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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichd, il est filmd A partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. by errata ned to lent une pelure, fapon d 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 S 6 m THE UNION OF THE British North American Provinces 4. AND THE HON. JOSEPH HOWE, {From the Montreal Gazette.) MONTREAL : DA.^\^SOISI 13ROTHEKS. 1866. UNIOJf OF THE COLONIES AND THE HON. JOSEPH IIO\yE. :i^ From tho earliest period of American his- >jry no thought has more persistently occupied the minds of American statesmen than that of Union. The leading spirits in the okl i;> colonies were ever dreaming of it, and when their union was accomplished after the revolu tion, it was not long before the loyal colonies began to thirk that they also had a common ground and bond of union. For a long time these tendencies were dis- couraged by the mother country. The foolish policy which frowned on Franklin's plan was continued until the growing indiiference to all colonies tooK root in England. The states- men of the colonies still longed for organiza- tion, but the statesmen of the mother country followed the rule of dividing in order to govern, while there never lacked in any small com- munity ardent local "patriots" who saw "tyranny and spoliation" in any comprehen- sive scheme, and who would rather be chiefs of their own villages than take their places, according to their real abilities, in a larger assembly. The iirat union of which we read is the con- federacy of 16 to of the «' United Colonies of New England," by which they entered into " a firm and perpetual league" for defeuce and for trade. This confederacy soon fell to pieces, and in 1G96 another and more comore- hensive scheme was decided on and laid before the Board of Trade and Plantations, but was there suppressed. In 17o4 a conv ntion was held at Albany, and a plan of union devised by Ur. Franklin was selected out of many others, and, after a debate of 12 days, adopted — Connecticut only dissenting. The Board of Trade refused even to bring this scheme under the notice of the King. The manner in which union was at last achieved is known to all. Now it will be apparent to all who look under the surface, that had the British Govern- ment been able to communicate with a body of more weight and unity of action than the Provincial Assemblies would not have occurred North publicly asserted the rupture ; for Lord " that if the *' Americans would propose to Parliament " any mode by which they would engage " themselves to raise in their own way and by " their own grants their share of contribution " to their common defence the quarrel on the " subject of taxation was at an end." But there was no common legislation, except that of the Imperial Parliament. One colony would grant and another would not — each was jea- lous of giving more than another, and the in- evitable village demagogues were ready to set one against another and all against the Bri- tish Government. Even after the Continental Congress had met, the mattei would have been arranged had the Government been able to re- cognize it as Vi legal body. History is against those who assert that a Confederation of Bri- tish North American Colonies would tend to separate them from the Crown — the rebellion of the old colonies took place under their dis- united legislatures. But beyond all the men who ever made a study of American politics the gaze of good old Governor Pownall penetrated farthest i 3 iting. The > bring thia ung. The st achieved I who look ish Govern- fith a body ction than } rupture for Lord t if the 'arliament i engage ay and by titribution rel on the d." But eptthatof ny would was jea- d the in- ady to set the Bri- )ntinental lave been ble to re- is against of Bri- tend to rebellion heir dis- made a of good larthest y I into the future. " Let Great Britain,'" he said, ** be no more considered as the king- "dom of this isle only with mi-ny appendaith governors and men in authority. Aiming to be the " people's man," he has not overcome that wildness of statement and fervour of imagination which so wp';^h with popular assemblies. This scheme bf Federal Union was put before the public by a body in which he, being Imperial Commis- sioner, could have no seat, and in which a seat had been refused to his mouthpiece, Mr. Annand. The dream of his life is near being realized, and he has had no hand in it. It is not surprising then that it should meet with his opposition. Never, even in the hottest of Mr. Howe's diatribes, did the fervour of his eloquence lead him into so many contradictions and rash state- ments as now in his recent pamphlet. The scheme of Confederation is misrepresented from its inception. The English public is asked to condemn it as one of ** spolia- tion and robbery" — it is "Schles'vig- Holstein," "an oppression," a scheme "forced on an unv/il!ing people." Yet it is true that all the Canadians have done was to go down to Charlottetown, where the Mari- time Provinces were debating a smaller union, and ask them to consider a union of all British North America. Delegates then met, appointed from both political parties in all the colonies, the plan of union was adopted, and all that has been done since has been done by a majority of their various legis- latures. The plan had come even in the very way Mr. Howe ubed to desire, viz., " the pro- ject of union has como from theother colonies." He has now the assurance he so longed for— " I should like of all things to be assured the French-Canadians favoured a union." Now that Mr. Howe has another object, he system- atically underrates the resources of Canada ; but his language hitherto has invariably Iteen, "that noble province," "that magnifioent provmce " — ' one of the noblest countries it has ever been my good fortune to behold." "Of vast proportions, boundless resources, and surpassing beauty :" travelling through which you feel " that Canada must become a great nation ;" and that in IS 39, when Canada was an infant to what she is now. He makes the most of a deficiency which, during the last year, has been caused by preparations against Fenian raids; excites English prejudice by al- lusion to the Canadian tariff, which is now very littl e higher than that of Nova Scotia ; and finally settles our province by exulting that she possesses no coal — forgetting to re- mark that the unparalled water power of Ca- piada affords facilities for manufacture unequal- led in the world. But, as Mr. Howe goes on, he is still more contradictory. He draws a lively picture of a Canadian "doad-lock," am' then speaks of the Lower Provinces being s vallowed up in a larger assemblage. Can he not see that, if this be true, the Lower Provinces mus*^ hold the balance of power ? and, moreover, would Nova Scotia be as much swa' owed up theia as if she returned two members to the Impe- rial Parliament? Listen to Mr. Howe, when at Montreal, describing the rivalries of races : " We Anglo Saxons, proud of our race, " are too apt to forget how largely the Nor- " man-French element entered into its compo- " sition. Gradually the distinctions faded, and " out of a common ancestry came that new *' race which has given laws and civilization to " the world. So it will be here. Sprung from " two of the foremost nations of the earth, " speaking two noble languages, who doubts " that a race will grow up in North America " equal to the requirements of their country, *' andproud of the great families from which " they sprung." Nothing strikes one more in parusing his pamphlet than the stress laid on the loyalty I ¥ .•?: i 4 various legis* m in the very z., "the pro- ler colonies." Ionised for — e assured the lion." Now ct, he systera- 9 of Canada ; variably lieen, ; mat^niiioent 3t countries it to behold." resources, and hrough which jcorae a great m Canada was He makes the iring the last •ations against irejudice by al- which is now Nova Scotia; je by exulting •getting to re- power of Ca- kcture unequal- ly is still more ly picture of a hen speaks of ill owed up in a ot see that, if aces must hold )reover, would owed up theie rs to the Impe- r. Howe, when alries of races : of our race, argely the Nor- into its compo- ions faded, and came that new d civilization to Sprung from of the earth, ^es, who doubts North America their country, ies from which u psrusing his on the loyalty ® vt of the Maritime Provinces, and the insinua- tions against the loyally of the Canadians. No one questions the loyalty ot the Nova Sco- tians, and we all remember that a natural cause of discontent existing in all the colonies was here fanned by demagogues into a very sniall flame, but let him remember that alone, of all the colonies, the Canadian people liave given their lives for their sovereign. From 1776 to is(it)— the defence of Que- bec, to the afftiir of Ridgeway — Canadians of both races have shed their blood freely in de- fence of liritish connection. From the pro- clamation of General Montgomery to that of Sweeney, the burden has invariably been — '* We have no quarrel with Canadians, but with Englishmen — share with ns the glo- ries of the Republic — its equality, its wealth.'' Let Chippewa and Chateauguay tell the an- swer. The descendants of the DeSalaberrys and tht Robinsons have the same answer ready now. Walk the streets of the chief cities of Ca- nada and you will see a stronger contrast to United States manners and customs than in any other of the American dependencies of Great Britain, and "et we have lived in daily intimate communication with our republican neighbours along the whole length of our frontier. We have separate traditions and different aspirations. The family history of Upper Canadians tells of a fundamental po- litical antagonism in the past. But Mr. Howe, after talking all his life of colonial nationality and nation, is scandalised because Lord Monck uses the word "nation"' in his address to Parliament. In a previous quota- tion is an example of Mr. Howe's use of the word. Until recently It was a pet word of his own. He says in another speech : " It is impossible to ^ancy you are in a pro- vince — a colony. Yon feel at every step that Canada mnst become a great nation."' Even the proposal of a monarchy is not new to him, but he rejected it lest we might have a dynasty of idiots or might give offence to the United States. Nothing, however, can show Mr. Howe's inconsistf^ncy better than his ex- aggerated picture ot" the defenceless position of Canada, ow.ng to her frost-bound shores and extended frontier ; — while a little further on he claims the Saskatchewan territory, and urges its settlement as j crown colony. If Canada be so helpless, how can Britain pro- tect the Saskatchewan ? Why plant a colony in the heart of the continent and induce an emigration which she would shamefully have to abandon ? If Canada be lost England could not even communicate with the terri- tory, much less settle or protect it. And again on the American Union— -in one page he speaks of its strength, in another of its approaching dissolution, its vain hope of union. If Mr. Howe believes that, which he must, is there not a chance of our surviving which he does not touch upon ? This question of the defencelessness of Ca- nada never comes up without bringing to indignant recollection that shameful c'ebate n the British House of Commons, when it was proposed by "gallant" otlicers and listen- ed to with patience, to leave all the British North American Provinces to their fate, and simply confine the action of Great Britain to a naval war. Surely this is non-intervention with a vengeance — enough to rouse the sleep- ing hero population of Westminster Abbey. No one hinted that it was the duty of the em- pire to assist a colony ; no one said that Can- ada had already borne the brunt of two wars without a murmur ; no one said that as the fields of Canada and blood of Canadians main- ly were in question it might be just to con- sider them. Well may the descendants of the United Empire loyalists blush as they think of it and ask — can these be the child- ren of the men who fought Spain when she was mistre';c of the world; who withstood Europe under Napoleon ; who fought and con- quered at Plassey and at Agincourt? Why talk any more of Armstrong guns and breech-loaders. War to these arithmetical statesmen is a matter of simple addition. Wellington, at Waterloo, should have counted his guns and saved useless bloodshed by sur- render wheu he found himself outnumbered. Englar ' no longer expects every man to do his duty ; unless the duty be one which pays in solid £ s . d. But listen to Mr. Howe's for- mer opinion : — " Taking the population of the " British North American colonies at 2^ mil- " lions, every fifth person slould be able to <* draw a trigger — giving 500,000 men capa- " ble of bearing arms. Such a force would <' be powerless as an invading army, but in " defence of these provinces invincible by any '• force that could be sent from abroad. Put " into these men the spiri; which animated " the Greek, the Roman, the Dutchman, and " the Swiss — let them feel that they are to " protect their own hearthstones ; and, ray " word for it, the heroic blood which beats in " their veins will be true to its characteristics. " How often have we heard that our republi- " can neighbours were going to over-run the " provinces. They have attempted it once " or twice, but have always been beaten out; " and I do not hesitate to say that the British- *' Americans, over whom the old flag flies, are " able to defend every inch of their territory, " even though her Majesty's troops were " withdrawn." True, the times are some- what changed now, but the population of the colonies is greater, and we count on the assist- ance of England. Moreover, the United States have now a Poland in their borders, which may be taken into account in the cal- culation. Repeatedly, in th'S pamphlet, does Mr Howe urge the Canadians to cultivate '* amicable relations with their neighbors" and the im- pression is disingenuously conveyed that Ca- nuda by this confederation (which he else- where represents as tending toward annexa- tion) seeks to assume " an attitude of menace" to the United States. Canada, who would have to the whole brunt of the attack, to menace ! The thing is absurd, cause of quarrel which has yet is on English account— down to this last Fenian raid, — but though damped by House of Commons arithmetic, with the helplessness of England to assist paraded before the world, the Canadas have yet the courage to hope for a successful defence, or at least an honor- able resistance. It must be admitted that we have done things we should not have done, in the heat of our disputes. Montrealers have egged a Governor, but the London- ers have stoned a King. Mr. Howe himself in the height of his dispute with Lord Falkland, talked about out- raged Nova Scotians ' hiring a negro to horse- whip aLieut.-Governor through the streets of Halifax ;' even that pink of loyalty— Prince Ed- ward Island required a detaclimeut of soldiers to explain the propriety of submitting to the ' outrage and mdignity' of paying rent to the English land-owners who had received their lands from the King. We have all sown our wild oats, and if Canada has sown more than bear seek Every arisen others, remember her special temptations, and as Mr. Howe would have said in old days * her boundlnsH extent and capabilities. ' Rut while we admit the disgrace of eg