The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-01-03
Canadian Affairs.
+ Correspondence of the Republic. I

weather bound III llliS HypeIDOfean region,
reaching and CROPPING all around, like CATER
pillar upon the verge of ts leaf. for object
which to deposit my tedousncss, the bright thought
has just occurred to me "to bestow ip' Cat least
part ftp on you;
"a friend should bear friends infrmties."
Well, then. Canada West ia worth a moments
consideration. Our relations with il are becoming
daily more intimate and important. trade has
sprung up with Canada within the last five
years greater than that of Spain and Holland
united, whose expenses in embassies main
tanned Intercourse is increasing, old prejudices
flying, and each nation begins to look upon the
other more in accordance with the enlightened
philanthropy Of the nineteenth century than in
the brutal spirit of the border hostiities Of barba
ages which has hitherto prevailed. We
should know our neighbors better. They of
US, though not belonging to the same political fam
lily; they are the material, under essentially
the same circumstances of democratic equality
and universal labor; possessing and cherishing the
same principles ofliberty and popular right, though
administered in different manner.
The Canadiansar not rich people. for they
almost purely agricultural. They provincial in
drcss intercourse. modes, and forms, for they have
no large metropolitan city them to set the fash
ions. The manners of the uncducated classes
more subdued, If not more urbane, for they have
been more accustomed to unquestioned authority.
In MORALS religion, and education they arc in ad
vance Of the inhabitants Of our frontier settle
ments, and much ON par with those ofNew York.
Schools maintained by the public; one half the
expense is betrayed by the State, and the other by
the townships All religious denominations are
equal in tho eye Of the law Religious disAbii-
tcs, il even transplantcd, have not been able to
take root in this soil.
The back settleme nts, by which is meant those
forty fifty miles back from the lakes. present
strange mixture OF refined and frontier life You
must know that forty miles from the lake carries
you to the verge Of civilization than you
the western confines-of Missouri The pioneers.
too. arc for the most part of very different char
acter. With US the pioneers Of Missouri Wis
consin are the hardy sons Of the pioneers Of West
ern New York or Kentucky, who were the sons Of
the pioneers OF New England or Virginia. Log
cabins and roast potatoes, bear fights, swollen
streams, tornadoes in the forest. faminss depriva
tons. and dangers-thc excitements, pcriis, and
hardships of frontier life. no hnrdshps TO them.
They never knew or heard from their fathsrs or
their grandiathers OF any thing clse
Far otherwise with the transplanted English
farmer or Scotch cotter. But more emphaticaiiy
otherwise with the very large number of half pay
officers, younger sons, and broken down gentle
men. who seek to hide their pride and their power
ty in the backwoods Of Canada. This union of the
extremes Of society often presents the most gro
tesquc scenes. The toughest looking codgers in
cowhide boots reaching to their knees, sIouched
hats, soiled shirts, and boards of weeks growth.
may be seen resting upon their ploughs or dung
forks exchanging "reminiscences of Oxford, or
chticizing with military skill the movements
on the plains Of Waterloo, telling anecdotes Of
their battles with the Sheiks These, you may
well suppose, make very poor pioneers, though
very interesting companions All is new 10 them.
They have none of the economy, the accustomed
endurance, the acquired tact the hereditary make
shifts which characterize tho backwcodsmcn Of the
States.
Most Of these men have their half pay or small
incomes from other sources; and il is well they
have, for their farms would hardly support them
in the best Of times, much less now, when asricul
ture is everywhere in distress II the Engish free
trade laws have acted hardly upon her ngri-
culture, they have proved most disastrous to tho
agriculture Of her colonies. II has always been
the policy OF England, everybody knows. to
discourage manufactures in the colonies conse-
quently, they have become purely agricultural;
aud now. when they suddenly thrown off Ia
shift for themselves, they find themselves in
most forlorn condition, without a market for their
products at home abroad.
Bot enough. and more than enough. "Sas prata
biburani"
If the Canadians have not all the excitement
Of varied employment and successful enterprise,
which stimulate citizens almost 10 madness,
they have more leisure 10 cultivate their social
qualities. In the frank enjoyment Of social inicr-
course they certainly surpass Us as a nation. Ia
deed. they a very intelligent, hosptable, aud
kindly people. What pity that absurd preju-
dioes. fostered both sides for political reasons
should separate brethren
Yours, very truly, w.