The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-06-24
Tho Canadian Parli ament ON tho Fee
MAN acknowledgements Ground.

The Canadian Parli ament ON tho Fee
MAN QuestiOn-DangerousG Ground.
Ottawa City, the present seat Of the Cana
dian Provincial Parliament, is busting little
inland numbering town of some eight or ten
Great Ottawa river, hundred miles or so
above its junction with the greater St. Law
renee, at Montreal, and about sixty miles by
rail north Of Ogdensburg, New York. Thus
the late gatherings Of the Fenians in the neigh
borhood Of Ogdensburg may be readily ex-
Ottawa City, the Canadian capital, and in the
outset he had every reason to anticipate that
brilliant success or series of revolutionary sue
cesses, beginning at Ottawa City, would crown
his expedition. The Canadians were thoroughly
frightened, especially at Ottawa City, where
they were saved from capture by the Fenians
only through the active Intervention of the
United States.
Her Majesty's provincial legislators at Ottawa
City, therefore, ought to be especially grateful
to our government for interposing and saving
them, as 1t has done, from the tender mercies of
the ferocious Fenians. During their late cam
paign there were probably twenty thousand of
them, most Of them veteran soldiers, strewn
along our Northern frontier and If q passage
across the river could have been secured
whereby ten thousand of them could have been
concentrated on the other side, they would
have sent her Majesty's provincials, military
and civil, whirling through Ottawa City, as
General Sheridan not long ago sent the dis
gusted Gansral Early and his rebel army
"whirling through Winchester"
But instead Of gratitude for their salvation
from the Fenians by President Johnson, Mr..
Seward and General Meade, the Canadians,
especially those stupid colonial Solons Of Otta-
wa City, with few rare exceptions, are pain
fully ungrateful and insunerably impertinent
On Friday evening last, in the Canadian House
Of Assembly, Mr.. Gait moved for the indem-
MITIGATION by the United States OF the
provincial government for the expenses
incurred by them on account Of the
recent Fenian troubles. Several members of
the government and government party spoke
in support of the proposition, and conspicuous
among them was that famous jumping philoso-
pher, Thomas Darcy MCGEE. But there was
one man, o sensible and courageous man too
Mr.. W. F. Chambers, of Brockville-who warned
the government party that they were treading
on dangerous ground; that, in a military view,
against the United States-three millions of
people against thirty-fve millions. To
attempt to get up Canadian military force to
defy the power Of the United States "would
not only" he contended, abe unwise, but de-
structive Of the interests Of Canada "-meaning,
no doubt, as British colony. Mr.. Chambers
was interrupted by Kisses, groans, shouts,
laughter, and all sorts Of disturbances; but he
seems TO have persisted till delivered Of the
wholesome truths he had upon his mind. The
motion OF Mr.. Calf, Of course, was carried;
and II Lord John Russell is no wiser than he
was before the sinking Of the Alabama we
may before long hear Of q claim being pre-
scented ct Washington for indemnity for the
expenses incurred by the Canadians in their
defensive measures against the furious Fenians.
We judge, too, from our reporters report Of
this Ottawa Parliamentary debate that her
MdJc5sy . Oouuuinh0 CAPcCt bOuio uOuUic
from this business, and are disposed to pick .
quarrel with us and fight It out We must say,
however, that the tendency TO such course on
the part Of the Canadians Is not only very fool
ish and very impairment, but that there Is dan.
ger In 1t. Indemnity from the United States |!
Why, the boot 10 on the other leg The ex-
psnses incurred by our government In the way
Of iron-clads, gnnboats, troops, transportation,
&c, TO arrest and put down these warlike
Fenian movements on this side of our Northern
boundary will probably cost the federal treas
ury over . quarter Of million Of money I.
These expenses, We tell them, aud something
more, will be exacted Of the Canadians II they
push this badgering about indemnity much
further. Mr.. Chambers was only talking com
mon sense TO them, and II they do not listen to
that they will have 10 listen to something
worse General Sherman, In recent speech
at Goderich, Canada, said that "the United
States did not want Canada" but that III we
did campaign Of Ave days would bring IT."
and General Sherman il a soldier whose opin-
ion, especially on military subjects, is entitled
to great respect.
We have only, therefore, TO warn her Msjes-
tvs Provisional Parliament Of Canada not to
tribe too FAR with this business Of indemnity for
the Fenians, or the Fenians may be allowed to
cross the ST. Lawrence by the authorities on
this side. What then will become Of the au-
thorities on the other side, including the Par
lament at Ottawa Ci,yf They win be gobblsd
up before breakfast Let them beware