The native American., 1838-11-24
CANADA.
T. D. JONES


meeting was held in this City on Tuesday
evening last, to express sympathy for the Cana
dians. We were present at it as spectators, to
see for what purpose it had been convened, and
who would be the actors in it. We most deep
ly lament, that every member of the Native Anne
r;can Association was not there to have seen and
heard what passed, and how the City of Wash
ington was represented. If his zeal in the good
cause had cooled, here he would have found fresh
materials to increaseit. If he doubted the policy
or utility Of the Association, he would have found
abundant reason to lay aside all his doubts. We
looked around on the numbers assembled with
strict scrutiny to see how many were animated
by any zeal in the Canada cause, and to discover
from what country they hailed. We may have
been deceived, but so far our best Judgment
goes, the mass was composed of men who, if they
have become naturalized in this country, showed
but little of the true spirit of her citizens and evi-
IDENTIFY still cast lingering look behind over the
waste Of waters to the homes and fresides they
had left.
Many Of these were born subj cts Of the King
Of Great Britain, the most active and Jealous III
feeling and producing sympathy in behalf OF the
Canadians. All this is very natural. But is il
rights it fairs it honest-for these men to
bring into our community the party feuds, the
heart-burnings and jealousies with which they
left their native lands? Can they honestly and
fairly 90 into neighbor's house and stir him up
to hostility and hatred to another neighbor with
whom he has no quarrel, no cause of quarrel, no
reason to quarrel, and with whom, for years. he
had lived on terms of friendship based upon reci-
procal acts Of kindness and good will If they
would scorn to do this, we ask with what decent
excuse they would attempt even to paliate the
conduct they are now pursuing in this country
when its conseq uences almost inevitably tend to
the most horrible and destructive Of all eyis-a
war between two nations who ought to live in
neace with each other. We were almost amused
at the impudent ingenuity of the selfcaed Apos-
tie of the Canadians, Mckenzie, than whom, for
a long time, we have not seen more remarkable
instance of egotistcal cunning and impcrtinence.
This learned Theban first propoundcd that there
was no law of nations. Next, that "there IS no
lav, but the la,o Of force;' there can be no la,D
avithout po,cer to make 1t, and force TO er-
ecute It," That is the doctrine which this Apos-
tie of liberty is preaching here where we have
been taught foolishly enough to think there was
a law of nations recognized by Statesmen referred
to in the Constitution, and enforced by courts Of
iustice-hat there is such thing as laaO, though
the physical force to execute it may be wanting.
Having, however, shown that there was no law of
nations which could be infrnged by any act on
the part Of our citizens, he besought them-the
people" to syn,pathise" with their suffering
brethren in Canada; he asked us no aid in money
or men, but he did ask their sympathies, and that
this government would stand neuter. "Of what"
says he 'are you afraid! That the Lion Of Eng
land will crush your Eagle under his paw?-of
a war with England! Do not believe it. Eng
land cannot 90 to war!!!'' And then, forsooth, he
went into long detail Of statements, to show
that the people Of this country had borrowed so
much money from England for their Banks, their
Railroads, their Canals, and their various works
of internal improvements that she would not dare
to go to war with this country, and leopard these
cast Sums Of money so loaned to our citizens.
And this is the elemental fire with which he ex-
poets to warm the citizens of this country
teaching them that there is no law but the law OF
force-that there is no obligation in a contract
but the physical means to compel its execution
that war is to obliterate forever every legal ant
moral duty owedby the citizens of one country te
those of another, and to operate-like a genera
bankrupt law!-nsolvent law? No; for in these
instances the property of the debtor is surrender
ed for the benefit Of his creditors-but to ex
punge forever the record OF debt. And to whom
we again ask, to whom, were those monslrou