The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-19
The Great "Finnigan" Scare.
SARNIA, G. W., Mar. 10, 1865.

oARNIA, y. W., Mar. III, 1850.
To the Editor of the Press.
The American branch ofthe John Bull fam
lily is just now intensely excited over an ex-
pected raid from the Fenians, or, as common
ly called here, the "Finnigans." From Cue
bee to Sarnia the militia have been called out,
and every where the trappings OF the soldier
boys are seen. 1t is ''big scare" and, am
inclined to think, very little else. The frothy
meetings of the Mahoneys and Sweeneys and
other 'head centre" Fnnigans in the large
cities of the States, and their bompastlc
speeches and fire-eating eiOquence nave gal
vanized John Bull, so that he emits electrlcai
sparks from all points, even from MS frozen
boots. The Toronto Leader, the seeesh paper
Of all Canada West, suggests that "we-the
COMMUNICATIVE right to expect the Am
.erican Government to do all that can be done
"to prevent threatened raids across the bor-
'der" This is decidedly cool, when we re-
member the effortsmade during our late strug-
gle in the States, by the Canadian Govern
ment to prevent raids across the border. In
their eagerness to do us friendly act how
prompt the provincial authorities were, if not
to prevent the raid upon St. Adams, at least
to punish the scoundrels who perpetrated that
cold-blooded outrage upon rural New Eng
land villagel A gang of cutthroats entered
the quiet little village at midday, robbed its
banks. murdered its citizens, stole horses from
the stables, and, thou gh taken in the very act
with the blood unwashed from their hands
and the booty upon their persons. because they
happened tobe arrested just across ageograph-
cal line called the Boundary John Bull
insisted they shonld be released or turned ov-
er to his officials to be dealt with according to
his laws, and then not one was convicted. but
even the head-devil was set at liberty by Mr..
Justice Couroal because he claimed to be act
ing in the interests of the great "head-centre"
Of the Southern Coniederacyl sn or |
The treatment by British officials of the
Chesapeake pirates is another fair instance
of the prompt and vigilant manner in which
raids across the border were prevented, by the
Provincial Government during our late war
1.-THE American Government does as it has been
lone by, in its treatment OF the s'Finnigans,"
there will be little, obstruction placed in the
way Of the soldiers of the Irish Republic
who may see fit to make an onslaught upon
this portion OF the Queens dominions. sn.
Still, it is to be hoped if ratle-headed, crack
Drained fellows from the States attempt any
invasion of the peace and the rights of the
people of Canada, that .Uncle Sam" will
promptly check their mad folly, for the old
gentleman is strong enough now, not only in
his material power but in his moral position,
to afford to do right, and to exhibit better
example Of neighborly kindness and fraternal
regard than has been afforded by,his neighbors
during the protracted struggle from which he
has recently emerged. .s.s1a ID .aal-cg
As write this in the alexandra House,
look directly across the river into the thriv-
ing town OF Port Huron, on the Michigan
shore ofSt. Clairriver. The ferry boat is coming
over, and the shore on this side is lined with
women and children watching to see the Sin
nigans" Excitement is on tip-toe and the
frightened people are prepared to believe any
kind of a cock-and-bull story if it only happens
to harmonize with their in1amed magma
tions. ,.-...tfs, Six. si,.-..... ..t ai-4
Sarnia is a town of quite respectable proper
tons, lying along the bank of the river, from
which to Oil Springs, eighteen miles distant
is very fine plank road. 1T is sandy and dry
though at present the sand is mixed with q
couple of inches of light snow. This is the
point where the ST. Clair river issues from
Lake Huron, and where the G.. T. Railroad
crosses to Michigan, sixty miles above Detroit
have Just come up from the latter city-one
Of the finest in the whole West, and,-per
haps it was all imagination,-I fancied there
was something purer, more bracing and more
refreshing to Republican lungs, in the atmos
phera of that side than of this duJI, fogyish
John Bull-ish and tossilized region. At any
rate, prefer such an atmosphere to anything
have found here. p -.27 5ll yd isul1
The river at this place-at Detroit--is as
clear of ice as in June, and everything betok.
ems an early spring. The people cover the Dor.
der" are buoyant, and do not believe our coun.
try is to be cheated out of the legitimate fruits
Eft four years struggle. IS SPURwINK.