The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-24


great pains to assure that their loyalty is mat
of interest, not of feeling In that spirit of
aggeration which prevails in all colonies, and is
| become characteristic OF the new world, they
would even make themselves more selfish than they
need be, or are. What is the amount OF the injury
they suffer at our hands? Ii chiefly consists
| in the dscontinuance of short-lived and knavish
monopoly, which, considering its actual working,
respec table nation could possibly maintain. For
two three years gave the carriers and wharf
myers of the st. Lawrence species OF premium
on the export of American sufficient TO divert
it from its natural outlet by the New York
canals. We have given this up, not on special
grounds, though special grounds might well have
demanded that step, but on general grounds, com
pretending the whole commerce and population OF
this country and the whole world III their range.
So the Tories and other patriots of Montreal make
il a personal affair. They full of Indignation
because the substantial interests and the moral dig
NIFTY OF this empire are not to be sacrificed to the
maintenance of an illicit trade, Tor such IT was IN
fact, carried for the special advantage of small
town, whose population stood 10 that of this metro
polls in the exact ratio of one 10 hundred They
exclaim, with those piteous accents that are wont
to melt mothers heart, 'The parents hand is
withdrawn; are left to go alone, and 50 far are
virtually independent; actually in the posi-
tion of young child unable TO walk properly,
and having its hand let go by its nurse, it falls flat
and to fall fatter than Canada has fallen is not
within the Bounds of possibility. But we have
spirit enough not to remain fallen, therefore we
struggle to rice, and catch at annexation IA the
quote from the Montreal Cvuio.
All this sounds very dcplorable and is designed,
of course, the historical precedent OF "the Groans
of the Britons." But how stand the facts Of the
case, This poor founding left naked on the SHOWS
of Canada, unable 10 walk, deprived OF its nurses
hand, and consequently fallen fiat ON its face, Is
now receiving, IN one form or another, from the
overworked and cramped-up population Of these
islands, about million year. The colony Is at
least az well off the agricultural interest Of the
mother country, with millions upon millions of
taxation, and nothing done for IL by parents
hand. The patriots Of Montreal feel themselves
very ILL used because do not grant them that
" protectionp which we have been forced 70 deny
the British aristocracy. With all the purity and
the pathos Of defrauded infancy they forthwith ex-
claim, that since we do not help them 10 cheat the
Yankees out Of the carriage Of their corn, they
will annex themselves TO the victims Of that i'll timed
conspiracy. The Yankees, of course, win appre-
ciate friends 10 join them, because they are no
longer permitted 20 rob them. Such however, 10
the sum total OF the injustice done 20 the inhabitants
Of Montresl-always excepting that we have ceased
10 afford a nurse's hand in the shape OF British
party, monopolzing all the Offices of the State the
crown lands, and every thing else that could be
divided or given. We no longer allow a colonial
class 10 misgoyern, 10 bully and plumber all the rest
Of the colony-to rob the United States under the
fraudulent pretence of colonial protection 10 tax
the mother country through the medium of defer
ential duties and Immediately the poor child cries
out that IL s shamefully used, and will disown its
unnatural parent. Certainly never was 20 much
ttious a capital That the United States would be
glad enough 10 annex Montreal, doubt not, for
all is fish that comes into that net; but they could
hardly have the face 10 endorse the quarrels OF
Montreal with the mother country.
We do not at all dispute, what indeed is matter
Of plain common sense, that the withdrawal Of the
parents hand ;" it is sentimentally entitled at
Montreal, naturally suggests the question OF indie
pendence When a father withdraws a sons al
lowance, the son will probably take into serious
consideration the duty Of setting up for himself.
But il by no means follows-and this IL what we
wish the people Of Montreal 10 consider-that the
withdrawal IL wrong, 80 az 20 justify an offensive
mode Of independence. II the father in paral-
lei has dozen other children TO educate and pro-
vide for; If the eldest is thirty, the latter
ought not 10 pick quarrel. call himself destitute
founding, an orphan, sprawling babe, or any
thing that SORT merely because al that mature age
he no longer receives the allowance az he did
at the university. Yet this is what our children at
Montreal are doing. We ask them To 90 about the
question, Il they must take Il up, in a manly and
generous manner. We have other children 10 look
after and must be just and fair before VIC can be
generous and protecting" In this metropolis
there more babes that cannot stand on their
feet, or frame their lips 10 mamma" than there
persons Of all ages both in Montreal and Que
bee. We must look after our real babes we'll as
metaphorical children; and the plain fact IL,
that no longer afford ~ tax population
at home for the sake of the colonies We ask
these complainants, them 10 consult their own dig
nifty aud The evident necessities Of the case by dis
Cussng the question OF independence on It's own
proper grounds. II has no necessary conncxion
with the Canadian Corn bill, or the Timber bills, or
the Rebellion Losses bill, or Lord Elgin, any
other lord. But s il necessary to ask the Canadi
ans discuss the question in this spirit! No. With
singular, and with almost ludicrous Inconsistency,
the journal from which We have quoted the above
querulous remonstrance, and which would make
independence an act Of mere revenge, is at pains
to show that il is distinct and even preexistent
question. Those who believe, says the Montreal
Courier chat the movement which has been com
menced in Canada IL mere flash, momentary
ebullition Of feeling, caused by the outrage % Of
the Indemnity bill, very hortsighted There
has ARRAYS been anneration party in Canada. II
would not be difficult TO prove that this party has
been gradually gaining strength; that il has been
by degrees winning over to its side many sensible
men, whose is convinced that Theoretically an
independent State must be better for Canada than
political connexion with country 30 far off IA
Great Britain" And the writer goes TO show
that annexation is only question Of time, that
every body in his heart thinks so, that English
statesmen have said 80 in Parliament, and that the
most influential journals Of the mother country de.
clare il "time and again" Nay, this is the very
time long ago Indicated by the htes. Give and |