The Portland daily press., 1867-10-02
Maritime Stnses sfths New Dominion.
The Recent Elections-Disafectio ,oith the
Union.
ST. JOHN, N. B., Sept. 27, 1867.

Union.
ST.. JOHN, N. B., Sept. 27, 1867.
To the Editor ofthe Press.
The inhabitants Of this Province have been
brought together by a succession of accidents.
Though the Kennebec was once regarded by
the French Is the western boundary of Aca-
die, the Acadia immortalized by Lougfellow
existed only in Nova Scotia, and that province
was ceded to England in 1713. 1t was in
i755, the year Of Braddock's defeat, that the
French inhabitants Of Nova Scotia, having
assisted in the operations of their country
men against the British colonies in America
were visited with their fearful punishment
Their villages we're burned their fields laid
waste; seven thousand of them were tran
sporteu to the English colonies; the few that
remained were driven for shelter to the woods
and mountains. Part of them came to New
Brunswick, and here their descendants, pre-
serving the manners and customs of their an
cestors. are still to be found. Another COM
pany of the Acadians went up the st. John
river, and formed what are now called the
Madawaska settlements. The Loyalists of
the American colonies, disbanded soldiers of
the English army, who at the close of the war
took up their abode in the wilderness here
and emigrants from Great Britain made up
the Heterogeneous population of the province,
and from these blended elements have de-
scended the present generation. They are
mainly of the Anglo-Saxon race, speaking the
same language, having the same institutions
as ourselves. The bones of many of their an
cestors have crumbled to dust beneath the
sod Of New England churchyards
A great change has been made in their gov
ernment, but Confederation, though acqui-
esced in, is not at all satisfactory to the peo-
pie of the maritime provinces. They fear
that their power and influence in the Domin-
ion will be overshadowed by the larger inte-
ests of Canada; that the expenditure for the
support of the government will be large.
and great portion of it squandered in use
less salaries and corrupt jobs; that as a con-
sequence the taxes and duties will be large
thereby preventing the importation OF mer.
chandise at low prices. They are believers in
the doctrine of free trade.
The elections were lately held in this prov
ince and Nova Scotia for members of the Par
lament Of the Dominion. In New Brunswick
the Confederate OF Union party elected all
but three of the fourteen. The Anti
Confederate party charge the government
with having carried the election by bribery
and corruption. Not much effort seems to
have been made here by the Anti Confeder-
ates. In Nova Scotia they carried eighteen
members, the Confederates but one. 1t is
said that the majority of the people are op-
posed to the Union, but they did not 20 to
the polls. Their only hope of any benefit TO
be derived from it, is through the construc-
tion by the government of the Intercolonial
railway, which is to unite all the provinces by
an iron band, and which shall open up to set
tlement large portions of valuable territory in
New Brunswick.
send you the following lines penciled on
the walls of the Court House by some Anti
Confederate. They may serve to indicate the
popular feeling:
Confederation! cursed rot,
May destruction be thy lotl'
1t is charged by the Confederates on their
opponents, that they are in favor of annexa-
ton to the United States. Their reply is,
that annexation would be preferable to the
burden of taxation which Confederation is sure
to bring upon them. All the speakers at the
recent elections, on both sides, were full of
encomiums upon the United States, theil peo-
pie and institutions. The people here de-
sire the removal of all unnecessary res
trictions, and renewal of the reciprocity
treaty on the most liberal terms.
/ subjoin some extracts from an eloquent
speech made by one of the candidates, Mr..
McCready, who though not elected, having
withdrawn from the contest before the close
ofthe election, delivered on the Confederate
side one Of the most eloquent addresses made
during the contest. He says:
It is on this side of the Atlantic that the
grandest achievements of the Anglo Saxon
race have been enacted, Originally discover
ed and colonized by Spain and France, it was
by wise Providence ordained that Britain
should wrest it from them, and give to Amer
lea future of freedom and prosperity un-
exampled in the history of the world. Thir-
teen of the original colonies grew in
importance until they assumed the response
bility of independence and nationality. 1t
was in the days of our fathers when TINS
took place, yet the new nation that then COM
menced its existence, with less popuiation
than that of the New Dominion 10 whose
first House of Commons we are called upon
to-day 10 contribute-witA less shipping
anoat-and scarcely selfsustainiag in the pro-
ductiop OF tbread-struggled through
seven years war and is now one of the first