The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-07-07
Threatened Revolution In Canadn--The
EngIlsh Corn BilI=More Annexation.


mittee, excited running debate.
Threatened Revolution In Canadn--The
English Corn BilI-More Annexation.
Since the time when a repeal of the British
corn laws was seriously agitated in England,
murmurs Of discomfort have been perceptible in
the two Canadas, and particularly in Canada
West. This province has hitherto been moro
attached 10 the British throne, and its inhabitants
more loyal to the government, than the other;
yet in this province the discomfort has been
greater, and the murmurngs louder Accord
ingly, the discussion of the repeal OF those laws
progressed in the Imperial Parliament, and the
more certain the prospect became of their repeal,
the discontents in the Canadas became the more
violent in their denunciations of the proposed
change.
This discomfort pervaded all classy of the Ca
madam people, and has frequently bedp exhibited
in the parliament of that colony.
On the 2Sth of January last, the Earl of Cath
cart, Governor General of Canada, at the solicit
tation of the provincial Legislature, addressed a
despatch TO the Hon. Mr. Gladstone, intimatng,
very plainly, that in case the corn laws should be
repealed, the consequences, in political point
of view, sufficiently obvious, viz; attena-
ton from the mother country, and annexation to
their ripal and enemy, the United States. This
was an emphatic declaration that the bond of
connection between those provinces and the
mother country depended on the benefits they
had hitherto received from the commercial pre-
ferences in their favor, and in the event OF those
preferences being abolished, by II repeal OF the
corn laws, they would seek to promote their
welfare by annexation to the United States
In reply to this despatch, Mr. Gladstone re-
viewed all the causes of complaint and dissatis-
faction, and endeavored TO smooth them over if
he could not remove them, and stated that the
repeal of the law almost certain. He did
not overlook the threat of revolution and anneXa-
ton contained in the Earl of Cathcart's despatch.
In relation to that he said that it would, indeed,
be source OF the greatest pain TO her Maesty's
government, if they could share in the impress
sion that the connexion between that country
and Canada derived its vitality from no other
source than from the exchange Of commercial
preferences. If it were 50, it might appear to be
relation consisting in the exchange not of bene-
fits, but of burdens; if it so, it would sug
gest the idea, that the connexion itself had
reached, or was about to reach, the legitimate
term of its existence-but her Maesty's govern
ment still augured for longer continuation, &c.
Hero, then, we see threat of revolution, openly
thrown out by the chief officer of the Canadian
government, in an official despatch to the British
ministry, because the privileges they have hereto
fore enjoyed were about to be removed What
then, has become of all the loyalty they are so
fond of Boosting OF.
But this is a step that we apprehend, the mo-
inent the abolition of the corn laws was proposed
by Sir Robert Peel, and we mentioned it in the
columns of this paper soon after. There is no
doubt that Sir Robert Peel himself foresaw such
contingency, but he could rot help it. He was
carried forward by the course of events. He had
to make virtue OF necessity, and swan with the
current that he could not control He had mil
lions of starving men and women at his back,
whose demands were uttered in tones that could
not be mistaken Another concession should be
made for the benefit of the many, and he resolved
to make it, even at the risk of his office, and the
sacrifice of his party. The separation of the Ca
nadas is measure that would sooner or later
take place, even were the corn laws never re-
pealed. 1t is with nations as it is with men.
While young both need the protection of the
parent; but when they reach maturity, they be-
come tired of being treated as children, and are
DESTROYS of managing their own affairs. Canada
has not yet reached maturity, but when she does,
no doubt she will follow the course that other
countries have taken. Annexation will, un-
doubtedly, follow separation. At present it
would not be advisable to have Canada an inte-
grail portion of our country. Its inhabitants need
regeneration and purgng in order to clear Them
OF the leaven of monarchy, before they would be
qualified to enter the Union. Time alone can do
that; and when it shall have done so, Canada,
like ripe pear, will fall into our lap.
GENERAL TAYLOR IN ENGLAND.-The English
papers are filed with praises of General Taylor.
His steady. determined pallantry as we'll az the