Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-03-21
The North American Confederation

1 4NOAeAA AMERICAN OOhIe0GEALLOn
. Scheme.
The scheme of organising Coufedera.
tion of the British American Provinces,
uniting the Cauadas, New Brunswick, Nova
Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edwards
Island in one federative body, has come to
grief, The result of the recent New Bruins.
wick elections, in which the supporters of
the project were Overwhelmingly defeated,
has shattered all the hopes. we take it, Of
its originators, and conclusively demon
straled the mpracticability of consolida-
ton of the British Colonial power in
America. The New Brunswick defeat has
this permanently fatal effect, because il
destroys at once the spirit of eager and
impetuous enthusiasm upon which the
Confederate movement depended. 1t was
to be carried. through wit6ya rush, apon.
the first tide OF hastily excited popnlaFfeel.
iug, or not at all It's authors wellunderstood
tbatit was only by a bold quick, push, to con.
summate the organization before the peo-
pie of the several Provinces had time to
fairly understand it, or to think of their
local 1ealonsies and their conflicts of in
terests that they could hope tor success.
The time for the undertaking was the most
favorable that can, ever be looked for. The
Pteyinoes were all nervous with appre-
lhension of the dread and astounding power
which they had watched developing itself
in their common neighbor, the great Re-
public. They felt communicated to them
selves the disturbing jar and shock of the
tremendous war raging in "the States."
They were made in thousand ways con-
sCiOus of their weakness and dependence,
and q sympathetic instinct, more powerful
than any feeling that can ever be created
again, moved then to self-defensive and
selt-protective consolidation Of their re.
sources and powers.
To this feeling, in Canada, was added
the Indictment of an intolerable condition
of affairs in domestic politics. The antag-
onism between the upper and lower Sec
tions of the Province had brought about
almost dead lock in the machinery OF
government, and the result, both morally
aud materially, was being rapidly ruinous.
No ministry could be stablished with any
frmnesss 10 power, or hold its place, even
by trimming and balancing, long enough
to warm the seats of couDcil. Coalitions,
the worst symptoms of political demorai-
zatien and disorder, were becoming the
hsbitual resort. No system of policy of
any kind could be shaped in the admins.
tration; no positive measures of any sort
could be undertaken; all distinctive party
principles were disappearing from the
Provincial politics; the Canadas were drift
ing helplessly into debt and political de.
morsli1ation, with every prospect of fBal
shipWreck before them.
t. ,,n, ~ exits O,f,ie Nho ,oln,,,a e :.
Confederation of ell the British Provinces
MAs=sttsl esSe+SE the heading
men OF both parties, and pFecipitately
sprung upon the country. In Canada ow
ing to the circumstances there, it Jared we'll.
Taken to the other Provinces, the energy
and impetuosity with which it was pushed,
bade fair to carry it in spite of opposition.
The prospects, down to very recent pc
riod, seemed altogether favorable, and the
prime movers in the undertaking were,
undoubtedly, in the highest degree san
guiue of perfecting the federative oreani-
cation in time for submitting it to the In
perial Parliament at its present session.
That they were wholly unprepared for the
aunihilating defeat experienced in New
Brunswick. and that they are dismayed by
the event, We think is evident from the tone
of the Canadian press and from the action
of the government. The Ministry announce
an adjournment Of Parliament, as soon
as supplies can be voted, while the leading
members of the government proceed to
England for conference and consultation
with the Imperial authorities.
The failure of this Confederation project
is sn event which we, upon this side, can.
not fail to regard with great interest 1t
had its origin primarily in a consciousness
on the part of the leading minds of Canada,
of the absolute necessity for strengthening
the Provinces against the pressure of the
dominance and politically
more than militarily-ofthe United States.
If they could have. organized something
in the form of nationality, embracing all
the Provinces, maratime and interior, they
might have secured enough of the condi.
tions. of Independence to give them firm
standing, and created enough of a national
sentiment in the popular mind to temper it
against the persuasion of the advantages
that offer themselves in a Union with the
Uuited States. But they have failed, aud
what may not be the consequence
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