The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-09-13
NEW YORK HERALD.
New York. Sunday. September IL. 1916.
State or Affairs In Canada

Dy the PRESIDENT IN MS appeal Tor the TWO mllons
for the purchase of Paroles, and while
awaiting the announcement and the result of an
offer to the modern Jugurtha OF Mexico, it may
not be Improbable to pass to a cursory examina-
ton of the present aspect of affairs in the British
dominions along our frontiers, TO the northward
A traveller along the whole extent of our nor
thern boundary, will be struck with the apparent
good feeling and harmony of intercommunication
among the people on both sides ofthe line-at the
universal satisfaction which prevails especially
among business men of the American States and
her Majesty's provinces at the settlement of the
Oregon question, and the concurrent sentiment
regarding the unrghteous provocationsto ''the ex-
isting war with Mexico" But while he is graft
fed at these moral evidences OF the harmonious
Intercourse of the people of two distinct govern
ments in immediate contiguity, countervailing
curiosity will be excited at the omnous warlike
indications the northern side of the boundary.
He sees tortresses erected or erecting, and British
troops located at every town, and while he adj
mires the and the excellent fit of their ia
tigue dress and their regular uniform, he reasons
upon the following syllogism:-
That John Bull never does any thing without
an object-,hat these beligerent demonstrations
are by John Bull, and that therefore, they must
have an tbiect
The inquiry follows, what is this object! Let
MS attempt 10 explain
The Oregon controversy threatened to drive us
headlong into war-a war, which like great
Maestreom would have extended its suction to
the extremes OF the earth-Canada presented it.
self as vulnerable line for offensive operations
against the formidable enemy of our unconquera-
bic people. Great Britain, equally cognizant of the
aoFt hos ofo oAa
and defensive, while the issue was yet uncertain,
and promptly acting upon the instruction, SIN
peace, prepare for war;" undertook at once the
completion of the extensive line of military estab-
lishments, which now such objects of curiosi-
ty to the stranger from the interior of the States.
Having com nenced them, though the immediate
alternative of these defences, has happily been
evaded-the sacrifice in suffering the works to go
10 decay, would be greater than the means re-
CURED and the prospective advantages of their
completion. Hence the repairs at Malden-the
Martello towers at Kingston, and the improve
ments at Quebec, are stea dly progressing. Aux.
ihary these positive warlike constructions, are
the ship canals, beginning at Montreal, and as
cending the st. Lawrence, surmounting the La
chine rapids, the cascades, the cedars, the Long
Sault, the Gallop Rapids, and the Falls of Mag
under British jurisdiction. from Halifax up the ST.
Lawrence, through Lake Ontario and into Lake
Erie, the key of inter-cc nuncation with the
whole western country.
The prospective militia -y advantages ofthis line
of commercial Improvements scarce need de-
monsraton. In the event OF war, Great Britain
will at once be enabled to throw an overwhelm-
ing fleet into the lakes, entirely interdictng the
ingress and egress of American vessels. The solid
and durable character of these works, and the
heavy expenditures Of money upon them, ndi-
cate purpose looking beyond the calculation of
diverting the Western trade through the channel
of the 81. Lawrence.
But are not all causes for even the rcmotest APP
prehension of a war with Great Britain now re-
moved? Apparently they are, but we cannot de-
fnitively answer the question. From the tone Of
the public press of Canada, and from other
sources of information, leaving entirely out of
view the controversy on the question Of the pros
pective annexation of Canada, between the
French papers of this city, we arrive at the fol-
lowing conclusions
That the public works of Great Britain, along
the Canadian frontiers, military and commercial,
designed
/. For military defences, and as means ofmilary com.
munication in the event of
. That the connected line, of navigation from the
mouth of the St Lawrence to the lakes with the view
of sharing largely in the Western transport trade and of
profits from the tolls.
g. That the large expenditures ofmoney upon all these
works calculated to give employment to the people,
and thus divert their attention from political mischief
Reverting, however to the incidental question
of annexation, it cannot well be disguised that
the popular sentiment OF Canada is tending in
that direction. The tendency of the age to repub-
licanism, though not uniform is universal.
The French Canadian population cannot be as
simulated with the loyal and self-complacent
Scotch and English descended subjects of the pro-
vince Their wrongs are rather abstract than
practical-their suiferings are more in the theory
than in the practice of the Government, but their
discomfort is even the greater that the provoca-
ton is under domino. The announcement of
Lord Elgin as the successor of Earl Cathcart, was
received with grateful satisfaction by the British
population, while the Gauls regard it with an as
sumed or real indifference-as something to be
borne for the present. that the appointment of
their chief executive officer should come from an
authority disassociated from, and having no i'm
mediate interest in, their local affairs. They pas
sively endure what they know not how to resist.
They look forward to a vague and indefinite de-
hverance-they hope for it, and are only waiting
for the sign Another element of discord is diffu-
sing itself among them, cooperate, and more
active in expressions against the royal govern
ment,-and this is to be found in the Irish popu-
laton. Distinct as Turks from Jews in every thing
else, the French and Irish of Canada have
an equal bill of credit of revenge against the Bril-
fish crown 1t is a revenge unuquidated of 500
years of accumulated interest. 1t is more their
hatred of Britain, than their love of the snited
States, that would excite them to annexation
Few of them have any ties of local sympathy with
the republic, but they have political preudices
against us. The war upon the Catholics in Mex
leo has operated to disadvantage in their esti
nation, but if their vengeance against their rulers
might be sppeased, they would accept coalition