, 1864-12-17
SENSIBLE CANADIAN
VIEW.
GuubontA on the Lakes.



The announcement Of Mr. Lincoln, that bis
Government has given the requisite six months
notice for the termination Of the treaty petWeen
Great Britain and the United States, which to51tus
either party having armed vessels upon the lakes
between this Province and the United States, is
very seriously to BE- regretted. To Canadians es-
Peea It is matter Of the ser gFhasssty mo- 9fa4
vessels oTar, and we have been haEed from any
necessity bf cxpcnding our money In building and
aIming boats to watch similar EsePara9'ns on n The
le changed md that arc to be left only choice
between large outlay for naval purposes and the
unpleasant alternative Of remaining IN state OF
The parties to whom NE are to owe this altered
stats Of things those Confederate refugees who
have endeavored 70 make the Northern lakes the
he Itadtr and similar Journals. Much as We re-.
grrt the detetminatioa Of the American. Govern
Inent, We can hardly b. surprised lii: We cannot
BY and witness sneA acts 40 the plunaering Of the
two steamers On Lake Erie two Or three months
eince without taking some steps to protect the
robbcries occur; not only have other .ontlages of
plenty q evidence that the oltrasss witch have
ass RRhsh RaSs e. rs 81 Been paeeeteds -
,,. ls,et, 5he! sss part .ha.s "a 5sEa,asly
ausnccs Of their crimes. leading newspapers
and by clever rettitoggIng and twistng. Of small
sEa R3Ra e aashns ahS e. bS
md
from being organized upon Canadian territory, Is
made the subject Of rfdicule and abuse. The re-
relative to tie expectation OF munitions Of ,sar,
has called down upon Ministers the strongest cen
sure from several Of o.! Canadian p1o-con1saer- @
ington, on The snppoaition that whilo there he
must bare had conversation with Mr. Lincoln Or
with some Of his Ministers, relative to the Con:
that IN such conversation he did not constitute
himself the apo}oEtst OF piracy and robbery, il
made the occasion fos language almost Insulting.
The eafnestness OF these attacks is indicated By
tho fact that they come from Journals which re-
gard themselves a. supporters Of Government,
and which have ordinarily nothing hut tho most
lavish ,Pratee for Ar. Cartier and the maority Of
Under he circumstances tho American Govern
neut IS tnaptl1sd to do something for the pTetec.
sud guards At the principal towns are asstrate In
tileir way, but they are useless against piracy:
| The assurance that onr Government Is doing, and
coniederstes tFom starting my morc of their rob
bing. expeditions from our soil, are excellent;
but The American naturally thinks that few gun
Government Al Washington bcthinks IscIf Of tho
Likes. and gives the required notice for the ter.
MllpaIt0n VI tua1 tuEaEG1Qc14t 4do Elk HloHtus
| viii have expired by The opening Of navigation
| next spring, and next summer the American com
u1erce on the northern lakes will be protected by
| properly appointed guDhonts.
| So far as the Confederate pirates arc concerned
The change will be satisfactory enough. Il there
! had been gunboat hn1d by 10 overhaul the ras
calls who captured and robbed the Fhilo Parsons
| .nd Island Queen, our officers Of justice woult
| have been saved the trouble Of catching Burley
and our courts the tificulty aud responsibility o
deciding what to do with him. But for our ow1
people, the appearance Of o number Of gunboat:
| on our inland seas is very different AMIR. Tht
business men md property holders OF our exposed
| ciLee and towns. and thote engaged In our lakt
commerce, will hardly consent that there shall b.
T. enuboats On one side of the lakes aud not upor
the other. That state Of things would put MS IL
Imminent peril In the event OF wnr. 1f the Amer
leans had gunboats while we had mons, they coult
make sloEt work OF the chief cities Of Upper Can
ai:a. Long before we could begin to supply th,
deficiency, We might hare the very points mos
essential to the defense Of Western Canal
wrcste1 from u. IT. therefore, the present pur
pose OF the American Government be fully Carried
out, there can hardly be doubt that 1t involve!
the providing OF a number Of expensive gunbo 1T
for Canadian defense. So much sec1na In store ~
us as the reeuIt OF tho lawlessness and. the ntts
disregard Of the claims Of gratitude by rascals tt
whom cur country afforded an asylum when The.
| were In need.