The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-06-08


been before, at least for the last half century
Fenianism is the scourge that is affecting it.
The first conflict of arms has been had, and
blood has stained the soil. A peaceful people
have been invaded, and the call to arms is
everywhere heard. The telegraph wires and
the railway trains are pressed into Govern
ment service, and to an American, fresh from
the States, general appearances and the theme
of common conversation seem wonderfully
familiar. will not infict upon your readers
any details of the conflict, for all that could
interest them has probably been read ere this
in your telegraphic columns. r.
Fort Erie, reported on Saturday in posses
sion of the Fenians; is situated nearly oppo-
site Buffalo, and is said to have been manned
by not more than fifty British soldiers. 1t is
place of no great strength, and considering
the unexpectedness Of the invasion and the
suddenness of the attack, it is not wonderful
that it was easily possessed by the invaders.
That the invasion aoas unexpected is evident
from the fact that nearly all the volunteers re-
Gently called into service had been allowed to
return to their homes, subject to call at any
moment, while those actually on duty were
required to drill but once week.
Port Colborne, near to which the fighting of
yesterday was reported to be going on, is on
Lake Erie, at the head of the ,eWelland canal,
while St. Catharines, the locality of other re-
ported conflicts, is near the mouth of the
same canal, and the object of concentrating at
these points is presumed to be to gain possess
sion of and destroy the locks on the canal,
and thus prevent the passage of armed yes
sells to Erie and the upper lakes. At the pres
ent writing the latest reports indicate that the
invaders have got the worst of it, and that the
whole affair may blow over in very few days.
Should different result follow, and the mis-
cradle tolls of Roberts, Sweeny & Co., succeed
in holding on for any length of time, and es-
pecially should they be strong enough to or
ganize raids into the country, the most dis
astrous results are apprehended for all bust
ness interests in this portion of the province.
The sympathy of the Americans here and at
other centers of the oil district, may, very
naturally be presumed to be in favor of the
local authorities and against the hordes of
ragamuffins that make up the invading army.
To an American, familiar with the sounds
and scenes of war for the past five years, there
is no small amount of comedy mixed up with
the tragic element of this last sspeck of war"
on the border. 1t is decidedly amusing to
hear the bar-room and street-corner crowds
discuss the eaffairs of the nation" and to see
how they comprehend the situation" 1t re-
minds one Of our ante First Bull Run cam
paigns, and the bravado spirit with which we
prepared to 60 on that grand picnic excursion,
expecting to see nothing OF the rebels but their
horizontal coat-tails, as they would put off at
double-quick step. s2
Last evening the little hotel where am
stopping was thronged with noisy patriots,
many of whom, in the course of an hour, re-
newed their oaths of fidelity to the crown sew
eral times, the oath being administered, not
upon bible or even prayer-book, but in a
common glass tumbler. The oftener they
took the oath the more their patriotism burn
ed, the more British authority and power
doomed up before their liquid vision, and the
more Insignificant and even contemplate
seemed the "Fenian murderers," every moth
ers son of whom was to be captured alive
within eight and forty hours, and to be hung
without judge or jury, or possibly roasted
alive. The American Government was ex-
pected to lay its hand on every suspected per-
son offering to cross into Canada, and If any of
the ruffians should get back into the States.
the government was expected to shoot them
on the run, hang them up by the neck, or de-
liver them up on demand to the Canadian au-
thoritiesl ais
Several of the garrulous patriots did me the
honor to ask my opinion OF the course our
Government would pursue, but they did not
seem perfectly satisfied when informed them
that the question could be answered only with
good deal of latitudinarianism; that no
doubt the Government would, under ordinary
circumstances, take prompt and efficient steps
to prevent its soil from being made the base
Of hostile operations against friendly ma
ton, but the most exalted presidents were
against such action; that possibly, to carry
out the British Interpretation of duty under
similar circumstances, the Washington Gov
eminent might feel called upon to recognize
the Fenians as belligerents, to give shelter to
their privateers, to wink at all efforts of our
people to supply them with vessels of war,
cannon, muskets and ammunition, and should
the raiders rob bank or two, shoot down
peaceable citizens at midday, steal horses and
run away with their plumber, a la st. Albans,
and should Canadian force pursue them over
the line, arrest them with the blood upon
their hands, the plumber upon their persons
and their persons upon the stolen horses, and
deliver them up to our authofities, possibly
we might feel compelled by the force of prece-
dent to hold themin custody till Gen. Sweeny
or President Roberts could forward commits
sions to their leaders, issued in the name of
the "Irish Republic" and then, of course, we
should be obliged to let them go at largel
Such reminders and "reminiscences are not
pleasant just now TO the Canadian mind, and
it is no doubt very unwelcome thought that
so many of the chickens that they Matched
during our late struggle are now coming home
to roost I think the intelligent ones would
give good deal if they could blot out or ex-
punge much of the record they made, or
which was made by their government and
officials, during the last five years. have
not failed to assure them, as often as oppor-
tunity offered, that our government and peo-
pie are magnanimous, and in their strength
could afford to give an example of their mag
napimity, and that they will no doubt treat
both Canada and the mother country, in their
present and future troubles, With much more
friendship than they received in the ordeal
through which they have SO recently passed,
anu from which they have so triumphantly
emerged.
LaS' evening war meeting was held at this
little railroad station to form a "Home Guard.n