The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-11-03
The Confederation Agitation in the Prov
incas.

| 1ncSS.
The following suggestive remarks on the
state of public sentiment in the Marati,ae
Provinces is from the st. John IN. b. Eren-
ing Globe.
This chaotic state of public feeling. out of
which Is constantly being evolved a strong
tendency to annexation, as observed by DR..
Mackey in Canada, and as expressed in our
own community, is the resnlt Of the labors Of
the Confederation party. Eighteen months
ago, our people were quite contented with
their political condition and situation. In an
evil hour, the Canadians came and tempted
the public men of the Province 10 decide up-
on scheme OF union, which the peop,e never
considered. The good common sense of the
people, when the opportunity offered. led
them to disapproYe OF the MEASURE. But the
Confederation party, with blindness that is
the offspring, on the part Of many, nflnad par
ty zeal, and on the part Of others, of personal
preferences, have kept Up the agitation. In
tue meantime the ground has been going
from under their feet; but they either cannot
or Will not see it. They have succeeded in
having the whole subject Of our relations with
the mother country discussed, and most un-
necessarily discussed. They have got the Lon
don Times, the Daily Nes1s, and score of
othel newspapers, and public men 10 declare
that We ought 70 be independent altogether Of
the mother country. They have got expires
sions Of opinion from nearly all quarters OF
England against giving US Imperial guarantees
for loans we may require. They have got
writers in the Pan Mall Gazette to declare
that annexation is the ultimate destiny OF this
country. They have got the London Times
TO send out DR.. Maclay to spy out the feelings
Of the people, and he reports and tnotwith-
standing the denial Of Mr.. MCGEE, truly re-
ports an annexation sentiment in Canada
They have got a large number of our own
people to consider the diSunion Of our connec-
ton with the mother country as a not improb-
able event. They have got many more to feel
that even annexation to the United Statas is
preferable to confederation with Canada
And they have got others to believe that Con-
federation will lspeedily hurry us into Annex
alton. Yet they are not satisfied. They keep
up the agitation as though they delighted in
the tempest. We advise them to stop before
it is too late. There is no pressing danger Of
war with the United States. There is no fear
that the "Yankees" will presently invade the
country. Let public sentiment calm down.
Let the Canadians get on as they please, and
settle their own squabbles as they can. Let
us stop this eternal talk about Confederation
This Province won't reconsider its judgment
for the next four years. Let US talk about
Maratime Union, trade, commerce, finance.
railroads, steamboats,, local politics-every-
thing, anything, but this one subject to talk
about which is to do mischief without the
slightest possibility of accomplishing good.-
Let our Confederate friends follow the exam
pie of Mr.. ,Whalen, declare themselves "siclz"
of the subject, and express, what they ought
really to feel, giadness that the Quebec scheme
has been laid aside.