Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-08-09
Counterpoise to the United states

ton and fail in the likeness. Suffice it to say
it is fine large cro1cd.'
A Counterpoise to the United states.
Well we are going to have at last some
thing like balance of power on our own
continent. 1t has been long felt by the other
side of the world that this side is not trimmed
exactly as it should be. Like the ark, when
according to the rabbins bestrid by the giant
Goy-it has too much weight in the middle.
The young Colossus, Brother Jonathan, is play
ing the very mischief with all the old estab-
lished principles of terrene equilibrium. But
the active little member from Sheffield has
found out way to put an end to all this. and
he has been good enough to let Parliament
know all about it. On the afternoon of Tues
day, the twentieth mtimO he called the atten
ton of that body to the condition of things
on this continent. and proceeded to say:
We had planted Is colonies in that coun-
try; those colonies had declared their indie
pendence, and had since increased to the
number of 50 or sc free States We had
created a power there which, if something
were not done by England as a countrrpose
to the United States of America, aeould OUer-
shddOW not only England bit ME earth. He be-
lieved that in the northern part of the CONT
nent we had the means of establishing the
cOunterpoise which he sought. If England
would carry out a systematic plan of coioni-
cation upon that portion of the continent
which now belonged TO her she mould enable
the ,corld 10 resist What he 6eecef ,coud oLteloiSe
be tie predominant po,oer Of the AngLo-Saron race
H0s0 established IN the United States.
"A systematic plan of colonization" then
is the way TO do it; and to this end Mr.. Roe
BUCK went on to demand that the Hudson
Bay Company, which stood in the way of
colonization, should be put out of the way,
and the Government take the management
of the country into its own hands. He want
ed this done at once; otherwise
Minnesota would send her cohorts into the
territory, and they would have to fight over
again boundary question similar TO that
which had arisen between this country and
America some years ago.
Lord BURY followed, and he too went in
strongly for the 'counterpose." He had
grand ideas of the capacities of the vast re-
gion in question. and delivers himself with
very confident air:
Out of the House he seldom heard that
territory mentioned without being more or
less associated with the terms 'barren,
''sterile," ce-bound." unfit for colonization
and the support of human beings" But that
was an entirely erroneous superstition. (Hear,
hear.) 1t might be true that comparatively
only a small portion of this vast territory
was fitted for colonization, but 1t was no less
true that that comparatively small portion
consisted of something like 500 600 square
miles. and ,couLd afford occupation and mems Of
subsistence 10, he believed, every person Of full age
IN Her MajeSty'S daruiORs. both IA the COLONIES
and at home. (Hear, hear) Eastward from
the Rocky Mountains. and as far South
Peace River and Lake Athabasca, the coun-
try was barren and unfit for settlement; but
southwark from that point, far down
the boundary line, the 49th parallel Of lati-
tude, it was magnificent, consisting of the
same tine prairie land as that in which the
Ohio and Mississippi sprung-well watered.
very fertile, stocked with wild animals and
fish of every description. Another part of
the country consisted of imp netrable forests,
the soil of which, like that OF the Canadian
forests when reclaimed. would be found well
suited for agricultural purposes but the
prairie lands were those most susceptible Of
cultivation, and upon which the development
of the country and its future prosperity would
chiefly depend.
l4ta he too thought that the Government
could not be too prompt in taking tins delec-
table land under its own direct protection,
and guarding it against the grim Yankee in
vader He said:
Every year the population of the United
States advanced nOrthwards, aud very soGn
would overstep the boundary which marked
the comm .ncement of British territory. When
that happened the hard-headed American
farmer would not stop 10 inquire whether H.
was on British or American soil, but he would
miss the protection of American laws. aud
would demand to be placed uudsr their safe
guard. He believed there was far more dan
ger OF difficulty arising from that source than
from any Central American question. H1ar,
heaI.)
BuLwsR LYrroN. the Secretary for the Col
too, had got glimpse Of magnificent
visions:
IL must cheer us to see already. (he says)
in the great border lands of this hitIerto in-
hosptahle region, the opening prospect OF
civilized life. (Hear. hear.) Already, by the
Pacific. Vancouver Island has been add,d 10
the social communities OF mankind Already.
in the large territory which extends west of
the Rocky Mountains, from the American
frontier up To the skirts OF thu Russian do
mains, we are laying the foundations OF what
may become, hereafter, a magnificent abode
for the human race; and now, eastward of The
Rocky Mountains, we are invited 10 see, in
the settlemvn. OF the Red River. the nucleus
ot a new colony, rampant against any hos
tile inroads from the American frontier. and
an essential arch. AZ il were, TO that great
viaduct by which we hope one day 20 connect
n harl'ors OF Vancouver with the Gulf Of ST.
Lawrence.
But Sir EDWARD has steadier nerves than
the others, and besides has read history. The
author II :" I'slkassn AID " VIA sal lie do sssll
hy' Is not afraid Of the Yankees. He gave
out boldly:
As FOR Americans, once settled ~ British
coloaists, 1t Is probable that they would soon
- alss. ssa