The Portland daily press., 1862-07-28
England willing to Give up Canada.

Prof Goodwin Smith urges that Canada
prevent the possibility of quarrel; the North
British Review holds to the same opinion,
while the "Thunderer" admits that it would be
impossible for England to defend the province
against the gigantic armies of the North and
Lord Monck, in his recent speech at Montreal,
frankly tells the Canadians that in the event of
war they must depend mainly upon their
own resources.
Mark this significant language from the
London Review:
Canada is dependency only in name: she
is in reality a nation, and ought TO be now pre-
pared to take upon herself the obligations en-
cumbent upon her as member of the great
family of nations. We see no reason WHY a
special treaty should not be entered into with
her, for the purpose of defining our mutual
obligations for her defence. We fear, howev-
er, that public opinion in the colony is not
ripe for such proposal, and that the sugges-
ton, if made, would not be accepted The
imperial government and the colony view their
mutual obligations in so different light that
we do not look forward with any hope to a
time when the matter may be settled in this
prudent and sensible manner. We think. how
ever, that definite proposal to that effect
should be made, and that, If declined, as it
would in all probability be, the imperial gov
eminent should inform the government of the
colony that the British troops shall be with
drawn forthwith, and the colony left to pro-
vide any measures it may think proper for its
own defence. If the Canadians desire it. let
the severance between us and them be render
ed complete and perfect. We believe that to
ourselves such severance would be of inn
mense imperial advantage We fear that our
connection with Canada is likely to embroi us
at any moment with the government of the
United States, and we know well that should
ever war happen to arise between the two
governments, from any cause whatsoever, the
long frontier line of Canada and the lakes is
our source of weakness. We are of opinion
that in the whole extent of the British empire
there is no subject, under any conceivable
state of circumstances, calculated to ill US
with such alarm as the defence of that 'front.'
Ter in the event of war with the United
States"
The Canadian papers are amazed at this
cowardly feeling on the part Of their British
masters, and try to reassure them. The To-
ronto Globe says:
'lf the British people were convinced that
the American people had no design of picking
quarrel with them in order 10 obtain an ex-
euse for conquering Canada, doubtless their
alarm would subside, and we should have none
of these laundering announcements that we
must look out for ourselves. They could not
be so unreasonable as to expect that Canadi-
ans should be prepared to meet thirty-two
millions of people in arms, unaided by the i'm
perial forces, in quarrel brought on by the
home government in connection with the gem
eral interests of the empire. Nor are the peo-
pie Of England so pusillanimous as to be will
ing to throw away great colony from a vague
dread of an expensive contest, over the origin
of which they themselves would have entire
control" n. Y. World.