The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-11-12

KEGS !" that in the affair of the Trent they
felt 50 keen1y the insult to the British Tag
that they would have accepted all the con-
sequences of war with America for the
vindication Of British honor, and would
have raised . quarter Of million Of men,
or double the number, II necessary, to re-
Americans would have hurled either
against the Upper or Lower Province
They also insist that If war against Great
Britain were to arise out OF the present
struggle between the North and South,
there would be levee En- xsGsSe Of the pop
ulation to act in concert with any British
force that might be sent to direct the de-
fenses OF the colony. si-&
one can b many days among the Canadi-
ans without feeling that they are brave
people, with az much fight in them as the
Americans, either Of the North or the
South, aud that in the hour of conflict they
would do their whole duty 10 their old and
their new country without flinchipg, and
without the indncement Of br!be or bounty
money, or any other than pure love Of the
cause. But the mistake which the Cana
dams have made, and in which they still
appear to be- nursing themselves, is that
war is improbable and that Americans are
likely To have too much work on their
hands in cutting each others Threats, du-
ring the next dozen or twenty years, to
have either men or time to spare for the
wicked invasion of . colony that has done
them no injury, and thu: sincerely desires
to be at peace with them and with all mani
kind. They do not take into account that
the Americans are not reasonable people
toward Great Britain, that they believe
the ''0ld country TO be eifete and decrepid,
andso rapidly lettering to its fall as to need
only blow from America to leave the
throne of the world vacant. without any
competitor but the United States to step
into the sovereignty of civilization, and
dictatet the policy ofChristendom, ..Why,"
they argue, "should we raise and MAIN
tain large force to guard against an im-
aginAry danger? We are . sparsely dis
tribated and poor people, We have an
bnmenae line Of frontier, which It would b
Impossible for us TO garrison at all points,
70 AZ to defeat and hold an audacious ene-
my, if be suddenly attacked IN, Besides
the raising of such force. If We were able
to afford the cost, either in men or money,
would be Q standing menace to quarrel
some neighbor, and challenged The aggression
which we would rather avoid. Moreover,
us what we could do if our blood were up.
They had but . small army when the civil
war commenced. Now they have . very
large one. We also. under the pressure Of
danger, and stirred by the feelings of pat
riotism, would sing the tocsin and carry
the fiery cross through our towns and VIII
lagos If TIE Yankees attacked us, and in Z
few weeks get together an army Of volun-
teers sufficient to cope with any amount of
invaders that could be driven against us.
Nor would Great Britain abandon Us in
any such contest. Our security is the se-
curity Of England. We are, to all intents
and purposes, one people with the people
ut home, and IL the imperial government
were ID such an emergency 70 forsake us,
and England would descend by her own
act into the rank Of . third rate Power, in
viting BY her pusillanimity the aggression
which she would have shown herself un.
able or unwilling to repeal ~
1t Is in this manner that Canadians, both
in the Upper and Lower provinces, are ac-
custorned 70 speak, though IL must be adj
the minds of their leading politicians, and
that feeling Of misgiving has been engen-
dered among all classes as to the worldly
wisdom Of such views. They are venera-
bic and not to be disputed axioms, which
declare that Heaven helps those who help
themselves, and that the best way TO pre-
serve peace is to be strong enough to COM
pei your enemy to keep i, and the events
Of the last few years on the American side
Of the 81. Lawrence are fast teaching the
Canadians the impolicy OF remaining quie-
scent and apathetlc while the shock Of war
y sounding 30 close upon their borders, and
while an unscrupnlous and greedy people
openly assert that sooner or later, they will
extend their frontiers 70 the North Pole,
and expel every ves:ige OF Q European
government from the American continent.
What the Canadians have done and pro-
pose TO do under the impulse or this grow
ing sentiment, and how far they are ready
to yield to the not unnatural demand Of the
British government that they should show
their faith by their works and their loyalty
OF spirit by their chivalFy Of action must
be reserved for q future Communications
Cor. London Times.