The Portland daily press., 1865-07-07
CANADIAN AFFAIRs

5 The Canadian papers received since the last
arrival Of the ARelTca have been full Of felicita-
tons on the gratifying success of the deputation
sent to England by the Executive Council of
Canada to confer with the home government
ON matters of interest to the colonies, and par
ticularly upon the proposed confederation of
the British North America provinces, upon the
arrangements necessary for the defence of Can
ada in case ola war with this country, and up
on the Reciprocity Treaty. 1t seems to have
been rather hastily inferred from the dispatches
that great results were achieved by the confer
ances which had taken place, and that these
important matters were in train for the most
complete and perfect settlement. The follow
ing, cut from the London Daily CNescs ofthe
21st ult. shows That all is not in so satisfactory
a state of arrangement as had been supposed.
s'Those who expected final settlement OF
the several questions discussed will be disap-
pointed. 1t is true that the English Ministers
repeated the assurances that every means
would be used to carry into effect without de-
lay the proposed confederation. But no in
formation is vouchsafed as to any modifica-
tions of the plan originally proposed, nor are
any hopes held out that the objections of the
Maritime Provinces to such a confederation
can be overcome. 1t is true also that the Cana
dian Minister'S on the part of Canada, assured
the English Ministers that Canada is ready to
devote all her resources, both in men and mon
ey, to the maintenance other connection with
the mother country, and that the English
Minister assured the Canadians in return that
the imperial government fully acknowledged
| the reciprocal obligation of defending every
portion of the empire with all the resources at
its command. But it is obvious that these
vague assurances do not amount 70 much. The
| only important question concerns the manner
| in which both parties propose to give these as
suranceS practical effect. And on this point
| it is satisfactory to find that the mutualpro
| ses are conveniently indefinite. On the part
| of the Canadians the only definite obligation is
! that they agree to apply 100000 to the train
ing of militia; on the part of che British Minis
! ter the only definite obligations are that they
! will endeavor to obtain renewal of the Reel
procity Treaty, and thai if the Canadians sue
/ ceed in getting transfer OF the Hudson Bay
Co.. territory reasonable indemnity to the COM
/ panY viii be guaranteed by the British govern
ment, as to the rest of tllis scheme of Canadian
| elence. beyond paying 100000 for the militia,
| the parties seemed unable TO come to any pre-
| else understanding Unfortunately, PaIlia-
1nept has already directed the immediate exc
| cution of works about Quebec: although it
! seems to be admitted on all hands that these
works, even if complete, can be of no use un-
less the rest OF the general plan is carried into
| execution The completion of the rest of the
| plan depends upon the Canadian Legislature
| The Canadian ministers, when pressed to pro-
coed with tortications about Montreal, declared
that the question of these works could not be
4 disconnected from the question of the works
! west Of that place, and from the question Of a
| naval armament on Lake Ontario. For this
/ purpose the imperial government must at once
! guarantee the loan which would be required
| To this proposal the British Ministers found 1t
| impossible to assent. They insisted that the
| Provincial Legislature must first be consulted
and must express their opinion on the subject.
And the result seems that the question of the
new imperial guarantee is to be postponed I'M
| til the question OF the new confederation is
settled. 1T would no doubt have been extreme
ly convenient for the Canadian Minister to
| have obtained at once the promise of a ouar-
! antv for the money required for the defensive
! works This is the utmost probable that any
minister, however powerful, would Venture To-
| to propose to Parliament, and it is the utmost
which the most patriotic Canadian can hope
to obtain from the people OF this county,
But it is tOerably obvious that before any min
| lister would venture to make such a proposal
! to Parliament he mnst be prepared to show
! that it had the sanction of the Colonial Legis-
1 latufe As to the naval force on Lake Ontario,
| the British Minister refused to say more than
| that Her Maesty's Government would do its
l duty. Hr, Ha, En- tae az s@f
ct is abundantly clear that very little prog
ress has been made in settling the exceedingly
delicate and perplexing question which formed
the chief subject of discussion" eaa aieel
Inc N Y.Eoening Post, commenting upon
'ne report Of these negotiations, aIludes to the
use winch, in their dealings with the mother
country 'ne canadians have always made of
the bug-bear of war with the United States,
and to their hints that in case Of sncb a war
safety and economy might compel them to
accept annexation, and says .ffsv.a
We do not wish to offend our friends over
/ the border, but the plain truth should he
known; no wise or shreWd American w;sbas
Canada or the other British provinces other
/ than what they re-zEnglish colonies. Con
federated or not matters little to US; so long as
they are English they are hostages to Us for
the respectful conduct Of England towards U.S.
And while it is hehabjt ofmischieyous Amer