The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-17 00:00:00

SENATOR SUMNER'S SPEECH.

If Englishmen would enter into American feel-
ing they would better comprehend the antagonistic
attitude lately assumed by the Republic. As we
have again and again stated the ruling passion is for
unity; one Dominion for the Northern Continent
of America. Whatever favours this receives hearty
support and sympathy; whatever militates against
it creates opposition, and even hostility. To un-
derstand the strength of the feeling an Englishman
must imagine all Europe united under one sway,
which left the utmost freedom to the poorest indi-
viduals at the extremities of the Continent. They
must imagine all power centreing in the people, each
citizen being a partner in the Government ; they
must imagine one code of laws, one language, with
all their ramifications which unify currency and
commercial transactions, which sponge out frontier
lines necessitating armies, measures which so eco-
nomize the labour and means of the inhabitants as
materially to add to their prosperity and happiness.
The idea then is a great one ; so very great as to be
worth almost any sacrifice to achieve. Putting
aside the corruption, the disunion, the clashing in-
terests, we freely admit, it is still certain that with
a marvellous rapidity the Union is advancing to-
wards that grand idea of the mass of its citizens.
Compare what ELKANAH WATSON predicted in 1815
on the progress of population in the United States,
with the actual facts, and the advance in popula-
tion, that main element of power, will be seen :

In 1810 it was 7,239,903. The increase from 1790, the
first census under the Constitution, has been about one-
third of each census. Admitting that it will continuo to
increase in the same ratio, the result will be as follows :
1820... 9,625,734 [lt was 9,638,151]
In 1830 12,833,615 [lt was 12,866,020]
In 1840 17,116,526 (It was 17,062,566]
In 1850 23,185,368 [lt was 23,191,876]
I❑ 1860 31,753,824 [lt was 31,415,089]
la 1870 42,328,432
In 1880 56,450,241
I❑ 1890 77,266,989
In 1900 100,355,985 .

. .
Now what is it that England has been attempting to
do in conjunction with her North American subjects.
,To establish an Empire, which, when fairly founded,
might prevent for ever the realization of the Ame
rican—it may be—dream. The Provinces, as
Upper and Lower Canada, as Nova Scotia, and
New Brunswick, as Hudson's Bay Territory and
British Columbia, were regarded as so many embryo
States in process of being reclaimed, peopled, and
civilized to take their places in the Union. The
mother country thus employed was engaged in a good
work upon which Americamight smile benignly. But,
in uniting these territories into a single Dominion,
with a Central Government, whose writ will run over
the broadest part of the continent, from the Atlan-
' tic to the Pacific, England is engaged in erecting
a powerin rivalry to the United States ; in balancing
in America the strength of an overgrown Republic,
hereafter perhaps to be dangerous to Europe. That
the erection of the Dominion might answer the pur-
pose intended by its founders is the very reason why
it should be obnoxious to Americans. Yet, while
actually completing the purchase of the Hudson
Bay Territories, and projecting a grand trunk rail-
road thronc,h the new Dominion, whose terminus
will be on the Pacific, Englishmen appear to be
wholly unconscious that they are offending against
the most cherished aspirations of the Republic. They
arc unable to comprehend why the treaty for settling
the Alabama claims framed by ANDREW JOHNSON'S
Administration should have been so contemptuously
rejected by the Senate and the new Administration,
but more than all they are unable to understand
how Canada comes to be mixed up with the Con-
vention. Here is the key, and it is as well that Eng-
land should have it, for the first necessity is to
know the real source of,_irritation. If there be a
remedy, now that the sore is exposed,- it may be