Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-05-02

ohe WHICH heeu not give us tue blBntesJ |
umbrage. There are some things which |
the greatest nations cannot perform. We |
can do marvels by cooperating with |
nature, but when nature resolutely and |
irrevocably takes the other side we are
powerless Philosophers have not yet
discovered any means whereby water can
he made to flow uphill, or windmill to
reyolve against the wind. Ii some stern
despot were sacrificing the interest of
humanity at the North Pole, even Cap
tain Shcrard Osborne would be unable
to persuade us to send out hostile ex
pedition to bring him to his senses. In
the nature OF things the defence of Can
ada, at all events in Canada, against such
armies as the United States could bring
into the field, is equally impossible.
Lord Palmerston, we we'll know, has
firm faith in Notifications, and he points
to Richmond as an illustration of their
utility. The defence of Richmond Is
certainly one of the most brilliant per-
formances in the history of war, and yet
no Illustration could have been more un
fortunate. Where would Richmond have
been by this time but for'the army-at
one period hundred thousand strong
under the command of such general as
Lee Where could we find such an
army? We have 10, 1000 troops in Canada
at the present time. Weshould Of course
send more in the event Of war But the
largest number we could spare. would not
be more numerous than q couple Of the
corps Of Grants army, aud they would
have to be divided between Quebec and
Montreal. Again, Richmond is in some
practical sense the gate of the South
There is a back door in Tennessee, as
Sherman has made manifest but the
South cannot be overrun from the Eastern
states without the previous capture Of
Richmond. We should like to know the
provinces Of which Quebec aud Montreal
defend the entrance. They are the gates
to nowhere and nothing. They merely
stand for two points at one end Of q
frontier thousand or fifteen hundred
miles long Canada can be cut asunder
in q dozen places, and every one Of the
dozen can be held without the slightest
strategical pressure from the garrisons at
Montreal and Quebec. Those fortifca-
tions would be of the utmost strategic
value If the Americans contemplated a
march to the shore of HudSon's bay, but
for defending any portion of Canada, east
! or west, beyond the reach of their guns,
} we might just as usefully fortify the passes
+ Of the r. -cEy Mountains. These con
clusions are forced upon US much to our
: regret. Since Canada wishes to remain
united to u.s. we should be ouly too happy
i, if nature had placed 10 our hands the
r means of afordiug it effeetual protection
, This might have been quite feasible i
the geological revolutions which happened
{ in that part Of the world some millions o
y years ago had ended differently II
5 instead Of half dozen lakes and rive
4 forming the boundary between the United
States and Canada, the ocean had tbrus
one OF its great arms between them as fa
as Lake Superior, we should have fount
a the task perfectly practicable and easy
s Nature has granted many favors to th,
e inhabitants Of these isles, but in thi
instance she lacked political foresight
u We may regret the blunder, but we canno
i help it. We must take facts as we fnC
}, them, and reconcile ourselves to them q
q well as we can.
The only way Of escape from the dilemm
is one which we might have been hange,
u u for mentioning fifty years ago, but which
u thanks to the growth of political knowl
edge, may now be discussed without rails
ing any imputatlons against our patriot
ism. We do not believe that the United
States would ever find it worth thei
= whlle to invade Canada on its owl
! account. They have already more terri
y tory than they can occupy. The acquisi
= tion of Canada, even it it were the resul
l. Of friendly oyertures from the Canadian
j. themselves, would be doubtful gain
" and to hold Canada against the will o
= the people would cost more money thai
II both provinces are worth Canada will
= never be attacked by the United States
- save as an act of hostility against Grea
d Britain, and the liability to attack in a
y y imperial war is the price which th
! u Canadians aud ourselves have to pay 70
u keeping up u merely nominal connection
> On the one hand, the existence of thI
= connection is d standing temptation +
! the United States to quarrel with vi
l. because it gives them an easy means G
u coercion and triumph while, on the othe
y hand, Canada is precisely that part G
% the empire which we are least able, or q
- Is insisted, we are positively unable, /
y defend. And what is the counectio
l; worth F? We have repeatedly shown tho
u it exists only in name. The Canadian
= are in all respects an independent natio
le saving one barren word, or il no
s. barren, fruitful in nothing but perplexit
"a and mischief. Dissolve this verbal Ii,
II and both countries at onco becom
. stronger. To the neutrality of Canada /
10 war between the United States an
! Great Britain, the Americans would ueye
u consent, aud could not be asked to consent
l. but Canadian independence solves tb
D difficulty at once. The present. momen
y is opportune for the experiment. The
% are forming great confederation let u
% advise them to make it national an
y independent. If monarchy suits them
" we have several charming young prince
+ who would bo most happy to wear
J crown if a republic, the materials are il
Q their own hands. This step taken, W,
n shall be as closely identified with Cansd
u as we are now, while both parties will b.
+ set free from the only danger whicl
6 menaces their future relations.
-a>-s-a-s--~
8 PRESIDENT LINcoLN's FuNrRfr ',