The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-10 00:00:00

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•

CANADA.

The last accounts from Quebec say, the winter
gives no sign of departure. Whilst on one side of
the Quebec streets a burning sun tans the skin, on
the other heavy furs will scarcely keep persons
from shivering. The ice bridge holds firm, and
by numerous tracks supplies to horse and foot
travellers the means of passing to the opposite
shores of the broad river. To mention these tri vial
incidents of the season might need an apology were
it not that the readers of Canadian news on your •
side have an interest in knowing when the business
season may commence here by, an early or late
opening of the navigation.
We are just now in receipt of the royal proclama-
tion of war of the 28th March, and of the details of
active military olserations, and, apparently, some
triumphs to Russian arms in the East, whereby it
would seem that the punctilio of a formal " Decla-
ration" of his intentions had not restrained' the
Czar from making war in earnest; or, as the more
noble Turk has it, from " breaking into his neigh-
bour's house like a robber." That he may receive
the merited "chastisement" promised by the-Pacha
is most devoutly to be wished ; but, at the same
time, we, who know- something of Indian warfare
on this continent, cannot help thinking you have
been over-much amused by the guiles of a savage
whilst labouring under self-imposed delusions as
to his maganimity.
The bombastic declaration of war issued by your
escaped convict, John Mitchell, now in New York,
against the Crown and dignity of her Majesty
Victoria, and against the peace and welfare of her
Canadian subjects in particular, is a subject of con-
versation at• Quebec. The insolence of this meanest
of traitors, who talks of invading Canada with
10,000 Irishmen, is ludicrous enough under any
circumstances; but the Canadian people, who are,
however, no friends to the death penalty, cannot
help wondering at the feebleness of an Executive
which, unwilling to hang the criminal disturbers
of society, and-unable to hold them in durance,
allows them, by a want of vigilance amounting al-
most to the culpability of connivance, to come out
atondthis
organise,dist n portion
h e
_oa n of
an th
irruption emp r e toof threatenband
itti
into the province.
This Irish hero of liberty, whose countrymen,
since he ceased to bo their oracle, have begun to
taste some of the substantial fruits of their condition
of freedom, has declared himself in the United
States a convert to the system of negro slavery which
prevails in that boasted land of frel3dom and
equality. He has publicly offered to abandon all
further agitation for human rights for the valuable
consideration of a sugar estate in Alabama, well-
stocked with negroes, upon whose backs he might
slake his native thirst for cruelty and practise his
theory of vitriolic cautery of human flesh amid the
congenial applause of surrounding slaveowners.
But, in the meanwhile, until he reach this coveted
goal of his degradation, Mr. Mitchell is dreaming
of the invasion of Canada, and, self-deluded as he
always is, bending his best energies seriously to the
impossible task. Delusions of this class are con-
tagious. The Irish mind is imaginative, and has
been deluded too 'often for the interests of the
people of that race already ; and although the most
resolute and loyal defenders of thgcountry against
any contingency of foreign danger, would be found
again as before among. the Irish settlers and their
descendants, it is still undesirable that appeals
from the felon heart of this man to the worst pas-
sions of any portion of our people should continue.
We have a large fugitive slave population in this
country, living in security under the tegis of Bri-
tish protection,. and safe from the fearful conse-
quences of restitution to their savage and exaspe-
rated owners in the slave states of the American
union. The idea of John Mitchell coming here as
a slave-hunter, at the head of 10,000 Irish Libe-
rators, with the green flag of liberty over their
heads, is rather calculated to disturb the serenity
of our black refugees, who would be delighted to offer
a welcome hr this land of true liberty, where the
rights of man are really respected, to Mitchell and
his gang. Since the submission of the free States
to the Fugitive Slave Law, -the entire Union has
become but one 'slave plantation. All the escaped
slaves who were living in security in the northern
or free States have transferred themselves to this
country, and so lc.ng as this country remains as a
refuge and a hope, the laud of promise to the
southern slaves, they linger on in their misery.
They are as well-informed, and better than most
whites, of the projects of the slaveowners upon
Cuba, and know that it would only require the
subjection of Canada, or its annexation peaceably
or forcibly to the States, to shut the gates of
mercy on the black, and, so far as he is con-
cerned, make of the entire globe one population of
man-stealers. A move, therefore, in the direction
of John Mitchell's aspirations would soon lot out
the long pent-up vengeance of the negro heart, and
give the country which should permit a single
musket to be shouldered en, route for Canada, some
trouble in the south that would counterpoise all
the advantages to be anticipated from any in-
vasion of Canada in the name of Liberty. The
American people in general, and particularly their
public men, are well aware that the South is a
mine of gunpowder upon which their country rests.
They have no desire themselves to provoke the
spark which is to ignite it, and will allow no foreign
hand like the Irish, for objects foreign to American
interests such as the Irish newly domiciled in the
States have at heart, and whom alone Messrs.
Mitchell, Meagher, , c., have for an audience, to
organise their fantastic projects on American soil.
Mr. Mitchell will have contemptuously accorded to
him the liberty of talking, but not of acting, iri the
United States ; and if he do not soon drop the
agitation he is attempting, the only asylum he will
obtain among his new friends will be that which
the charity of his old ones ought long since to have
accorded him in the mother country, viz., a lunatic
asylum.
It may seem to you that I have too long dwelt
upon this insignificant topic. But men and pro-
jects of pigmy dimensions to those who have a near
view loom large in the distance, and I cannot be
sure that the American claptrap of the baffled Irish
agitator may not cause some timid persons to
entertain apprehensions for the tranquillity of this
province. To any such I would convey the assur-
ance that Mr. Mitchell's, projects excite only a
smile of derision in this country. With or with-
out the aid of British regulars, or of a single regi-
ment or two by way of model corps to measure our
own efficiency by, these provinces, when fairly or-
ganised and equipped, will be found equal to any
emergency within that range of probable events.
There is a spirit of national independence here that
will brook no unbidden foreign foot upon the soil.
A foreign enemy this lesson when the
was taught .
population was scarcely a third of what it is now.
The country has grown up in strength and self-
confidence since then. They have not an unre-
dressed gtievance to complain of, and if one should
arise,
they have the means of redressing it them-
selves, without having to ask leave, license, or aid
any quarter, thanks to our present Governor-
General, to whose fortitude, wisdom, and integrity
frome
the future historian of this country will refer with
pride, as having mainly aided in establishing the
right to self-government in full and unquestioned
power in our country. Three millions of contented
freemen are not to be overrun by a maniac of the
Slieveuagammon school, nor subdued by any com-
bination of military power that can be paraded
against them on this continent. Being therefore
assured on this head, you may be sure also that no
such attempt will be made.
We have seen with satisfaction and pride the
names of the distinguished statesmen who are to
be present at the dinner to which Lord Elgin has
been invited in London. The proceedings have
not, of courses • yet reached us. There is not on
earth a country more tranquil and more prosperous
than this is at the present moment, or in which
tranquillity and prosperity rest, to all appearance,
upon more permanent foundations. It would be
preposterous to suppose that the one man who has
had among us the supreme power of originating,
directing, controlling, or negativing the public
policy for an eventful period of seven years, has had
no share in producing results which under bad go-
vernment could never have arisen, and which a
beneficent and wise government could alone ,have
fostered into being. We should say you were keep-
ing our governor rather too long in your coun t r_ar,
did we not know 'that there is a Wigle• sphere for
useful exertion there for the benefit of this country,
and that Lord Elgin has the position and the.m-
to know how to turn these to the best advantage.
finence, together with the goodwill and capacity,
His lordship's personal intercourse with her Ma-
jesty's Ministers will certainly not tend to make
• terests of this
the circumstances, wants, and
channel of a despatch on
d thanln
if he had beel
His lordship may be et.
cliomuintetrdy lteesstchleeaortlyeuianidersm
at his seat of governmes
tpheiestesdi,deit tileieunAdtlersantotiedc.
in the month of May.
Contracts have been taken for a railroad on the
which two cities are located upon
that
north shore of the St. Lawrence, between Montreal
and
Quebec,
will, no doubt, be a very great con-
venience to the reaidents of the two cities, saving
them the trouble of crossing the St. Lawrence to take
shore.
the grand trunk line Which runs on the south side,
and to the wayside sojourners : and if it should
not at starting in its profits
equal the sanguine ex-
pectations of speculators, it will bring settlers to
much of the wild land in connection with the line,
which will in 'time increase the trafac, and make t
a paying GOTlcernew.Oorreaiiewient of Korn*"
Qivroroka.