This. 1 believe, is the key-stone of our projects without \vhi(!h the structure cannot be l)uilt Lord Salisbury closed his speech on that occasion with th(\se words " \Vi> may, bv our organization, hy our au'reement, present t(^ the world the spectacle of a vast l']m[)iri' founded, not upon foi-ce, nor upon subjection, but upon a heart v sympatliy and a resolute co-operation in .9.'1aining all those high ol)jects of human ciKh'avor whi(;h are open to an em})ii'e such as this." Lord (rranville followed, and said that whatever dillerence there might be bctwetMi party i)oliticians in home (piesijous, they were all ready to co-operate in gr.'at Imperial (juestions. and he concluded by wishiiin- tiie conference ■' (rod sj)e(Ml ", and expressi'd the ho})e that it might tend to increase the links whic-h bind the dilferent j)ortions of the Lm[)ire together. Tn a few words, to summarize the advanc(» made in this movement, J may record the following as having been developed out of tlie nebulous matter, which Lord vSalisbury pnnlicted would (-ool down and condense into a material with practical results First, — The acceptanci' of the principle of Imperial defence. 32 Secondly — Tho acrreemont that no schiime of foderatioii should interfere with the existing rights oi' hjcal par, !iarrients as regards local all'airs. Thirdly — i he admission that it is necessary to include into the scheme some })lan lor I'acililating close trade relations between the colonies and Grreat Britain. My own opinion respecting this last clause is and has been since the lirst conference was held, that it must be taken hold of by the colonies iirst. This view ol' it is now taken l)y the President of the Canadian Branch ol' the League; and lately it has been arranged to hold a con- f(M'enc<> in Ottawa for deleo-ates from Australia and. I presume, other colonies, to disciA. this clause. Instead of being discouraged at the progress made, I am astonished at the rai)idity With which it liad spread. I never thought it wise to formulate any programme, as 1 felt assured that the constructivi^ policy would begin as soon as public feeling required it. On(» important Libtu'al magazine recommended our adopting the motto of "Festina Lente". Eight years ago the press neither of England nor the colonies had ever written an ariicle on this subject. To-day there is hardly a daily ])a[)er, a monthly, or ([uarter- ly magazine, that does not devote a portion of its articles to it. The "Times" who ridiculed our first me(>ting in l^ondon admits in an article in its issue of the 1st April last, "That there are two great though partial forms of federation, both of which have beeii proved possible by 33 exi)tMi(']icc', and both ol' which leave wholly uiilouched all vexed (juestious lh:ii arise the iu.staiit an attempt is made to think out political I'ederation. One is the combination of soirgov(!rnino- communities for mutual aid in the great contests of industry, the other is a similar combination for mutual defence against violent aggression." The Liberal papers were almost umuiimous in their expressions of hope as to the results of this movement after the confereuce. One of them— and it really expresses the almost universal opinion — wrote as follows : " It ouyht to be a sufficient rebuke to those people who are ever ready to talk silly stuff about the degradation of patriotism into partisanship, that in the midst of such apolitical storm as this, when paity feeiini;- llames hot and bitter, the leaders of both parties should meet on equal and amicable terms to confer together as to^ ihe means for adding strength and coherence to their common heritage ot country and empire". Another, and the last which I shall quote wrote "Our distinguished fellow subjects from across the seas will find us all delighted to turn aside from the occupation ol' reiuling one another in order to grasp hands and assure them with the utmost sincerity and truth of an earnest wish that the ImpcM'ial Council to which they have come may powerfully assist the cause of IJritish co-operation throughout the world for all purposes of security an<^ prosperity." In closing, I would borrow the words of Sir Rawson Rawson at the end of his pamphlet : " That Great Britain has become great and still maintains her greatness, in on 34 small degree, by ihv i)o.s,so.ssioii oi' her colonics, and through tlu' bonds of kinship and ol mutual inttMcst and sympathy, which, in spite of all temporary misunder- standing and conflieting views, are yearly knitting tliem more closely together ; and that ,sul)ject to those chang'es which time may bring about, and a conciMisus oI' interests and desires may dictate the fixed and unwavering policy of our rulers should be that England and her colonies are one and indivisible." Since reading the foregoing lecture, I have been asked by several friends if I would not^.nrint it, and as my only desire is to arouse an interest, and it possible show that Imperial Federation has none of the objectiomible features which some of its opponents would clothe it with, I have concluded to do so. 1 would also like to sav that any reference I may have made in it to the I]nit(»d States has not l)een ac- tuated by any feeling of hostility, but only to show that our best interests would be served by continuing our present connection with Clreat Britain, and still more, if it be possible, by drawing our trade relations closer with not only G-reat Britain but all the other colonies. 1 believe much good could be done by a meeting with re- presentatives Irom the United States to talk over our present commercial position with them. 1 cannot think that any great nation can willingly be countenancing- an indirect breach of agreement such as they have allowed I ^ W 'i 35 since the treaty of isni"). It is w.-H known that at that tirn.' Canada t-'ave lo the United States the use of our nvers and canals and the r^ov-rninent at Washiim-ton ohli- S'iited itsidf lo use its l).'st endeavours to obtain from the several Federal States the same i)rivileo-es for Canada. From that time to this the Americans have b,>en enjoyin<>- the benefits that we o-ave them, but the best endeavours of the United States Clovernment have not resulted in one Canadian boat passing throui>-h to Xew York with sauK; privileges as American boats Is this lair or equitable ? Again, is it not worthy of a great nation to take all the advantau-es that her n.dghbor will give her in con- junction with the mother. •ountry, and send her vessels to and fro witliouf let or Hindrance from one p^rf of th,. Empire to another and back again, but if a Canadia.i vessel arriv(^s in N.>w York ^^tltil a cargo, she cannot clear from there to San iM-ancisco, a voyage of se\-(U-al months, as they claim it is a coasting voyage. Can anything bi; more strained than the interpjetation they have put on this question ? The Fishery dispute is beyond our reach, and is bett(M- not touched upon m a paper like this, but would it not be possible for both countries to arrive at a better understanding if all commercial questions were taken up and quietly discussed by representatives of commerce from both countries. I have since read, with a great deal of pleasure, an article in the " Century " Magazine, written by G-eorgo R. Parkin, and I copy from it one or two extracts which I 36 appond to this paper, hoping that Die wiH.t ol'lhc article will excuse my freedom, as they covim- so completely several i)oi]ifs I would have liked to have touched upo)i. First, as to the interest which first arous(Hl the promoters of Imperial Federation, the articlo says : " For the world "at large, <"ivilized and uncivilized, there is not at present "in the whole range of possibk^ political variation, any "question of such far-reaching significance as wdiether " Great Britain shall remain a political unit, with effective " energy equal to her actual and increasing greatness, or, " yieldino' to some process of disintegration or dismem- " l)erment. shall al)(licate her invsent position ol' world "wide inlluence, and suffer the great current of hiM- '• natural life to be broken up into.Y,>any separate channels." Secondly, in relation to how it may be reuarded by our T'rench- Canadian fellow sub]\vts and also as to the result of the alternative that is spoken of by some, namely independence. " Fn-nch-Canadians are not only content with their "political condition, but warmly loyal to I]ritish con- " nection, Their greatest statesnnui emphasized, but " scarcely exaggerated this attitude of mind when he des- " cribed himseli'as an Englishman speaking French. So " high an authority as Cardinal Manning told me not long "since that bVench-Canadian Bishops andclero-y had over " and over again assured him, that their people were " practically a unit in preferring Ihitish to French con- " nection. There is no doubt that in respect of either " religious freedom or political security the preference is 87 "justified. Tho lui),se ol' years brings into stronger relief •' the truth of MoutiUeiubert's remark, that the Frenchmen " of Canada had gained under British rule a Freedom " wliich tlie iM-eiichmen ol' France never knew. With " this sentiment, vvhicli mak(\s unity [ms.siMc, tiie natural "interest coincides. For the colonies, the alternative is " independence, when as small and strug-glino' nationalities " they will have to take their plac(^ in a world which has " developed distinct tendencies towards the ag-glomeration " of immense states, and where absorption or comparative " insio-nilicance can alon(> await them. For Oreat Britain " the choice is bet\ve(Mi anialganiating permanently m " some way her strength and resources with those oithe "colonies, or abdicatin^^the relatively foremost place " which she now holds among the nations. The o-rowth " in population of the United .States and the expansion of " Russia are already beginning to dwarf by comparison " all oth(M- mitions. Those confin(>d to Europe will, within " the next lifty years, be out of the lirst rank, Oreat Britain " alone, with unlimited rbom for healthful expansion on "other continents, has the possibility of a future equal to " the greatest ; has the chance of retaining her hegemony " as a ruling and civilizing power. Should she throw "■ away the opportunity, her history will be' one ol arrested " development. The process by which her vast colonial "empire has come to her has been one of spontaneous "growth, the outcome of a decisive national tendency. '• By inhenmt inclination the Anglo-Saxon is a trader- " The character is one of which we need not f(»el ashamed. " It has been found to consist in our history, with all the 38 ■' liiihliiig eiiorg-y of tlic Uorniin mul much ol' tlic iiilcl- ' k'ctiiiil eiu^rg'v of tho Grei'k. It docs not .scrm iin'oui- " pntihlt' will) the moral onergy ot Christianity, and " ruriiishes the widest opportunity for its exercise." Thirdly, the opinions which would b»^ entertained, \nd the moral iniluence, in case we should both break from the MothtM" Country, and fearing indepeiulence, should join hands with the United States, Mr. Parkin writes : " In spite of this evidence of a century's history^ ' Mr. Goldwin Smith still argues that trade; interests will ' ultimately draw C^anada into political connection with 'the United States, and api)arcntly does not understand 'why his ()i)inion is rejt'cted with intlignation by th(! * vast majority of Canadians. ^ ct it seems impossible to ' conceive how, without a debasement of i)ublic senti- "ment quite unparalleled in h*>story, a people whose ' history began in loyalty to British institutions, who 'through a hundred years have been sheltered by British ' power, who under that rule have attained and enjoyed ' the most complete political and religious liberty, who ' have constantly professed the most devoted regards for ' a molh(M- land with which they are connected by a ' thousand ties of aiiectionate sympathy, should deliber- ' ately, in cold blood, and for commercial reasons only, ' break that connection and join th.-mselves to a state in • whose history and traditions they have no part. They ' would incur and unquestionably would deserve, alike ' the contempt ot the people they abandon, and of the 'people they join. In a Great Britain reorganized as a ' federation, or union, or alliance, Canada would hold an > V , rk V ,,v ;3!) lu)noriil)l(,' place, s'aiiiod on linos of inuMiatioiinl clev<'lo]) moiil ; in annf'xalion to thcUnitod States she could have nothinj? but a bastard nationally, the oflspriny- ol' either meanness, sellishness. or tear. What is tiius trUi- of Canada is trie- ol' the other Ihitish Colonics as w.-H. The lorccs wliich make I'oi- nnitv and continuity ol' national lil'c ar(> not only stron