North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1839-05-22
AMERICAN NEUTRALTTY.-OpIN
ION OF LORD DURHAM'S
CHIEF SECRETARY.
HOUSE OF COMMONS, FEB S.

Mr.. G. Butler wished to call the atten-
ton Of the house to this fact, that his late
friend, the Governor of Canada Loud
cries OF " Ohr') He really could not I'M
ders,and that interruption. What he meant
to say was, when his noble friend had dis
charged his duty, in giving what he beiev-
ed to be final statement Of the affairs of
Canada, which had been contained in the
report presented to her Maesty's Minis
tiers, all he wished to state was, that his
duty was discharged, and he only hoped
that Her Malesty's Government would
not delay very long the opportunity Of
Judging Of that which he believed would be
the means Of ample vndication. (Hear.
lie should say nothing more on this sub
ect, but would detain the house a few mo-
ments on some of the remarks of the hon.
member for Tamworth on the conduct OF
lhe government OF the United States.
The right hon. baronet, taking for his
text the information contained in Her Ma
csty's speech, document which be never
looked upon as containing all the informa-
ton upon any suhiect,-the right hon.
haronet had spoken that night upon an ex-
tremely delicate subject, namely, our for
eign relations. A very erroneous impress
sion would go forth TO the country if he
(Mr. G.. lBuer) allowed what the right
hon. baronet had said 10 go uncontradic-
ted. The right hon. baronet had stated
that he would not be satisfied with all the
Government Of the United States had done
as to issuing a proclamation. The Gov
ernment had done, in his opinion, all tina,
Government could do. Cloud cries oil
'Oh.O He would tell them what they had
done; they had passed law Of neutrality,
aud had kept that law more strickly than
we had done. They had prosecuted and
convicted several gentlemen who had in
fringed that law (mingled cries Of " Hear
and Oht"l; and they had doubled their
army in order TO keep that law. When a
Government had done this they ought not
to say they had done nothing but utter un-
meaning words. {" Hear" from the
Ministerial benches.) He was particular
" anxious that this should be contradicted,
because he thought that the statement of
the hon. baronet might be productive of
the worst effects. The Government Of
the United State was free Government.
(Cries of OH" from the Opposition ben
chess He supposed the hon. baronet did
not mean to upset the executive. Ought
they not, in dealing with them, 10 work by
all possible means on that Government,
and get it to exercise its powers in the
most efectual wav? What was the most
eiectual way' Gaining the opinion of the
American people. The opinion ofhe peo-
pie, from one end of tie country 10 the
other, icds decidedly Nth US. The finer.
icGns dared not hold sympathiser's meet
aug IN any fo,en in the United States
and in the country they had held anti-sym-
pathlsng meetings. (Cries o." Oh" and
" Order.".) Those who had invaded the
Canadas had been set of robbers and
marauders, and no government could re-
strain such men from going on such law
less expeditions. Would the right hon.
baronet forget that marauding expeditions
had been lifted out in despite of the Eng
liSh Government? The right hon. baron
cts government could not be suspected
Of having a very good feeling towards the
government of Don Miguel What had
the right hon. baronet's government. with
all the good intentions and power of mon
archy done' Had they prevented Two
vessels loaded with arms and persons 90
ing to invade the Portuguese territories.
and had they caught those vessels before
they had got IL DAYS sail across the At
lantic: (Hear) He thought the United
States could not, then, be blamed So very
much because steamers had contrived 10
get over half-hour's sail without being
stopped, or that persons should have con-
HRn.~