The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-08-11

pare tne way iQr an early annexation Of Canada 70
the United States, has held lis Convention and ad-
jonrned, and no annexation signs wers manifested.
Z was held 81 Kingston on the 3latult. The Aneri-
can flag was indeed hoiated and taken down, and /
IN the debates the subject was frequently alluded
70, but never with any real cordiality Of purpose
By some i appears 70 have been secuted at as an
indignity. The idea that high-toned loyal British
subjects could associate with upstart republicans
was treated as insulting to their dignity.
by all accounts-even those Of It's friends-the
meeting was disorderly, without any fixed purpose
or unity Of action. 1t was gathering Of disafect
ed politicians, aiming rather at overthrowing an
administration and getting into Office, than at
presenting broad plan Of political reform. What
they did recommend was plan Of Union, Of a
federative character, among the North American
Colonies and they appointed Committees Of Cor
reapondenee to systematic action in favor of that
scheme
The League does not carry much weight with
the people, if any. The number of delegates did
notexceed one hundred and fifty, and few of them
are men Of note in the Colonies The Convention
is failure. Bit it, nevertheless, indicates very
clearly that much Of the late cry for annexation to
the United States was political can't an experiment
upon the fears Of the British Government The
British connection is fruitful Of jobs, patronage,
offices. large expenditures, and frequent oans and
the lingering Of these nice thngs-the fesh-pots of
Colonial dependencies The aim Of great deal Of
that contention among partisan leaders which calls
itself patriotism, and takes the hue at one time Of
radical republicansm, and at another Of ultra 10y
atty. The Canadianpeople begin TO have an hon
est distrust Of these pretenders. The real policy
Of the masses is not to be gathered from the vacil-
lations, weaknesses and inconsiderats decamations
Of such bodies as the League, hastily got up, with
out definite purpose, on the impulse Of temporary
excitement
There can be no doubt, we think, that there is
a maturing feeling in Canada in favor of a new
form Of government and severance of the cons
nection with England. Il has not interested the
public men so muehas the thinking portion Of the
multitude, and some signal event, strong and
sudden aseendaneY Of new men, would prove it
emphaticaly. There is as little doubtthat eminent
British statesmen are anticipating, with conpla-
cency. the period when Canada,will cease to be
part Of the British Empire The whole British
IDEA Of the value Of colonies as permanent depend
eneies, is undergoing radical change. On the
faith that the close system Of navigation and pro-
tecting laws made colonies source Of wealth to
the parent country, the British Government has
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certifying, defending, protecting and governing
theni-compntng that there was to be ample return
in the increase of national wealth and strength, by
the monopoly Of commerce and manufactures to
which they were subjected But all these ideas
are passing away, belonging to obsolete theories
England has adopted more enlarged views Of her
own interests, and begins to think of colonies as
burdens of which tits expedien to rid on the best
cell Ia ts- g. Il.
large portion of her wsest statesmen and it is
pressed more. strongly upon she attention of the
governing powers, because the new system Of home
policy they have adopted, their concessions to free
trade as the true principle Of administrative econ
omy for England, are practical Eenunciations Of
their whole past theory Of colonial dependence.
The trade Of che United States to Great Britain.
since their emancipation from her CONTROL has been
Of infinitely more value to her than thar Of all the
colonies she possesses at this day, and they exceed
forty in number, in all parts Of the world. She
has discovered that colonies are burdens, and with
her rare wisdom in adapting herself to new cir
cumstances she getting ready to relieve herself
as speedily as is practicable.
The policy Of England will, therefore, in our
Judgment, be shaped to the eud Of surrenderng her
sovereignty over the Canadas and converting them
into valuable customers and friendly allies. And
in the Canadas the corresponding feeling will
gradually perhaps accelerated by some coup
d'6tat, or unforeseen eyehts-meet this sentiment
and work out a peaoeabe separation. But we do
not believe that the FIRST wishes Of the people of
the Provinces will direct them to annexation with
the United States. The experiment of a separate
independence Of the Provinces, under a federal
union like ona, Is the most natural. and would
be probably first tried.