The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-13 00:00:00

THE SETN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEVIBER 13, 1861.

our North American colonies, but also quite as dis-
tinctly and quite as emphatically as—an English-
man. The identity of interests between that
portion of our vast and scattered colonial empire and
the old mother country, is still recognised to the
full, and thoroughly appreciated upon both sides of
the Atlantic. It is nowhere better understood, in
truth, than it is up to this present moment in
Canada. Strange, it may seem to some, that we
should be enabled to write thus confidently of the
loyalty of the Canadians, remembering the stormy
event of 1837—the sanguinary rebellion that had
to be put down then and there by force of arms.
While it is undeniable, of course, that Canada
would have to pass through a formidable ordeal
enough in the melancholy contingency of war be-
tween the British Government and the Federal
Government at Washington—it is no less certain,
indeed it is already visible, that advantages upon the
other hand cannot but necessarily flow in the direc-
tion of our North American colonies across the
boundary lines of the (once) United States. That
such is inevitable we have but just remarked is
already visible. And this upon the mere antici-
pation of war. How—admits of explanation in a
very few words : for we have reliable evidence
upon the subject that can even now be confidently
turned to.

Let us take, in proof of this, the attestations
of one of the most intelligent of our Canadian
contemporaries, the Quebec Chronicle. In a recent
issue of that organ, the contrast to be looked for
noyv was pretty broadly defined. It was drawn,
this contrast, so to speak, to the tune of " look on
this picture and on this"—here the calamities—
here the advantages ! It was remarked that
",Canada, once the favourite battle-ground of Indian
tribes, then the scene of a fierce struggle for empire
between the two chief Powers of Europe, has long
been exempt from the evils, the horrors of war."
It was observed that though "There are some still
living who "recount with pride and pleasure their
campaigns against American invaders, but they are
grey-haired men, and they tell these tales to their
grandchildren, for the events of which they speak
took place half a century ago." The Rebellion of
1837 counting for almost nothing—being pro-
nounced (as contrasted with the war remembrances
of 1812) " a mere riot, an altogether insignificant
affair compared with the wars of history, compared
even with the American civil war of to-day." Our
contemporary hereupon acknowledging with a cer-
tain inzpresscment and even awe—" It follows that
not one in a thousand of our people rightly estimates
the blessings of peace or the calamities of war.
Indeed," he continues, "we never shall be adequately
thankful for peace until we have had to measure
swords with an enemy, until each one of us has had
relatives or friends exposed to danger and death, or
property devoted to destruction. But," it is re-
marked in conclusion upon this point, " by looking
at the condition of the States we may form some
idea of the miseries, private and national, which a
state_ of war involves, and which inspire the prayer
of the Anglican litany—' Give us peace in our time,
O Lord! '" So much for the earnest and Christian
realisation of the darker side of the picture,
evidenced, even now, by the Canadians. If, with
honour, war can be in any way avoided, in Heaven's
name let it be avoided. But—if not, not ! That is
the one sentiment, the one prayerful aspiration of
the subjects of the British Crown upon either side
of the Atlantic. It is the heartfelt wish of the
whole body of our Canadian colonists.

Appreciating :as they do, however, completely
the horrors involved in the terrible contingency of
war, should war unhappily prove to be unavoidable
at the turn of the year, the people of Canada, of
Nova Scotia, of New Brunswick, and of our other
transatlantic possessions cannot possibly, as rational
men, fail to appreciate, quite as thoroughly, the
advantages that have already accrued to them, that
are still accruing to them from the mere threaten-
ing of war. Listen to the contrast presented thus
to view from the direction of Quebec—
viewed there through the lorgnette of the local
Chronicle. The loss to the (once) United States,
and the gain to Canada flowing from that loss,
by reason of that mere threatening, is thereupon
clearly enough indicated. To begin with, it is
demonstrated that " the British contribution to
the population of the United States has fallen off
90 per cent. from what it was ten years ago !"
added,—" That, however, is not all."
It being
For example,—" The stagnation of business of all
kinds, the consequent lack of employment, the
apprehension that the war will be a long one, the
dread of an enormous national debt and heavy
taxation, have driven many new corners to the
States away." Whither, is it asked ? Well, listen !
"They have gone back to the shores of Great
Britain by hundreds, and our own emigration
agent to Ireland, Mr. DONALDSON, says he has
seen s'tiploads of emigrants returning from Ame-
rica to that country." Whereas, says this Cana-
dian witness, "We have not suffered much from
war yet. Even our Customs revenue has not
fallen off to any great extent; and if some
branches of industry have been injuriously affected,
that has been more than compensated for by the
stimulus given to others. Our population has
been largely increased. The number of emigrants
arrived at Quebec up to the 18th ultimo was
19,461 this year, as against 9,654 last—an in-
crease of more than 100 per cent. This is by ship.
The number of those who have come into the Pro-
vince from the 'States by rail is probably even
larger, judging from the reports of the emigrant
agents in the various cities ; and many must have
arrived of whom the agents have seen nothing,
for all the newspapers teem with accounts of the
establishment here of small manufactories started
by enterprising Americans. Probably at least
50,000 souls have been added to our population
this year by immigration." Assuredly, here again
it may be said,—" 'Tis an ill wind that blows no-
body any good." For, beyond a doubt, a terrible
phrase, once familiar to us nearer home, may now
bear a direct transatlantic application—and the
Quebec Chronicle may say, with reason and with
truth, ant without one particle of malignity, that
the United States calamity is Canada's oppor-
tunity !